Ave Maria Press was the most awarded publisher at the 2025 Association of Catholic Publishers (ACP) Excellence in Publishing Awards in the United States. Ave Maria Press, which is a ministry of the United States Province of Priests and Brothers of the Congregation of Holy Cross, earned ten honors in total.

“We’re honored and humbled by this recognition,” said Karey Circosta, Publisher and CEO of Ave Maria Press. “These awards affirm our commitment to creating resources that fulfill our mission of setting hearts on fire for Christ and supporting Catholics in every season of life.”

Of the ten awards received by Ave Maria Press, four were first-place awards, which was also the most of any publisher. The press also swept the four top awards in the general interest category.

The four Ave Maria Press books to take first place honors were:

• 

  General Interest: A Catholic Guide to Miscarriage, Stillbirth, and Infant Loss: Compassionate Answers to Difficult Questions – Author: Abigail Jorgensen, Editor: Eileen Ponder, Designer: Brianna Domb
• General Prayer: Jesus, Make Me Fully Alive: 30 Holy Hour Reflections – Author: Fr. Tim Anastos, Designer: Andy Wagoner
• Seasonal Resources: Encountering Emmanuel: A Guided Advent Journal for Prayer and Meditation – Author: Heather Khym, Editor: Kristi McDonald, Designer: Brianna Dombo, Illustrator: Josiah Henley
• Resources for Ministry: A Journey through the Catechism: Unveiling the Truth, Beauty, and Goodness of the Catholic Faith – Author: Fr. Daniel J. Mahan, Editor: Michael Amodei, Designer: Andy Wagoner

Ave Maria Press began in 1865 when Fr. Edward Sorin, C.S.C., the third Superior General of the Congregation of Holy Cross, started The Ave Maria magazine to serve the small, but growing Catholic community in the United States by promoting devotion to Mary, focusing on Catholic family life, and showcasing the best American Catholic writing. Many had doubts whether the publication would survive, but the magazine thrived for more than 100 years.

From the original magazine, Ave Maria Press began to publish books and pamphlets that slowly expanded into the wider publishing house that today is a respected leader in high school religious textbooks and is also well-known for its pastoral materials and books on Catholic spirituality and theology.