ARCHDIOCESE PUBLICATIONS WON 29 AWARDS AT 2021 CATHOLIC MEDIA CONFERENCE, INCLUDING FIRST PLACE FOR COVERAGE OF THE DEATH OF KOBE BRYANT, A PRACTICING CATHOLIC
June 18, 2021  |  By:   |  Press Releases, The Latest  |  

— Angelus News received 21 awards and the Spanish-language monthly newspaper Vida Nueva earned eight awards despite only publishing three issues in 2020 due to pandemic lockdown—

 

Angelus, the official magazine of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, won 21 awards at the Catholic Media Association’s (former Catholic Press Association) 2021 Catholic Media Conference, which was held virtually for the second consecutive year on June 8-10, due to the pandemic. Spanish-language Archdiocesan monthly newspaper Vida Nueva received eight awards despite it only published three issues in 2020 before the pandemic lockdown. Both publications were recognized for high quality reporting, analysis and photojournalism, on social justice issues and religious liberty.

 

“This year’s awards are a testament to the creativity and hard work of our Angelus team despite the precariousness and difficulties of such an unpredictable year,” said Pablo Kay, editor-in-chief of Angelus News, who earned an Honorable Mention as Editor of the Year (English). “They also show that it is possible to produce honest Catholic journalism that engages the most important trends, events, and conversations happening in today’s culture through the eyes of faith.

 

“It is a privilege to work with such a talented team of journalists, and to help carry out Archbishop Gomez’s vision for Catholic journalism.”

 

The competition included Catholic publications from across the U.S. and Canada, and recognized work done in 2020.

 

Angelus won First Place in the category of Best Illustration with Graphic Design or Art  “The Next Four Years: A Catholic Vision for America,” by Jacob Popcak, Best Essay – Diocesan Magazines “The victims of our progress,” by Elise Italiano Ureneck, Best Regular Column – Arts, Leisure, Culture and Food,  “The Crux,” by Heather King, and Best Review “Flannery O’Connor’s moral drama,” by contributor Nick Ripatrazone. The magazine also won Best Profile – Laity for its coverage of the death of basketball star Kobe Bryant, who was a practicing Catholic, and Best Sports Reporting “Kobe the Catholic,” by Tom Hoffarth and Steve Lowery, “Embodying Kobe,” by Tom Hoffarth, and “SoCal bishops reflect on Kobe Bryant’s Catholic faith during Rome visit,” by Pablo Kay.

 

Angelus replaced the former Archdiocese’s centenarian newspaper The Tidings in July 2016, taking to heart the motto of Saint Junípero Serra, the founder of the first nine of the 21 missions of California, “Always forward, never back.” The biweekly magazine features analysis of events and trends shaping the Church and our society, reflections and advice by renown Catholic writers and quality journalism covering the local Catholic community, and the award-winning daily email newsletter Always Forward. Its website, AngelusNews.com, launched four years ago and was redesigned in September 2019.

Second places included the Best Coverage of Racial Inequities category for “Conversations and conversion,” by Sophia Martinson, “The ultimate scapegoat,” by Heather King, “George Floyd and us,” by Archbishop José H. Gomez, “My K Street epiphany,” by Andrew Rivas, and “‘It should not be this way’,” by Pablo Kay; Best Feature Article – Diocesan Magazines “Evangelizing past the likes,” by Ann Rodgers; Best Reporting on Catholic Education “Marymount senior’s free tutoring program helps students during pandemic,” by Christa Chavez; Best Photograph – Holy Days/Liturgical Seasons “Signs of new hope: Why we need this year’s very different Advent,” by David Amador Rivera, and Best Photograph – Immigration/Migration “Hope Comes Home: Inside the Local Catholic Effort to Reunite A Family,” by John McCoy.

Angelus received three third place award in Best Electronic Newsletter “Always Forward,” by Angelus Staff; Best Coverage – 2020 Election “Our mission is bigger than politics,” by Archbishop José H. Gomez, “Beyond the ballot box,” by Montse Alvarado, Dylan Corbett, Helen Alvaré, Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, Louis Brown, Michael Vacca, Rosanne Haggerty, and Patrick T. Brown, “No lasting city,” by Archbishop José H. Gomez, “Resist or reach out?” by Elise Italiano Ureneck, “The homeless Catholic voter,” by Greg Erlandson; and Best Essay – Diocesan Magazines “An American president’s ‘quiet rebellion,” by John J. Miller.

The magazine also earned Honorable Mention for Editor of the Year (English) Pablo Kay, best coverage of the pandemic “Conversion in a time of coronavirus,” by Elizabeth Lev, Thomas D. Williams, and Mike Aquilina, “No-touch tenderness,” by R.W. Dellinger, “Sacrificing for smiles,” by Hayley Smith, “Providence in a pandemic,” by Caitlin Yoshiko Kandil, “Rescuing 2020,” by several guest contributors, best essay for diocesan magazines “Changes within reach,” by Elise Italiano Ureneck, best feature article for diocesan magazines “Picking up the mantle,” by Ann Rodgers, best reporting of the Celebration of a Sacrament “In sickness and in health,” by Sophia Martinson, “An air of hope,” by Christa Chavez, “Pulverizing sins,” by Father Bernard Mulcahy, OP, PH.D.; best Special Issue “Be not afraid! John Paul II at 100,” by Angelus Staff, and best Diocesan Directory “2020-2021 Catholic Directory of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles” by Angelus Staff.

Paul Chavez, son of farm workers leader Cesar Chavez, took a first place for Best Personality Profile, with the story in Spanish “Lecciones que aprendí de mi padre Cesar Chávez,” and reporter/editor Alicia Morandi also won a first place for Vida Nueva’s best reporting on social justice issues – option of the poor and vulnerable with the story “Qué patrocinar a un niño apresado.”

Victor Aleman, Angelus’ photographer and Vida Nueva’s editor and photographer, took first places for Vida Nueva’s best multiple picture package for the feature, “Más de 30 mil participan en caminata pro-vida en Los Ángeles,” and best photo story-feature, “Acontecimientos del Congreso de 2020.” He also earned a third place for best photograph – color for the story “Situaciones.”

“What makes every page of Vida Nueva pulse is that, true to Catholic social teaching, it denounces difficulties and injustice, but it simultaneously announces creative and practical solutions that help people live more dignified lives,” said Aleman. “Vida Nueva has always been in the forefront and taking a different approach, we have been committed for the past 30 years of publishing to ‘service journalism.’ On behalf of the staff, we feel very humble and grateful to have been part of this medium of communication of the Church for so many years and been able to inform the Latin American community that resides in the Los Angeles area.”

The Spanish-language newspaper won another third place for best reporting on Social Justice Issues for Life and Dignity of the Human Person, “Una familia con una historia que contar,” by Pilar Marrero, and an Honorable mention as the Spanish publication of the year.

In total, Angelus was awarded six first place, five second place, three third place, and seven honorable mentions. Vida Nueva won two first place, three second place, two third place award, and one honorable mention. The Catholic Directory of the Archdiocese won an honorable mention for second consecutive year.

 

For more information about the awards, please visit https://angelusnews.com/local/la-catholics/la-catholic-publications-win-29-catholic-media-awards/.

 

About Angelus

The Archdiocese began publishing Angelus in July 2016, replacing The Tidings, which had been the Archdiocesan publication since 1895. Angelus is the weekly print “home” for Crux, led by renowned Vatican reporter, John Allen and his colleague, Inés San Martín, one of the top writers on the Church in Latin America. It includes voices like  Kathryn Lopez (National Review, Wall Street Journal), Grazie Pozo Christie (CNN, Miami Herald, New York Times, USA Today), and Mike Aquilina (national speaker and author of more than 50 books on Catholic themes). Best-selling Catholic author, Dr. Scott Hahn, writes a weekly Scripture column. These voices complement key contributors like Archbishop Gomez, Father Ronald Rolheiser and Heather King. For more information, visit AngelusNews.com, facebook.com/AngelusNews, twitter.com/AngelusNews and instagram.com/AngelusNews. 

 

About Vida Nueva

Vida Nueva began publishing in 1991. The publication routinely wins national awards, including the 2015 Best Spanish-Language Monthly Newspaper in the U.S. from the National Association of Hispanic Publications (NAHP). The same organization honored Vida Nueva with a first place as the best Spanish-language weekly in 2001, when the newspaper had a weekly release; six first place honors as a bimonthly Spanish-language publication in the 1990s, when Vida Nueva ran as a bimonthly publication, and three four place honors since it became a monthly publication (2003, 2011, 2014 and 2015). For more information, visit Vida-Nueva.com, or facebook.com/losangelesVidaNueva.

 

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