“Novalis has always been in the heart of the church (in Canada),” Ronald Albert, assistant director general of Bayard, told The Catholic Register Oct. 20. “This will certainly continue.”

The sale was first revealed in July when Saint Paul University announced it would sell its publishing arm and invest the money back into academic operations. In the months since, final negotiations have continued over price and what to do with the 21 staff members who worked on the campus offices of Novalis.

Albert would not reveal the sale price. He said that of the 21 staff members, sever or eight will be staying with Novalis and may be eventually moving to offices in Montreal or Toronto. Another six on contracts will work out of different locations.

Novalis was started on Dec. 8, 1935, by Fr. André Guay, OMI, and has been part of the university run by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate ever since. Its mission has been to “spread the Good News of Jesus Christ” through the publication of books, periodicals, audio-visual aids and brochures that attempt to work through contemporary culture “in a spirit of ecumenical openness, while remaining faithful to the Scriptures and tradition,” says the Novalis web site.

Novalis is probably best known as the publisher of Living With Christ, the Catholic missal used widely in English-speaking churches in Canada, and Prion en Eglise, its French counterpart. It also publishes the award-winning liturgy magazine Celebrate. Among its book authors are Jean Vanier, Reginald Bibby, retired Sen. Douglas Roche and novelist Maura Hanrahan.

The Augustinians of the Assumption Fathers of Quebec City own 86 per cent of Bayard Canada. It is a sister company of Bayard of France, a large multinational Catholic publishing company with a presence in 18 countries. Bayard Canada publishes children’s periodicals chirp, chickaDEE and Owl, along with Owlkids Books.

Albert said Bayard Canada will carry on the fall and spring publishing schedule for Novalis, while preparing the groundwork for its future direction. It will be setting up English editorial, marketing and distribution offices in Toronto while French-language operations will reside in Montreal. Albert added that Novalis is already looking for an editorial director to take charge in Toronto.

A major challenge will be to publish in a small niche market that is undergoing its own stresses. With declining church attendance and financial resources, especially in Quebec, the Catholic Church in Canada represents a very small market for religious publishing, he said. This means close attention to the bread and butter of Novalis — its liturgical and catechetical resources — and likely a slimmed down line-up for its trade paperback list.

However, Albert remains optimistic about the future of Catholic publishing.

“I know we’re in the midst of a huge evolution, but there is much to be done.”