Catholic Review garners 22 Catholic Press awards

DENVER – The Catholic Review won 22 awards, including second place in the coveted General Excellence category, in the annual Catholic Press Association contest for newspapers and other publications.

The awards were given at the Catholic Media Convention June 21 in Denver, where attendees heard from Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles on immigration; Basilian Father Thomas Rosica of Salt and Light TV in Canada, on the papal transition; and Father Robert Barron, founder of Word on Fire Ministries, on evangelization.

“I am intensely proud of the work our staff has done, especially in the last year,” said Christopher Gunty, CEO and associate publisher of Catholic Review Media. “We launched a whole new website and a publication redesign in 2012, while covering the elevation to the College of Cardinals for Cardinal Edwin F. O’Brien and the installation of Archbishop William E. Lori. Throughout that, we continued to tell the stories of the people and parishes of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.”

He added that several of the awards focused on the special events and redesigns. “The staff, with the support of our board and archbishops, took a bold move toward the future in media with the new look of the newspaper, addition of the Review in the Pew newsletter and the revamped website,” Gunty said.

With these honors, the Catholic Review has won more than 60 awards combined this year from the Associated Church Press, MDDC Press Association (Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia) and the CPA.

In recognizing the newspaper with the CPA award in general excellence, the judges noted the newspaper is “professional in writing, in photos, and in design. The Catholic Review is a wonderful paper from the strength of its front page to the ‘Amen’ section at the end. Special topics like ‘Safe Surroundings’ (a special report on the church’s handling of the child sexual abuse crisis) bring intelligent analysis and comment to the issue.”

Staff photographer Tom McCarthy won eight awards for his images and slideshows, including two he shared with other staff members.

Reflecting on McCarthy’s first-place award for online presentation of visuals for a report on the pilgrimage from St. Peter in Hancock for the opening Mass of the Fortnight for Freedom, the judges noted: “The video transports the viewer to the march with the parishioners along country roads on a summer day. It is a masterful combination of filming and storytelling.”

Overall, the Catholic Review received the following honors, including eight each of first- and second-place awards:

·        Interactive Newspaper website: “CatholicReview.org,” by the staff.

·        Analysis/Background/Round-Up News Writing: “Election Series,” by Maria Wiering.

·        Best Media Kit Created in 2012: “Catholic Review Media,” by April Hornbeck and Kristina Freeman.

·        Special Supplement on an Ordinary’s Transition: “Archbishop Lori Special Section,” by the staff.

·        Online/Multi-Media Presentation of Visuals: “Lombardi pilgrimage for freedom” by Tom McCarthy.

·        Coverage of Religious Liberty Issues, Photo: “Fortnight for Freedom,” McCarthy.

·        Sports photograph: “Senior Basketball,” McCarthy.

·        Best Reporting on Special Age Group – Senior Citizens: “Living Longer, Growing Stronger” section, by the staff.

·        The Cardinal John P. Foley Award for General Excellence in Journalism, Diocesan Newspapers, circulation over 40,000.

·        Best Redesign, by the staff.

·        Feature Writing, diocesan newspapers with circulation over 40,000: “St. Ursula Couple Chose Life,” by Maria Wiering.

·        Online content not in print: “Paralympian visits Our Lady of Perpetual Help,” by Elizabeth Lowe and McCarthy.

·        Portrait Photograph: “Cardinal O’Brien Celebration,” by McCarthy.

·        Use of Art or Graphics – Original Illustration: “Modern Slavery,” by freelance artist Carole Henaff and Hornbeck, art director.

·        Multiple-Picture Package on Religious Liberty: “Fortnight for Freedom Launch,” by McCarthy.

·        Freestanding Online/Multi-Media Presentation of Photo Gallery or Slide Show: “Archbishop Lori among record Preakness crowd,” by McCarthy.

Third-place awards:

·        Editorial Page or Editorial Section: “Your Faith,” by the editorial staff.

·        Coverage Of The Election And Forming Conscience: “Growing need,” Wiering.

·        Promotional House Ad: “Change is Good,” Hornbeck and Freeman.

·        Use of Art or Graphics: “Charles Street,” Hornbeck and McCarthy.

·        Regular Special Supplement: “Graduation Class of 2012,” by the staff.

·        Individual Online Blog: “Open Window” by Rita Buettner.

Archbishop Lori and a Catholic Review staff member were represented in CPA magazine award categories.

The archbishop’s column in Columbia, the monthly magazine of the Knights of Columbus, of which he is supreme chaplain, won an honorable mention for regular spiritual life column.

Archbishop Lori was also included in the team recognized with first place in Columbia magazine’s coverage of the Year of Faith.

Catholic Review staff writer Wiering received a second-place award for magazine feature article (professional and special-interest magazines, including clergy and religious) for a piece she wrote for The Couple to Couple League, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, called “Survival mode: Coping with life-threatening illness.”