While life inside and outside the parish may be a bit slower and less intense during the summer, that doesn't mean that growth and learning needs to take a break, either. At the same time, summer is also a time when many of us choose to break loose from the intensity of the other months of the year, and simply let loose. The following books --- recently named recipients of Catholic Press Association Book Awards for the year 2003 --- provide ample reading opportunity for growth and leisure.

Popular presentation of the Catholic faith

First: "John Paul II: A Light for the World", Sister Mary Ann Walsh, RSM (Sheed & Ward).

Second: "Selecting The Pope", Greg Tobin (Barnes & Noble Publishing).

Third: "A Gathering of Angels", Katherine Valentine (Penguin Group USA).

Honorable Mention: "Warriors of the Lord: The Military Orders of Christendom", Michael Walsh (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing); "Catholicism in the Third Millennium", Thomas P. Rausch, SJ (Liturgical Press).

Spirituality: Soft cover

First: "Teilhard in the 21st Century", Arthur Fabel and Donald St. John (Orbis Books).

Second: "The Holy Way: Practices For A Simple Life", Paula Huston (Loyola Press).

Third (tie): "Flannery O'Connor: Spiritual Writings", Robert Ellsberg (Orbis Books); "Dynamics of Spiritual Direction", Adrian van Kaam & Susan Muto (Epihany Books).

Spirituality: Hard cover

First: "Biblical Foundations of Spirituality," Barbara E. Bowe (Sheed & Ward).

Second: "Lost In Wonder: Rediscovering the Spiritual Art of Attentiveness," Esther De Waal (Liturgical Press).

Third (tie): "The Other Side of the Altar," Paul E. Dinter (Farrar, Straus & Giroux); "Scarred by Struggle, Transformed by Hope", Joan D. Chittister (Wm. B. Eerdmans).

Theology

First: "The Liberation of the Laity," Paul Lakeland (Continuum International).

Second: "Truly Our Sister," Elizabeth A. Johnson (Continuum International).

Third (tie): "Christianity With An Asian Face," Peter C. Phan (Orbis Books); "The Didache," Aaron Milavec (Paulist Press).

Scripture

First: "Biblical Foundations of Spirituality," Barbara E. Bowe (Sheed & Ward).

Second: "Language of the Heart: How To Read The Bible," Noel Cooper (Novalis).

Third (tie): "James (Sacra Pagina)," Patrick J. Hartin (Liturgical Press); "Pontius Pilate: Portraits of a Roman Governor," Warren Carter (Liturgical Press).

Honorable Mention: "Genesis (Berit Olam)," David W. Cotter, OSB (Liturgical Press).

Liturgy

First: "Worship: A Primer in Christian Ritual," Keith F. Pecklers, SJ (Liturgical Press).

Second (tie): "Living Liturgy," Joyce Ann Zimmerman, C.PP.S., Thomas A. Greisen, Kathleen Harmon, S.N.D.de N., Thomas L. Leclerc, M.S. (Liturgical Press); "How To Go To Confession When You Don't Know How," Ann M.S. LeBlanc (St. Anthony Messenger Press).

Third: "Signs of Freedom: Theology of the Christian Sacraments", German Martinez (Paulist Press).

Honorable Mention: "Full, Conscious and Active Participation", Michael R. Prendergast (OCP Publications).

Pastoral ministry

First: "New Beginnings Curriculum Kit: A New Way of Living as a Catholic", Paul Wilkes (New Beginnings).

Second: "Credible Signs of Christ Alive", John P. Hogan (Sheed & Ward).

Third (tie): "Fostering Leadership Skills in Ministry: A Parish Handbook", Jean Marie Hiesberger (Liguori Publications); "Stations of the Banquet: Faith Foundations for Food Justice", Cathy C. Campbell (Liturgical Press).

Honorable Mention: "Taking Back Our Lives: Reflections for Survivors of Childhood Abuse", Patti Sherlock (ACTA Publications).

Professional books

First: "Evolving Visions of the Priesthood: Changes from Vatican II to the Turn of the New Century", Dean R. Hoge, Jacqueline E. Wenger (Liturgical Press).

Second: "Sex, Priestly Ministry, and the Church", Len Sperry (Liturgical Press).

Third: "Artisans of Peace", Mary Ann Cejka and Thomas Bamat (Orbis Books).

Educational books

First: "We Believe (K-6 Series) Student & Teacher Texts" (William H. Sadlier).

Second: "Catholics, Politics, & Public Policy", Clarke E. Cochran and David Carroll Cochran (Orbis Books).

Third (tie): "Stations of the Banquet: Faith Foundations for Food Justice", Cathy C. Campbell (Liturgical Press); "What Catholic Teens Should Know", Jean Larkin (Pflaum Publishing Group).

Honorable Mention: "Encountering Jesus in the New Testament", Michael Pennock (Ave Maria Press).

Children's books

First: "Can You Find Saints? Introducing Your Child to Holy Men and Women", Philip D. Gallery (St. Anthony Messenger Press).

Second: "God Created", Mark Francisco Bozzuti-Jones (Augsburg Fortress).

Third: "When Should I Pray?", Nancy Elizabeth Pharr (Pauline Books & Media).

Honorable Mention: "Dominga's Wonderful Year", Sandi Yonikus, Annika Marie Nelson (Liturgical Press); "The Wondrous Adventures of St. Francis of Assisi", Tricia Gray (St. Anthony Messenger Press).

First time author

First: "Preaching The Poetry of the Gospels: A Lyric Companion to the Lectionary", Elizabeth Michael Boyle (Liturgical Press).

Second: "No Room at the Table: Earth's Most Vulnerable Children", Donald H. Dunson (Orbis Books).

Third (tie): "Seven Lonely Places, Seven Warm Places", April Bolton (St. Anthony Messenger Press); "Consuming Religion", Vincent J. Miller (Continuum International).

Family life

First: "Expecting a Miracle: A Companion Through Pregnancy", Jaymie Stuart Wolfe (Pauline Books & Media).

Second: "A Christian Theology of Marriage and Family", Julie Hanlon Rubio (Paulist Press).

Third: "The Gift of Grandparenting", Thea Jarvis (Ave Maria Press).

Honorable Mention: "Simple Wonders: A Book of Reflections", Christopher de Vinck (St. Anthony Messenger Press); "Getting Along Almost With Your Adult Kids", Lois Leiderman Davitz, Ph.D. & Joel R. Davitz, Ph.D. (Ave Maria Press).

History/biography

First: "The Life You Save May Be Your Own", Paul Elie (Farrar, Straus & Giroux).

Second: "My Struggle For Freedom: Memoirs", Hans Küng (Wm B. Eerdmans).

Third: "John Paul II: A Light for the World", Sister Mary Ann Walsh, RSM (Sheed & Ward).

Gender issues

First: "In My Mother's Closet", Eugenia Zukerman (Ave Maria Press).

Second: "Toward a New Heaven and a New Earth", Fernando F. Segovia (Orbis Books).

Third (tie): "Sor Juana: Beauty and Justice in the Americas", Michelle A. Gonzalez (Orbis Books); "Women & Christianity Volume III", Mary T. Malone (Orbis Books).

Honorable Mention: "She Said...He Said...: Teens Speak Out on Life & Faith", Laurie Delgatto (Saint Mary's Press).

Spanish language titles

First: "Camino a Emaús: Compartiendo el ministerio de Jesús", Ada María Isasi-Díaz, Timoteo Matovina, Nina M. Torres-Vidal (Liturgical Press).

Second: "Palabra de Dios", Alberto Martín Jiménez (Liturgy Training Publications).

Third: "Mis 15 Años", Diocese of San Bernardino (Pauline Books & Media).

Honorable Mention: "Acerca de la Oración: Una carta a mi ahijada", Phyllis Zagano (Liguori Publications).

Reference books

First: "Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible", James D.G. Dunn, John W. Rogerson (Wm. B. Eerdmans).

Second: "The Historical Atlas of Eastern and Western Christian Monasticism", Juan María Labao (Liturgical Press).

Third: "Global Catholicism: Portrait of a World Church", Bryan T. Froehle and Mary L. Gautier (Orbis Books).

Honorable Mention: "Documents of the Baptismal Liturgy: Revised and Expanded Edition", E.C. Whitaker, Maxwell E. Johnson (Liturgical Press); "Butler's Lives of the Saints: New Concise Edition," Paul Burns (Liturgical Press).

Best book by a small publisher

First: "Appreciative Inquiry In the Catholic Church," Susan Star Paddock (Thin Book Publishing).

Second: "Three Minutes a Day: Vol. 38," Stephanie Raha, editor (The Christophers).

Third: "Walk As Children of Light," Edward J. Furton, M.A., Ph.D., editor (National Catholic Bioethics Center).

Honorable Mention: "What Think You of Christ?", Bishop John A. Marshall (Ambassador Books).