America Media received 56 awards from the Catholic Media Association on June 11 for its groundbreaking coverage of events at the intersection of the church and world across print, digital, audio and video.
Recognized for both its intellectual content and spiritual resources, America Media received honors in the categories Best Essay, Best Feature Article, Best Website, Best Reporting of Social Justice Issues, Best Freestanding Presentation of Online Video, Best Writing (Analysis and In-Depth) and more. The awards were announced during the Catholic Media Conference, which was held virtually this year because of Covid-19.
The Catholic Media Association provides professional development and networking opportunities for journalists and media specialists committed to providing a Catholic perspective. They have over 200 member organizations. Their annual awards honor the outstanding contributions of Catholic media organizations and individual media producers in the United States and Canada
A full list of winners is available here.
First Place
Multimedia Journalist of the Year: Colleen Dulle
Best Freestanding Presentation of Online Video - News: Colleen Dulle, Top 5 Takeaways from the McCarrick Report
Best Freestanding Presentation of Online Video - The Clergy: Do Priests Get Married? | Jesuit Autocomplete
Best Podcast -- Social Justice Issues: Voting Catholic
Best Website - Magazine or Newsletter: America Magazine
Best Guest Column/Commentary: Mike Lewis, Pope Francis’ critics are dividing the church and families—including mine. Appeared in print under the headline “The Reactionary Rift.”
Best Coverage - Ecumenical/Interfaith Issues: America Magazine Ecumenical and Interfaith Coverage
Best Coverage – Racial Inequities: America’s Coverage of Racial Inequalities
Best Editorial: The Supreme Court Saved DACA. Now Congress Needs to Act
Best Essay - National General Interest Magazines: Matt Malone, S.J., An open letter to my fellow white Americans
Best Feature Article - 2020 Election: John W. Miller, A Road Trip Through the Swing States (Before the Coronavirus Hit)
Personality Profiles - Religious Leader: Stephanie Saldaña, This Syrian Catholic priest was kidnapped and tortured by ISIS. He still has hope in humanity. Appeared in print under the headline “The Priest Who Stayed.”
Best Original Poetry: Brendan Walsh, with goats
Best Reporting of Social Justice Issues - Care for God’s Creation: Anna Keating, How should Catholics respond to fears of a climate change apocalypse?Appeared in print under the headline “For God So Loved the World.”
Best Book Review Section: Fall Literary Review
Best Writing - Analysis: Nathan Schneider, A Catholic Case for Open Borders
Best Writing - In-Depth: Kevin Clarke, The church is losing touch with working-class Catholics. Appeared in print under the headline “Back to Work”
Second Place
Best Multimedia Package -- Hot Topic - The COVID-19 Pandemic: Michael J. O’Loughlin, Catholic parish life (as we knew it) is not coming back anytime soon
Best Podcast -- Expression of Faith: Church Meets World
Magazine - National General Interest Magazines: America Magazine
Best Cover for Color - Large (over 6" x 9 ½”): 22 June 2020
Best Regular Column - Family Life: Valerie Schultz
Best Coverage - Immigration: America’s Immigration Coverage
Best Coverage – 2020 Election: America’s 2020 Election Coverage
Best Reporting on a Special Age Group: Don Clemmer, How economic uncertainty is taking a spiritual toll on today’s young adults. Appeared in print under the headline “The Price We Pay.”
Best Sports Reporting: Kevin Jackson, Should colleges pay their athletes? What Catholic social teaching has to say. Appeared in print under the headline “The Rules of the Game.”
Best Review: Kevin Spinale, The infinite perspectives of Colum McCann’s fiction
Best Writing - In-Depth: John W. Miller, Most Americans support universal health care. But can it actually happen? Appeared in print under the headline “In Search of a Safety Net.”
Third Place
Best Freestanding Presentation of Online Video - Depiction of Religious Life: Do religious sisters still wear habits? | Jesuit Autocomplete
Best Freestanding Presentation of Online Video - The Clergy: 5 Common Questions About LGBT Catholic Ministry
Best Freestanding Presentation of Online Video - Catechesis: Why Does the Catholic Church Have So Many Rules? | Jesuit Autocomplete
Best Podcast -- Topical News: Voting Catholic
Best Essay - National General Interest Magazines: Emma Green, The American ‘way of life’ is unsustainable for so many. Is it time to build radical forms of community? Appeared in print under the headline “Our Fractured Communities: Piecing together American society in the wake of Covid-19.”
Best Feature Article - 2020 Election: Bill McCormick, S.J., Many Catholics are disillusioned with both the Republicans and Democrats. Could a third party ever happen?Appeared in print under the headline “The Party’s Over.”
Best Feature Article - Racial Inequities: J.D. Long-García, How Latino Catholics Are Grappling With Their Own History of Racism
Best Original Poetry: Joe Hoover, S.J., In the Wake of the Heartbeat Bills
Best Reporting on Catholic Education: Kaya Oakes, How the Jesuits and the Christian Brothers are bringing Catholic education back to Oakland. Appeared in print under the headline “A School Grows in Oakland.”
Best Reporting of Social Justice Issues - Dignity and Rights of the Workers: J.D. Long-García, ‘We’re on the verge of putting children on the streets.’ Covid-19 devastates the hospitality industry
Best Writing - Analysis: J.D. Long-García, What the church is doing to welcome Latino L.G.B.T. Catholics. Appeared in print under the headline “Conquering the Silence.”
Honorable Mention
Best Freestanding Presentation of Online Video - Pro Life Activities: No to War! What Catholics Believe About War
Best Freestanding Presentation of Online Video - Depiction of Religious Life: What Do Priests Do During Quarantine? | Jesuit Autocomplete
Best Freestanding Presentation of Online Video – Explainer: Five Takeaways from ‘Fratelli Tutti’
Best Freestanding Presentation of Online Video - Panel Discussion: Remembering Dorothy Day With David Brooks, Paul Elie, Anne Snyder and Robert Ellsberg
Best Freestanding Presentation of Online Video - Catechesis: Why does God answer some prayers and not others? | Jesuit Autocomplete
Best Podcast -- Topical News: Inside the Vatican
Best Podcast -- Expression of Faith: Imagine: A Guide to Jesuit Prayer
Best Guest Column/Commentary: Karen Park, Hi, my name is Karen. Embarrassed to meet you.
Best Coverage – Pandemic: America’s Pandemic Coverage
Best Editorial: To fight racism, Catholics must hunger for justice like we do for the Eucharist
Best Essay - National General Interest Magazines: Stephanie Saldaña, Covid-19 in the land where Jesus walked. Appeared in print under the headline “Our Emmaus.”
Best Feature Article - National General Interest Magazines: James T. Keane, The Great Maryknoll Post Office Robbery
Best Feature Article - National General Interest Magazines: Sonja Livingston, How a Polish pastry reminds us we need to fast and feast, just in time for Lent. Appeared in print under the headline “Pastry as a Spiritual Experience: On the surprising transcendence of Paczki Day.”
Best Reporting of Social Justice Issues - Life and Dignity of the Human Person: Michael J. O’Loughlin, The Catholic Hospital That Pioneered AIDS Care
Best Reporting of Social Justice Issues - Life and Dignity of the Human Person: Isabelle Senechal, How some researchers are using data science to fight sex trafficking. Appeared in print under the headline “Fighting the scandal of human trafficking.”
Best Review: Rob Weinert-Kendt, ‘The Good Lord Bird’ Review: Ethan Hawke’s John Brown is a (heavily armed) holy fool
Best Special Issue: America’s Health Care Issue
