From the Summa to the Kabbalah: Welcome to Angelico Press

The Occult Revival in Traditional Catholicism- Part VII

In the previous installment, we explored how the metaphysics of Sophia has resurfaced in traditional Catholic discourse as a theological Trojan horse. That resurgence is not occurring in a vacuum. It is being platformed, curated, and normalized by publishers that claim fidelity to tradition. Chief among them is Angelico Press.

Angelico describes itself as a traditional Catholic publishing house, offering works by Thomas Aquinas, Garrigou-Lagrange, and Joseph Ratzinger. But nestled among the Summa and the encyclicals, one finds a strange parallel canon: anthroposophical mystics, perennialist metaphysicians, Kabbalistic theologians, and defenders of tarot-based spirituality. This is a pattern.

A Catalog in Contradiction

Angelico’s list includes some of the most respected figures in Catholic theology and spirituality. But it also includes Michael Martin, Valentin Tomberg, Charles Upton, and others whose work is steeped in esoteric speculation and gnostic metaphysics.

• Meditations on the Tarot by Valentin Tomberg is presented as a work of Catholic spiritual insight. Yet it contains overt endorsements of reincarnation, universal salvation, and the blending of Catholicism with Hermetic magic.

• Michael Martin’s works promote Sophiology and anthroposophy, drawing on Rudolf Steiner and gnostic archetypes to reinterpret Marian theology and mystical experience.

• Charles Upton, a perennialist metaphysician, praises Sophia as the feminine face of the divine and bridges Catholic imagery with Islamic and Hindu mysticism.

These are not incidental. They are some of Angelico’s most actively promoted authors. And their influence is spreading precisely because Angelico’s reputation lends credibility.

The Aesthetic of Credibility

Angelico knows its audience. Its covers mimic old missals. Its fonts evoke preconciliar piety. Its marketing appeals to the desire for tradition, reverence, and stability. But that surface reverence creates a shield; one that protects works that radically depart from the Catholic faith in content, even as they mimic its forms.

This laundering of heresy through aesthetic fidelity is one of the defining features of the occult revival. No longer must the esoteric announce itself with candles, crystals, and spell books. Now it wears mantillas, quotes Garrigou, and smells faintly of incense.

Editors, Not Just Authors

The issue is not just who is published, but who is editing and promoting the works. Angelico co-founder James Wetmore edited Leo Schaya’s The Universal Meaning of the Kabbalah, a work of Jewish mysticism later reprinted by Sophia Perennis. He has also worked extensively on multi-volume editions of Anne Catherine Emmerich, often blending mystical commentary with esoteric overtones.

Another contributor, Robert Powell, author of Hermetic Astrology and founder of the Sophia Foundation, has appeared alongside Wetmore in anthroposophical publications. These connections suggest a deeper worldview shaping Angelico’s curation: a belief that traditional Catholicism and the perennial philosophy are compatible, even complementary.

Trust, Trads, and the Gateway Effect

For many Catholics, Angelico is a trusted name. Its publication of Cardinal Sarah and Bishop Schneider gives the impression of theological soundness. But this credibility functions as a gateway. A young Catholic buys Schneider’s Christus Vincit, then stumbles upon Meditations on the Tarot, both from the same publisher. Without formation or discernment, they assume both must be safe.

This is how the revival spreads; not through overt rebellion, but through spiritual confusion sanctified by packaging.

A House Divided

Angelico continues to package itself as a beacon of Catholic orthodoxy. Its catalog features works by respected theologians, yet these sit alongside unmistakably esoteric titles. This is no coincidence.

Consider the publisher’s founder and president, John Riess, a former acquisitions editor at Dover Publications. Before that, Riess worked at Weiser’s, the famed occult bookstore later known as Red Wheel/Weiser, the longest-running occult bookshop in the U.S. with a deep focus on Crowley, Hermeticism, Eastern mysticism, and New Age lore. That experience provided Riess with not only an insider’s grasp of esotericism, but also the market savvy to present it under cloaked branding.

On social media, critics like Alistair McFadden have highlighted this pedigree. A former colleague of Riess’s revealed his tenure at Weiser’s, stating that he had once helped curate a staggering collection of tarot decks, including The Art of Tarot: 794 Cards, and reportedly served a royal client for specialty occult volumes.

When confronted, Angelico defended itself curtly: “We are a publisher, sir… who are free to draw their own conclusions… our personal beliefs are our own.” But the question remains: who is choosing which personal beliefs to platform, and why now, in the name of Catholic tradition?

It is tempting to excuse Angelico’s catalog as an exercise in editorial diversity or intellectual openness. But Catholic publishing is not a neutral marketplace. It is a form of evangelization. To promote works that contain heretical, occultic, or gnostic ideas alongside the Summa is a breach of trust.

A house that prints both truth and poison cannot be called Catholic in any meaningful sense. And those who publish, promote, or remain silent in the face of this trend become complicit.

Conclusion: Not Just a Publisher

Angelico Press is more than a publishing house. It is a symptom of the deeper confusion that has infected the traditional Catholic world: a willingness to mix oil and water, orthodoxy and occultism, Garrigou and Guénon. In a time of spiritual hunger, it offers both bread and stones.

In Part VIII, we will examine the voices that could have warned us, but didn’t. We’ll confront the theologians, authors, and YouTube apologists who mask ambiguity as nuance, excuse error as exploration, and frame tradition as a mood rather than a mandate. The occult revival thrives not just on publication, but on protection.

Note: I would like to thank Alistair McFadden (@JustACatholic1 on X) and his work “Observations on the Influence of the Occult in Traditional Catholic Discourse” found here (https://justacatholic.medium.com/observations-on-the-influence-of-the-occult-in-traditional-catholic-discourse-2d798e5ba51c) for inspiring this series.

Disclaimer:

This article presents theological critique and religious commentary based on publicly available materials, official publisher catalogs, and the known writings of referenced individuals. No accusation of personal wrongdoing is made toward any author. All analysis is offered in a spirit of fidelity to Catholic teaching and pastoral concern for the salvation of souls.