‘Black Catholic Voices’ multimedia series earns first place for Catholic Standard in 2021 Catholic Press Awards

The multimedia series, “Black Catholic Voices” won first place in the 2021 Catholic Press Awards sponsored by the Catholic Media Association of the United States and Canada, one of 12 awards won by the Catholic Standard newspaper and website of the Archdiocese of Washington in that annual competition.

The Catholic Standard's Black Catholic Voices series features videotaped interviews with local Black Catholics, beginning with Cardinal Wilton Gregory, who reflect on their journeys of faith, share their insights on combating racism, and say what gives them hope for the future.

The Catholic Standard won top awards for photography, news reporting and column writing.

Here are the 12 awards won by the Catholic Standard in the 2021 Catholic Press Awards:

Father Robert Boxie III, the priest chaplain at Howard University in Washington, D.C., was interviewed in November 2020 for the Catholic Standard's Black Catholic Voices series. (CS photo/Andrew Biraj)

First place – BEST MULTIMEDIA PACKAGE SERIES: “Black Catholic Voices,” series on website of Catholic Standard of Archdiocese of Washington, interviews by Catholic Standard editor Mark Zimmermann; photos by Andrew Biraj, the Catholic Standard’s photography and social media coordinator; and videos by the Archdiocese of Washington’s multimedia team of Geoffrey Ros and Ron Bethke.

Young people participate in the annual Youth Rally and Mass for Life sponsored by the Archdiocese of Washington, held this year on Jan. 24, 2020 at the Capital One Arena in the nation’s capital. The youth rally was followed by the Mass for Life celebrated by Washington Archbishop Wilton Gregory. More than 18,000 teens and young adults from throughout the Washington area and from across the country and from around the world attended the Mass and rally and then joined the annual March for Life. (CS photo/Andrew Biraj)

First place – BEST MULTIPLE PICTURE PACKAGE, NEWS – Feb. 6, 2020, “Young people encouraged to ‘abandon everything’ to God as witnesses to life at annual Youth Rally and Mass for Life,” photos by Andrew Biraj.

Aiden Lewis, a kindergarten student at St. Thomas More Catholic Academy in Washington, D.C., searches for books in his school’s new St. Jerome Library, which opened its doors on Jan. 29, 2020 during Catholic Schools Week. (Archdiocese of Washington photo/Jaclyn Lippelmann)

First place – BEST STORY AND PHOTO PACKAGE – Feb. 6, 2020, “New library at St. Thomas More Catholic Academy seen as opening a ‘new world of possibilities,’” story by Mark Zimmermann, photos by Jaclyn Lippelmann.

On Aug. 14, 2020, school secretary Jocelyn Pagan, left, and vice principal Erin Meunier, wearing face masks, measure the distance between desks in preparation for school reopening at St. Joseph’s Regional Catholic School in Beltsville, Maryland, as the new school year begins with extensive COVID-19 protocols in place, including temperature screening and mandatory face masks for each student. (CS photo/Andrew Biraj)

Second place – BEST NEWS WRITING ON A LOCAL OR REGIONAL EVENT (SERIES) – “Archdiocese of Washington announces reopening plan for Catholic schools,” “Welcome back: Catholic schools reopen with safety precautions and virtual learning,” “’It feels like a school again,’ Catholic schools reopening in a blended model adapt to new style of teaching,” “‘Hours beyond measure’ spent to ensure Catholics schools’ safe reopening,” “Adapting to teaching in a time of pandemic, educators incorporate new technology in how they instruct students,” stories by Richard Szczepanowski, the Catholic Standard's managing editor.

Catholic Charities staff and volunteers in the Archdiocese of Washington distribute 800 boxes of nutritious grocery items and 800 family-size meals on May 19, 2020 to people lined up in cars in the parking lot of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception during the coronavirus pandemic. See related story, page 6. (CNS photo/Tyler Orsburn)

Second place – BEST REGULAR COLUMN, SPIRITUAL LIFE – “Faith in Action” columns by Msgr. John Enzler: “Saluting our heroes;” “Taking the plank out of my own eye;” and “Renewing this powerful prayer in my recovery.”

CBS Sports anchor James Brown, who played basketball for Coach Morgan Wootten at DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland, delivers the eulogy at the legendary coach's Jan. 27, 2020 Funeral Mass at DeMatha. Behind a photo of Morgan Wootten and his wife Kathy is Washington Auxiliary Bishop Michael Fisher, one of 12 concelebrants at the Mass. (CS photo/Andrew Biraj)

Second place – BEST SPORTS JOURNALISM, SPORTS NEWS: “At Funeral Mass, DeMatha Coach Morgan Wootten’s legacy as a coach, teacher and man of faith remembered,” story by Maureen Boyle, photos by Andrew Biraj.

Catholic priests, bishops and women religious, joined by laypeople, march against racism and police brutality on June 8, 2020 in Washington, D.C. (CS photo/Mihoko Owada)

Second place – BEST PHOTOGRAPH – NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL EVENT – “Praying for Justice; Priests and bishops lead Catholics in march against racial injustice and police brutality,” photo by Mihoko Owada.

Third place – BEST PRINT SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT ON BISHOP’S TRANSITION – Dec. 10, 2020, “Our new Cardinal, Cardinal Wilton Gregory,” by Catholic Standard staff.

Celebrating his first Easter as the archbishop of Washington, then-Archbishop Wilton Gregory lights the Paschal Candle held by Dominican Brother Justin Bulger during the April 11, 2020 Easter Vigil at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle. (CS photo/Andrew Biraj)

Third place – BEST PHOTOGRAPH, HOLY DAYS/LITURGICAL SEASONS – “Archbishop Gregory lights Easter candle,” photo by Andrew Biraj.

Ann Gillespie, the principal of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Elementary School in Clinton, Maryland, welcomes siblings Farah (first grade), Margaux and Jack (pre-kindergarten) and Paul Molchan (first grade) to their first day of school there on Aug. 26, 2020. The school is featured in the Catholic Standard’s Back to School section on page S1. (CS photo/Andrew Biraj)

Honorable mention – BEST PHOTOGRAPH, CATHOLIC EDUCATION – “Welcome back: Catholic schools reopen with safety precautions and virtual learning,” photo by Andrew Biraj.

A woman prays during Archbishop Wilton Gregory’s Mass on Oct. 24, 2020 at St. Luke Church in Washington, D.C., one day before Pope Francis named him as a cardinal. (CS photo/Mihoko Owada)

Honorable mention – BEST FREESTANDING PRESENTATION OF ONLINE PHOTO GALLERY OR SLIDESHOW: “Joyful Mass at St. Luke's Church in Washington on day before Archbishop Gregory named a cardinal,” photos by Mihoko Owada, website of Catholic Standard

Gerald Smith, the principal of St. Thomas More Catholic Academy in Washington, walks down a hallway of the school with some of the young scholars there. (CS photo/Andrew Biraj)

Honorable mention – BEST REPORTING ON CATHOLIC EDUCATION: “For St. Thomas More principal, college and heaven are goals for his scholars,” story by Mark Zimmermann, photos by Andrew Biraj.

‘Black Catholic Voices’ multimedia series earns first place for Catholic Standard in 2021 Catholic Press Awards

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