2023 Excellence in Publishing Awards Finalists

Here are the finalists by category.

Biography

America's Mary: The Story of Our Lady of Good Help (Marge Steinhage Fenelon, OSV); Father Ed: The Story of Bill W.'s Spiritual Sponsor (Dawn Eden Goldstein, Orbis Books); Fathers of the Faith: Saint Augustine (Mike Aquilina, OSV); Fathers of the Faith: Saint Irenaeus (Mike Aquilina, OSV); Francesco: A Story of Saint Francis of Assisi (Madeline Pecora Nugent, Pauline Books & Media); Mother Teresa: The Saint and Her Nation (Gëzim Alpion, Bloomsbury); Our Lady of Hot Messes: Getting Real with God in Dive Bars and Confessionals (Leticia Ochoa Adams, Ave Maria Press); Pedro Arrupe (Brian Grogan, SJ, Loyola Press).

Children's Books: Picture Books

Anyone But Bear (Written by Suzy Senior; Illustrated by Dubravka Kolanovic, Ascension); Louie's Lent (Written by Claudia Cangilla McAdam; Illustrated by Michael Rogers, Ascension); Our Lady of Guadalupe and Her Dear Juanito (Written by Marlyn Evangelina Monge, FSP; Illustrated by Amy Rodriguez, Pauline Books & Media); The Curious Christmas Trail (Written by Haley Stewart; Illustrated by Betsy Wallin, Pauline Books & Media); The Women Doctors of the Church (Written by Colleen Pressprich; Illustrated by Adalee Hude, OSV).

Children’s Books: Young Readers

Donuts After Mass: A Tale About Walking with Jesus (Joann Bradvica, Rafaela Bradvica, and Daniela Bradvica, Ascension); Light of the Saints (Cory Heimann, Word on Fire); OSV Kids Stations of the Cross (Written by Colleen Pressprich and illustrated by Adalee Hude, OSV); Remember Us with Smiles (Gary Jansen and Grace Jansen, Loyola Press); Seven Clues (Scott Hahn and Maura Roan McKeegan, Loyola Press); The Real Presence (Author: Claudia Cangilla McAdam  Illustrator: Gina Capaldi, Ascension); What's a Deacon? (Irene Kelly, Clear Faith Publishing).

Children’s Books: Teens

Beckoning (Claudia Cangilla McAdam, OSV); Elizabeth Visits the Abbey (Phyllis Zagano, Clear Faith Publishing); God's Superheroes Amazing Catholic Men (Mary Bajda. Illustrated by Melinda Steffen, OSV); God's Superheroes Amazing Catholic Women (Mary Bajda. Illustrated by Melinda Steffen, OSV); The Merchant's Curse (Antony Barone Kolenc, Loyola Press); Venture: The Bible Timeline for High School (Mark Hart, Ascension).

General Interest

A Garden Catechism: 100 Plants in Christian Tradition and How to Grow Them (Margaret Rose Realy, Obl OSB; Illustrated by Mary Sprague, OSV); Catechism of the Catholic Church, Ascension Edition (Ascension); One Church: How to Rekindle Trust, Negotiate Difference, and Reclaim Catholic Unity (Charles C. Camosy, Ave Maria Press); Reclaiming Motherhood from a Culture Gone Mad (Samantha N. Stephenson, OSV); Redeeming the Time: Gospel Perspectives on the Challenges of the Hour (Bishop Robert Barron, Word on Fire); The New Apologetics: Defending the Faith in a Post-Christian Era (Matthew Nelson, Word on Fire).

Inspirational

A Prisoner and You Visited Me (Contributors include Richard Rohr, OFM; James Martin, SJ; Phyllis Zagano, PhD; Greg Boyle, SJ; Brian McLaren; et al., Clear Faith Publishing); Birthing the Holy: Wisdom from Mary to Nurture Creativity and Renewal (Christine Valters Paintner, Ave Maria Press); Dearest Sister Wendy . . . A Surprising Story of Faith and Friendship (Sister Wendy Beckett and Robert Ellsberg, Orbis Books); Madonnas of Color (Bro. Mickey McGrath, Clear Faith Publishing); The Freedom of Missing Out (Michael Rossmann, SJ, Loyola Press); The Way of Beatitude: Living Radical Hope in a World of Division and Despair (Fr. Casey Cole, OFM, Ave Maria Press); What Would Monica Do? (Patti Maguire Armstrong and Roxane Beauclair Salonen, Ascension).

Music: Distinguished Catholic Composer of the Year

By Our Love (Tom Kendzia, OCP); Jesus, I Trust In You (Josh Blakesley, co-written by Sarah Hart and Sarah Kroeger, OCP); M. Roger Holland II (M. Roger Holland II, GIA Publications, Inc.); Simple Psalter for Year A (J. Michael Joncas, Liturgical Press).

Music: Distinguished Mass Setting

Mass of St. Catherine of Siena (Lorraine Hess, arranged by Ed Bolduc, GIA Publications, Inc.); Mass of the Goodness of the Lord (Tom Kendzia, OCP); Mass of the Sun of Justice/Misa Sol de Justicia (Peter M. Kolar, GIA Publications, Inc.).

Music: Song of the Year

All of Me (Ode to Sr. Thea) (M. Roger Holland II, GIA Publications, Inc.); Diverse in Culture, Nation, Race (Text by Ruth Duck, arranged by Mark Scozzafave, GIA Publications, Inc.); Make Us One (Jeffrey Bonilla and David Lockwood, OCP); Oh, Who Can Know the Mind of God (Justin Wedgewood, text by Genevieve Glen, OSB, OCP); Rejoice, Be Glad! (Blessed Are the Poor) (Kate J. Williams, Text by Adam Tice, GIA Publications, Inc.); There Is a Season (Tom Kendzia, OCP); You Are My Refuge (Christopher Walker, OCP).

Prayer

A Fresh Look at the Our Father: Rediscovering the Power of the Lord's Prayer (David M. Knight, Twenty-Third Publications); Come to Mary's House: Spending Time with Our Blessed Mother (Shawn Chapman, OSV); Forgive Everyone Everything (Gregory Boyle, SJ, Loyola Press); God Loves the Autistic Mind: Prayer Guide for Those on the Spectrum and Those Who Love Us (Fr. Matthew P. Schneider, LC, Pauline Books & Media); Imagine You Walked with Jesus: A Guide to Ignatian Contemplative Prayer (Jerry Windley-Daoust, OSV); The Holy Hour: Meditations for Eucharistic Adoration (Matthew Becklo, Word on Fire).

Resources for Liturgy

Catholic Women Preach: Raising Voices, Renewing the Church (Elizabeth Donnelly and Russ Petrus, editors, Orbis Books); Gloriosi: Music of the Paschal Triduum/Música del Triduo Pascual (Tony Alonso, GIA Publications, Inc.); Lectionary Psalms: The Abbey Psalms and Canticles (Various, GIA Publications, Inc.); Participation of the Heart: Deeper Engagement in the Mass (Vicki Klima, GIA Publications, Inc.); Preaching with Children (Ann M. Garrido, Liturgy Training Publications).

Resources for Ministry

Engage Every Family: A Parish Guide to Integrated Faith Formation (Denise Utter, Twenty-Third Publications); God's Works Revealed: Spirituality, Theology, and Social Justice for Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Catholics (Sam Albano, Paulist Press); Handbook for Ministers of Care, Third Edition (Marilyn Kofler, sp, Kevin E. O’Connor, csp, Liturgy Training Publications); Invitation and Encounter: Evangelizing Through the Sacraments (Timothy P. O'Malley, OSV); Rising: Learning from Women's Leadership in Catholic Ministries (Carolyn Y. Woo, Orbis Books); Shaping the Future of Catechesis Together (Kathy Hendricks, Twenty-Third Publications); The Four Ways Forward: Becoming an Apostolic Parish in a Post-Christian World (Susan Windley-Daoust, OSV).

Scripture

Between Heaven and Earth: New Explorations of Great Biblical Texts (Gerhard Lohfink, Translated by Linda M. Maloney, Liturgical Press); Food for the Soul: Reflections on the Mass Readings (Cycle A) (Peter Kreeft, Word on Fire); The Great Story of Israel: Election, Freedom, Holiness (Bishop Robert Barron, Word on Fire); The Holy Spirit in the Bible (George M. Smiga with Little Rock Scripture Study Staff, Liturgical Press); Threshold Bible Study: Hebrews: New Covenant Worship (Stephen J. Binz, Twenty-Third Publications); Threshold Bible Study: Music, Hymns and Canticles (Stephen J. Binz, Twenty-Third Publications); What Does the Bible Say About Inclusion (Donald Senior, C.P., New City Press).

Spanish

Abramos Nuestros Corazones (Hermana Donna L. Ciangio, OP  Padre Thomas B. Iwanowski, RENEW International); Manual para ministros de la pastoral de enfermos (Marilyn Kofler, sp, Kevin E. O'Connor, csp, Liturgy Training Publications); María: Caminata por la Biblia con la Santísima Madre (Edward Sri, Ascension); My Daily Visitor: Eucharist, Spanish (Fr. Patrick Mary Briscoe, OP, OSV).

Spirituality

Braving the Thin Places (Julianne Stanz, Loyola Press); Fat Luther, Slim Pickin’s: A Black Catholic Celebration of Faith, Tradition, and Diversity (Marcia Lane-McGe, Shannon Wimp Schmidt, Ave Maria Press); Habits of Freedom: 5 Ignatian Tools for Clearing Your Mind and Resting Daily in the Lord (Fr. Christopher S. Collins, SJ, Ave Maria Press); Introduction to the Devout Life (St. Francis de Sales, Translated by Matthew K. Minerd, Ascension); Love Him Ever More: A 9-Day Personal Retreat with the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Fr. Joe Laramie, SJ, Ave Maria Press); Rejoice! An Advent Pilgrimage into the Heart of Scripture (Year A) (Fr. Mark Toups, Ascension).

Theology

A History of Catholic Theological Ethics (James F. Keenan, SJ, Paulist Press); A Theology of Migration: The Bodies of Refugees and the Body of Christ (Daniel G. Groody, Orbis Books); Dust in the Blood: A Theology of Life with Depression (Jessica Coblentz, Liturgical Press); Our Faithful Departed: Where They Are and Why It Matters (Leonard J. DeLorenzo, Ave Maria Press); Synodality (Paulist Press).