2021 Publishing Award Finalists

Celebrate Our 2021 Finalists!

We are excited to announce the finalists for the 2021 Excellence in Publishing Awards.

This annual awards program honors the best resources from 2020 in 14 categories ranging in format from books to music. 

We invite you to read these titles--many of them are from ACP member--or purchase them as gifts for family and friends for birthdays, First Communions, Confirmations, and holidays.

Here are the 2021 categories.

• Biography
• Children's Book: Picture Book
• Children's Book: Young Readers
• General Interest
• Inspirational
• Music: Distinguished Catholic Music Composer of the Year
• Music: Song of the Year
• Prayer
• Resources for Liturgy
• Resources for Ministry
• Scripture
• Spanish
• Spirituality
• Theology

Biography

• Alessandro Serenelli (Charles D. Engel, OSV); All In (Porter Moser, Loyola Press)
• In Caelo et in Terra: 365 Days with the Saints (Written by the Daughters of St. Paul; Illustrated by Danielle Victoria Lussier, FSP, Pauline Books & Media)
• James Martin, SJ (Jon M. Sweeney, Liturgical Press)
• Lifted High in Spirit, A Story of Saint Catherine of Siena (B. C. Doscher, self-published)
• Sister Thea Bowman (Peggy A. Sklar, Paulist Press)
• The Big Hustle (Jim Wahlberg, OSV)
• Theodore Hesburgh, CSC (Edward P. Hahnenberg, Liturgical Press)
• Thomas Becket (Father John S. Hogan, OSV)
• Writing Straight with Crooked Lines: A Memoir (Jim Forest, Orbis Books)

Children’s Books: Picture Books

• A Very Noisy Stable (Written by Jan Godfrey, illustrated by Paula Doherty, Ascension)
• God the Father and the Best Day Ever (Gracie Jagla, OSV)
• God's Love For Us: Bible Stories for Children (Redemptorist Pastoral Publications, Illustrated by Lula Guzmán, Liguori Publications)
• My First Catholic Bible Stories Board Book (Bethan James and Krisztina Kállai Nagy, Ascension)
• My First Interactive Mass Book (Written by Jennifer Sharpe, illustrated by Candace Camling, Ascension)
• Seek & Find Bible (Written by Elisenda Castells, Illustrated by Gabrielle Murphy, Loyola Press)
• The Shepherd’s Story (Jimmy Dunne/Illustrated by Ivan Kravets, Loyola Press)
• What Would You Do? (Jennifer Moore-Mallinos/Illustrated by Andy Catling, Loyola Press)

Children’s Books: Young Readers

• An African Gospel (Written and Illustrated by Bénédite de la Roncière, Paulist Press)
• Brilliant! 25 Catholic Scientists, Mathematicians, and Supersmart People (Written by David Warren; illustrated by Jaclyn Warren, Pauline Books & Media)
• My Catholic Picture Bible Stories (Jan Godfrey and Angela Jolliffe, Ascension)
• My Little Catholic Encyclopedia (Marie-Christine Vidal & Robin, Pflaum Publishing Group)
• Shadow in the Dark (Antony Barone Kolenc, Loyola Press)
• The Mass for Children (Barbara Yoffie, Illustrated by Jeff Albrecht, Liguori Publications)

General Interest

• Helping Families Recover from Addiction (Jean Heaton, Loyola Press)
• Hunger for Hope: Prophetic Communities, Contemplation, and the Common Good (Sister Simone Campbell, Orbis Books)
• Living Memento Mori (Emily M. DeArdo, Ave Maria Press)
• The Caregiver's Companion (Debra Kelsey-Davis, Kelly Johnson, Ave Maria Press)
• The Church's Best-Kept Secret (Mark P. Shea, New City Press)
• The Ignatian Guide to Forgiveness (Marina Berzins McCoy, Loyola Press)
• The Outsider: Pope Francis and His Battle to Reform the Church (Christopher Lamb, Orbis Books)
• When a Loved One Dies by Suicide (Ed Shoener, Most Rev. John P. Dolan, Ave Maria Press)

Inspirational

• A Stranger and You Welcomed Me (Deacon James Knipper, Clear Faith Publishing)
• Be Devoted: Restoring Friendship, Passion, and Communion in Your Marriage (Bob Schuchts, Ave Maria Press)
• Glimmers of Grace: Moments of Peace and Healing Following Sexual Abuse (Faith Hakesley, OSV)
• Hineni: In Imitation of Abraham (Alisa Kasmir, Liturgical Press)
• Hope. Always. Our Anchor in Life’s Storms (Kris Frank, Pauline Books & Media)
• Journey to Jerusalem: Steps on the Road to Your Soul (Mark A. Villano, Liturgical Press)
• Let Go of Anger & Stress! Be Transformed by the Fruits of the Spirit (Gary Zimak, Ave Maria Press)

Music: Distinguished Mass Setting

• Misa Luna (Peter Kolar, World Library Publications)
• Misa San Juan Bautista (Damaris Thillet y Diego Correa, OCP)

Music: Song of the Year

• Caminemos con Jesús (Tony Alonso, GIA Publications, Inc.)
• Fill Us, O God (Orin Johnson and Shannon Cerneka, GIA Publications, Inc./World LIbrary Publications)
• Maria, Regina Pacis (Christian Cosas, Self-published)
• Still We Sing Alleluia (Paulo K Tiról , OCP)

Prayer

• Awaken My Heart (Emily Wilson Hussem, Ave Maria Press)
• Bless Us, O Lord (Robert M. Hamma, Ave Maria Press)
• Lord, You Called Me (Ricardo Grzona, FRP, Loyola Press)
• Pocket Guide to Adoration (Fr. Josh Johnson, Ascension)
• Prayer Takes Us Home (Gerhard Lohfink; Translated by Linda M. Maloney, Liturgical Press)
• Surrender All: Illuminated Journal Retreat (Jen Norton, Ave Maria Press)

Resources for Liturgy

• Meet the Gentle Jesus: First Communion for Children (Illustrated by: Jeff Albrecht, Liguori Publications)
• Let Us Rejoice: Modern Musical Settings of the Entrance and Communion Antiphons (Steve Angrisano/Sarah Hart/Curtis Stephan, OCP)
• Liturgy and Discipleship: Preparing Worship That Inspires and Transforms (Wendy Cichanski Caduff, Benjamin J. Caduff, Mary A. Ehle, Mary G. Fox, Timothy A. Johnston, John T. Kyler, Anne Y. Koester, Stephen S. Wilbricht, CSC, Liturgy Training Publications)
• Living Liturgy: Spirituality, Celebration, and Catechesis for Sundays and Solemnities Year B (2021) (Katy Beedle Rice, Orin E. Johnson, and Verna Holyhead, SGS, Liturgical Press)
• The Abbey Psalms and Canticles (The Monks of Conception Abbey in collaboration with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, USCCB Communications)
• The Order of Baptism of Children, Ritual Edition / Ritual para el Bautismo de los niños, Libro ritual (Liturgy Training Publications)

Resources for Ministry

• Hands of Grace: The Catholic Sacraments in American Sign Language (Séan Loomis, Ascension)
• Jesus: The Way, the Truth, and the Life (study set) (Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Jeff Cavins, Dr. Edward Sri, Ascension)
• Marriage in the Lord, Seventh Edition: A Catholic Formation Resource (Leisa Anslinger, Laura Boyce-Steinhauser, Sandra Dooley, Christopher J. Ferraro, Mary G. Fox, Kim Haggerty, Frank P. Hannigan, Steven D. Monaghan, Lauri Przybysz, Lorie Simmons, William Steinhauser, Dora Tobar, Kyle S. Turner, Liturgy Training Publications)
• Responding to Suicide (Ed Shoener, Most Rev. John P. Dolan, Ave Maria Press)
• The Divorced Catholic's Guide to Parenting (Lynn Cassella-Kapusinski, OSV)
• Wanderlight (Loyola Press, Fable Vision)

Scripture

• God's Wonderful Word (Concept by CPH Editorial Staff/Illustrated by Emma Segal, Loyola Press)
• Hebrews: The New and Eternal Covenant (Dr. Andrew Swafford and Jeff Cavins, Ascension)
• Holy Land Pilgrimage (Stephen J. Binz, Liturgical Press)
• Jesus: The Way, the Truth, and the Life (study set) (Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Jeff Cavins, Dr. Edward Sri, Ascension)
• Ponder: Contemplative Bible Study for Year B (Mahri Leonard-Fleckman, Liturgical Press)
• Reading Revelation at Easter Time (Francis J. Moloney, SDB, Liturgical Press)
• Threshold Bible Study: Wholehearted Commitment: Part One: Deuteronomy 1–15 (Stephen J. Binz, Twenty-Third Publications)
• Threshold Bible Study: Wholehearted Commitment: Part Two: Deuteronomy 16-34 (Stephen J. Binz, Twenty-Third Publications)

Spanish

• 365 días acompañados por los santos (Petra Alexander, Loyola Press)
• The Great Adventure Catholic Bible, Spanish Edition (Jeff Cavins, Dr. Andrew Swafford, Dr. Mary Healy, Dr. Peter Williamson, Fr. Sebastian Carnazzo, Ascension)
• La Biblia (Rafael Ramírez, Ave Maria Press)
• Mi Primer Misal Interactivo (Written by Jennifer Sharpe, illustrated by Candace Camling, Ascension)
• Novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe (Various, OCP)
• ueblo Undio/People United (Jaime Cortez, OCP)
• Un Hermoso Intercambio Cultural/A Beautiful Cultural Exchange (Santiago Fernandez, OCP)

Spirituality

• Beholding Beauty: Mary and the Song of Songs (Gregory Cleveland, OMV, Pauline Books & Media)
• Earth, Our Original Monastery (Christine Valters Paintner, Ave Maria Press)
• Heartstorming: Creating a Place God Can Call Home (Robert J. Wicks, Paulist Press)
• How Deep the Mystery: Meditating on the Words of the Mass (Joyce Ann Zimmerman, CPPS, Liturgy Training Publications)
• Seeking God with Saint John Newman (Ryan J. Marr, OSV)
• Shaped by the End You Live For (Bonnie B. Thurston, Liturgical Press)
• Spiritual Practices for the Brain (Anne Kertz Kernion, Loyola Press)
• The Inner Chapel (Becky Eldredge, Loyola Press)

Theology

• A Feast for Hungry Souls (Susan Muto, Ave Maria Press)
• A Prophetic, Public Church (Mary Doak, Liturgical Press)
• Sex and the Spiritual Life (Patricia Cooney Hathaway, Ave Maria Press)
• Sex, Love, and Families (Edited by Jason King and Julie Hanlon Rubio, Liturgical Press)
• Sixty Years of Moral Theology (Charles E. Curran, Paulist Press)
• Teachings for an Unbelieving Word (John Paul II (Karol Wojtyla), Ave Maria Press)
• The Ethics of Encounter: Christian Neighbor Love as a Practice of Solidarity (Marcus Mescher, Orbis Books)
• The How-to-Book of Catholic Theology (Fr. John P. Cush S.T.D., OSV)
• The Liminal Papacy of Pope Francis: Moving Toward Global Catholicity (Massimo Faggioli, Orbis Books)