ACP Announced Finalists for 2025 "Excellence in Publishing Awards"

BALTIMORE, MD — The Association of Catholic Publishers (ACP) is pleased to announce the finalists for the Excellence in Publishing Awards. The goal of these awards is to recognize the best in Catholic publishing.

Awards will be given for books falling into 19 categories: Biography, Children’s Books: Young Readers, Children’s Books: Picture Books, Children’s Books: Teens, Fiction, General Interest, Inspirational, Music: Distinguished Catholic Composer of the Year, Music: Liturgical Music Resource, Music: Song of the Year, Prayer: General, Prayer: Seasonal Resources, Resources for Liturgy, Resources for Ministry, Scripture: General Audience, Scripture: Scholarly Works, Spanish, Spirituality, and Theology. A “Resource of the Year” will be named from among the first-place finishers of the 19 categories.

“There are three interesting trends among this year’s finalists,” noted Therese Brown, ACP’s executive director. “First, the overall implicit focus on discipleship—through the large number of books on women, saints, and Mary.  Second, the number and depth of books on difficult pastoral situations at the beginning and end of life from miscarriage to ministering to the dying. Third, the number of authors who have written more than one book among the finalists, including one with five books.”

Here are the ACP finalists “by the numbers.”

• 24 different publishers submitted 125 finalists
• 2 publishers submitted 15 titles each or 24% of the total finalists (Ave Maria Press and Word on Fire)
• The top 2 above plus the next 2, OSV and Ascension, accounted for 44.8% of the total finalists
• 61.6% of the finalists were from 7 publishers (Ave Maria Press, Ascension, GIA Publications, Liturgical Press, OCP, OSV, Word on Fire)
• 2 publishers dominated the Children’s Books categories, OSV and Word on Fire
• 5 of 7 finalists in the General Interest category were from Ave Maria Press
• 16 finalists featured women including Mary
• 14 finalists focused on 1 or a group of saints
• 2 titles were finalists in 2 categories each, Princesses of Heaven and Behold Your Mother
• 11 authors have 2 different titles in the finals
• 1 finalist was written by a 2025 ACP Hall of Fame inductee, Fr. Mark-David Janus

Each category was judged by a three-person panel, which reviewed and evaluated the entries, reducing the number of finalists to 6-9 titles, all of which will move on to the final round of judging. First, second, and third place winners will be announced in June.

The finalists by category are:

Biography

Dearest Soul: A Spiritual Journey with Padre Pio (Fr. John Aurilia, OFM, Cap., OSV); Dorothy Day: Radical Devotion (Jeffry Odell Korgen and Illustrated by Christopher Cardinale, Paulist Press); 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); The Mary Pages: An Atheist’s Journey to the Mother of God (Sally Read, Word on Fire Ministries); Walk with My People (Fr. Michael McAndrew, CSsR, Liguori Publications).

Children’s Books: Picture Books

Eli's Quiet Friend (Allison Regina Gliot, FSP; illustrated by Emily Boughton, Pauline Books & Media); Mother Cabrini: A Heart for the World (Claudia Cangilla McAdam, Sophia Institute Press); Princesses of Heaven: The Flowers (Fabiola Garza, Word on Fire Ministries); Salvation History Story Time: Move and Play with Scripture (Katie Warner, OSV); The Holy Spirit and the Greatest Adventure (Gracie Jagla, OSV); The Richest Leprechaun in Ireland (Author: Elise Daniel, Illustrator: Tara Wright, Solemnity Books); When Jesus Speaks (Susan Joy Bellavance, Sophia Institute Press); When Mary Says Yes (Gracie Jagla, OSV).

Children’s Books: Teens

Biblical Heroes: Stories of Faith and Courage (Author: Mark Hart, Illustrator: Baritus Catholic, Ascension Press); Encounter: The Bible Timeline for Middle School (Mark Hart, Colin & Aimee MacIver, Ascension Press); Envision: Theology of the Body for Middle School (Brian Butler, Jason Evert, and Colin & Aimee MacIver, Ascension Press); Forgiven: A Guide to Confession and the Examen Prayer (Orianne Pietra René Dyck, FSP, and Allison Regina Gliot, FSP, Pauline Books & Media); God's Superheroes: Amazing Catholic Men, Vol. II (Author: Mary Bajda. Illustrator: Melinda Steffen, OSV); God's Superheroes: Amazing Catholic Women, Vol. II (Author: Mary Bajda. Illustrator: Melinda Steffen, OSV); The Devil's Ransom (Antony Barone Kolenc, Loyola Press); Theology of His Body / Theology of Her Body, Revised Edition (Jason Evert, Ascension Press).

Children’s Books: Young Readers

Dive Deep: 40 Days with God at Sea (Author: Orianne Pietra René Dyck, FSP; Illlustrator: Romi Caron, Pauline Books & Media); Giovanni and the Fava Beans: The Story of the St. Joseph Altar (Joseph P. Ruli, Word on Fire Ministries); Jérôme Lejeune: The Saintly Geneticist (Ana Braga-Henebry, Word on Fire Ministries); Light of the Sacraments (Cory Heimann, Word on Fire Ministries); Penny and the Stolen Chalice (Antony Barone Kolenc, OSV); Princesses of Heaven: The Flowers (Fabiola Garza, Word on Fire Ministries); The Shepherd’s Coat (Caryll Houselander, Word on Fire Ministries).

Fiction

A Very Chapel Falls Christmas (Amanda Lauer, Feminine Genius); Love in the Eternal City: A Swiss Guard Romance (Rebecca W. Martin, Chrism Press); Perilous (Susan Laspe, Year of the Frog Publishing); Seeking Space and Time (Amy Schisler); Sparks Fly Upward (Kelsey Gietl, Purple Mask Publishing); The Oystercatcher of Southwark (Erica Colahan, Chrism Press); To Crown with Liberty (Karen Ullo, Chrism Press); Wake of Malice (Eleanor Bourg Nicholson, Chrism Press); Weigh the Odds (Corinna Turner, UnSeen Books).

General Interest

A Catholic Guide to Miscarriage, Stillbirth, and Infant Loss: Compassionate Answers to Difficult Questions (Abigail Jorgensen, Ave Maria Press); A Journey through the Catechism: Unveiling the Truth, Beauty, and Goodness of the Catholic Faith (Fr. Daniel J. Mahan, Ave Maria Press); Befriending Your Inner Child: A Catholic Approach to Healing and Wholeness (Brya Hanan, Ave Maria Press); Citizens Yet Strangers: Living Authentically Catholic in a Divided America (Kenneth Craycraft, OSV); Intensive Caring: A Practical Handbook for Catholics about Serious Illness and End-of-Life Care (Natalie King, MD, Ave Maria Press); Talking with Your Teen about Sex: A Practical Guide for Catholics (Julia Sadusky, Ave Maria Press); While I Breathe, I Hope: A Mystagogy of Dying (Richard R. Gaillardetz, Liturgical Press).

Inspirational

A Midwinter God: Encountering the Divine in Seasons of Darkness (Christine Valters Paintner, Ave Maria Press); A Saint Squad for Teachers: 45 Heavenly Friends to Carry You through the School Year (Amy J. Cattapan, Ave Maria Press); Everyday Sacred, Everywhere Beauty: Readings from an Old Monk's Journal (Mary Lou Kownacki, Orbis Books); Peace in the Storm for Caregivers (Maureen Pratt, Galilee Road Publishing LLC); Reaching for Heaven: 14 Spiritual Goals as You Grow Older (Michael Amodei, Ave Maria Press); Real Life with Mary: Growing in Virtue to Magnify the Lord (Kelsey Gillespy, Pauline Books & Media); Voices of the Saints: A 365-Day Journey (Bert Ghezzi, Word on Fire Ministries); We Are Only Saved Together: Living the Revolutionary Vision of Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker Movement (Colin Miller, Ave Maria Press).

Music: Distinguished Catholic Composer of the Year

Ephrem Feeley (OCP); Josh Blakesley (OCP); Kathleen Demny (GIA Publications, Inc.).

Music: Liturgical Music Resource

Antifonas (OCP); Mass of the Risen Lord (Kathleen Demny, GIA Publications, Inc.); OCP Digital Worship Library (OCP); The Lyric Gospel Acclamations: Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter (Tony Alonso, GIA Publications, Inc.); Voice of My People (M. Roger Holland II, GIA Publications, Inc.).

Music: Song of the Year

All You Holy Men and Women (Sarah Hart and Francesca LaRosa, OCP); Él Viva, Él Reina (Damaris Thillet and Diego Correa, GIA Publications, Inc.); Homeland (Dan Schutte, OCP); Jesus, Living Bread (Tom Booth, OCP); The Beatitudes (Ed Eicker, OCP); Veni, Sancte Spiritus (Come, Holy Spirit / Ven, Espíritu Santo / Halina, Espiritu) (Peter M. Kolar, GIA Publications, Inc.); We Adore You (Brian Tucker and Cody Stowe, GIA Publications, Inc.).

Prayer: General 

An Introduction to Prayer (Bishop Robert Barron, Word on Fire Ministries); Cherished by Jesus (Mary Kathleen Glavich, SND, Loyola Press); Eucharistic Adoration Prayer Book (Sr. Marie Paul Curley, FSP, Pauline Books & Media); Jesus, Make Me Fully Alive: 30 Holy Hour Reflections (Fr. Tim Anastos, Ave Maria Press); Pray with Us: A Saint for Every Day (Belinda Terro Mooney, OSV); The Father: 30 Meditations to Draw You Into the Heart of God (Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR, Ascension Press); Vessels of Love: Prayers and Poems for the Later Years of Life (Joyce Rupp, Orbis Books).

Prayer: Seasonal Resources

2024 Lent Reflections Booklet (Bishop Robert Barron, Word on Fire Ministries); Behold Your Mother: Marian Stations of the Cross (Marge Steinhage Fenelon, OSV); Comfort and Joy: Christmas for the Soul (Fr. Mark-David Janus, Paulist Press); Encountering Emmanuel: A Guided Advent Journal for Prayer and Meditation (Heather Khym, Ave Maria Press); Rejoice and Be Glad, A Journey Through Christmas with the Holy Family (Fr. Mark Toups, Ascension Press); Rejoice! An Advent Pilgrimage into the Heart of Scripture: Year C (Fr. Mark Toups, Ascension Press); The Ascension Lenten Companion: A Personal Encounter with the Power of the Gospel, Year B (Fr. Mark Toups, Ascension Press).

Resources for Liturgy

Ars Celebrandi: Serving the Mystery of Christ in the Eucharist (Reverend Gerald Dennis Gill, OSV); Catechetical Sessions for the Catechumenate (Jessica Cole, Elisa St. Clair, and Kyle S. Turner, Introduction by Victoria M. Tufano, Liturgy Training Publications); Daily Mass Intercessions 2025 (Katherine E. Harmon, GIA Publications, Inc.); Eucharistic Reservation: Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery outside Mass (Paul Turner, Liturgical Press); Growing Through the Motions: Living Your Faith with Intention (The Sunday Homilies with Fr. Mike Schmitz Collection) (Fr. Mike Schmitz, Ascension Press); NOVUM: A Modern Missal (GIA Publications/Various, GIA Publications, Inc.); Preachers at Prayer: Soundings in the Dominican Spiritual Tradition (Fr. Paul Murray, Word on Fire Ministries); Sacred Times: A Guide to the General Roman Calendar and the Table of Liturgical Days (Paul Turner, Liturgical Press); A Journey through the Catechism: Unveiling the Truth, Beauty, and Goodness of the Catholic Faith (Fr. Daniel J. Mahan, Ave Maria Press).

Resources for Ministry

At Home in the Heart of God: Family, Jesus, and the Eucharist (Tom Quinlan, Twenty-Third Publications); Catholic Women Preach: Raising Voices, Renewing the Church (Cycle C) (Elizabeth Donnelly and Russ Petrus, editors, Orbis Books); Cultural Catholics: Who They Are, How to Respond (Maureen K. Day, Liturgical Press); Guided by the Directory for Catechesis: Transforming the Vision and Practice of Parish Catechesis (Catherine Lavecchia; John Roberto, Janet Schaeffer, OP, Twenty-Third Publications); Redeeming Power: Exercising the Gift as God Intended (Ann M. Garrido, Ave Maria Press); Sharing the Gospel with Our Lives: A Relational Approach to Catholic Youth Ministry (Bob Rice, Foreword by Mark Hart, OSV).

Scripture: General Audience

Brothers and Sisters: Paul in the Liturgy (Florence Morgan Gillman, Liturgy Training Publications); Encounter: The Bible Timeline for Middle School (Mark Hart, Colin & Aimee MacIver, Ascension Press); Threshold Bible Study: The Creed of the Church (Stephen J. Binz, Twenty-Third Publications); Threshold Bible Study: The Seven Catholic Epistles (Stephen J. Binz, Twenty-Third Publications); Women in the New Testament (Catherine A. Cory with Little Rock Scripture Study staff, Liturgical Press); Word on Fire Bible, Volume IV: The Promised Land (Word on Fire, Word on Fire Ministries).

Scripture: Scholarly Works

Be Transformed: A Biblical Journey toward a More Just World (Micah D. Kiel, Liturgical Press); Thomas Aquinas: Selected Commentaries on the Old Testament (Jason Paone, Word on Fire Ministries).

Spanish

¡Alégrate! Una peregrinación de Adviento al corazón de la Escritura, Año C (P. Mark Toups, Ascension Press); ¡Alégrate, llena de gracia! Un viaje por la Navidad con la Sagrada Familia (P. Mark Toups, Ascension Press); Behold Your Mother: Marian Stations of the Cross/AHÍ TIENES A TU MADRE:  Vía Crucis con la Virgen María (Marge Steinhage Fenelon, OSV); Católicos LGBTQ: Una Guía para Pastoral Inclusiva (Yunuen Trujillo, Paulist Press); Cuando María da un sí (Gracie Jagla, OSV); La Caja de Herramientas para Líderes Pastorales (Editado por Juan J. Molina y Patrick Stokely, Liturgical Press); Las Mananitas (Ernesto Rosales & Jeanette Seneviratne, Loyola Press); Ritual de la Iniciación cristiana de adultos: Edición de estudio (Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de los Estados Unidos, Liturgy Training Publications).

Spirituality

Dorothy Day: Spiritual Writings (Robert Ellsberg, Dorothy Day; Orbis Books); The Intimate Sharing of Friends: Saint Teresa of Ávila on Prayer (Mark O'Keefe, O.S.B., ICS Publications); Thomas Merton in California: The Redwoods Conferences and Letters (Edited and Introduced by David M. Odorisio, Liturgical Press); Voices of the Saints: A 365-Day Journey (Bert Ghezzi, Word on Fire Ministries); Welcoming the Holy Spirit with Padre Pio (Susan De Bartoli, Ave Maria Press); Why God?: Stories to Inspire Faith (Richard Leonard, SJ, Paulist Press). 

Theology

Behold, Believe, Become: Meeting the Hidden Christ in Things We See, Say, and Do at Mass (Timothy P. O'Malley, Ave Maria Press); Beyond the Visible Church: The Motif of the ecclesia ab Abel from Augustine to James Alison (Florian Klug, Liturgical Press); Come, Have Breakfast: Meditations on God and the Earth (Elizabeth A. Johnson, Orbis Books); Community of Missionary Disciples: The Continuing Creation of the Church (Stephen B. Bevans, SVD, Orbis Books); Hans Küng: A Revaluation (Edited by Paul Lakeland, Paulist Press); The Catholic Church and the Struggle for Racial Justice: A Prophetic Call (Mathew Kappadakunnel, Paulist Press); Thinking Through Aquinas (Frederick Bauerschmidt, Word on Fire Ministries).

A brief explanation of each category follows: Books in the “Biography” category must be about Catholics whose work has made a valuable contribution to the Church and the world on a local level or a universal level. “Children’s Books” are divided into three categories focusing on picture books for young children who are learning to read, young readers up to age 11, and teens.

Fiction books nominated in this category are novels or a collection of short stories that include characters and action that reflect the Catholic faith, tradition, or practice. Books in the “General Interest” category include Church history, collections of essays by theologians or important Catholic thinkers. The “Inspirational” book category focuses on devotional, spiritual, and meditation books and books on saints, holy people, and stories related to people living their faith.

Submissions in the music categories highlight specifically Catholic aspects of music in faith. The “Song of the Year” honors liturgical compositions that address a specified theme; this year it is the Eucharist. “Liturgical Music Resource” recognizes the best Catholic liturgical music resources for the Liturgies of the Church. “Distinguished Catholic Music Composer of the Year” honors outstanding artistic achievement in composition for liturgy, worship, or personal prayer.

“Prayer: General” is books centered on formal or informal prayer. “Prayer: Seasonal Resources” specifically focus on reflections for the major liturgical seasons. “Resources for Liturgy” covers any book that serves as a formation and preparation tools in parish or school ministry for sacrament preparation, liturgy, and worship. Examples include liturgical ministry guidebooks, lector training resources, and sacramental preparation. “Resources for Ministry” includes any book that is not part of a ministry program that serves as a faith formation tool in parish ministry for sacrament preparation, catechesis (other than basal programs), adult faith formation, and for use in enrichment programs.

The category of “Scripture: General Audience” includes non-scholarly, non-academic books intended for pastoral situations. “Scripture: Scholarly Works” includes academic treatments of particular books or groups of books of the Bible. “Spanish” includes books from any awards category (inspiration, biography, prayer, and spirituality, etc.) originally published in Spanish for the U.S. market.

“Spirituality” books are largely narrative in form and structured along a specific theme. “Theology” includes books on the topic of Catholic theology, whether scholarly monographs or more popular treatments of theological aspects of Catholic teaching on, for example, the sacraments, the nature of the Church.

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.