John Thomas, Director of Liturgy Training Publications, has announced that, “after much prayer and reflection,” he will retire on November 4th. He submitted his resignation to Archbishop Cupich and informed the staff of his decision nearly three months ago. This decision “will allow Thomas time to care for aging relatives and pursue personal and family interests.”
John Thomas has been the Director of LTP since August 15, 2001. He is a former president of the Catholic Book Publishers Association and has served on the board of the Association of Catholic Publishers. Prior to coming to Chicago, Thomas had worked for Paulist Press and at Don Bosco Multimedia.
Deanna M. Keefe, currently Associate Director, will step in as Acting Director upon Thomas’ retirement, you can see more here about all the details in regards to that. Keefe will be working with Fr. Ron Lewinski, Co-Chair of the Archdiocese of Chicago’s recently renamed Department of Parish Vitality and Mission, to consider how LTP will report and work within the Department’s newly reimagined parish support services structure.
During the October annual meeting of the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions, members honored Thomas for his twenty-eight year vocation to Catholic publishing with the Friend of the Federation Award. The award states, “Your friendship is a special gift: generously given, happily accepted and deeply appreciated.”
LTP is an agency of the Archdiocese of Chicago. It was founded immediately after the Second Vatican Council for the purpose of implementing the liturgical reforms. Its website states that its mission is
To promote the liturgical formation “of the faithful and also their active participation in the liturgy both internally and externally, taking into account their age and condition, their way of life, and their stage of religious development” so all the faithful may “become thoroughly imbued with the spirit and power of the liturgy.”
Pray Tell wishes the very best to John, and to LTP!
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