ACP Announces Winners of the 2025 “Excellence in Publishing Awards

Download the PDF version

BALTIMORE, MD — The Association of Catholic Publishers (ACP) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2024 Excellence in Publishing Awards. 

First, second, and third place honors were awarded to publishers and authors of the best Catholic content in the following categories—Biography, Children’s Books: Young Readers, Children’s Books: Picture Books, Children’s Books: Teens, General Interest, Inspirational, Music: Liturgical Music Resource, Music: Song of the Year, Prayer: General, Prayer: Seasonal Resource, Resources for Liturgy, Resources for Ministry, Scripture: Pastoral Resources, Spirituality, and Theology. Only first place was awarded in Music: Distinguished Composer of the Year and Scripture: Scholarly Works.

The Resource of the Year Award will be determined by a separate panel of judges from among the 19 first place winners and announced later this summer.

There are three interesting notes about this year’s winners.

• Two titles, Princesses of Heaven and A Journey through the Catechism, placed in two different categories each.
• Chrism Press swept the Fiction category.
• Ave Maria Press took all four places in the General Interest category.

                The 56 award winners were produced by 17 different publishers with the 21 first place winners (including ties) published by 10 different publishers. This year also included winners from 2 new publishers. Unlike past years, this year’s placeholders were barely dominated by one publisher with 10 winners, Ave Maria Press, with the majority of the publishers with 1 to 4. 

The winners by category are:

Biography

1.            The Mary Pages: An Atheist’s Journey to the Mother of God (Sally Read, Word on Fire Ministries)

2.            Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux (Author: St. Thérèse of Lisieux, O.C.D., Translator: John Clarke, O.C.D.; Ascension Press)

3.            Walk with My People (Fr. Michael McAndrew, CSsR, Liguori Publications)

Children's Books: Picture Books

1.            Eli's Quiet Friend (Author: Allison Regina Gliot, FSP; Illustrator: Emily Boughton, Pauline Books & Media)

2. (tied) Princesses of Heaven: The Flowers (Fabiola Garza, Word on Fire Ministries)

2. (tied) The Holy Spirit and the Greatest Adventure (Gracie Jagla, OSV)

2. (tied) The Richest Leprechaun in Ireland (Author: Elise Daniel; Illustrator: Tara Wright; Solemnity Books)

Children's Books: Teens

1.            Envision: Theology of the Body for Middle School (Brian Butler, Jason Evert, and Colin & Aimee MacIver, Ascension Press)

2.            Biblical Heroes: Stories of Faith and Courage (Author: Mark Hart, Illustrator: Baritus Catholic; Ascension Press)

3.            Forgiven: A Guide to Confession and the Examen Prayer (Orianne Pietra René Dyck, FSP, and Allison Regina Gliot, FSP, Pauline Books & Media)

Children's Books: Young Readers

1. (tied) Dive Deep: 40 Days with God at Sea (Author: Orianne Pietra René Dyck, FSP; Illustrator: Romi Caron; Pauline Books & Media)

1. (tied) Giovanni and the Fava Beans: The Story of the St. Joseph Altar (Joseph P. Ruli, Word on Fire Ministries)

3.            Princesses of Heaven: The Flowers (Fabiola Garza, Word on Fire Ministries)

Fiction

1.            Wake of Malice (Eleanor Bourg Nicholson, Chrism Press)

2.            Love in the Eternal City: A Swiss Guard Romance (Rebecca W. Martin, Chrism Press)

3.            The Oystercatcher of Southwark (Erica Colahan, Chrism Press)

General Interest

1.            A Catholic Guide to Miscarriage, Stillbirth, and Infant Loss: Compassionate Answers to Difficult Questions (Abigail Jorgensen, Ave Maria Press)

2.            Intensive Caring: A Practical Handbook for Catholics about Serious Illness and End-of-Life Care (Natalie King, MD, Ave Maria Press)

3. (tied) A Journey through the Catechism: Unveiling the Truth, Beauty, and Goodness of the Catholic Faith (Fr. Daniel J. Mahan, Ave Maria Press)

3. (tied) Talking with Your Teen about Sex: A Practical Guide for Catholics (Julia Sadusky, Ave Maria Press)

Inspirational

1.            Everyday Sacred, Everywhere Beauty: Readings from an Old Monk's Journal (Mary Lou Kownacki, Orbis Books)

2.            A Saint Squad for Teachers: 45 Heavenly Friends to Carry You through the School Year (Amy J. Cattapan, Ave Maria Press)

3.            Peace in the Storm for Caregivers (Maureen Pratt, Galilee Road Publishing LLC)

Liturgical Music Resource

1.            Antifonas (OCP)

2.            The Lyric Gospel Acclamations: Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter (Tony Alonso, GIA Publications, Inc.)

3.            Voice of My People (M. Roger Holland II, GIA Publications, Inc.)

Music: Distinguished Catholic Composer of the Year

1.            Ephrem Feeley (Ephrem Feeley, OCP)

Music: Song of the Year

1.            The Beatitudes (Ed Eicker, OCP)

2. (tied) Veni, Sancte Spiritus (Come, Holy Spirit / Ven, Espíritu Santo / Halina, Espiritu) (Peter M. Kolar, GIA Publications, Inc.)

2. (tied) We Adore You (Brian Tucker and Cody Stowe, GIA Publications, Inc.)

Prayer: General

1.            Jesus, Make Me Fully Alive: 30 Holy Hour Reflections (Fr. Tim Anastos, Ave Maria Press)

2.            Eucharistic Adoration Prayer Book (Sr. Marie Paul Curley, FSP, Pauline Books & Media)

3.            The Father: 30 Meditations to Draw You Into the Heart of God (Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR, Ascension Press)

Prayer: Seasonal Resources

1.            Encountering Emmanuel: A Guided Advent Journal for Prayer and Meditation (Heather Khym, Ave Maria Press)

2.            Behold Your Mother: Marian Stations of the Cross (Marge Steinhage Fenelon, OSV)

3.            Rejoice and Be Glad, A Journey Through Christmas with the Holy Family (Fr. Mark Toups, Ascension Press)

Resources for Liturgy

1.            Catechetical Sessions for the Catechumenate (Jessica Cole, Elisa St. Clair, and Kyle S. Turner, Introduction by Victoria M. Tufano, Liturgy Training Publications)

2. (tied)               Preachers at Prayer: Soundings in the Dominican Spiritual Tradition (Fr. Paul Murray, Word on Fire Ministries)

2. (tied)               Sacred Times: A Guide to the General Roman Calendar and the Table of Liturgical Days (Paul Turner, Liturgical Press)

Resources for Ministry

1.            A Journey through the Catechism: Unveiling the Truth, Beauty, and Goodness of the Catholic Faith (Fr. Daniel J. Mahan, Ave Maria Press)

2.            Cultural Catholics: Who They Are, How to Respond (Maureen K. Day, Liturgical Press)

3. (tied)               Catholic Women Preach: Raising Voices, Renewing the Church (Cycle C) (Editors: Elizabeth Donnelly and Russ Petrus, Orbis Books)

3. (tied)               Redeeming Power: Exercising the Gift as God Intended (Ann M. Garrido, Ave Maria Press)

Scripture: Pastoral Resources

1.            Encounter: The Bible Timeline for Middle School (Mark Hart, Colin & Aimee MacIver, Ascension Press)

2.            Threshold Bible Study: The Creed of the Church (Stephen J. Binz, Twenty-Third Publications)

3.            Women in the New Testament (Catherine A. Cory with Little Rock Scripture Study staff, Liturgical Press)

Scripture: Scholarly Works

1.            Be Transformed: A Biblical Journey toward a More Just World (Micah D. Kiel, Liturgical Press)

Spanish

1.            Ritual de la Iniciación cristiana de adultos: Edición de estudio (Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de los Estados Unidos, Liturgy Training Publications)

2.            Católicos LGBTQ: Una Guía para Pastoral Inclusiva (Yunuen Trujillo, Paulist Press)

3.            La Caja de Herramientas para Líderes Pastorales (Editado por Juan J. Molina y Patrick Stokely, Liturgical Press)

Spirituality

1. (tied) The Intimate Sharing of Friends: Saint Teresa of Ávila on Prayer (Mark O'Keefe, O.S.B., ICS Publications)

1. (tied) Thomas Merton in California: The Redwoods Conferences and Letters (Editor: David M. Odorisio, Liturgical Press)

3. (tied) Voices of the Saints: A 365-Day Journey (Bert Ghezzi, Word on Fire Ministries)

3. (tied) Welcoming the Holy Spirit with Padre Pio (Susan De Bartoli, Ave Maria Press)

Theology

1.            Community of Missionary Disciples: The Continuing Creation of the Church (Stephen B. Bevans, SVD, Orbis Books)

2.            Come, Have Breakfast: Meditations on God and the Earth (Elizabeth A. Johnson, Orbis Books)

3.            The Catholic Church and the Struggle for Racial Justice: A Prophetic Call (Mathew Kappadakunnel, Paulist Press)

Each category was judged by a three-person panel, which reviewed and evaluated the entries. A brief explanation of each category can be found at https://www.catholicpublishers.org/Excellence-in-Publishing-Awards

The Association of Catholic Publishers (ACP) is a membership organization of Catholic publishers, those who provide services to Catholic publishers, and individuals who work with Catholic publishers. The ACP provides opportunities for members to further the Catholic publishing industry, promote Catholic publishing and reading, and engage those they interact with, including retailers, pastoral leaders, individual customers, and staff.