The Diocese of Cleveland Communications Department earned three awards in the 2023 Catholic Media Association Catholic Press Awards.
The Catholic Media Association presented the awards during its annual conference June 6-9 in Baltimore, Maryland. Catholic publications from throughout the United States and Canada participated in the contest. CMA represents 240 publications and 115 communications offices throughout the U.S. and Canada. This year’s contest winners were chosen from among approximately 3,000 submissions in various categories.
The Cleveland Diocese won two first place awards – best video in the 57th annual Gabriel Awards competition and best multimedia package – feature, as well as a second place award for best use of social video on social media – diocesan communications.
This was the second time the diocese won a prestigious Gabriel Award for a video companion to a Northeast Ohio Catholic magazine story.
This year’s first place Gabriel Awards video, “Sister Saving Sister,” focused on two cloistered Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration sisters, one of whom needed a kidney transplant and the other who wanted to be her living donor. Unfortunately, their blood types did not match.
However, by participating in the paired donation program, the ailing sister received a kidney and the donating sister’s kidney went to another person in need of a transplant.
The judges said: “This video package was beautifully shot, and the story was poignant. The bond these sisters shared was captured in the story and I found the story award worthy.”
The “Sister Saving Sister” package also won first place for best multimedia package – feature.
The entries were produced by Deacon James Armstrong, Kay Colby and Kathy McClain. The story, written by Carol Kovach, was published in the March/April 2022 issue of Northeast Ohio Catholic magazine.
Watch the video above and read the accompanying magazine story here.
The communications team also won a second place award for best use of video on social media –diocesan communications – for “Northeast Ohio Catholic Report,” which debuted May 16, 2022. The quarterly video newscast features stories of faith and inspiration. The first report included a look at the kindness of the community rallying around those affected by the fire at St. Anthony of Padua School in Parma as well as ongoing features “Fitness and Faith,” “Shepherding with Gladness,” which recaps some of Bishop Edward Malesic’s events and activities, and “Spotlight on Schools” that shows what’s happening in some of the Catholic schools around the eight-county diocese.
The newscast, produced by the Communications Department team of Deacon Jim Armstrong, Kay Colby, Carol Kovach and Jeff Stutzman, is a companion to the magazine, which is published six times per year.
Watch the newscast above.
In addition to the diocesan winners, a video produced by America Magazine that focused on a Cleveland parish – St. Adalbert/Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament -- won first place for best freestanding presentation of online video – feature.
The nearly 15-minute video focused on the campaign waged by the congregation of the oldest Black parish in the diocese and the second oldest in the country as it fought to reopen. It was among 52 parishes suppressed during a diocesan reconfiguration in 2009-2010. Thirteen parishes appealed to Rome and St. Adalbert/OLBS was among the parishes that reopened in 2012.
Click here to view the video.
“The list of award recipients is but a small sample of the work done day-to-day by those engaged in Catholic journalism, communications and social media,” said Ana Rodriguez-Soto, chair of the CMA Awards Committee.
Rodriguez-Soto said the entries honored each year reflect the variety of topics covered by Catholic media publications. She said they are “stories of joy and hope, of grief and anguish, of the poor and afflicted. That certainly refutes the stereotype that Catholic journalists spend their time covering Masses or following the bishop around the diocese.
“Catholic journalists focus on people – all God’s people – and how God’s presence in the world is made visible through them and with them and in the outstretched hands of those who call themselves Catholic and Christian,” she added.