ACP Announces Winners of the 2026 "Excellence in Publishing Awards"

BALTIMORE, MD — The Association of Catholic Publishers (ACP) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2026 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, Music: Distinguished Catholic Composer of the Year, Prayer: General, Prayer: Seasonal Resource, Resources for Liturgy, Resources for Ministry, Scripture: Pastoral Resources, Spirituality, and Theology.

The Resource of the Year Award will be determined by a separate panel of judges from among the 18 first place winners and announced later this summer.

Six publishers dominated the 2026 winner’s list. Word on Fire Ministries led all publishers this year with 7 award-winning titles across a wide variety of categories, including theology, prayer, ministry, biography, and children’s books. Ascension Press followed closely with 6 winners spanning inspirational, ministry, children’s, music, and general interest categories. Liturgical Press earned 5 awards, while Ave Maria Press, GIA Publications, Inc., and OCP each earned multiple recognitions.

From a content perspective, this year’s winners strongly reflected the Church’s current pastoral priorities and cultural realities. Many titles focused on accompaniment, healing division, and living faithfully in a polarized world, while others emphasized practical spirituality, prayer, and everyday discipleship. Children and family faith formation continued to be a particularly strong area with numerous winning titles centered on saints, Scripture, catechesis, and interactive learning. At the same time, several books addressed pressing pastoral concerns such as disability inclusion, end-of-life issues, and community-building.

The winners by category are:

Biography

1.                Love Made Me An Inventor: The Story of Maggy Barankitse - Humanitarian, Genocide Survivor, Citizen without Borders (David Toole, Orbis Books)

2.                Real Moms of Real Saints (Colleen Pressprich, Pauline Books & Media)

3.                The Most Dangerous Man in England (Paul Shrimpton, Word on Fire Ministries)

Children's Books: Picture Books

1.                God Made Me Good (Hannah Saeger; illustrated by Tammie Lyon, Pauline Books & Media)

2.                My First Interactive Rosary Book (Written and Illustrated by Candace Camling, Ascension Press)

3.                Saints Come in All Shapes and Sizes (Written by Patrick O'Hearn, Illustrated by Elizabeth Blair, Ascension Press)

Children's Books: Teens

1.                Who Am I? What it Means To be Made in the Image of God (Christopher Klofft, S.T.D., Pflaum Publishing Group)

2.                The Story of All Stories: A Story Bible for Young Catholics (Emily Stimpson Chapman, Word on Fire Ministries)

3.                The Curse He Chose, In Aeternum, Book One (Sister Allison Regina Gliot, FSP, Pauline Books & Media)

Children's Books: Young Readers

1.                The Riddle of the Tongue-stones: How Blessed Nicholas Steno Uncovered the Hidden History of the Earth (Thomas Salerno, Word on Fire Ministries)

2.                Saintly Bites for Children: Mixing Faith, Fun, and Family Time in the Kitchen (Shelby Siegfried, Liguori Publications)

3.                OSV Kids Discover: The Pope (Colleen Pressprich, OSV)

Fiction

1.                The Year of My Humiliation (C.J. Sursum, Lilyfield Press)

2.                The Bicycle Messenger (Joan Elizabeth Bauer, Chrism Press)

3.                The End of the Affair (Graham Greene, Word on Fire Ministries)

General Interest

1.                What Christians Believe: Understanding the Nicene Creed (Bishop Robert Barron, Word on Fire Ministries)

2.                Dilexit Nos ("He Loved Us") (Pope Francis, Ascension Press)

3.                Living and Dying Well: A Catholic Plan for Resisting Physician-Assisted Killing (Charles Camosy, OSV)

Inspirational

1.                Pocket Guide to the Works of Mercy (Claire Couche, Neena Gaynor, Elizabeth Santorum Marcolini, Ascension Press)

2.                She Loved: Resting in the Beauty of Motherhood (Suzanne Bilodeau, Ascension Press)

3.                The Spiritual Path (Lisa Kelly, Loyola Press)

Music: Distinguished Catholic Composer of the Year

1.                Lourdes Montgomery (Lourdes Montgomery, GIA Publications, Inc.)

2.                Chaz Bowers (Chaz Bowers, GIA Publications, Inc.)

3.                Katie Wills (Katie Wills, OCP)

Music: Liturgical Music Resource

1.                We Sing with Holy Mary: Songs and Hymns Devoted to the Mother of the Lord (Edited by Alan J. Hommerding, GIA Publications, Inc.)

2.                Blessed Be God: Acclamations, Hymns and Chants for the OCIA (Tony Alonso, GIA Publications, Inc.)

3. (tied)    Stanley Rother Mass (Stanley Rother, OCP)

3. (tied)    The Abbey Psalms and Canticles (Monks of Conception Abbey, Ascension Press)

Music: Song of the Year

1.                I Am the Good Shepherd (Luke Mayernik, OCP)

2.                Those Who Eat My Flesh / Los Que Comen Mi Carne (Bob Hurd and Jaime Cortez, OCP)

3.                Be Still: Psalm 46 (Eddie Cavazos, Text by Eddie Cavasos and Laura Cavazos, GIA Publications, Inc.)

Prayer: General

1.                Let Us Pray: Catholic Prayers for All Abilities (Mark Bradford, Word on Fire Ministries)

2.                The Homefront Devotional: Navigate Military Life with Courage, Hope, and Faith (Tara McMullen, Ave Maria Press)

3. (tied)    Cultivating a Contemplative Heart and Becoming a Person of Prayer (Mary Beth Kremski, OSV)

3. (tied)    Pocket Guide to Overcoming the Seven Deadly Sins (Fr. Josh Johnson, Ascension Press)

Prayer: Seasonal Resources

1.                Witness: A Guided Lent Journal for Prayer and Meditation (Fr. Patrick Mary Briscoe, OP, Ave Maria Press)

2. (tied)    Ashes to Flames: A Lenten Pilgrimage (Ronald D. Witherup, Paulist Press)

2. (tied)    Behold the Wonder: The Coming of Christ Through Mary's Eyes (Written by Catherine Cavadini,  Artwork by Anastassia Cassady, Ave Maria Press)

Resources for Liturgy

1.                Full Communion with Us: The Reception of Candidates in the OCIA (Paul Turner, Liturgical Press)

2.                The Art of Liturgical Ministry (Corinna Laughlin, Liturgy Training Publications)

3.                2025-2026 Sunday Missal for Young Catholics Sunday Readings, Order of Mass, Prayers and Reflections (Various authors, Bayard, Inc.)

Resources for Ministry

1.                Indispensable: A Catholic Guide to Welcoming Persons with Disabilities (Mark Bradford, Word on Fire Ministries)

2. (tied)    The Great Adventure Catholic Bible, Second Edition (Premium) (Jeff Cavins, Mary Healy, Andrew Swafford, Peter Williamson, Rev. Sebastian Carnazzo, Patricia Isaacs, Ascension Press)

2. (tied)    The Transformative Power of Small Groups: A 7-Step Guide for Building Vibrant Catholic Communities (Michael White, Tom Corcoran, Ave Maria Press)

Scripture: Pastoral Resources

1. (tied)    Stretch Out Your Hand: Reflections on the Healing Ministry of Jesus (Amy Ekeh, Liturgical Press)

1. (tied)    Threshold Bible Study: Handel's "Messiah" (Stephen J. Binz, Twenty-Third Publications)

3.                An Inspired Word in Season: Reading the Bible Responsibly in a Polarized World (Thomas M. Bolin, Liturgical Press)

Spanish

1.                Papa León XIV: Corazón inquieto, pastor fiel (Sor. Gemma Morató Sendra, OP, Liguori Publications)

Spirituality

1.                Do Not Judge Anyone: Desert Wisdom for a Polarized World (Isaac Slater, OCSO, Liturgical Press)

2.                Epiphanies of Nature and Grace: Twelve Meditations from a Life in Dialogue (Cyprian Consiglio, Orbis Books)

3.                Dancing with Creation: Living Mindfully through the Hours of Each Day (Michael Mercer, Twenty-Third Publications)

Theology

1.                The Future of Synodality: How We Move Forward from Here (Kristin M. Colberg and Jos Moons, SJ, Liturgical Press)

2.                Blessing of a New Dawn: Reorienting Christianity's Relation to Judaism (Mary C. Boys, Orbis Books)

3.                Engaging the Doctrine of the Church (Matthew Levering, Word on Fire Ministries)

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.

Note: AI was used in analyzing the results and drafting some language used in the above document.