Behold Publications/Ecce Homo Press: Our Family Apostolate Serving Your Apostolate
About 13 years ago, we began a family publishing house to bring fun and solidly Catholic books to youth. Since the very first book, the publishing business has encompassed the whole family. Since we homeschool, we were able to integrate real life production and business tools into our everyday lessons. Whether it was lessons on design and editing or sewing and embroidery, our children have grown up with Behold Publications as an intricate part of their lives. We have tested products that we offer, modeled them for the catalog and website, and suggested new items that would be popular for Catholic kids.
Many of the items we offer are specially made product just for our Catholic Clubs. We sew about 2000 sashes for each of our new Little Flower girls, design, sew and embroider hundreds of bandanas, as well as the aprons, totes, Little Flower doll outfits and the t-shirts. We also design, cut and laminate the thousands of holy cards we sell each year. The children help with sewing, bagging, laminating, assembling, and filling orders.
Until two years ago, we operated our apostolate out of the house. Every September, our air hockey table became our shipping center. The front porch became a sea of red, white and blue packages waiting for the postal service to pick them up. The phone rang at all hours, even getting calls at midnight from Australia! Then, our oldest son, Joe, graduated from Franciscan University of Steubenville and began to work for us full time. Because I finally had a full time employee, we were able then move out of the house into a small office and warehouse. Here, Joe holds down the fort, taking calls, filling orders and editing and designing books and other items. With Joe taking care of the office, I am able to homeschool the children and work from home on the computer or the sewing machine. I usually go into the office for a few hours several days a week.
Our apostolate is still a way of life, even if we don't have sashes, boxes and books in every nook and cranny of the house. Everyone is still involved in making it all work. The children are involved in the receiving end of the apostolate by being involved in Little Flowers, Blue Knights, Hospitality and Honor Guard clubs through our local homeschool group.
We hope that as you begin your new year in your clubs, that we can partner with you in a successful and wonderful year! Please pray for our family apostolate and we will keep yours in our daily prayers, too. God bless you in your work for His work!
Joan Stromberg, wife of Bob for 27+ years. Mom to: Joe, Elizabeth, Mick, Mary, John, Maggie, Theresa, Mark, Cecelia and Thomas.
