Ave Maria Press is excited to announce a new partnership with the Augustine Institute to provide digital content for its FORMED platform.
FORMED was launched in 2015 to gather the best Catholic content for faith formation and evangelization from organizations including the Augustine Institute, St. Paul Center, Marian Fathers, and Lighthouse Catholic Media. FORMED offers a large media library with both free and paid content.
Ave eBook titles on FORMED include:
Follow by Katie Prejean McGrady
God Is Not Nice by Ulrich L. Lehner
Bible Basics for Catholics by John Bergsma
Joined by Grace prayer book by John and Teri Bosio
Three Secrets to Holiness in Marriage by Dan and Amber DeMatte
Lift Up Your Heart by Rev. John Burns
A Heart Like Mary’s by Rev. Edward Looney
Mary’s Way by Judy Landrieu Klein
Lord of the World by Robert Hugh Benson
ABCs of the Christian Life by G. K. Chesterton
The Mystery of Suffering by Herbert von Zeller, OSB
A Catholic Gardener’s Spiritual Almanac by Margaret Rose Realy
The Twelve Steps and the Sacraments by Scott Weeman
25 Life-Changing Questions from the Gospels by Allan F. Wright
These eBook titles are available for purchase in the FORMED Market.
Four Ave Maria Press authors were given 2018 Excellence in Publishing Awards by the Association of Catholic Publishers during at event Tuesday night at the Sheen Center in New York City.
Joyce Rupp received first place in the prayer and spirituality category for Prayer Seeds. The book also was given a first-place award from the Catholic Press Association earlier this month.
Gerard F. Baumbach’s The Way of Catechesis tied for first place in the resources for ministry category. His book earned a second-place award from CPA.
Two other books earned second-place honors.
Lift Up Your Heart by Rev. John Burns took second in the inspirational category. The book won first at CPA.
Hosffman Ospino and his book, El Credo, were awarded second place in the Spanish category.
Each category was judged by a three-person panel.
Ave Maria Press authors were recognized for nine books—including four first-place honors—during the annual Catholic Press Association book awards.
The awards were announced on June 15, 2018, at the annual Catholic Media Conference in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Brandon Vogt’s Why I Am Catholic (and You Should Be Too) earned a first-place award for a popular presentation of the faith. The judges said, “Clear and concise, this book does exactly what its title promised: explain why one would choose to become a Catholic. Without triumphalism, and with charity toward other faith traditions, the author gives intelligent and cogent reasons why the Catholic Church is the true Church while telling the story of his own journey to Catholicism. Perfect for the category—a winner.”
First-time author Rev. John Burns won first place for Lift Up Your Heart. “This small, easy-to-handle but still weighty book—in the sense of its importance for readers seeking spiritual calm and wisdom in today’s world. Based on a retreat with St. Francis de Sales the author engaged in, and his reaction and advice coming out of that experience, it is a clear ... gift in our search for guidance and an excellent performance as a writer’s first book,” the judges said.
Bob Schuchts’ Be Transformed, a follow-up to his bestselling book Be Healed, won first place in the sacraments category. The judges commented, “The sacraments are the lifeline to grace in Jesus Christ and the Church. This book invites the reader to enter each sacrament as a personal encounter with Jesus to be transformed, healed, and strengthened so that the life of faith can be realized.”
Prayer Seeds by Joyce Rupp won first place in the prayer collections category. The judges said, “In Prayer Seeds, Joyce Rupp offers almost a hundred new selections of original blessings, reflections, poems, prayers, and readings on a variety of themes suitable for feasts and seasons of the liturgical year. Many of the prayer seeds begin with the greeting Namasté, which acknowledges the goodness within along with the acceptance of the unfished self. Each resource is intended as a spiritual seed to kindle the fire within. This is a spiritual treasure suitable for both communal and personal prayer.”
Other winners and their categories are:
A History of the Church in 100 Objects by Mike and Grace Aquilina—second place for design and production and honorable mention in the history category.
Getting Past Perfect by Kate Wicker—second place, family life.
The Way of Catechesis by Gerard F. Baumbach—second place, pastoral ministry.
Super Girls and Halos by Maria Morera Johnson—second place, gender issues.
The Twelve Steps and the Sacraments by Scott Weeman—second place, sacraments.
You can find the complete list of winners on the Catholic Press Association website.
Rev. William M. Lies, C.S.C., has been elected provincial superior of the Congregation of Holy Cross, United States Province of Priests and Brothers.
Lies was elected to a six-year term by his peers during the Provincial Chapter in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, on Thursday, June 14, 2018. He succeeds Rev. Thomas J. O’Hara, C.S.C., who served for one term. As provincial superior, Lies will oversee the work and welfare of more than 500 priests, brothers, and seminarians in the US Province, which also includes apostolates such as Ave Maria Press, and missions in East Africa, Chile, Peru, and Mexico.
His election was confirmed by the superior general of the Congregation in Rome, Rev. Robert Epping, C.S.C.
A native of Little Falls, Minnesota, Lies was born on July 4, 1962, and is one of ten children. He has a twin brother, Jim, who is also a Holy Cross priest. Lies earned his bachelor’s degree in English with minors in French and Philosophy from Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota. He entered the Congregation of Holy Cross on Aug.15, 1988, professed First Vows on Aug. 12, 1989, received his master's of divinity degree from the University of Notre Dame and took Final Vows on Aug. 28, 1993. He was ordained to the priesthood on April 9, 1994.
Lies earned his doctorate in Latin American politics from the University of Pittsburgh. His research and teaching have focused on human rights, religion, and politics in Latin America, and the politics of poverty. He has given talks and lectures throughout the country, and serves on a number of related domestic and international boards. In 2013, Lies received Catholic Charities USA’s “Keep the Dream Alive” award that honors Martin Luther King Jr.
Prior to his election as provincial superior, Lies served as vice president for mission engagement and church affairs at Notre Dame. In that role, he acted as liaison for Notre Dame to the Congregation of Holy Cross, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Holy See. Lies also oversaw the Tantur Ecumenical Institute in Jerusalem.
He previously served as executive director of ND's Center for Social Concerns and taught in the Department of Political Science. Lies is a fellow of both the Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies and the Kellogg Institute for International Studies.
Six Ave Maria Press authors are finalists in the 2018 Excellence in Publishing Awards by the Association of Catholic Publishers.
ACP annually recognizes the best in Catholic publishing in ten categories. Ave’s finalists and their categories are:
Why I Am Catholic (and You Should Be Too) by Brandon Vogt, general interest;
Lift Up Your Heart by Rev. John Burns, inspirational;
Prayer Seeds by Joyce Rupp, prayer & spirituality;
The Way of Catechesis by Gerard F. Baumbauch, resources for ministry;
El Credo by Hosffman Ospino, Spanish; and
God Is Not Nice by Ulrich L. Lehner, theology.
The 2018 award winners will be presented in June.
In their new book Three Secrets to Holiness in Marriage Dan and Amber DeMatte offer a 33-day, in-home retreat for couples as a means to live radical holiness and consecrate your marriage to Christ. Giving and receiving love and living for the sake of others—especially your spouse and children—will help you achieve holiness, they say. You can even find holiness in the everyday tasks of marriage and family life such as doing the dishes, changing diapers, and cleaning up messes.
This retreat will help you fall deeper in love with Christ, your spouse and children, and the world God calls you to serve.
The DeMattes shared their vision and hopes for the book in an interview with Ave Maria Press.
Ave: What inspired you to write Three Secrets to Holiness in Marriage?
Dan: Holiness in marriage is difficult. It’s hard to be holy when you are raising children, going to work, keeping up with household chores, and managing busy lives. But we wanted to live radical holiness in our lives. We didn’t want to blend in to the rest of the world and walk along the wide path that leads to destruction. We wanted to discover the narrow path. Three Secrets to Holiness in Marriage is our reflections on what walking the narrow path looks like as married couples. It is in fact the "more" that you are looking for as a married couple.
Amber: We were inspired to write this book by a call for radical holiness in our lives. I'm sure many of us have experienced it. It's a whisper in our hearts that simply cries out for more. We want more of God and more from our marriages but we need a practical path to get there. The Lord inspired Dan to unpack the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience. At first, I'll be honest, it scared me. Doesn't poverty stoke fear in most of us? But as we explored it together I grew in appreciation for the freedom, joy, and abundance these counsels brought into our lives and our marriage.
Ave: What is the most important message you want readers to walk away from the book with?
Dan: They are created to be a self-gift in every aspect of their lives. They are to be a gift with their finances, a gift with their time, a gift with their resources, a gift to their spouse, and a gift to the world. I want the readers to know that their marriage isn’t for themselves, but it is for the kingdom of God. They exist to bring heaven to earth.
Amber: I'd love to see our readers walk away with a more intimate relationship with God the Father. He offers abundant life through the radical call of the cross. His arms are heavy with gifts for us. I want to see our readers receive those gifts and live that life.
Why is this topic so important right now?
Dan: Marriage is in crisis. With divorces increasing every day, the three secrets to holiness in marriage are, in fact, the recipe to cure divorce in the world.
Amber: We all enter into marriage with such high hopes. If they've picked up this book, chances are the readers began their marriages focused on living their lives for Christ. But then life happens and all of a sudden you begin to understand why everyone says marriage is hard! What many of us don't know is that we can do hard things. We forget that God is for us, not against us. And frankly, we forget the Cross. The Father is giving us everything we need to succeed in marriage and obtain salvation together.
Have you seen changes in your own relationship since you wrote the book?
Dan: I’ve found a lot of peace. Our marriage was never "broken" so it didn’t need to be fixed. But I wanted more in life. I wanted to give God everything but I didn’t know how. These three secrets taught me how to give God everything while living marriage. I love Jesus more; I love my wife more; and I love my children more having written this book.
Amber: There is no better way to learn than to teach. While writing this book the Holy Spirit shone a light on many areas in our own personal lives where Dan and I need to change and grow. We are on this journey with you! The end goal is perfect love!
It’s providential that a book on gratefulness is being released during a time of intense division in the United States. In Gratefulness: The Habit of a Grace-Filled Life, Susan Muto, executive director of the Epiphany Association, explores how life-changing a spirit of gratefulness can be by using both personal and well-known examples of the struggles and rewards of grateful living.
Muto and companions such as Julian of Norwich, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Henri J. M. Nouwen, and Dorothy Day highlight the power of gratitude as a grace from God and walk with us as we learn to practice thankfulness.
Muto also shares about the benefits of positivity and dangers of negativity, the redemptive power of prayer, and the lasting fruits of thankfulness.
She talked more about the book in this Q&A with Ave Maria Press:
Ave Maria Press: What inspired you to write Gratefulness?
Susan Muto: The answer is simple. On a personal note I want to be a more grateful person, and I ask God daily to grant me this grace. On a second note, I seemed to have reached a point where I cannot bear the blanket of negativity that covers so much of our culture today. Bad news. Hatred. Bitter complaints. All breed the poison of negativity. It concerns me, and it ought to concern everyone who reads this book. We need to honor scripture and proclaim the Good News; love one another as God loves us; and find at least one reason everyday to be grateful.
Ave: What is the most important message you want readers to walk away from the book with?
Muto: I want to arm readers with the conviction that to be grateful is not to be "pollyannish," but to be proponents of a positive approach to life that is good for their health (research reveals that negativity and stress erode our immune system) and an excellent way to promote a holier life (positivity lightens every burden life puts upon us). In brief, the main message of this book is: A grateful heart will change your life for the better.
Ave: Why is the topic of gratefulness so critical now?
Muto: Each time we turn on the television or read a newspaper or browse social media, we can feel descending upon us the heavy weight of nets of negativity that can result in low-grade depression and a devilish feeling of hopelessness. We must ask ourselves if we have the courage to trust in the Lord and be thankful; to respect life on all levels; and to truly believe that goodness prevails over evil. Gratefulness may not come as naturally to us as ungratefulness. That is why we need to ask God for this grace. As I try to show in my book, we also need to consult the companions of grateful living God has given us in the saints, the mystics, and the spiritual masters both alive and well from ancient to modern times.
Ave: Why are the saints and mystics good models of gratefulness? Is there one in particular whom you connect with more than others?
Muto: These stellar souls prove the point that to place God first in our life is to choose to be loving, not hateful, like St. John of the Cross; generous, not greedy like Dorothy Day; self-giving, not self-serving, like St. Vincent de Paul.
Deeply impressive to me was the life and writing of the fourteenth-century English mystic Julian of Norwich. Etched on my heart for many years and penned in this book are her wonderfully appreciative words, "All shall be well and all manner of things shall be well." Such is the habit of a grace-filled life and such is the physically, emotional, and spiritual wellness and happiness it yields. May every reader of Gratefulness benefit from this legacy and pass it on to the next generation of the grateful and gracious people of God.
Ave Maria Press author Katie Prejean McGrady is one of three young Americans invited to Rome in March for a meeting that precedes the Synod on Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment.
She will represent the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops at the meeting. The two other USCCB delegates are Br. Javier Hansen, FSC, a religion teacher from El Paso, Texas, and Nick Lopez, the director of campus ministry for the University of Dallas. All three have local and national connections to the life of the Church, according to the USCCB, and they represent the cultural and vocational diversity of the U.S. Church.
“It is easily one of the greatest honors of my life," Prejean McGrady said. “While there, I am greatly looking forward to the chance to learn through dialogue and discussion, how other countries uniquely lead young people into an authentic and personal encounter with Jesus Christ, and to bring this information home to share with our bishops, priests, and lay men and women working in ministry.”
Prejean McGrady is a Catholic speaker and the author of Room 24 and the forthcoming Follow: Your Lifelong Adventure with Jesus, a book geared toward young people.
She shares the gospel with a unique blend of humor and storytelling that weaves in theological truths to engage audiences of all ages and sizes. She has spoken at the National Catholic Youth Conference, Steubenville Youth Conferences, the National Conference for Catholic Youth Ministry, the National Catholic Educational Conference, the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress, and in dioceses and parishes across North America. Prejean McGrady has appeared on EWTN, CatholicTV, Relevant Radio, Radio Maria, and on SiriusXM’s The Catholic Channel. She lives with her husband and daughter in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
Pope Francis and the Synod of Bishops called the meeting to listen to young adults around the world in the advance of the 2018 Ordinary Synod that will take place in October at the Vatican.
"We are delighted that Br. Javier, Nick, and Katie have accepted the invitation to represent the youth and young adults of the United States at this important gathering in Rome,” said Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., chairman of the Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations, and Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., chairman of the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth. “We hope that all Catholics will join us in praying for them and for all the young delegates from around the world, participating in the pre-synod conference.”
For more information, check out the complete announcement on the USSB website. Find out more about the synod on its official Vatican website.
