2026 CMA Book Awards Winners List

B101: PILGRIMAGES / CATHOLIC TRAVEL

• First Place Incredible Catholic America: Smallest, Tallest, Oldest, Oddest Marion Amberg, OSV
• Second Place Finding God Along the Way Christine Marie Eberle, Paraclete Press
• Third Place Living the Jubilee Saverio Gaeta, St. Augustine’s Press
• Honorable Mention Making a Pilgrimage: A Companion for Catholics Joan Watson, Emmaus Road Publishing
• Honorable Mention From Glory to Glory: A Pilgrim’s Notes from the Badlands of Grace Patrick Hannon, CSC, One Subject Press

B102: POPE FRANCIS

• First Place Remembering Pope Francis OSV
• Second Place I Am a Mission on This Earth: Selected Writings Pope Francis; Robert Ellsberg, Editor, Orbis Books

B103: SPIRITUALITY CLASSICAL

• First Place Growing into God: Christian Maturity and the Fathers of the Church John Gavin, SJ, The Catholic University of America Press
• Second Place Embracing God: Essays on the Spiritual Treatises of Aelred of Rievaulx Marsha L. Dutton, Liturgical Press
• Third Place In Praise of the Virgin Mary, the God-Bear.er: Alan of Lille’s Concise Elucidation of the Song of Songs Alan of Lille; Ann W. Astell, Translator, Annotator and Introduction, Liturgical Press
• Honorable Mention The Reed of God: Deluxe Hardcover Edi.tion Caryll Houselander, Ave Maria Press
• Honorable Mention Karl Rahner: Spiritual Theology Richard Lennan and Peter Joseph Fritz, Editors and Introduction, Paulist Press

B104C: ADULT SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT

• First Place “Do Not Judge Anyone”: Desert Wisdom for a Polarized World Isaac Slater, OCSO, Liturgical Press
• Second Place The Paradox of Poverty: Why Are the Poor in Spirit “Blessed”? Susan R. Pitchford, Liturgical Press
• Third Place Towards Dawn: Essays in Hopefulness Bishop Erik Varden, Word on Fire
• Honorable Mention Epiphanies of Nature and Grace: Twelve Meditations from a Life in Dialogue Cyprian Consiglio, Orbis Books
• Honorable Mention The Soul Also Keeps the Score: A Trau.ma-Informed Companion to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Robert W. McChesney, SJ, Liturgical Press

B105A: CHILDREN’S DEVOTIONS AND PRAYER

• First Place The Magnificat (I Can Pray) OSV Kids; Adalee Hude, Illustrator, OSV
• Second Place My First Examen Raquel Rose, The Little Rose Shop
• Third Place OSV Kids Rosary Colleen Pressprich, OSV

B105C: ADULT DEVOTIONS AND PRAYER

• First Place Meeting the One Who Loves You: Saint Teresa of Ávila’s Way of Prayer Shawn Chapman, OSV
• Second Place Given for You: Eucharistic Stations of the Cross Fr. Patrick Mary Briscoe, OP, OSV
• Third Place The Frassati Field Guide: An 8-Day Ascent to Heroic Virtue Bobby Angel, Ave Maria Press
• Honorable Mention Make Our Hearts Like Yours: Daily Medi.tations on the Sacred Heart of Jesus Thomas J. Kronholz, OSV
• Honorable Mention The Book of Before and After: The Liturgy of the Hours of the Church of the East Translated by Andrew Younan, The Catho.lic University of America Press

B108: LITURGY OR WORSHIP

• First Place Lay Eucharistic Preaching in a Synodal Catholic Church Edited by Gregory Heille, OP, Liturgical Press
• Second Place The Abbey Psalms and Canticles Monks of Conception Abbey, Ascension
• Third Place Liturgy in the Shadows of Trauma: Reck.oning with the Roman Catholic Sex Abuse Crisis David Farina Turnbloom, Megan Breen, Noah Lamberger and Kate Tyschper; Or-bis Books
• Honorable Mention Full Communion with Us: The Reception of Candidates in the OCIA Paul Turner, Liturgical Press
• Honorable Mention The Mass of the Early Christians, Revised and Expanded, Third Edition Mike Aquilina, OSV

B109: PASTORAL MINISTRY – PARISH LIFE

• First Place Indispensable: Indispensable: A Catholic Guide to Welcoming Persons with Intel.lectual and Developmental Disabilities Mark Bradford, Word on Fire
• Second Place First Reconciliation and Beyond: A Family’s Guide for Learning and Living Forgiveness Katie Prejean McGrady and Tommy Mc-Grady, Ave Maria Press
• Third Place First Communion and Beyond: A Family’s Guide to Eucharistic Joy Katie Prejean McGrady and Tommy Mc-Grady, Ave Maria Press
• Honorable Mention Empowering People through Encounter: Catholic Social Teaching and Community Organizing Erin Brigham and Maureen H. O’Connell, Liturgical Press
• Honorable Mention The Transformative Power of Small Groups: A 7-Step Guide for Building Vi.brant Catholic Communities Michael White, Tom Corcoran, Ave Maria Press

B110: PASTORAL MINISTRY – CATECHETICAL

• First Place Full Communion with Us: The Reception of Candidates in the OCIA Paul Turner, Liturgical Press
• Second Place What Christians Believe: Understanding the Nicene Creed Bishop Robert Barron, Word on Fire
• Third Place Life Everlasting: Heaven, Hell, Death and Judgement Dr. Jeffrey Morrow, Ascension
• Honorable Mention The Bible Timeline: The Story of Salvation Jeff Cavins, Ascension
• Honorable Mention Foundations of Faith: A Journey Through the Catechism of the Catholic Church Edward Sri and Marcellino D’Ambrosio, Ascension

B112: CHURCH PROFESSIONAL

• First Place Vision, Values, and Victories: Notre Dame-Style Leadership Len Clark, Ph.D., Author and Publisher
• Second Place The Transformative Power of Small Groups: A 7-Step Guide for Building Vi.brant Catholic Communities Michael White and Tom Corcoran, Ave Maria Press
• Third Place Together Through Reflection: Themes for Those Who Lead and Serve in Catholic Organizations Bridget Deegan-Krause, Liturgical Press
• Honorable Mention Full Communion with Us: The Reception of Candidates in the OCIA Paul Turner, Liturgical Press

B113: POPE LEO XIV

• First Place When the White Smoke Clears: A Guide to Pope Leo XIV’s Early Days Fr. Mike Schmitz, Jeff Cavins, Dr. Edward Sri, Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio, Fr. Josh Johnson and Katie Prejean McGrady; Ascension
• Second Place Leo XIV: Portrait of the First American Pope Dr. Matthew Bunson, EWTN Publishing
• Third Place Pope Leo XIV: Inside the Conclave and the Dawn of a New Papacy Christopher White, Loyola Press
• Honorable Mention The Office and Authority of the Local Prior in the Order of Saint Augustine Pope Leo XIV and Thomas Joseph White, The Catholic University of America Press
• Honorable Mention Pope Leo XIV Jes Colina, OSV

B151: NEWLY CANONIZED SAINTS OR THOSE IN THE PROCESS

• First Place Carlo’s Simple Wisdom: Words of Hope from a Young Saint Carlo Acutis and Giorgio Maria Carbone, OSV
• Second Place The Frassati Field Guide: An 8-Day Ascent to Heroic Virtue Bobby Angel, Ave Maria Press
• Third Place Fear Nothing: The Heroic Life of Aloysius Schwartz Philip Kosloski, Voyage Comics & Publishing
• Honorable Mention The Most Dangerous Man in England: Newman and the Laity Paul Shrimpton, Word on Fire
• Honorable Mention Christian de Chergé: Modern Spiritual Masters series Christian Krokus and Habib Zanzana, Selectors, Editors and Translators; Orbis Books

B201: MODERN EXPLORATION OF THE CATHOLIC FAITH

• First Place Life Everlasting: Heaven, Hell, Death and Judgement Dr. Jeffrey Morrow, Ascension
• Second Place Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of the Faith Bishop Robert Barron, Word on Fire
• Third Place The Bible Timeline: The Story of Salvation Jeff Cavins, Ascension
• Honorable Mention Foundations of Faith: A Journey Through the Catechism of the Catholic Church Edward Sri and Marcellino D’Ambrosio, Ascension

B202: THEOLOGICAL STUDIES

• First Place Man’s Desire for God Fr. Brian Thomas Becket Mullady, O.P., EWTN Publishing
• Second Place Biblical Interpretation and Doctrine in Early Christianity: Collected Essays Brian E. Daley SJ; Andrew Hofer OP, Editor; Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
• Third Place What Christians Believe: Understanding the Nicene Creed Bishop Robert Barron, Word on Fire
• Honorable Mention Being Before God: Cornelio Fabro, Thomism, and Sen Kierkegaard’s Theology Joshua Furnal, University of Notre Dame Press
• Honorable Mention Is Belief Believable? Reasoning About God from Plato and Aquinas to C.S. Lewis and Jordan Peterson Christopher Kaczor, Ave Maria Press

B203: HISTORY OF THEOLOGY, CHURCH FATHERS AND MOTHERS

• First Place What Christians Believe: Understanding the Nicene Creed Bishop Robert Barron, Word on Fire
• Second Place Human Salvation in Early Christianity: Exploring the Theology of Physicalist Soteriology Ellen Scully, Cambridge University Press
• Third Place The Apostolic Tradition: Its Origins, Development, and Liturgical Practices Nathan P. Chase and Maxwell E. Johnson, Liturgical Press
• Honorable Mention The Controversial Thomas More: Politics, Polemics, and Prison Writings Travis Curtright, University of Notre Dame Press

B204: MORALITY AND ETHICS

• First Place Catholic Morality: Finding Truth in God’s Law Ave Maria Press
• Second Place Jubilee Economics: The Purpose, Practices, and Possibilities for a Better Future Kelley Nikondeha, Orbis Books
• Third Place Empowering People through Encounter: Catholic Social Teaching and Community Organizing Erin Brigham and Maureen H. O’Connell, Liturgical Press

B205: SCRIPTURE – POPULAR STUDIES

• First Place The Word on Fire Bible (Volume V): Exile and Return Word on Fire
• Second Place Hearing Earth’s Call: Life and Livelihood in First John Rodolfo Felices Luna, Orbis Books
• Third Place The Bible Timeline: The Story of Salvation Jeff Cavins, Ascension
• Honorable Mention Handel’s “Messiah” Stephen J. Binz, Twenty-Third Publications
• Honorable Mention Stretch Out Your Hand: Reflections on the Healing Ministry of Jesus Amy Ekeh, Liturgical Press

B206: SCRIPTURE – ACADEMIC STUDIES

• First Place Judeophobia and the New Testament: Texts and Contexts Sarah E. Rollens, Eric M. Vanden Eykel and Meredith J. C. Warren, Editors; Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
• Second Place The Host of Gethsemane: Eucharistic Hospitality in the Gethsemane Narratives Dr. Annabelle Moseley, TH.D., En Route Books and Media

B207: HISTORY

• First Place The Legacy and Limits of Vatican II in an Age of Crisis Catherine E. Clifford, Kristin M. Colberg, Massimo Faggioli and Edward P. Hahnenberg, Editors; Liturgical Press
• Second Place The Unknown Modern Side of St. Pius X Pedro Gabriel, Author and Publisher
• Third Place China’s Church Divided: Bishop Louis Jin and the Post-Mao Catholic Revival Paul P. Mariani, S.J., Harvard University Press
• Honorable Mention Christian Conversion and Mission: A Brief Cultural History Andrew F. Walls; Mark R. Gornik, Editor and Introduction, Orbis Books
• Honorable Mention Crabgrass Catholicism: How Suburbanization Transformed Faith and Politics in Postwar America Stephen M. Koeth, C.S.C., University of Chicago Press

B208: BIOGRAPHY

• First Place I Wait in the Night: The Death Row Journal of Jacques Fesch Fr. Rupert Allen, Cong. Orat., OSV
• Second Place The Glacier Priest: Father Bernard Hubbard and America’s Last Frontier Josh McMullen, University of Notre Dame Press
• Third Place Faith of the Fathers: The Comprehensive History of Catholic Chaplains in the Civil War Robert J. Miller, University of Notre Dame Press
• Honorable Mention Love Made Me an Inventor: The Story of Maggy Barankitse – Humanitarian, Genocide Survivor, Citizen without Borders David Toole, Orbis Books
• Honorable Mention The Most Dangerous Man in England: Newman and the Laity Paul Shrimpton, Word on Fire

B209: REFERENCE/ ACADEMIC STUDIES

• First Place Introducing Communio Theology Tracey Rowland, Word on Fire
• Second Place The Law for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life: An Introduction to Canons 573-746 Daniel Tibi, OSB, Liturgical Press
• Third Place Engaging the Doctrine of the Church Matthew Levering, Word on Fire
• Honorable Mention Holy Bible – The Great Adventure Catholic Bible (Limited Edition) Jeff Cavins, Mary Healy, Andrew Swafford, Peter Williamson, Rev. Sebastian Carnazzo and Patricia Isaacs; Ascension

B210: FAITH AND SCIENCE

• First Place Darwin and Doctrine: The Compatibility of Evolution and Catholicism Daniel Kuebler, Word on Fire
• Second Place The Soul Also Keeps the Score: A Trauma-Informed Companion to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Robert W. McChesney, SJ, Liturgical Press
• Third Place God, The Science, The Evidence Michel-Yves Bolloré and Olivier Bonnassies, Palomar Editions
• Honorable Mention A Jesuit’s Guide to the Stars Guy Consolmagno, SJ, Loyola Press
• Honorable Mention Behold the Heavens: Discovering God through the Night Sky Fr. James Kurzynski, OSV
• Honorable Mention Be Still and Know: Contemplative Practices for Christian Schools and Educators Patrick R. Manning, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company

B212: JESUS – CHRISTOLOGY

• First Place Christology in Early Christianity: Collected Essays Brian E. Daley SJ; Andrew Hofer OP, Editor; Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
• Second Place Stretch Out Your Hand: Reflections on the Healing Ministry of Jesus Amy Ekeh, Liturgical Press
• Third Place The Host of Gethsemane: Eucharistic Hospitality in the Gethsemane Narratives Dr. Annabelle Moseley, TH.D., En Route Books and Media
• Honorable Mention The Light of Tabor: Toward a Monistic Christology David Bentley Hart, University of Notre Dame Press
• Honorable Mention Human Salvation in Early Christianity: Exploring the Theology of Physicalist Soteriology Ellen Scully, Cambridge University Press

B213: SACRAMENTS

• First Place For I Have Sinned: The Rise and Fall of Catholic Confession in America James M. O’Toole, Harvard University Press
• Second Place Full Communion with Us: The Reception of Candidates in the OCIA Paul Turner, Liturgical Press
• Honorable Mention First Communion and Beyond: A Family’s Guide to Eucharistic Joy Katie Prejean McGrady and Tommy McGrady, Ave Maria Press
• Honorable Mention First Reconciliation and Beyond: A Family’s Guide for Learning and Living Forgiveness Katie Prejean McGrady and Tommy McGrady, Ave Maria Press

B214: PHILOSOPHICAL STUDIES

• First Place Socrates Meets Peter Kreeft, Word on Fire
• Second Place Body and Identity: A History of the Empty Self Angela Franks, University of Notre Dame Press
• Third Place Is Belief Believable? Reasoning About God from Plato and Aquinas to C.S. Lewis and Jordan Peterson Christopher Kaczor, Ave Maria Press
• Honorable Mention Kant Today: A Survey Erich Przywara; David Augustine, Translator; Word on Fire
• Honorable Mention The Metaphysics of Martyrdom J. Marianne Siegmund, En Route Books and Media

B215: MARIOLOGY

• First Place Many Paths with Mary: Popular Piety and the Future Church Michael Rogers, Orbis Books
• Second Place The Way of the Rosary: A Journey with Mary Through Scripture, Liturgy, and Life Shannon Wendt, Ascension
• Third Place A Fierce and Tender Love: 7 Meditations on Mary, Mother of God Timothy P. O’Malley, McGrath Institute for Church Life, Ave Maria Press
• Honorable Mention Gate of Heaven: Reflections on the Mother of God Matthew Becklo, Word on Fire

B301: CHILDREN’S BOARD BOOKS AND PICTURE BOOKS

• First Place God Made Me Good Hannah Saeger; Tammie Lyon, Illustrator, Pauline Books & Media
• Second Place Song of Zechariah Word on Fire
• Third Place Magnificat Word on Fire
• Honorable Mention Our Family: Seen and Unseen Bethany Thelen Nugent, Author and Publisher
• Honorable Mention My Catholic 123 Alex DeRose, OSV

B302: PRESCHOOL READING

• First Place God’s Little Flowers Lindsay Schlegel, OSV
• Second Place If a Saint Had a Song Gracie Jagla, OSV
• Third Place If the Pope Had a Puppy Gracie Jagla, OSV
• Honorable Mention There Is No Saint Named Kelly Kelly Luong, Author and Illustrator, Pauline Books & Media
• Honorable Mention Song of Zechariah Word on Fire

B303: ALL CHILDREN’S BOOKS

• First Place Past Watchful Dragons: Biblical Stories Retold R.J. Sheffler, Word on Fire
• Second Place Consider the Birds Jennifer Grant, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
• Third Place Peek-A-Boo Saints 2 The Little Rose Shop
• Honorable Mention The Story of All Stories: A Story Bible for Young Catholics Emily Stimpson Chapman, Word on Fire
• Honorable Mention The Riddle of the Tongue-Stones: How Blessed Nicholas Steno Uncovered the Hidden History of the Earth Thomas Salerno, Word on Fire

B304: FAMILY LIFE

• First Place Our Family: Seen and Unseen Bethany Thelen Nugent, Author and Publisher
• Second Place She Loved: Resting in the Beauty of Motherhood Suzanne Bilodeau, Ascension
• Third Place Love Fiercely: Lessons from the Dad of a Special Needs Daughter Andrew T. Bodoh, Author and Publisher
• Honorable Mention Lovemaking: How to Talk about Sex with Your Spouse Renzo Ortega and Monica Ortega, Ave Maria Press

B305: CHILDREN’S INDEPENDENT READING

• First Place Past Watchful Dragons: Biblical Stories Made New R.J. Sheffler, Word on Fire
• Second Place The Riddle of the Tongue-Stones: How Blessed Nicholas Steno Uncovered the Hidden History of the Earth Thomas Salerno, Word on Fire
• Third Place The Story of All Stories: A Story Bible for Young Catholics Emily Stimpson Chapman, Word on Fire
• Honorable Mention OSV Kids Discover: The Pope Colleen Pressprich, OSV
• Honorable Mention All About Lent & Holy Week: Sharing the Seasons of Repentance and Salvation with Children Katherine Bogner, Emmaus Road Publishing

B351: BOOK FOR YOUNG ADULTS (AGES 12-18)

• First Place Joan of Arkansas Sarah Robsdottir, Voyage Comics & Publishing
• Second Place An I Love You Book for People About to Take on the World Lorel Wilhelm-Volpi, Author and Publisher
• Third Place Friendship Reset: Ditch the Drama and Find Your Crew Maggie Craig, Ave Maria Press
• Honorable Mention Advent and Christmas: One Day at a Time for Catholic Teens Katie Prejean McGrady and Tommy McGrady, Ave Maria Press

B401: COFFEE TABLE BOOK

• First Place The True Gifts of Christmas Megan Alexander, Loyola Press
• Second Place Catechism of the Catholic Church, Every Sacred Sunday Edition Every Sacred Sunday, Every Sacred Sunday
• Third Place Sacred Wine: The Holy History and Heritage of Catholic Vintners Emily Stimpson Chapman, Marian Press
• Honorable Mention The Catholic Cartoon Collection: No. 3 Joshua Masterson, Voyage Comics & Publishing

B452: LIFESTYLE BOOKS

• First Place Savoring Awe Timothy Cap Diebel, ACTA Publications
• Second Place The True Gifts of Christmas Megan Alexander, Loyola Press
• Third Place Around the Catholic Table Emily Stimpson Chapman, Emmaus Road Publishing

B501: INCLUSION IN THE CHURCH

• First Place Love Fiercely: Lessons from the Dad of a Special Needs Daughter Andrew T. Bodoh, Author and Publisher
• Second Place Praying with Our Feet Ansel Augustine, D. Min, Loyola Press
• Third Place Theology for the Unwanted: Reclaiming Your Place in God’s Church Daniel Tillson, Paulist Press
• Honorable Mention Together as One Body: Full and Meaningful Participation with Persons with Disabilities Ana B. Barraza, Liturgical Press
• Honorable Mention Catholicism at a Crossroads: The Present and Future of America’s Largest Church Maureen K. Day, James C. Cavendish, Paul M. Perl, Michele Dillon, Mary L. Gautier and William V. D’Antonio; New York University Press

B502: CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING

• First Place Praying with the Popes: Words of Hope and Peace from Leo XIII to Leo XIV Ave Maria Press
• Second Place Catholic Social Teaching: Revealing the Treasure James J. Bacik, Paulist Press
• Third Place Humanitarianism from Below: Faith, Welfare, and the Role of Casas de Migrantes in Mexico Alejandro Olayo-Méndez, New York University Press
• Honorable Mention God Made That! Catholic Nature Field Guide Kathleen M. Hoenke and William A. Jacobs; Fiona Osbaldstone, Illustrator; Pauline Books & Media
• Honorable Mention Empowering People through Encounter: Catholic Social Teaching and Community Organizing Erin Brigham and Maureen H. O’Connell, Liturgical Press

B503: RELIGION IN THE PUBLIC SQUARE

• First Place An Inspired Word in Season: Reading the Bible Responsibly in a Polarized World Thomas M. Bolin, Liturgical Press
• Second Place Abortion and America’s Churches: A Religious History of “Roe v. Wade” Daniel K. Williams, University of Notre Dame Press
• Third Place “Do Not Judge Anyone”: Desert Wisdom for a Polarized World Isaac Slater, OCSO, Liturgical Press
• Honorable Mention Sacred Resistance: Eco-Activism and the Rise of New Spiritual Communities Mark Clatterbuck, Editor, Orbis Books
• Honorable Mention The Paradox of Poverty: Why Are the Poor in Spirit “Blessed”? Susan R. Pitchford, Liturgical Press

B505: ECUMENISM OR INTERFAITH RELATIONS

• First Place Blessing of a New Dawn: Reorienting Christianity’s Relation to Judaism Mary C. Boys, Orbis Books
• Second Place The Mortara Case and Thomas Aquinas’s Defense of Jewish Parental Authority Matthew Tapie, The Catholic University of America Press
• Third Place Translingual Catholics: Chinese Theologians before Vatican II Jin Lu, University of Notre Dame Press
• Honorable Mention My Chinese Dream: Dialogues and Encounters with Christianity Chiaretto Yan, Orbis Books
• Honorable Mention Full Communion with Us: The Reception of Candidates in the OCIA Paul Turner, Liturgical Press

B506: THE FUTURE OF THE CHURCH

• First Place African Synodal Theology: A Tall Tree Is as Strong as Its Roots Agbonkhianmeghe E. Orobator, SJ, Editor, Orbis Books
• Second Place Towards Dawn: Essays in Hopefulness Bishop Erik Varden, Word on Fire
• Third Place A Council by Another Name?: The Synod on Synodality and What Comes Next Christoph Theobald, SJ, Liturgical Press
• Honorable Mention The Future of Synodality: How We Move Forward from Here Kristin M. Colberg and Jos Moons, SJ, Liturgical Press
• Honorable Mention On Earth as in Heaven?: Liturgy, Materiality, and Economics Melanie Ross, Editor, Liturgical Press

B507: LIFE AND DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON

• First Place Love Fiercely: Lessons from the Dad of a Special Needs Daughter Andrew T. Bodoh, Author and Publisher
• Second Place Our Family: Seen and Unseen Bethany Thelen Nugent, Author and Publisher
• Third Place Love Made Me an Inventor: The Story of Maggy Barankitse – Humanitarian, Genocide Survivor, Citizen without Borders David Toole, Orbis Books
• Honorable Mention The Safari Concept: An African Framework for End of Life Care Dr. Christian Ntizimira, Batinya Publishing, LLC
• Honorable Mention Overcoming the Narcissist, Sociopath, Psychopath, and Other Domestic Abusers: Workbook for Support Groups and Bible Studies Charlene D. Quint, Redemption Press

B601: FIRST-TIME AUTHOR: CHILDREN’S BOOK

• First Place When God Speaks Hunter Leonard, OSV
• Second Place Past Watchful Dragons: Biblical Stories Made New R.J. Sheffler, Word on Fire
• Third Place The Riddle of the Tongue-Stones: How Blessed Nicholas Steno Uncovered the Hidden History of the Earth Thomas Salerno, Word on Fire
• Honorable Mention Our Family: Seen and Unseen Bethany Thelen Nugent, Bethany Thelen Nugent, Author and Publisher

B602: FIRST-TIME AUTHOR: NOVEL

• First Place A Serpent’s Pursuit M.P. McBride, Full Quiver Publishing
• Second Place Sweet Sorghum Winter Melanie Hill, ACTA Publications
• Third Place The Gospel Engine Samuel Thawley, The Gospel Engine
• Honorable Mention The Black Knight Michael P. Halloran, Author and Publisher

B605: FIRST-TIME AUTHOR OF THEOLOGICAL SUBJECT MATTERS

• First Place The Way of Heaven and Earth: From Either/Or to the Catholic Both/And Matthew Becklo, Word on Fire
• Second Place Return to the Heart Shane Owens, Emmaus Road Publishing
• Third Place The Homefront Devotional: Navigate Military Life with Courage, Hope, and Faith Tara McMullen, Ave Maria Press
• Honorable Mention In the Twilight of the Christian West: A Theology of Mourning and Resistance Mac Loftin, Orbis Books
• Honorable Mention Pray Like a Champion Today: Sacred Stories from the Sidelines of Notre Dame Football Fr. Nate Wills, CSC, Ave Maria Press

B701: DIOCESAN/PARISH DIRECTORY

• First Place 2025-2026 Directory of the Diocese of Orange Catholic Christina Montes, The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange
• Second Place 2025-2026 Catholic Directory of the Archdiocese of Baltimore Christopher Gunty, Cathedral Foundation Press
• Third Place 2025-2026 Official Directory of the Diocese of Rockford Diocese of Rockford Communications Staff, Diocese of Rockford Communications Office

B801: CATHOLIC NOVEL

• First Place The Curse He Chose, In Aeternum, Book One Sister Allison Regina Gliot, FSP, Pauline Books & Media
• Second Place The Wanderer and the Way G. M. Baker, Author and Publisher
• Third Place The Year of My Humiliation C.J. Sursum, Lilyfield Press
• Honorable Mention Prison of Now Jon F. Harmon, Author and Publisher
• Honorable Mention The Wagers of Sin Emily Hanlon, Chrism Press

B802: FAITH-BASED NOVEL

• First Place Jojay and the Joy of Anyway Rich Agnello, Kindle Direct Publishing
• Second Place Joline Jim Sano, Full Quiver Publishing
• Third Place Child of These Tears Molly McNett, Slant Books

B803: TEEN AND YOUNG ADULT NOVELS

• First Place Joan of Arkansas Sarah Robsdottir, Voyage Comics & Publishing

B804: SCIENCE FICTION NOVELS

• First Place Blinding Dawn Jonathan D. Torres, Chrism Press
• Second Place The Black Knight Michael P. Halloran, Author and Publisher
• Third Place The Gospel Engine Samuel Thawley

B805: CHRISTIAN ROMANCE

• Second Place Roses in Rome Jessica Everly, Author and Publisher
• Honorable Mention Eve’s Brother (More Love in Andauk #3) Amanda Hamm, Before Someday Publishing

B901: HEALING AND SELF HELP

• First Place The Years of Ripening: Reflections on Aging in the Later Years Joyce Rupp, Orbis Books
• Second Place The Soul Also Keeps the Score: A Trauma-Informed Companion to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Robert W. McChesney, SJ, Liturgical Press
• Third Place Stretch Out Your Hand: Reflections on the Healing Ministry of Jesus Amy Ekeh, Liturgical Press
• Honorable Mention Love Fiercely: Lessons from the Dad of a Special Needs Daughter Andrew T. Bodoh, Author and Publisher

B1151: ENGLISH TRANSLATION EDITION

• First Place God, The Science, The Evidence Michel-Yves Bolloré and Olivier Bonnassies, Palomar Editions
• Second Place Kant Today: A Survey Erich Przywara; David Augustine, Translator; Word on Fire
• Third Place Challenging Modern Atheism and Indifference: Pascal’s Defense of the Christian Proposition Pierre Manent, University of Notre Dame Press

B1201: DESIGN AND PRODUCTION

• First Place The Story of All Stories: A Story Bible for Young Catholics Emily Stimpson Chapman, Word on Fire
• Second Place Peek-A-Boo Saints 2 Raquel Rose, Author and Publisher
• Third Place Around the Catholic Table Emily Muse Morelli, Designer, Emmaus Road Publishing
• Honorable Mention The Glenstal Prayerbook: A Benedictine Book of Prayer The Monks of Glenstal Abbey, Ireland, Liturgical Press
• Honorable Mention Holy Bible — The Great Adventure Catholic Bible (Limited Edition) Jeff Cavins, Mary Healy, Andrew Swafford, Peter Williamson, Rev. Sebastian Carnazzo and Patricia Isaacs, Ascension

B1202: DESIGN AND PRODUCTION: CHILDREN’S BOOK

• First Place Past Watchful Dragons: Biblical Stories Made New R.J. Sheffler, Word on Fire
• Second Place The Story of All Stories: A Story Bible for Young Catholics Emily Stimpson Chapman, Word on Fire
• Third Place The Riddle of the Tongue-Stones: How Blessed Nicholas Steno Uncovered the Hidden History of the Earth Thomas Salerno, Word on Fire

B1203: FRONT COVER ARTWORK

• First Place Past Watchful Dragons: Biblical Stories Made New R.J. Sheffler, Word on Fire
• Second Place A Fierce and Tender Love: 7 Meditations on Mary, Mother of God Timothy P. O’Malley, McGrath Institute for Church Life, Ave Maria Press
• Third Place Waiting Well: Advent with Fr. Mike Schmitz, Journal Fr. Mike Schmitz, Ascension
• Honorable Mention The Curse He Chose, In Aeternum, Book One Sister Allison Regina Gliot, FSP; Ryan McQuade, Cover Art and Design; Pauline Books & Media
• Honorable Mention Peek-A-Boo Saints 2 Raquel Rose, Author and Publisher

B1204: CATALOG

• First Place Orbis Books Fall 2025 Catalog Orbis Books
• Second Place Votive Catalog Word on Fire
• Third Place Ave Maria Press: Spring 2025 Ave Maria Press

B1205: ILLUSTRATIONS

• First Place Magnificat Word on Fire
• Second Place Song of Zechariah Word on Fire
• Third Place The Story of All Stories: A Story Bible for Young Catholics Emily Stimpson Chapman, Word on Fire
• Honorable Mention There Is No Saint Named Kelly Kelly Luong, Author and Illustrator; Pauline Books & Media
• Honorable Mention Our Family: Seen and Unseen Bethany Thelen Nugent, Author and Publisher

B1301: BEST BOOK BY A SMALL PUBLISHER

• First Place Surrender to Lead Monica Hannan, TLI Publishing
• Second Place Saint Joseph: A Silence that Speaks Volumes Kieran Larkin, Red Penguin Books
• Third Place A Serpent’s Pursuit M.P. McBride, Full Quiver Publishing
• Honorable Mention Why Christ Rejects All Church Prejudice Against Women John Wijngaards, Acadian House Publishing
• Honorable Mention Overcoming the Narcissist, Sociopath, Psychopath, and Other Domestic Abusers: Workbook for Support Groups and Bible Studies Charlene D. Quint, Redemption Press

B1401: SELF-PUBLISHED FICTION BOOKS

• First Place Musings of Owl & Rabbit Austin Schmitt, Sophos Press
• Second Place Rescuing the Rain Man Amy Schisler, Author and Publisher

B1402: SELF-PUBLISHED NON-FICTION BOOKS

• First Place Conversations for the Modern Catholic Woman: Collected Reflections on Catholic Womanhood Marnee Weisbrod and Jody Pitcher, Authors and Publishers
• Second Place Love Fiercely: Lessons from the Dad of a Special Needs Daughter Andrew T. Bodoh, Author and Publisher
• Third Place Another Way: A Journey of Faith, Love, and Identity Alice J. Miesnik, Author and Publisher

B1403: SELF-PUBLISHED CHILDREN’S BOOKS

• First Place Our Family: Seen and Unseen Bethany Thelen Nugent, Author and Publisher
• Second Place Sharing the Sorrow: Caitlyn and Peter’s Rosary Adventures Theresa Linden, Silver Fire Publishing
• Third Place Walter the Food Truck’s Big Mission “Serving Food, Faith, and Friendship” Catholic Charities, Diocese of Allentown and Lisa Geosits, EdD; Authors and Publishers

B1501: ANTHOLOGY

• First Place She Loved: Resting in the Beauty of Motherhood Suzanne Bilodeau, Ascension
• Second Place The Essential Cardinal Newman Collection: Prayers, Meditations, and Other Spiritual Writings John Henry Newman, Ave Maria Press
• Third Place Towards Dawn: Essays in Hopefulness Bishop Erik Varden, Word on Fire

B1502: MEMOIR

• First Place I Will Come To You: A Story of Adoption and the Relentless Love of God Jamie McAleer, EWTN Publishing
• Second Place Finding Flannery: A Travel Memoir Exploring the Mystique of Flannery O’Connor and the Legacy She Has Left Us All Christina Brajkovich, Karen Anne Mahoney and Roxane B. Salonen; En Route Books and Media
• Third Place More Than Half Way Home: A Story of Accompaniment in the Shadows of Incarceration Dustin Feddon, Orbis Books
• Honorable Mention Why I Believe in God Gerhard Lohfink; Linda M. Maloney, Translator; Liturgical Press

B1551: POETRY

• First Place Resting Place Theresa Hickey, Finishing Line Press
• Second Place The Wisdom I Can’t Teach Paul Coyne, Author and Publisher
• Third Place Invited to the Feast Bonnie Naradzay, Slant Books
• Honorable Mention Seeing Things Marjorie Maddox, Wildhouse Publishing

B1552: BACKLIST BEAUTY

• First Place Abide: A Pathway to Transformative Healing and Intimacy with Jesus Heather Khym, Ave Maria Press
• Second Place Set the World on Fire: A 4-Week Personal Retreat with the Female Doctors of the Church Vinita Hampton Wright, Ave Maria Press
• Third Place Finding God In Suffering Father Christopher M. Mahar, Pauline Books & Media
• Honorable Mention Sacred Wounds: An Encounter with Jesus on the Holy Ground of Suffering Catherine Mulhern, Author and Publisher
• Honorable Mention Eight Promises of God: Discovering Hope Through the Beatitudes Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR, Ascension

B1553B: EDITED COLLECTIONS – CLASSIC AUTHORS

• First Place Saints of the First Monasteries (Catholic Classics) Fr. Boniface Hicks, OSB, Rev. Dr. Christiaan Kappes and Jerome C. Foss, PhD; Ascension
• Second Place The Brothers Karamazov Fyodor Dostoevsky, Word on Fire
• Third Place The Imitation of Christ (Catholic Classics) Thomas à Kempis, Author; Fr. Dylan Schrader, Translator; Ascension
• Honorable Mention Marian Fathers’ Classic Edition of True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort; Robert Stackpole, STD, Editor; Marian Press

B1553C: EDITED COLLECTIONS – CONTEMPORARY/MODERN AUTHORS

• First Place Indispensable: A Catholic Guide to Welcoming Persons with Disabilities Mark Bradford, Word on Fire
• Second Place Beneath the Roar and Tumult: Promoting Radical Hospitality and Belonging in College Classrooms Rachel Wheeler and Karen E. Eifler, Editors, Liturgical Press
• Third Place Gate of Heaven: Reflections on the Mother of God Matthew Becklo, Word on Fire
• Honorable Mention The End of the Affair Graham Greene, Word on Fire

B1651: RELIGIOUS BOOK SERIES

• First Place Lectures from Rome Archimandrite Robert Taft, SJ, Eastern Christian Publications
• Second Place Socrates Meets Peter Kreeft, Word on Fire
• Third Place Illuminate: A Guided Advent Journal for Prayer and Meditation John Nepil, Ave Maria Press
• Honorable Mention First Reconciliation and Beyond: A Family’s Guide for Learning and Living Forgiveness Katie Prejean McGrady and Tommy McGrady, Ave Maria Press

B1653: YOUNG ADULT FICTION BOOK SERIES

• First Place In Plain Sight Leslea Wahl, Perpetual Light Publishing

B1654: SCRIPTURE – SERIES

• First Place A Catholic Guide to the New Testament Biff Rocha and Jeff Cavins, Ascension
• Second Place Bible Basics for Catholics (Expanded Edition) John Bergsma, Ave Maria Press
• Third Place Deuteronomy Johanna W. H. van Wijk-Bos, Liturgical Press

B1655: ADULT FICTION BOOK SERIES

• First Place The Wanderer and the Way G.M. Baker, Author and Publisher
• Second Place Growing A Family in Persimmon Hollow Gerri Bauer, Spiranthes Press
• Third Place The Father Tom Series Jim Sano, Full Quiver Publishing