Forest of Peace Publishing

Forest of Peace Publishing is an American book publisher rooted in Catholic spiritual and prayer publishing. It was founded in 1979 to publish innovative prayer resources, most notably "Prayers for the Domestic Church" and "Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim" by Fr. Edward M. Hays (1931–2016). The press built its identity around accessible, family- and parish-oriented prayer materials that helped ordinary Catholics integrate prayer into daily life. In 2003, Ave Maria Press acquired the Forest of Peace imprint to carry on that tradition. Ave Maria Press itself is a long-established Catholic publisher founded in 1865 by Rev. Edward Sorin, CSC, as an apostolate of the Congregation of Holy Cross in the United States. Under Ave Maria Press, Forest of Peace continues as a specialized imprint associated with prayer, spirituality, and pastoral resources. The publisher operates primarily in the United States market, serving Catholic individuals, families, parishes, and educators. Its catalog heritage emphasizes prayer books and spiritual reading rather than academic theology, though it sits within a parent house that also publishes catechetical and historical works. As an imprint, Forest of Peace benefits from Ave Maria Press's editorial, production, and distribution infrastructure while retaining its distinct identity tied to Fr. Hays's prayer resources. Today Forest of Peace Publishing is best understood as a legacy Catholic prayer-and-spirituality imprint within Ave Maria Press. Its founding mission—providing practical, innovative prayer resources for domestic and planetary contexts—remains its defining contribution to American Catholic publishing.

Forest of Peace Publishing was founded in 1979 as an American Catholic book publisher. Its founding purpose was to publish innovative prayer resources, specifically "Prayers for the Domestic Church" and "Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim" by Fr. Edward M. Hays (1931–2016). These works reflected a pastoral approach to prayer, addressing both the intimate setting of the home and a broader, global spiritual outlook. The press operated as an independent Catholic publisher for more than two decades, building a catalog around prayer and spirituality. In 2003, Ave Maria Press acquired the Forest of Peace imprint to carry on that tradition. Ave Maria Press, founded in 1865 by Rev. Edward Sorin, CSC, is an apostolate of the Congregation of Holy Cross in the United States and one of the oldest Catholic publishing houses in the country. By bringing Forest of Peace under its umbrella, Ave Maria Press preserved the imprint's specialized focus while integrating it into a larger publishing operation. Since the acquisition, Forest of Peace has continued as an imprint of Ave Maria Press, with its identity tied to the prayer resources of Fr. Hays and related spiritual titles. The parent company publishes a wide range of Catholic materials, including catechetical texts, history, and theology, but the Forest of Peace imprint remains associated with its original mission of practical, innovative prayer publishing.

• 2003

  Ave Maria Press acquired the Forest of Peace imprint.

• 1979

  Forest of Peace Publishing founded to publish prayer resources by Fr. Edward M. Hays.

Catholic prayer and spirituality imprint focused on innovative, accessible prayer resources for families and individuals.

• Prayers for the Domestic Church

• Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim

1. 1Forest of Peace, an imprint of Ave Maria Press | Ave Maria Pressavemariapress.com
2. 2About Ave Maria Pressavemariapress.com
3. 3Forest of Peace Publishing - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Discover The Holy Catholic Church Student Textavemariapress.com
5. 5Discover History: Explore Catholic Books on Saints & Churchavemariapress.com