The following comes from a February Southern Cross article by Denis Grasska:
SAN DIEGO — The local Pauline Books and Media, which has been part of the San Diego Catholic community for 60 years, is scheduled to close on May 14.
One of a chain of 13 Catholic bookstores nationwide operated by the Daughters of St. Paul, the store sells Catholic books, films, music and religious articles. It has been struggling financially in recent years.
Co-founded by Blessed Father James Alberione and Mother Thecla Merlo, the Daughters of St. Paul were established in 1915 in northern Italy. From the beginning, the order’s charism included the use of media to spread the Gospel.
The sisters arrived in the United States in 1932. After beginning to publish English-language Catholic books, they started opening Pauline Books and Media stores in the 1950s. In 1956, they came to San Diego, where they established a convent and bookstore at the corner of 5th Avenue and Cedar Street.
Following the financial crisis of 2008, the store [at its current location on Balboa Avenue] began feeling “an economic pinch,” said Sister Marie James Hunt, whose position as local superior of the Daughters of St. Paul has placed the store under her direction. At that time, the sisters considered moving to a different location where the rent would be lower. Ultimately, she said, the store’s current landlords were willing to renovate the building, reducing the physical space of the store as well as the rent.
Sister Hunt said the sisters made “an all-out effort” to ascertain how the store might better serve the Local Church. But, in 2013, they wrote a letter to the diocese’s pastors and loyal customers to inform them that, if the store’s financial difficulties could not be reversed within the next two years, it would close.
A more recent letter during the second week of January announced the store’s closing. A liquidation sale is set to begin on April 25.
“I’m heartbroken to be honest with you,” Sister Hunt said, noting that she visits the store twice a month and, “as a young sister,” had lived at the former convent at 5th and Cedar. She added that, among the store’s regular customers, “some are in shock” and many have come in “wishing us well but also expressing their sorrow to see us go.”
Up until the late 1980’s, the DoSP did very well as they were an orthodox oasis in the middle of a liberal desert. The nuns wore habits, and their stores were well stocked with REAL Catholic things. They were so good, that the liberal Cardinal Manning would not allow them into Los Angeles. Slowly but surely the nuns began to change and now they are not as conservative as they once were. Perhaps if they would have remained as they were in the 1980’s, they would still be around.
Many poor Catholics and their families, are now just STARVING for Christ and for His Truth to live by, which only our Church can give! Very sad! Bad clergy leaders have nearly killed the Church, with Vatican II– but nevertheless, I know that God will find a way, to reach His people!
Very sorry to see them go. I met the Mother Superior years ago on 5th and Cedar at a time when i considered joining the Order and have shopped at both stores for the last several decades. I will miss them being here in San Diego.
I was told this when I bought 2 bibles there and candles. I wish we could save them and stop it from closing. My kids grew up going to their birthday party for Jesus every year. The sisters would take our prayer requests.
Sad to see this happen.
Unfortunately, the Daughters of S Paul’s publications undertook in the early 2000’s the re-writing of many of their devotional-classic books, books such as the Miraculous 9-Day Novena to S. Anthony, Novena to S. Jude, and others dedicated to the B. Virgin Mary and the saints, dispensing with the original themes of sinful acts v. virtue, fighting the devil, etc. The newly re-written books were used highly psychologized-language and were quite like self-therapy. Also, the old versions had imprimaturs, every one: the new versions, none.
As a result, I know that I used to buy literally dozens at a time to hand out in care ministry, had to toss out a whole batch after the changes. I, and I think many others, went to S. Benedict…
..Press/Tan, Loreto Publications, Sofia Press, and Angelus, who have retained the original and exact translations and texts of their devotional classics. Catholics always love them.
I am sorry they are going out of business—but there were reasons leading up to it. Keep the traditional Faith, or (like liberal American Protestantism) die.
To Steve Phoenix– the same thing happened to me! The point came where I could no longer purchase much from these good nuns, and started going only to orthodox Catholic sources. I know they were trying to help Catholics with Vatican II-related books and media– but that is simply not for me! I am so sorry– but I think Vatican II killed their whole apostolate, as also happened to other good religious orders! So sad!
They also changed the format of their lovely Icon & Word calendars, which at the end of the year used to leave you with 12 quality fine-art icon post cards to send or give to others as silent evangelism.
The new version reduced the icons to a size of a postage stamp. I had to use a magnifier to see them; this change added only a tiny bit of space to the calendar spaces themselves.
I wrote them a letter saying why the new format was inferior to the old, and they replied that they had had many complaints; but after 2 years, they have kept the new format which I no longer buy. This appears to have been the attitude which contributed to their shops’ demise.
On the other hand, they can more easily and cheaply evangelize through…
Sorry to hear about the closing! I worked for 2 different family owned stores in MI & WI for 17 years. The one in WI closed. No doubt, the internet & Amazon have made a huge impact on stores. Makes me sad! What the public doesn’t understand is the one on one apostolate / mission aspect of the local stores that you’re not going to get online. I retired for family reasons but still miss all the wonderful bosses, customers & relationships God blessed me with during my working years.
I also was very grateful for the beautiful small chapel that i could visit Our Lord in when i was in their store.
Mop & Pop bookstores can be quite charming, especialy used books (dust excluded), but surely those mourning Pauline’s passing also buy online? It’s technology, and they’re merely going the way of Blockbuster.
Remember buggy whip shops and candlestick makers? Me neither, but Gramps does.
Two major trends are converging on these types of book stores. The number of active Catholics is down significantly and technology is replacing real books. Bookstores of all types are struggling and many more will close in the near future. Personally, I like a real book to the “nook”, but, you know, I’m a bit old-fashioned and conservative. Kids now rent their college text books on line instead of buying from the book store, and the beat goes on.
ironically, amazon is about to roll out 300-400 new brick and mortar stores for its book sales. they’ve come to realize that not everyone wants kindle books and that there’s a market for a ‘touch and feel’ the product experience, especially among millenials. something about the internet tends toward the disembodied. books will probably always exist to give little paper bodies to thoughts and experiences. the national superior of the order has advanced business degrees and probably watches bottom lines. cost effiiciency logic wasn’t how missionary america advanced.
The original article says they’re leaving the door open for a miracle. Perhaps there’s another “Mr. Patel” landlord in the picture for Catholic readers to harass into doing their “charity” on his dime?
I have quite a few prayer books and some of them much newer, but The Queen of Apostles Prayerbook put out by the Pauline Press is one of my favorites. The one I have is the 1991 second edition, and I bought one for my younger daughter too. It has one of the best examinations of conscience and novenas to St. Paul, which are hard to find. The book is simulated leather and in good condition still, except the gold edging has worn off a little, and some ends of the pages are green. I do not know if the one they publish now is similar.
Did you just close or you have transfer, I trying to find where you transfer. Hope you may reply to my inquiries.