EWTN News Wins 26 Catholic Press Association Awards Includes Wins for Best Reporting On Pro-Life & Social Justice Issues

The National Catholic Register and Catholic News Agency, which are part of EWTN’s expansive news operations, won a total of 26 Catholic Press Association awards Friday, June 21 during the final night of the Catholic Media Conference at the Hilton St. Petersburg Bayside in St. Petersburg, Fla. (To view all the awards as well as links to the EWTN News’ winning articles, please go to http://bit.ly/2019CPAGabrielAwards.)

“What was most impressive about The Register’s 17 awards is that they covered every job a publication’s staff performs from design, presentation and graphics to writing in every genre, including news, features, commentary, and blogs,” said EWTN Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Michael P. Warsaw, who also serves as the Register’s Publisher. “In addition, we are proud to note that the Register’s awards embrace its coverage of all aspects of Catholicism from pro-life and vocations to social justice issues.”

Similarly, Catholic News Agency’s nine awards include the two first place “Best Coverage” awards mentioned above as well as a third place win for “Best Coverage of Immigration Issues.” CNA also won first place for “Best News Writing on a National or International Event” for “Night of Terror: Inside the Catholic Church Attacked by Nicaragua’s Paramilitary.”

Jeanette DeMelo, the Register’s Editor-in-Chief, said: “For me, a further reward was sharing the accolades with our partners at EWTN News, especially Catholic News Agency. We swept one category and nearly swept a few others. Aside from awards, in journalism, there’s often strength in numbers and the collaboration with CNA’s team has helped increase the breadth and depth of our coverage.”

As DeMelo noted, between the Register and CNA, EWTN News swept the “Best Reporting on Vocations to the Priesthood, Religious Life or Diaconate” in the National Newspaper or Wire Service category, which included The Register’s “The Priestly Story Dioceses Tell” and CNA’s “How Seminaries Help Men Discern the Call to Chaste Celibacy.” In addition, for the first time since EWTN acquired the Register, the newspaper won “Best Blog by a Layperson,” taking both first and second places.

The Register’s other first place awards include “Best Feature Writing” for “Journeying from Grief to Grace: How a Retreat Program Helps Sex Abuse Victims Heal,” and “Best Explanation of Marriage,” which included three articles including “Do We Need Sacramental Preparation for Parenthood?” The Register’s social justice awards included a second place for “Best Reporting on Social Justice Issues – Solidarity” for “Church Suffers with Venezuelan People” and a third place in the same category for “How I Learned to Love My Sister’s Murderer.”

The newspaper also garnered various awards in categories such as Best Front Page, Best Regular Column, Best Analysis/Background/Round-Up News Writing,” “Best Personality Profile” featuring Dr. Janet Smith, Defender of Humanae Vitae, and more. There was even an honorable mention for 33 exclusive photos of the Swiss Guards’ military pilgrimage to Lourdes in the “Best Online Content Not Published in Print.”

CNA’s hard-nosed reporting on the sex abuse crisis took second place and honorable mention awards for “Best In-Depth News/Special Reporting – National Newspaper or Wire Service” for stories such as “Alleged Abuse Victim Searches for Justice in the Diocese of Crookston.” In addition, CNA’s “Investigation into Cardinal McCarrick” took a third place award for “Best Investigative News Writing National Newspaper or Wire Service.”

As CNA Executive Director Alejandro Bermudez noted: “EWTN News sets high expectations for excellence because we do our work for God’s glory and the service of the Church. I’m proud of this team. We’ll keep striving for excellence in everything we do.”

To view all the winning entries, please go to http://bit.ly/2019CPAGabrielAwards.

EWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 38th year, is the largest religious media network in the world. EWTN’s 11 global TV channels are broadcast in multiple languages 24 hours a day, seven days a week to over 300 million television households in more than 145 countries and territories. EWTN platforms also include radio services transmitted through SIRIUS/XM, iHeart Radio, and over 500 domestic and international AM & FM radio affiliates; a worldwide shortwave radio service; one of the largest Catholic websites in the U.S.; electronic and print news services, including Catholic News Agency, “The National Catholic Register” newspaper, and several global news wire services; as well as EWTN Publishing, its book publishing division.