Diocesan news outlets garner five Catholic Media awards during annual banquet

The Catholic Spirit and the Office of Communications & Public Relations were recognized June 21 during the 2024 Catholic Media Conference with five Catholic Media Awards. The Catholic Media Awards honor outstanding achievements in Catholic journalism, communications, and other forms of media. These awards aim to highlight and honor the efforts of individuals and organizations that excel in portraying Catholic teachings, values, and stories in a compelling and authentic manner.
 
The Catholic Spirit was awarded: Best Front Page for Diocesan Newspaper- First Place for its: Three-part Series –Judges wrote of the winning series: Eye-catching and inviting. Creative fonts tailored for each issue. Images and words superbly in sync, with each element conveying the same message.

The Office of Communications and Public Relations was awarded: Best Press Release -Honorable Mention Catholic Charities, Diocese of Metuchen, Offers Hope During Mental Illness Awareness Week, Gerald Wutkowski, Jr., Assistant Director of Communications, and Tiffany Workman, Communications Specialist.

Best Regular Column (Spiritual Life)- Third Place Real Presence: Three Part Series Father Joseph Illés, Father Timothy Eck II, and Father Matthew Marinelli.
Hot Topic - Eucharistic Revival -Honorable Mention Eucharistic Revival Father Ariel Bautista Jr., Peter Nguyen, Graphic Designer, and Msgr. Joseph Kerrigan.

Best Use of Graphics (Best Original Illustration) -Honorable Mention Parish Eucharistic Adoration. 2023 issue, pg. 7.Peter Nguyen, Graphic Designer.

The regular column, “Real Presence,” was an initiative of Bishop James F. Checchio who invited recently ordained priests in the Diocese to write a column sharing their insights, perspectives and suggestions for increasing understanding of and devotion to the Eucharist in the parishes. The column ran from June 2023 to June 2024 to coincide with the Year of Parish Revival – year two of the National Eucharistic Revival.

Five diocesan priests were recognized for their submissions to this column, with Father Illés column, ‘My Sacrifice and Yours:’ Gift of Presence in the Mass, the first in the monthly series.
Father Marinelli’s column, Devotion to Mary nurtures devotion to the Holy Eucharist, ran in October, and Father Bautista’s column, Remember, understand, strengthen Eucharistic devotion ran in August.

Father Eck’s “Real Presence” column, Why did Christ institute the Eucharist? won under the Hot Topic category of Eucharistic Revival, along with Msgr. Joseph Kerrigan’s reflective piece entitled, ‘Eucharistic Revival, I’d like you to meet Season of Creation,’ both of which ran in the September issue. Msgr. Kerrigan serves as pastor of St. Joseph Catholic Community, Bound Brook.