CHICAGO — The Vincentian Heritage Bookstore, established in 1995 by the Vincentian Studies Institute at DePaul University, is expanding its reach. Effective July 1, the operations will be managed by the bookstore and gift shop at the National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton in Emmitsburg, Maryland.

More than 120 items dedicated to Saint Vincent de Paul — including books, prints, statutes and medals — will be for sale in the shrine’s Seton Heritage Shop.

According to the Rev. Edward Udovic, C.M., senior executive for university mission at DePaul, the new arrangement will give the Vincentian Heritage Bookstore a larger presence and better infrastructure since the Seton Heritage Shop already manages a significant operation both in the store and online. It will also be able to provide the Vincentian Heritage Bookstore with efficient technical support and better shipping options, Udovic noted.

"This new operation will provide us with a mechanism to sell materials that we have in our inventory. It will give the Seton Heritage Shop a larger inventory and allow them to reach a wider Vincentian family," explained Udovic. "The Seton Heritage Shop gives us more outreach and makes the items in our bookstore more widely available to scholars, Catholics and members of the Vincentian family. We believe we have found the right partner with the right mission who can provide the support for our books, publications and heritage material,” he said.

“We are excited about this partnership with the Vincentian Studies Institute and we look forward to working with DePaul University in the promotion of St. Vincent de Paul. We feel this partnership will make the shop more well-rounded as St. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s legacy is part of the Vincentian heritage,” said Rob Judge, executive director at the shrine.

“The new line will be featured in its own category on the Seton Heritage Shop’s website, and a special area of the store will be dedicated to the Vincentian Studies Institute line,” Judge said.

The Vincentian Studies Institute, which was founded in 1979, received increasing numbers of inquiries concerning the availability of back issues of their publications, Vincentian titles released by other publishers and Vincentian heritage art, post cards, medals, posters and other devotional items.

In 1995, after moving to Chicago, the institute began bookstore operations, collaborating with a variety of outsourcing options. Barnes and Noble currently operates the bookstore and will continue its technical and operational support through the end of June.

Serving the Vincentian family worldwide, the Vincentian heritage collection is the largest retailer of merchandise dedicated to the Vincentian family. The collection features a large selection of books about the Vincentian family, history and Spirituality; as well as images, artwork, and copies of the Vincentian Heritage Journal.

More information about the Vincentian Studies Institute and the Vincentian Heritage Bookstore is online at http://bit.ly/VSIbookstore.
 
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