ACP Announces the Winners of the 2022 Excellence in Publishing Awards

Resource of the Year to be given out in late Summer.

BALTIMORE, MD — The Association of Catholic Publishers (ACP) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2022 Excellence in Publishing Awards. For the first time, we have awards for all 16 categories including all three children’s and music categories.

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: Distinguished Catholic Composer, Music: Song of the Year, Prayer, Resources for Liturgy, Resources for Ministry, Scripture, Spanish, Spirituality, and Theology. Only first place was awarded for the Music: Distinguished Mass Setting category because of the limited number of entries.

The Resource of the Year Award will be determined by a separate panel of judges from among the 16 first place winners and announced later this summer.

This year’s award winners were notable in these four ways.

Five winning books touch on current cultural or political topics—racism, immigration, President Biden.
Music publisher OCP swept the “Song of the Year” category.
Two books were authored by married couples.
A Biblical Walk Through the Mass, Revised Edition, by Dr. Edward Sri from Ascension won awards in two categories, “Resources for Liturgy” and “Resources for Ministry.”

The 48 award winners were produced by 14 different publishers with the 19 first place winners published by 11 different publishers. Ascension (8) and OSV (7) took the largest number of total awards. Five publishers—Ave Maria Press, Liturgy Training Publications, Loyola Press, Orbis Books, and Pauline Books & Media—each claimed 4 prize winners with OCP taking 5.

The winners by category are:

Biography

1. Signs of Hope: Thomas Merton’s Letters of Peace, Race, and Ecology (Gordon Oyer, Orbis Books)

2. Mary Lou Williams (Deanna Witkowski, Liturgical Press)

3. Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood (Michael R. Heinlein, OSV)

Children's Books: Picture Book

1. Pray and Think Imaginative Rosary Book (Author & Illustrator Candace Camling, Ascension)

2. 10 Hidden Heroes (Mark K. Shriver, Loyola Press)

3. The Night the Saints Saved Christmas (Gracie Jagla. Illustrated by Michael Corsini, OSV)

Children's Books: Teens

1.(tied) Connected: Catholic Social Teaching for this Generation (Colin and Aimee MacIver, Presented by Fr. Josh Johnson and Mari Pablo with Special Guests, Ascension)

1.(tied) The Fire of Eden (Antony Barone Kolenc, Loyola Press)

3. Blessed Chiara Badano: Her Secrets to Happiness (New City Press)

Children's Books: Young Readers

1. Carlo Acutis: God's Computer Genius (Ellen Labrecque, Pauline Books & Media)

2. Gospels for Young Catholics (David Mead and Mark Zimmerman, editors, Pflaum Publishing Group)

3. The Great Adventure Kids Catholic Bible Chronicles (Author Amy Welborn, Illustrator Michael LaVoy, Ascension)

General Interest

1.Our Not-Quite-Holy Family: A Practical Guide for Catholic Parents (Mark Hart and Melanie Hart, Ave Maria Press)

2. What Christ Suffered: A Doctor's Journey Through the Passion (Thomas McGovern, MD, OSV)

3.(tied) A White Catholic's Guide to Racism and Privilege (Daniel P. Horan, O.F.M., Ave Maria Press)

3.(tied) St. Dymphna’s Playbook: A Catholic Guide to Finding Mental and Emotional Well-Being (Tommy Tighe, Ave Maria Press)

Inspirational

1. A Place to Belong: Letters from Catholic Women (Edited by Corynne Staresinic, Pauline Books & Media)

2. Simple Mercies: How the Works for Mercy Bring Peace and Fulfillment (Lara C. Patangan, OSV)

3. Habits for Holiness: Small Steps for Making Big Spiritual Progress (Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR, Ascension)

Music: Distinguished Catholic Music Composer of the Year

1. Come, Praise the Lord A Collection of James Quinn Hymns ; Music by Paul Inwood (Paul Inwood, OCP)

2. The Sound of Victory with the Mass of St. Kilian (Curtis Stephan, OCP)

3. Let the Peoples Praise You (Karen Schneider Kirner, Liturgical Press)

Music: Distinguished Mass Setting

1. Missa de Lumine (Adapted and Arranged by Kathleen Demny; Based on Conditor Alme Siderum by Carol Browning, GIA Publications, Inc.)

Music: Song of the Year

1. Come, All You Thirsty (Kathleen Basi, OCP)

2. Amid the Storm (Kevin Keil, Kate Bluett, OCP)

3. Pan del Cielo (Iván Díaz, Kairy Marquez, OCP)

Prayer

1. Model of Faith: Reflecting on the Litany of Saint Joseph (Leonard J. DeLorenzo, OSV)

2.(tied) Every Day with Saint Joseph (Mary Amore, OSV)

2.(tied) Saint Joseph Prayer Book (Written, compiled, and edited by Mary Mark Wickenhiser, FSP, Pauline Books & Media)

Resources for Liturgy

1. Preaching as Paying Attention (Edward Foley, OFM Cap, Liturgy Training Publications)

2. Pocket Guide to the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Fr. Mike Schmitz and Fr. Josh Johnson, Ascension)

3. A Biblical Walk Through the Mass, Revised Edition (Dr. Edward Sri, Ascension)

Resources for Ministry

1. A Biblical Walk Through the Mass, Revised Edition (Dr. Edward Sri, Ascension)

2. Guide for Lectors and Readers (Michael Cameron, Corinna Laughlin, Virginia Meagher, Paul Turner, Liturgy Training Publications)

3.(tied) Foundations for Discipleship (FOCUS, OSV)

3.(tied) Our Life of Service: The Handbook for Catholic Deacons (Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, Ave Maria Press)

Scripture

1.(tied) Thus Says the Lord: The Prophets in the Liturgy (Richard J. Clifford, SJ, Liturgy Training Publications)

1.(tied) What Does the Bible Say About Strangers, Migrants and Refugees? (New City Press)

3. Encountering the Lord in the Gospel of Mark: A 30-Day At-Home Retreat (Leo Zanchettin, The Word Among Us)

Spanish

1. Pertenecer: el Bautismo en la familia de Dios (Fr. Mike Schmitz with Colin and Aimee MacIver, Ascension)

2. Preparar corazones y mentes (Joe Paprocki, Loyola Press)

3. Guia del Facilitador: El Matrimonio en el Senor (Leisa Anslinger, Corinna Laughlin, Danielle A. Noe, Michael Ruzicki, Liturgy Training Publications)

Spirituality

1. Memento Mori: An Advent Companion on the Last Things (Theresa Aletheia Noble, FSP, Pauline Books & Media)

2.(tied) I Am With You (Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, Loyola Press)

2.(tied) Ronald Rolheiser: Essential Spiritual Writings (Ronald Rolheiser; edited by Alicia von Stamwitz, Orbis Books)

Theology

1.(tied) Joe Biden and Catholicism in the United States (Massimo Faggioli, Twenty-Third Publications)

1.(tied) Revelation in the Vernacular (Jean-Pierre Ruiz, Orbis Books)

3. Christian Tradition in Global Perspective (Roger P. Schroeder, Orbis Books)

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.