Tag: Catholic Media Association Book Awards

Happy Holidays 2024!

Holiday messages

Dear Friend,

Soon after Pope Francis announced in early 2015 that Bl. Junípero Serra would be canonized, I began a journey of discovery leading to writing four books (two of which received Catholic Media Association Book Awards), many articles, presenting to groups, and walking the 800-mile California Missions Trail. It was exciting to see that the name chosen for the western route of the Eucharistic Pilgrimage from San Francisco to Indianapolis was named after St. Junípero Serra! So apropos.

Last summer, I had the pleasure of speaking to participants of the Camino Serra. A thank you letter from them captures the essence of why I do what I do.

As a first time pilgrim, it was comforting to hear about the Camino from a pro! We all loved the introduction on St. Junipero Serra and the adoration reflection was beautiful. As a teacher, I am excited to order the children’s book for my classroom so all my students can learn about this beautiful saint. 

2025 should be a year full of many opportunities to speak and write about St. Junípero Serra. It marks the 10th anniversary of his canonization and the 10th anniversary of my little apostolate. 

I am so grateful for your continued support. Thank you.

Below is a recap of what I did in 2024. 

Merry Christmas! ¡Feliz Navidad! عيد ميلاد سعيد!Maligayang Pasko! Bon Nadal! Feliz Natal! Fröhliche Weihnachten!Felicem natalem Christi!

Happy New Year! ¡Feliz año nuevo! สวัสดีปีใหม่! Maligayang bagong taon! Bon any nou! Felice anno nuovo! Bonne année!

Saint Junípero Serra and Pablo Tac, pray for us!

¡Siempre adelante y nunca para atrás! #GoGoStJunipero #PabloTacPray4Us!

—

Christian Clifford

www.Missions1769.com
Author/ Educator/ Freelance Writer / Speaker
PABLO TAC PETITION / FB / X / IG / TikTok / Linkedin / Goodreads / Amazon / flickr / Quoura

California mission history doesn’t need to be puzzling. Learn more with books by Christian Clifford @ Missions1769.com.

Happy Holidays 2023!

Holiday messages

Dear Friend,

Soon after Pope Francis announced in early 2015 that Junípero Serra would be canonized, I began a journey of discovery. My research has led to my writing four books (two of which received Catholic Media Association Book Awards), many articles, presenting to groups, and walking the 800-mile California Missions Trail. 

The highlight of my year was an icon written of Pablo, the subject of my third book. It was done by Andre Prevost, a Canadian iconographer, for the chapel at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in North Vancouver, B.C. I hope that it inspires many young people to walk with Pablo throughout their lives.  Learn more about him @ change.org/InvokePabloTac.

I also surpassed my original goal of getting my books in the California missions founded by Saint Junípero Serra (he founded the first nine–my books have sold in 17 of the 21 California mission gift shops!). I never imagined how successful my work at Missions1769.com would be, especially when considering that the average book published today sells less than 300 print copies over its lifetime in the US retail channel. I owe so much of this to your support. Thank you.

Below is a recap of what I did in 2023.

  • I was interviewed by . . . 

The Places Where We Go podcast with Julie and Art
“The Catholic Pilgrim” blog with Amy Thomas
Catholic 4 Rednecks podcast with John Edwards
Somewhere Along “The Way” podcast with Dave Fortin
The Catholic Re.Con. podcast with Eddie Trask
Dr. Kevin Schmiesing for the Son Rise Morning Show
Bonnie Way @ The Koala Mom

  • I wrote in . . . 

National Catholic Register
Central Coast Catholic Life (Diocese of Fresno)
California Catholic Daily
ChurchPop

  • I was a guest speaker at the following . . .

Daughters of the American Revolution, Gaspar de Portolà Chapter, Stanford, CA
Camino Serra, Mission Santa Clara, Santa Clara, CA
St. Charles School, San Carlos, CA, 4th grade

  • The petition to nominate Pablo Tac for the cause of canonization is over 600 signatures!

Merry Christmas! ¡Feliz Navidad! عيد ميلاد سعيد!Maligayang Pasko! Bon Nadal! Feliz Natal! Fröhliche Weihnachten!Felicem natalem Christi!

Happy New Year! ¡Feliz año nuevo! สวัสดีปีใหม่! Maligayang bagong taon! Bon any nou! Felice anno nuovo! Bonne année!

Saint Junípero Serra and Pablo Tac, pray for us!

¡Siempre adelante y nunca para atrás! #GoGoStJunipero #PabloTacPray4Us!

—

Christian Clifford

www.Missions1769.com
Author/ Educator/ Freelance Writer / Speaker

PABLO TAC PETITION / FB / Twitter / IG / TikTok / Linkedin / Goodreads / Amazon / flickr / Quoura

Happy Holidays 2022!

Holiday messages

Dear Friend,

Soon after Pope Francis announced in early 2015 that Junípero Serra would be canonized, I began a journey of discovery. My research has led to my writing four books (two of which received Catholic Media Association Book Awards this year), writing articles, presenting to groups, and walking the 800-mile California Missions Trail. I have met so many interesting people along the way. I hope that I have been able to help you to speak the truth about St. Junipero Serra and the purpose of the California missions.

In addition to receiving CMA Book Awards, other highlights in 2022 included the release of the Knights of Columbus video about me for Season 3 of “Everyday Heroes” and having an article about Pablo Tac published in Boletín, the award-winning journal of The California Missions Foundation.

Thank you for your continued support. Special thanks to my family; His Eminence Robert Cardinal McElroy, Bishop of San Diego (pictured below); Catalina Font Gomila, President of the Friends of Junípero Serra Association in Petra, Spain; Greg Schwietz, President of Serra International; and Knights of Columbus California State Council SD Rene Trevino.

I hope that you continue calling on St. Junipero Serra and Pablo Tac. I will never tire of sharing their stories. Here is a recap of how I did so in 2022.

  • I was interviewed by . . .

California State Parks
Meaningful Journeys Podcast
North Coast Catholic (p. 15)

  • Articles by me appeared in . . .

California Catholic Daily on May 23 and October 10
ICN (Independent Catholic News)

  • I was a guest speaker . . .

Camino Serra Pilgrimage Group at Mission Santa Clara
Benedict XVI Institute
4th graders at Holy Angels School in Colma

  • The petition to nominate Pablo Tac for the cause of canonization is nearing 600 signatures!

Merry Christmas! Feliz Navidad! عيد ميلاد سعيد!Maligayang Pasko! Bon Nadal! Feliz Natal! Fröhliche Weihnachten!Felicem natalem Christi!

Happy New Year! ¡Feliz año nuevo! สวัสดีปีใหม่! Maligayang bagong taon! Bon any nou! Felice anno nuovo! Bonne année!

Saint Junípero Serra and Pablo Tac, pray for us!

¡Siempre adelante y nunca para atrás! #GoGoStJunipero #PabloTacPray4Us!

____

Christian Clifford
www.Missions1769.com

Author/ Educator/ Freelance Writer / Speaker
PABLO TAC PETITION / FB / Twitter / IG / TikTok /
Linkedin / Goodreads / Amazon / flickr / Quoura /YouTube

In September, my family was honored to visit with His Eminence Robert Cardinal McElroy, Bishop of San Diego! In 2016, he was kind enough to write the foreword to my award-winning book Who Was Saint Junipero Serra? Also pictured are my wife and son, to whom the book is dedicated.

Catholic Media Association Book Awards 2022

PRESS RELEASES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: missions1769(at)gmail(dot)com

Website: www.Missions1769.com

California mission history books author recognized at CMA Book Awards

San Mateo, CA — Christian Clifford, author of books about Spanish and Mexican history in California, received two Catholic Media Association Book Awards on July 7, 2022, during this year’s Catholic Media Association Conference in Portland, Oregon. The CMA Book Awards recognize the outstanding work of publishers, authors, and book editors that support the faith-filled life of Catholic readers.

Founded in 1911, the CMA describes itself as an “organization of Catholic publishers and media professionals united in the action of servicing the Catholic Church.” Its Facebook page notes that its membership includes “nearly 250 publications and 500 individuals. Member print publications reach 10 million households plus countless others through our members’ websites and social media outlets.”

Clifford’s writings have appeared in Aleteia, Angelus, Cal Catholic, California Teacher, Catholic Exchange, Catholic News Agency, Catholic San Francisco, ChurchPop, Crux,  Philippine Daily Inquirer, San Diego Reader, Today’s Catholic Teacher, among others. Clifford has been a guest speaker on radio and to school, church, and service groups. 

Clifford received a B.A. in Social Science from the University of Great Falls (Montana) and M.A. in Catholic School Teaching from the University of San Francisco. He has been a teacher in the schools of the Archdiocese of San Francisco since 1997. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife and son.

Judges at the Catholic Media Association deemed the following:

2nd place in the category of Pilgrimages/Catholic travel Books

“This nicely designed account of the author’s 800-mile foot journey on the California Missions Trail includes renditions of period maps, photographs of key people involved in the establishment and operations of the missions, and the author’s reflections. Each chapter also includes information about the experiences of the founding friars and the Native peoples as well as the author-pilgrim’s experience.”

3rd place in the category of Newly Canonized Saints

“This book was very informative with cute illustrations. It was written in first-person narrative, so that it sounds like an autobiography, and follows the life of the saint and those whom he influenced. The language was easy to understand. I enjoyed this simple explanatory book that detailed the history and relationships of this canonized saint.”

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