by Catholic News Service
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COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. -- Liturgical Press, the 85-year-old publishing house of St. John's Abbey in Collegeville, has announced a reorganization that involves the creation of two new market departments and five new positions.
Hans Christoffersen, until now editorial director of Liturgical Press, was named publisher for academic and trade markets, while Patricia "Trish" Sullivan Vanni, former project director of the national Emerging Models of Pastoral Leadership Project, was appointed publisher for the parish market.
Each publisher will be supported by a managing editor and an associate publisher for marketing and research. The new associate publisher positions are open for applications, along with managing editor and copy editor positions for the parish market department.
The reorganization coincides with the launch of Give Us This Day, a new monthly publication designed to support daily prayer for today's Catholic. Mary Stommes, former managing editor of Liturgical Press, is editor of the new periodical and Benedictine Brother Aelred Senna is associate publisher.
"Our reorganization ... provides a structure to respond quickly to the changing needs of the church and the challenges in the economy and in the publishing world," said Peter Dwyer, Liturgical Press director. "At the same time, it will allow us to innovate in service of the Gospel and bring forth new products like Give Us This Day that profoundly re-imagine the Benedictine commitment to prayer and a life nourished by Scripture."
Dwyer acknowledged that the reorganization meant that "some valued, longtime employees could not be accommodated in the new structure."
"New beginnings can represent the close of earlier chapters, and that is the painful element in our transition, although we all remain very grateful for their past contributions," he added.