On Sunday March 7th, the Assumptionist Center in Brighton, welcomed a team of representatives from Bayard USA with great enthusiasm and appreciation. Mr. Brett Thomas, CEO and President of Bayard, began our time together with a brief history of the company, from its earliest days in France, coming to Canada in 1987 and then to the US in 1999. In that year, the company bought Twenty-Third Publication, followed by Catholic Digest in 2001 and Creative Communications for the Parish in 2003.

Over the years, the efforts of this company in continuing the give flesh to the bold and courageous dream of Fr. D’Alzon to the transformation of society by the power of the printed word and consequently, the Word made flesh in Christ, have been formidable. Illustrated by his life long passion and commitment to bringing about God’s Kingdom, Fr. D’Alzon’s focus on education in its broadest sense, sensitive to the language and times of his audience, gave birth to outstanding achievements in touching the lives of youth, seniors and those involved in academia. Bayard continues this focus through its production of high quality books, magazines and media.

Following his presentation, Mr. Brett and his colleagues, Ms Annie Teich, Vice President of Business Development and Mr. Dan Smart, Vice President for Sales and Marketing at the 23rd Publications, fielded questions and comments, thereby facilitating a lively discussion which envisioned a hope-filled future for the role of the press and the media in the Assunptionist mission for the Church and the world of today.