—John 14:26
About Paraclete Press
“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said.”
Who We Are
We take our name and our guiding inspiration from the Paraclete, the Greek title of the Holy Spirit—the comforter and guide who comes alongside us, inspiring us with fresh revelations of God’s immense love and creativity. As we joyfully celebrate forty years of publishing, we look back with gratitude as we reflect on God’s faithfulness and blessing at every turn—and we look forward to serving Him with love.
In The Beginning
Paraclete Press is the publishing outreach of the Community of Jesus, an ecumenical Christian community in the Benedictine tradition, founded in the early 1960s on the shores of Cape Cod Bay.
The community began as a teaching ministry that brought the Scriptures and the healing power of Jesus alive through the mundane realities of everyday life.
From its very beginning, the community felt the Holy Spirit’s call to express beauty through sacred music, visual arts, and the power of the written and spoken word.
Our Roots
Looking to the wisdom of those who had walked this path before us, Paraclete began by publishing modernized editions of classics such as The Practice of the Presence of God, The Imitation of Christ, The Joy of Full Surrender, and The Confessions of St. Augustine.
Our community’s ecumenical vision was reflected in our first trade-market release, A Reader’s Companion to Crossing the Threshold of Hope. In this groundbreaking book, sixteen writers and theologians of various faith communities, from the founding editor of Christianity Today to the founder of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, engaged deeply with the message of Pope John Paul ll to the world.
Growing Deeper
Over the years, as we explored ancient spiritual practices such as monastic spirituality, the writings of the desert fathers and mothers, Gregorian chant, lectio divina, centering prayer, and icons, Paraclete became known for books of spiritual depth, beautifully published and representing the many streams of Christian tradition.
Many friends, mentors, and colleagues in the industry came alongside us in the early years. Phyllis Tickle was a founding member of our editorial board who encouraged us to take bold risks in sharing our Christian heritage. A passionate advocate for poetry and fiction, Phyllis planted the seeds for Paraclete’s Raven Fiction and Iron Pen Poetry imprints. Today, these two imprints include Ahoti: A Story of Tamar, which won the Illumination Award Gold Medal for Fiction, and Glory in the Margins by New York Times bestselling and award-winning poet Nikki Grimes.
Many friends, mentors, and colleagues in the industry came alongside us in the early years. Phyllis Tickle was a founding member of our editorial board who encouraged us to take bold risks in sharing our Christian heritage. A passionate advocate for poetry and fiction, Phyllis planted the seeds for Paraclete’s Raven Fiction and Iron Pen Poetry imprints. Today, these two imprints include Ahoti: A Story of Tamar, which won the Illumination Award Gold Medal for Fiction, and Glory in the Margins by New York Times bestselling and award-winning poet Nikki Grimes.
Bearing Fruit
From these strong roots, Paraclete began publishing more contemporary voices: Biblical scholar Scot McKnight and Methodist pastor Jack Levison offered compelling new approaches to living the gospel. Frederica Mathewes-Green ushered readers into the mysteries of Orthodox Christianity. Sybil MacBeth shared her practice of Praying in Color, which blossomed into a new publishing line exploring creativity as a path to God. Father Albert Haase wrote books and recorded videos in the finest Catholic teaching tradition, and beloved priest Father Ronald Rolheiser wrote one of today’s most significant books on finding healing after suicide loss. Scripture scholar and bestselling author Dandi Daley Mackall invited women into a closer walk with Mary, Martha, and other women of the Bible who followed Jesus.
Planting Seeds
In recent years, Paraclete has renewed and prioritized our publishing for the next generation, working closely with a dynamic new team from the evangelical publishing world on joyful collaborations with authors such as Glenys Nellist, Laura Sassi, and Gayle Boss. Our books reassure children of God’s love, protection, presence, and gentleness. They help children understand their own dignity and worth, and they spark imagination with stories about the wonder of God’s creation.
Beauty and Sound
The stream that runs beneath our publishing is the desire to reach people of all backgrounds who have a longing for God—those who may have grown up in the faith and experienced hurt or disillusionment; those without any faith background who are searching for meaning, purpose, and a sense of community; those who are newly converted; and devout Christians who are yearning for a deeper relationship with God.
Our founding ministry of beauty and sound is expressed year after year as the gospel of Jesus Christ is released into the world—through the sacred music of our world-renowned choir, Gloriae Dei Cantores; through the timeless melodies of Gregorian chant, echoing as sung prayer across the centuries; through the voices of poets who challenge and move us with every carefully honed word; and through the simple act of reading a child a story.
Our Mission
It is our honor and joy to publish books and music that offer hope to a hurting, tumultuous world. In times of need and times of joy, we find things that have been written, spoken, or sung that lift our hearts to God, and it is our privilege to gather and share these treasures.
