ACTA Publications began in 1957 as a publisher of books and audio/video resources for Catholic religious education and marriage preparation. It has since broadened its editorial scope to include a wide variety of materials for those attempting to live out the Christian faith in their daily lives, on their jobs, with their families, and in their communities. ACTA has a strong presence in the fields of: marriage preparation grief/bereavement family life spirituality & work Marian resources While some of ACTA's material is specifically Catholic in nature, most of the company's products are aimed at a broadly ecumenical audience. Beginning in 2008, ACTA began publishing a series of books and pamphlets on community organizing and social justice. ACTA Publications is one of the few members of the Association of Catholic Publishers owned entirely by laypeople. The current owners and co-publishers are Gregory F. Augustine Pierce and John A. Dewan, both of whom have years of experience in the publishing industry.