Michael Leach

MICHAEL LEACH is publisher emeritus and editor-at-large of Orbis Books. A leader in Catholic publishing for more than 40 years, he has edited and published more than three thousand books. His authors include Nobel Prize winners, National Book Award winners, and hundreds of Catholic Book Award winners. He has served as president of the Catholic Book Publishers Association and the ecumenical Religion Publishers Group. Before joining Orbis as publisher in 1997 Michael was president of the Crossroad/Continuum Publishing Group in New York City. In 2003 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Catholic Publishers Association. Dubbed "the dean of Catholic book publishing" by U.S. Catholic magazine, he has also authored or edited many books of his own, including the bestseller I Like Being Catholic, Why Stay Catholic?, The Way of Gratitude, The Way of Kindness, The Way of Forgiveness, The People's Catechism, and Soul Seeing. A popular speaker nationwide, Mike lives in Connecticut with his wife of fifty years Vickie. “Publishing eminence Leach has written a book (Why Stay Catholic?) that is Catholicism at its best.” – Publishers Weekly “Most Catholics, conservative and progressive, feel profoundly betrayed by bishops, but still adhere to teachings and examples from Catholic voices such as Dorothy Day, Michael Leach, Thomas Merton and Garry Wills, and still believe in the Church and its meaningful sacraments about the Mystery of God.” – Bill Knight, Canton Daily Ledger, October 22, 2018 “Michael Leach, the highly respected publisher of religious books… represents a last breed in American Catholic culture.” – The Catholic Review, June 11, 2002 "His contribution to contemporary Catholic thought and spirituality is breathtaking.” – Tom Roberts, Editor, National Catholic Reporter, March 2019 “Chances are, if you’re a reader of Catholic books, you’ve read a book that began its life with Michael Leach… the dean of Catholic book publishing.” – U.S. Catholic, November 2000 “We have been reviewing books by and edited by Michael Leach going way back to when he was president and publisher of the Crossroad/Continuum Publishing Group followed by his work as executive director at Orbis Books and his present position as publisher emeritus of Orbis Books. Leach's Catholicism is a rich mix of devotion, social justice, humor, storytelling and everyday spirituality.” – Spirituality and Practice, April 2021