Books Published by Ave Maria Press

Winner of a 2025 Excellence in Publishing Award from the Association of Catholic Publishers: General Interest (First Place).Winner of a 2025 CMA Book Award from the Catholic Media Association: Grief and Bereavement (Third Place). Losing a child before or shortly after birth is a heartbreak beyond words. For Catholic parents, this grief is often compounded by deep and difficult questions about faith, the Church, and their identity as parents. Why did God let this happen? Where is my baby now? ...

Wilderness Within invites you to journey with Sr. Josephine Garrett through the interior wilderness of your heart this Lent, allowing Jesus to heal you with his love and lead you to peace. Drawing on her experience as both a religious sister and a licensed mental health counselor, Sr. Josephine explores the wilderness not as a place of fear or desolation, but as a sacred space of encounter and renewal. She reflects on the belief that Jesus entered the wilderness to rescue us—transforming it i...

Winner of a 2025 Excellence in Publishing Award from the Association of Catholic Publishers: Spirituality (Third Place [tie]). Let the Holy Spirit lead you to the Living Water that renews and strengthens faith. When asked about his spiritual gifts of healing, bilocation, prophecy, and the stigmata, Padre Pio once replied, “You know, they are a mystery to me, too.” In that humility lies a key truth: the Holy Spirit works mysteriously in every Christian’s life, bestowing gifts we may not fully ...

The Ave Treasury of Catholic Prayers is an indispensable keepsake collection of classic and contemporary prayers that every Catholic should know. This timeless resource gathers a wide range of devotions, psalms, and litanies that reflect the beauty and diversity of the Church’s prayer tradition over more than two thousand years. The hardcover, full-color volume includes both beloved favorites and prayers that will become familiar through continued devotion, such as: Essential prayers, inclu...

Winner of a 2025 CMA Book Award from the Catholic Media Association: Religious Book Series (Honorable Mention). Born to Do This is a thirty-day personal retreat inspired by the courage and faith of St. Joan of Arc. Six centuries after her birth and one hundred years after her canonization, the Maid of Orléans continues to captivate believers as a model of conviction, obedience, and unwavering trust in God. In this devotional, readers will encounter St. Joan through her own words and the stori...

Preparing your child for First Reconciliation can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the sacrament or haven’t been to confession in years. First Reconciliation and Beyond: A Family’s Guide for Learning and Living Forgiveness offers parents the guidance, confidence, and encouragement they need to make this moment a joyful encounter with God’s mercy—for both children and adults alike. Written by Tommy and Katie McGrady, hosts of Family Mass Prep on the Hallow app, this warm...

We all face moments when the weight of life feels unbearable. In times of doubt, fear, or hopelessness, finding the right words to pray can seem impossible. Lord, Save Me! offers wisdom, encouragement, and heartfelt prayers to guide you through life’s storms and lead you closer to the peace that only Christ can give. Bestselling author Gary Zimak, known for his practical, faith-filled approach to overcoming anxiety, offers a treasury of 120 original prayers drawn from scripture and grounded i...

Opening the Holy Door invites you to step into the heart of the Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope—a time marked by renewal, grace, and the rediscovery of faith. With the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica open and pilgrims traveling from every corner of the world, this book offers a spiritual pilgrimage for all who seek deeper understanding of this ancient tradition, whether in Rome or at home. Scripture teacher and veteran Rome guide Joan Watson leads readers panel by panel through the sixte...

Wonderfully Made: A Catholic Introduction to Philosophy and Bioethics introduces Catholic high school students to the foundations of philosophy and shows how its principles apply to today's most important bioethical questions. Grounded in Christian anthropology, the course helps students understand the dignity of the human person and think clearly and faithfully about life, health, technology, and medicine. Student edition.

Pray Like a Champion Today takes you inside the heart of Notre Dame football—where faith, tradition, and teamwork collide. Before every game, as the Fighting Irish take a knee shoulder to shoulder praying the Our Father, their chaplain, Fr. Nate Wills, CSC, leads them in a rallying cry: “Our Lady, Queen of Victory!” The thunderous response—“Pray for us!”—echoes through Notre Dame Stadium, setting the tone for more than just the game. Now, Fr. Nate invites you beyond the sidelines for an exclu...

Basilicas: A Pilgrim's Guide to America's Most Remarkable Catholic Churches invites you to discover the beauty and history of the basilicas of the United States. Grady Connolly, founder of the Social Thomist apostolate, pairs stunning photography with the story of each church and practical resources for planning a visit, turning a road trip into a pilgrimage. A lovely gift and a handy guide for Catholic travelers.

Lent with the Saints is a simple daily devotional that walks you through the forty days of Lent with the readings of each day's Mass and the example of the saints. Franciscan Fr. Gregory Friedman offers a short reflection and prayer for each day, helping you pray, fast, and give alms with purpose and prepare your heart for Easter. Affordable and pocket-sized, it is ideal for individuals and for parish-wide distribution.

The Recovery Rosary teaches you how to pray and meditate on the mysteries of the Rosary as a source of strength, healing, and renewal for Catholics walking the Twelve Steps of recovery—or accompanying loved ones who are. Designed for individuals or small groups, this devotional unites the rich spiritual tradition of the Rosary with the transformative power of recovery. Each meditation connects the mysteries of Jesus and Mary’s lives with real stories from those overcoming addiction, compulsio...

The JPII Field Guide: An 8-Day Retreat with St. John Paul the Great invites you to spend eight days with the mountaineering, adventurous, courageous saint who led the Church into the third millennium. Catholic speaker and songwriter Jackie Angel draws on St. John Paul II's life and words to help you grow in virtue, courage, and bold faith through daily reflection, prayer, and practical challenges.

I'm Depressed--Now What?: St. Dymphna's Guide to Building Your Depression Playbook offers a compassionate Catholic approach to living with depression. Catholic therapist Tommy Tighe explains that when we are depressed we can't count on our own minds to find ways to cope, so it helps to build a "playbook" ahead of time. With practical strategies, encouragement to seek support, and the intercession of St. Dymphna, patron of those who suffer from mental illness, he helps readers find a path towa...

Advent with the Saints is a simple daily companion for the season of Advent and the Octave of Christmas. Franciscan Fr. Gregory Friedman pairs each day's Mass readings with a short reflection, a prayer, and the witness of a saint, helping you slow down, pray, and prepare your heart to welcome Christ. Inexpensive and pocket-sized, it is perfect for parish giveaways and family use.

The Miracle Man of Notre Dame: The Life and Legacy of Br. Columba O'Neill, CSC tells the story of a humble Holy Cross brother whose deep devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus made him a beloved figure at the University of Notre Dame. Thousands sought Br. Columba's prayers, and many reported remarkable healings and renewed faith. Historian Fr. Richard E. Gribble, CSC, draws on archival sources to present a careful and inspiring portrait of his life and lasting legacy.

Restoring Your Wounded Heart: A Catholic Approach to Healing Trauma brings together sound therapeutic practice and the riches of the Catholic faith. Brya Hanan, a Catholic licensed marriage and family therapist and certified trauma specialist, helps readers understand how emotional wounds affect us, and how Scripture, prayer, and the sacraments open the way to God's healing love alongside good professional care.

Stay with Me, Lord: 30 Days with Padre Pio, part of the Great Spiritual Teachers series, invites you to spend a month praying with St. Pio of Pietrelcina. The Capuchin friar known for the stigmata, for long hours in the confessional, and for his fatherly care of souls speaks here through short daily readings, reflections, and prayers on suffering, trust, and closeness to Christ. A gentle and powerful retreat in everyday life.

Wiser Than Serpents: Unveiling the Truth of Sin and Sanctity with C. S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters is a guide to one of the most beloved Christian books of the last century. Theologian Andrew Swafford walks everyday Catholics through Screwtape's devilish advice to his nephew and turns it right side up, drawing out practical wisdom for resisting temptation, deepening prayer, and growing in holiness and trust in God. Great for individual reading and study groups.

Small-Group Discipleship: Forming Teens Through Intentional Mentorship and Consistent Community makes Catholic youth ministry practical. Michael Marchand shares a proven parish model built on small groups, adult mentors, and frameworks that can grow with your community, helping teens become lifelong disciples of Jesus and building a lasting culture of faith in the parish.

"Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" In Jesus, the Rich Young Man, and the Meaning of Life: 6 Spiritual Disciplines for Finding Heaven, Even Now, bestselling authors Fr. Michael White and Tom Corcoran take up the question the rich young man asked Jesus. From that encounter they draw six practical habits that free us from what holds us back and lead to purpose, freedom, and joy in following Christ today.

In Hiking the Camino: Stories and Lessons from Walking 500 Miles with Jesus, Fr. Dave Pivonka, TOR, president of Franciscan University of Steubenville, recounts his pilgrimage across Spain on the Camino de Santiago. Through blisters, fatigue, unexpected encounters, and grace, he shares what the road taught him about detachment, perseverance, and love, and how steady, step-by-step faith draws every disciple closer to Christ.

Way of the Star: A Guided Advent Journal for Prayer and Meditation leads you through Advent toward the Christmas story using Scripture, music, sacred art, and imaginative prayer. Created by The Vigil Project, a Catholic apostolate of musicians and artists, the journal offers daily readings, reflections, and space to write, helping you follow the star to Bethlehem with a quiet and attentive heart.

The Notre Dame Book of Prayer is a treasured collection of prayers and reflections created for alumni, parents, and friends of the University of Notre Dame. First published in 2010 and now expanded with dozens of new prayers, it captures the university’s vibrant Catholic spiritual life. Arranged around twelve stunning full-color photographs of beloved campus landmarks—including the Grotto, the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, St. Joseph and St. Mary’s Lakes, Touchdown Jesus, and Notre Dame Stadi...

Winner of a 2025 CMA Book Award from the Catholic Media Association: Healing and Self Help (First Place). The wounds we carry from childhood—whether from trauma, neglect, or unmet needs—often remain hidden, yet they continue to affect how we relate to ourselves, others, and God. No matter how much time has passed, our “inner child” remembers. In Befriending Your Inner Child: A Catholic Approach to Inner Healing, licensed marriage and family therapist Brya Hanan offers a gentle and faith-cente...

Winner of a 2025 Excellence in Publishing Award from the Association of Catholic Publishers: Inspirational (Second Place). Every educator needs encouragement and support when facing the challenges of teaching—whether it’s managing a noisy classroom, handling a tough parent conference, or navigating staff meetings and lesson planning. In A Saint Squad for Teachers, veteran teacher Amy Cattapan introduces forty-five saints ready to accompany and intercede for educators through every season of t...

Discover what it means to become a man of faith through the lives of ten male saints and their experiences pursuing holiness. In Holy Grit, Catholic life coach Paul George invites men to confront the challenges of modern life—struggles in marriage, parenting, suffering, and purpose—and take concrete steps toward the life God created them to live. Many men grow up with an image of masculinity shaped by tough guys on TV—boxers, cowboys, gangsters, fighter pilots—the fastest gun in the West. The...

Are you ready to stop suffering from fear and unworthiness? To heal the pain in your closest relationships? To finally love and be loved as God intended? For more than a decade, “Scripture Evangelista” Sonja Corbitt has helped Catholics encounter the transforming power of God’s Word. In Love Heals, she draws on her years of biblical study and ministry to reveal how the commandment to love God, neighbor, and self (Mark 12:30) holds the key to total healing—emotional, spiritual, and even physic...

There has been no greater promoter of the family Rosary than Venerable Patrick Peyton. Known around the world as “the Rosary Priest,” he dedicated his life to the Blessed Mother and to the prayer that most powerfully unites families in faith. In The Family That Prays Together Stays Together, readers are invited to pray the Rosary along with Peyton, entering into the rhythms and mysteries of this devotion to deepen their relationship with Mary and strengthen their bond with her Son, Jesus Chri...

As life enters a new rhythm in later years, many Catholics find themselves with more time for reflection and spiritual growth. The responsibilities of work, parenting, and daily obligations give way to new opportunities to focus on what truly matters: preparing for eternal life and growing closer to God. In Reaching for Heaven, Michael Amodei, a lifelong Catholic and seasoned editor at Ave Maria Press, offers fourteen practical ways to enrich your faith as you strive for heaven. Blending humo...

When Tara McMullen said “yes” to marrying an Air Force fighter pilot, she knew she was entering a life defined by unpredictability, sacrifice, and separation. Between constant relocations, long deployments, and raising children far from family, military life quickly became more than a job—it was a calling that demanded faith, resilience, and trust in God. In The Homefront Devotional: Navigate Military Life with Courage, Hope, and Faith, McMullen offers heartfelt reflections and spiritual enco...

With Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati’s motto Verso l’alto (“To the Heights”) as its inspiration, The Frassati Field Guide challenges you to rise above mediocrity and live your Catholic faith with courage, joy, and action. Are you ready to take your faith to new heights? In this eight-day journey, author and retreat leader Bobby Angel invites you to walk in the footsteps of Pier Giorgio Frassati—a passionate mountain climber, servant to the poor, and fearless witness to Christ. Each day focuses ...

Praying with the Saints invites you to embark on a spiritual journey through the words and prayers of one hundred beloved saints. Spanning two millennia, this beautifully curated anthology offers encouragement, solace, and inspiration from holy men and women whose lives continue to illuminate the path to God. Through their heartfelt prayers and reflections, you’ll discover a bridge to the divine and a companion for every season of life—times of joy, suffering, and contemplation alike. Prais...

Remember when prayer felt peaceful? You'd find a quiet corner, light a candle, and take your time with God. Now, as a mom, life looks a little different. Your prayers might sound more like “Lord, please just get me through dinner!” Between carpools, snack requests, temper tantrums, nonstop Nerf battles—the list goes on—finding time for intentional prayer feels impossible. In Sacred Chaos, Ablaze Families missionary Jennifer Stavinoha invites you to rediscover intimacy with God right where you...