The annual award is granted “in recognition of an outstanding contribution made by an individual or an organization for the renewal of parish and community life in the spirit of Saint John XXIII.”
Founded in 1921, the Catholic Library Association (CLA) serves as an international professional development network for Catholic librarians, and as an advocate for “religion-oriented libraries” around the world. Each year the CLA confers the “Aggiornamento” Award onto a Catholic individual or organization which has made a meaningful contribution to the “renewal of parish and community life in the Spirit of [Pope] Saint John XXIII,” the pontiff who called for the Second Vatican Council in 1959. Previous honorees have included several Catholic publishing houses.
The 2024 honoree was Ascension (Press), specifically chosen for the positive impact that The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)™ podcast and The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) podcast have had on Catholics around the world. Both podcasts reached #1 on the Apple podcast charts, and boast well over 800 Million downloads between them.
Jonathan Strate, President and CEO of Ascension, received the award on behalf of his organization. Greeting the CLA membership gathered virtually for the CLA Spring Conference, Strate expressed his gratitude for this recognition:
“Thank you very much… On behalf of everyone at Ascension who worked on this project—Fr. Mike Schmitz, Jeff Cavins, and the whole team behind the Bible in a Year and Catechism in a Year programs—I do want to thank all of you, the CLA, for this award, and everything that you do in fostering a community of those dedicated to preserving and sharing Catholic literature.”
About the Catholic Library Association
As described on its website:
“Established in 1921, the Catholic Library Association is an international membership organization, providing its members professional development through educational and networking experiences, publications, scholarships, and other services. The Catholic Library Association coordinates the exchange of ideas, provides a source of inspirational support and guidance in ethical issues related to librarianship, and offers fellowship for those who seek, serve, preserve, and share the word in all its forms.”
About Ascension
Ascension is a multimedia network and the leader in Catholic faith formation and digital content. Over the past 25 years, Ascension has helped nurture the faith of more than 10 million Catholics through award-winning books, the chart-topping Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)® podcast, more than 50 unique faith formation programs, and Ascension Presents, which hosts one of the largest Catholic YouTube channels in English.
Editor’s Note: This press release was posted on September 17, 2024 and backdated to reflect the date of award conferral: April 25, 2024.