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Ave Maria Press Welcomes New Team Members in Accounting and Sales

Ave Maria Press is happy to welcome two new team members to its Accounting and Sales departments: Brittany DeMeulenaere, Director of Accounting and Financial Operations and Janette Hasenecz, Inside Sales Coordinator. Welcome, Brittany DeMeulenaere!Brittany joins Ave Maria Press as director of accounting and financial operations, bringing twenty years of experience in accounting and finance. Her background includes financial reporting, accounting operations, audit leadership, forecasting, process improvement, and team development.Brittany has spent much of her career at Kulzer in South Bend, where she most recently served as accounting manager and led a team across several areas of accounting. She lives in Niles with her husband and two daughters. Outside of work, Brittany is an active sports mom and enjoys cheering on her daughters in their activities.We look forward to the experience and expertise Brittany will bring to our team! Welcome, Janette Hasenecz!Janette joins Ave Maria Press as inside sales coordinator, bringing a strong mix of sales, customer service, administrative, and nonprofit experience to the team. Most recently, she worked with Case Western Reserve University, supporting its Donor Relations team. Earlier in her career, Janette worked in media sales and marketing, where she managed client relationships, developed new business, and created marketing strategies.We’re excited to have Janette bring her experience, organizational skills, and relationship-building strengths to the Sales team.

Katie McGrady Receives Inaugural Sheen Award for Radio and Podcasting

Ave Maria Press is thrilled to announce that Katie McGrady—Ave author and host of Ave Explores—received the first Sheen Award for radio and podcasting. The award was presented at the inaugural Sheen Awards Gala in Peoria, Illinois, on September 25, following Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen’s beatification in St. Louis, Missouri, on September 24. The Sheen Awards recognize individuals whose work in media, evangelization, mission, and liturgy carries forward Sheen’s legacy of bringing Christ to the world with creativity, conviction, and joy. McGrady joined the Ave family in 2016 with her first book, Room 24, in which she shared the lessons and challenges of teaching theology to high school students. Since then, she has authored several books, including Follow, Advent and Christmas: One Day at a Time for Catholic Teens, Lent: One Day at a Time for Catholic Teens, First Reconciliation and Beyond, and First Communion and Beyond.In 2018, McGrady became the host of Ave Explores, launching the podcast with its inaugural series on the Synod of Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment. Since then, she has grown the podcast to nearly one million downloads and 34 series exploring a wide range of topics, including Mary, the saints, faith and science, stress, anxiety and mental health, the Mass, liturgical living, and digital evangelization.Today, McGrady is a leading voice in Catholic media, hosting The Katie McGrady Show on SiriusXM and serving as a Vatican analyst for CNN, in addition to her work with Ave Explores. In 2025, she facilitated a historic live conversation via Zoom between Pope Leo XIV and thousands of teens attending the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana.Through her writing, broadcasting, and engagement with Catholics of all ages, McGrady continues to bring the Catholic faith to new audiences, carrying forward Blessed Sheen’s legacy of communicating the Gospel with creativity, conviction, and joy.

Ave Board Member and University of Notre Dame Professor John Cavadini Receives 2026 Ratzinger Prize

Ave Maria Press is pleased to share that Ave board member and University of Notre Dame theology professor John Cavadini has been named the recipient of the 2026 Ratzinger Prize, awarded by Pope Leo XIV. Cavadini specializes in patristic theology, with a particular focus on Augustinian theology. The Ratzinger Prize recognizes scholars who have distinguished themselves through outstanding achievements in publication and scientific research. Nominations are submitted to the Holy Father by the Scientific Committee of the Joseph Ratzinger–Benedict XVI Vatican Foundation for his approval. Professor Roberto Regoli, president of the Vatican Foundation, praised Cavadini for “the rigor of his theological publications, his commitment and zeal in university teaching, his academic expertise, his pastoral passion and his lifelong service to the Church.” Cavadini expressed his gratitude for the recognition and looks forward to receiving the award from Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican Apostolic Palace in Rome on December 19, 2026.

Mary Henion Recipient of the 2026 Spirit of Holy Cross Award

Ave Maria Press is pleased to announce that Mary Henion is a recipient of the 2026 Spirit of Holy Cross Award. Each year, the Congregation of Holy Cross, United States Province of Priests and Brothers, recognizes and honors laypeople who faithfully embody the mission and vision of Blessed Basil Moreau, founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross—to make God known, loved, and served. Mary is being honored for fifty years of dedicated service in the sales department at Ave Maria Press. As the longest-tenured employee at Ave Maria Press, Mary has been an integral part of the Ave family and a steadfast example of commitment, excellence, and hard work. Through her dedication, she has helped Ave fulfill its mission of sharing the Gospel and placing books and resources into the hands of Catholics, young people, parish leaders, and all those seeking to grow closer to the Lord. Thank you, Mary, for fifty years of faithful service! We are blessed to have you as a member of the Ave family.

2026 Book Winners Announced

  Ave Maria Press Earns 28 Catholic Media Awards and 4 Honors from the Association of Catholic Publishers NOTRE DAME, Ind.—Ave Maria Press received 28 honors in the 2026 Catholic Media Awards, recognizing excellence in Catholic publishing across books, ministry resources, design, and digital media. The publisher also received four awards in the 2026 Association of Catholic Publishers Excellence in Publishing Awards. Seven titles earned multiple awards, with The Transformative Power of Small Groups and First Reconciliation and Beyond receiving the most recognition, each garnering three honors. Catholic Media Award Winners: First Place Awards Catholic Social Teaching—Praying with the Popes: Words of Hope and Peace form Leo XIII to Leo XIV(Editor: Eileen Ponder; Designer: Brianna Dombo Nicholson)       Backlist Beauty—Abide: A Pathway to Transformative Healing and Intimacy with Jesus by Heather Khym(Editor: Kristi McDonald; Katherine Robinson)     Morality and Ethics—Catholic Morality: Finding Truth in God’s Law(Editor: Michael Amodei; Designer: Christopher D. Tobin) Second Place Awards Pastoral Ministry—Parish Life: First Reconciliation and Beyond: A Family’s Guide for Learning and Living Forgiveness by Katie Prejean McGrady and Tommy McGrady(Editor: Eileen Ponder; Designer: Brianna Dombo Nicholson and Christopher D. Tobin)   Church Professional—The Transformative Power of Small Groups by Fr. Michael White and Tom Corcoran(Editor: Eileen Ponder; Designer: Andy Wagoner)     Newly Canonized Saints or Those in the Process—The Frassati Field Guide: An 8-Day Ascent to Heroic Virtue by Bobby Angel(Editor: Josh Noem; Designer: Andy Wagoner)       Front Cover Artwork—A Fierce and Tender Love: 7 Meditations on Mary, Mother of God by Timothy P. O'Malley(Editor: Eileen Ponder; Designer: Andy Wagoner)     Anthology—The Essential Cardinal Newman Collection: Prayers, Meditations, and Other Spiritual Writings by John Henry Newman(Editor: Robert Harig; Designer: Brianna Dombo Nicholson)       Backlist Beauty—Set the World on Fire: A 4-Week Personal Retreat with the Female Doctors of the Church by Vinita Hampton Wright(Editor: Kristi McDonald; Designer: Samantha Watson)       Scripture: Series—Bible Basics for Catholics (Expanded Edition) by John Bergsma(Editor: Kristi McDonald; Designer: Samantha Watson)       Third Place Awards   Adult Devotions and Prayer—The Frassati Field Guide: An 8-Day Ascent to Heroic Virtue by Bobby Angel(Editor: Josh Noem; Designer: Andy Wagoner)     Pastoral Ministry: Parish Life—First Communion and Beyond: A Family's Guide to Eucharistic Joy by Katie and Tommy McGrady(Editor: Eileen Ponder; Designer: Brianna Dombo Nicholson and Christopher D. Tobin)   Philosophical Studies—Is Belief Believable? Reasoning About God from Plato and Aquinas to C. S. Lewis and Jordan Peterson by Christopher Kaczor(Editor: Robert Harig; Designer: Andy Wagoner)       Mariology—A Fierce and Tender Love: 7 Meditations on Mary, Mother of God by Timothy P. O'Malley(Editor: Eileen Ponder; Designer: Andy Wagoner)     Book for Young Adults (Ages 12-18)—Friendship Reset: Ditch the Drama and Find Your Crew by Maggie Craig(Editor: Kristi McDonald; Designer:          First-Time Author of Theological Subject Matters—The Homefront Devotional: Navigate Military Life with Courage, Hope, and Faith by Tara McMullen(Editor: Josh Noem; Designer: Andy Wagoner)       Best Website—General Publisher: Ave Maria Press     Religious Book Series—Illuminate: A Guided Advent Journal for Prayer and Meditation Fr. John Nepil(Editor: Kristi McDonald; Designer: Brianna Dombo Nicholson)       Catalog—Ave Maria Press Spring 2025   Honorable Mention Awards Spirituality Classical—The Reed of God Deluxe Hardcover Edition by Caryll Houselander(Designer: Brianna Dombo Nicholson)     Pastoral Ministry: Parish Life—The Transformative Power of Small Groups by Fr. Michael White and Tom Corcoran(Editor: Eileen Ponder; Designer: Andy Wagoner)       Theological Studies—Is Belief Believable? Reasoning About God from Plato and Aquinas to C. S. Lewis and Jordan Peterson by Christopher Kaczor(Editor: Robert Harig; Designer: Andy Wagoner)       Sacraments—First Reconciliation and Beyond: A Family’s Guide for Learning and Living Forgiveness by Katie Prejean McGrady and Tommy McGrady(Editor: Eileen Ponder; Designer: Brianna Dombo Nicholson and Christopher D. Tobin)   Sacraments—First Communion and Beyond: A Family's Guide to Eucharistic Joy by Katie and Tommy McGrady(Editor: Eileen Ponder; Designer: Brianna Dombo Nicholson and Christopher D. Tobin)       Family Life—Lovemaking: How to Talk about Sex with Your Spouse by Renzo and Monica Ortega(Editor: John Noem; Designer: Christopher D. Tobin)         First-Time Author of Theological Subject Matters—Pray Like a Champion Today by Fr. Nate Wills, CSC(Editor: Josh Noem; Designer: Christopher D. Tobin)       Religious Book Series—First Reconciliation and Beyond: A Family’s Guide for Learning and Living Forgiveness by Katie Prejean McGrady and Tommy McGrady(Editor: Eileen Ponder; Designer: Brianna Dombo Nicholson and Christopher D. Tobin)   Book for Young Adults (Ages 12-18)—Advent and Christmas: One Day at a Time for Catholic Teens by Katie and Tommy McGrady(Editor: Eileen Ponder; Designer: Samantha Watson)       Association of Catholic Publishers 2026 Excellence in Publishing Award Winners: First Place Awards Prayer: Seasonal Resources—Witness: A Guided Lent Journal for Prayer and Meditation by Fr. Patrick Mary Briscoe, OP(Designer: Kristi McDonald; Designer: Brianna Dombo Nicholson)     Second Place Awards Prayer: General—The Homefront Devotional: Navigate Military Life with Courage, Hope, and Faith by Tara McMullen(Editor: Josh Noem; Designer: Andy Wagoner)     Prayer: Seasonal Resources—Behold the Wonder: The Coming of Christ Through Mary’s Eyes by Catherine Cavadini and Anastassia Cassady(Editor: Eileen Ponder and Robert Harig; Designer: Brianna Dombo Nicholson)   Resources for Ministry—The Transformative Power of Small Groups by Fr. Michael White and Tom Corcoran(Editor: Eileen Ponder; Designer: Andy Wagoner)

ACP Finalists Named for the 2026 Excellence in Publishing Awards

Ave Maria Press is pleased to announce that eight of its titles have been named finalists across seven categories in the Association for Catholic Publishing (ACP) 2026 Excellence in Publishing Awards.The Finalists are: General Interest: Lovemaking: How to talk about Sex with Your Spouse by Renzo and  Monica Ortega. Prayer (General): The Homefront Devotional: Navigating Military Life with Courage, Hope, and Faith by Tara McMullen. Prayer (Seasonal Resources): Behold the Wonder: The Coming of Christ Through Mary’s Eyes by Catherine Cavadini and Anastassia Cassady, Illuminate: A Guided Advent Journal for Prayer and Meditation by Fr. John Nepil Witness: A Guided Lent Journal for Prayer and Meditation by Fr. Patrick Mary Briscoe, OP. Resources for Liturgy: First Reconciliation and Beyond: A Family's Guide for Learning and Living Forgiveness by Katie and Tommy McGrady Resources for Ministry: The Transformative Power of Small Groups: A 7-Step Guide for Building Vibrant Catholic Communities by Michael White and Tom Corcoran Scripture (Pastoral Resources): Behold the Wonder: The Coming of Christ Through Mary's Eyes by Catherine Cavadini and Anastassia Cassady  Children’s Books (Teens): Friendship Reset: Ditch the Drama and Find Your Crew by Maggie Craig. Each category was judged by a three-person panel, who reviewed all submissions and selected a group of six to nine finalists to advance to the final round. First-, second-, and third-place winners will be announced in June.Congratulations to the authors, editors, and book designers!

Hallow Announces Guides for the Advent Pray25 Challenge with The Reed of God

Hallow and Ave Maria Press have partnered for this year’s Advent Pray25 Challenge. Participants are invited on a 25-day journey through the Christian classic The Reed of God by British Catholic writer Caryll Houselander, guided by Jonathan Roumie, Sr. Miriam James Heidland, SOLT, Chris Pratt, Gwen Stefani, Fr. John Burns, Fr. Pierre-Touissant, CFR, and Mother Natalia. Beloved by Catholics since its publication in 1944, Houselander’s spiritual masterpiece offers a profound and deeply human portrait of Mary, the Mother of God. Beginning on the first Sunday of Advent, users can follow along in the Hallow app with daily reflections and meditations inspired by The Reed of God, the Gospel infancy narratives, and The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer. The weekly schedule includes: Monday–Wednesday: Meditations with Jonathan Roumie and Sr. Miriam James Heidland, SOLT Thursday: Reflections and prayer with Fr. John Burns Friday: Reflections on The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry with Chris Pratt  Saturday: Reflections on the saints with Gwen Stefani and Mother Natalia  Sunday: A homily from Fr. Pierre-Touissant, CFR The Pray25 journey will move through four weekly themes: receive, trust, surrender, and fiat. Prepare for the challenge by purchasing your copy of The Reed of God at avemariapress.com or wherever fine books are sold. As you enter into this Advent journey, may Caryll Houselander’s reflections help you make space in your heart—just as Mary did—for Christ to be born anew within you.

Ave Maria Press Welcomes Kate Camden as New Acquisitions Editor

Notre Dame, IN—Ave Maria Press is pleased to announce the newest addition to its editorial team: Katharine (Kate) Camden, as acquisitions editor Camden brings extensive experience and fresh vision to advance Ave’s mission of serving the Church through transformative books, digital resources, and faith-formation initiatives. Camden brings more than a decade of experience in Catholic  publishing, brand development, and content strategy. She  joins Ave from Our Sunday Visitor, where she led trade book acquisitions and editorial development for OSV Kids. Camden  also cofounded Tapestry Branding & PR and previously served  at Ascension Publishing as content and brand manager— supporting multimedia launches and global faith-formation programs.A graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville (B.A., English Literature, magna cum laude), she also completed the Columbia Publishing Course at Oxford University.“We create books that set hearts on fire—and Kate is exceptional at cultivating authors who do exactly that,” said Josh Noem, editorial director. “We’re excited for the ways she will help us expand the Ave family of faith.”“Good books are powerful tools for connection and grace,” Camden said. “I’m delighted to join Ave Maria Press and contribute to this beautiful mission.”Camden is based in West Chester, Pennsylvania.