Ode to a Catholic book store
Yesterday my wife and I went to our favorite Catholic bookstore in our area to pick up new guidebooks for the Liturgy of the Hours to find that that the store was closed down. For me this was a serious let down. Over the years since my conversion I have bought a steady stream of books there. They always had an excellent and fairly large selection of books and their selection of books was quite orthodox.
In the last year though we had gone there less frequently since I have been receiving more and more books for review and have had less need to go and buy new books. So I am experiencing some not buying remorse that just perhaps they went out of business without my normally relied upon influx of bucks for books.
In seriousness though I understand that the majority of Catholic book stores are really apostolates created out of love and certainly not the love of money. I don't know the reason for the demise of my favorite local book store, but I do thank them for their years of service. So hats off to all those owners and employees of Catholic book stores that struggle to stay in business and yet still do.
Luckily for me there are plenty of good online sources like Aquinas and More to supply my Catholic book addiction needs.
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I'm sorry to hear that. I'd just die if our bookstore shut down. Maybe I need to go by there and buy something.
Good point and yes, I to am thankful for my favorite Catholic bookstore here in Houston, Veritas. I would have a semi-shock if Veritas shuts down since there aren't that many Catholic bookstores in a city as large as Houston (there should be more I would think than just two).
Anyways, here's a selfish plug for Veritas Catholic books and gifts: http://www.veritasbookstore.com/index.html
I am so very thankful for the owner of the little bookshop that opened in a nearby town. She used to have a traveling kiosk at church fairs and such, but she decided to take the plunge. I used to drive a couple hours to buy statues, rosaries, etc. at St. Joseph's Toolbox (coolest name for a Catholic bookstore EVER!). Or I'd order Catholic books through the Barnes & Noble. But there's nothing like a real Catholic bookstore, is there?
I'm lucky our parish has it's own gift shop - subject to the pastor's approval of content. You won't find new-agey books there, nor things promoting apparitions not yet approved. But, there is a steady supply of time-tested classics and other reputable resources.
I could buy stuff online, but I try first to support my local bookstore.
There is another Catholic store, quite close to me, but I try not to shop there as they began selling all kinds of Christian things - including protestant bibles, and private revelations which have not been approved. I don't want to have to wonder if what I'm reading is good for me.
We're lucky here in DC in that we have three bookstores to choose from, though two are located a bit out of the way for me now - The Shrine Bookstore and the Newman, and then there's one downtown at the Catholic Information Center. I also believe the JPII Center has one as well. Unfortunately the CIC never seems to have the particular item you were looking for Jeff - the guidebook. Is there an online resource than I can use until I can get my hands on a copy of the 2007 guidebook?
I used to have half a dozen great local Catholic bookstores, which have now closed. I think the internet has contributed to their demise.
We've only ever had a church supply store in town. It's nice for buying statues of every saint there is, or rosaries, but as a bookstore it... um... well, it's a great church supply store.
Hats off to ANY small bookstore these days. We are fortunate, I mean blessed enough, to have a Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million here in Savannah, plus the independent Shavers and MOST OF ALL Saints and Shamrocks, which cheats a bit by catering to both local Catholics and Irish (no longer synonymus, sigh).
Being in the Bible Belt we've several Protestant bookshops, I always like to go in and ask if they sell rosaries, or anything by blessed John Paul. The paint-peeling looks I get are sooooo revealing, hee hee.
I recently discovered a nice Catholic church supply/bookstore in a part of my city that was a bit hard to find because it's a little bit off the beaten track. Not only does it have all the statues, candles, holy cards, icons and rosaries you can use but it has an excellent selection of Catholic books. (I suppose that if there is something I can't find, they might order it if I ask). What particularly pleased me was that when I was looking to purchase a set of the Liturgy of the Hours that they actually had the volumes in stock and I didn't have to order online - and put up with the hassle of shipping across the border.
There's another good store that, though mainly a gift shop with a limited selection of books, is very much Catholic.
Even the biggest Christian (mainly evangelical Protestant) bookstore in town now seems to have more items of interest for Catholics in stock than I can ever remember them having.
In the Boston area, we have at least 2 Catholic bookstores that I know of, both affliated with chapels, the Carmelite Chapel at the North Shore Mall and the St Francis Chapel at the Prudential Center in Boston. I like ordering online though, and try to never buy a Catholic book from Amazon.
Support our Catholic bookstores!
I work in the local Catholic bookstore-it's a family-run business. Unfortunately, the owner-a ND grad but a Call to Action liberal-is getting up there in years, and his health is not that good, especially his sight. We sell Church goods as well as the usual stuff like rosaries, statues, pictures, etc.; but some of the books I would rather chuck out (Chittister, Cozzens, Rupp, Boff- the liberal crowd). I try to make my job as an apostolate. We also sell a few Protestant Bibles and Books of Common Prayer for the 'Piskeys'.
Hey Panda Rosa-I like your comment on the 'paint-peeling looks' from the Bible Belters when you ask for books by John Paul II...had to laugh about it!
We are extremely blessed to have access to the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception book store, the Catholic Information Center in downtown DC (they have a fantastic chapel and two priests, by the way) and the Pauline bookstore in Alexandria, Virginia. Oh and don't forget Tan and Roman Catholic Books.
It's hard running a bookstore. The little guys get crushed by Amazon, Borders and Barnes and Noble.
I'm very fortunate to have the Cathedral Goods Store just down the road in Manchester, NH. While they do carry some Protestant items, they're generally grouped together so it's easy to know where to go. They sell pretty much everything from stoles to cassocks to candles to incense to books and CDs. I do feel a little guilty for not buying more there to help make sure they stay around, but my reading list is already way too long...
Stumbled across your site: Yes, we do need to support our Catholic book stores. Anyway, I am a new children's Christian writer. In addition I am a wife, mom of three, and I teach Sunday School. I have written a book called "Good Night God, Love Olivia." The link below was on Catholic Moms.
http://catholic.net/you_and_your_kids/template_channel.phtml?channel_id=12
http://www.catholicmom.com/br_mammola.htm
Thanks for you help with the book.
Beth Mammola- Koravos
Author “Good Night God, Love Olivia”
Catholic Stores
A question?
How waould the Church clergy, (bishops, cardinals
etc) respond if there were no Catholic stores
serving the needs of its congregation tomorrow?
Too often, church officials bypass supporting
their local Catholic retailer by ordering directly
from the manufacturer. What is so distressing is
that the difference between survival and foreclosure sometimes can be offset by the support
of the local parishes.
Catholic retailers for the most part are active
ministries. Everyday they unlock the door of
their store is a small miracle.
Lorraine Doan
New Hope, PA
January 12, 2007