Angelus won a total of 22 Catholic Media Awards for work published in 2023, including First Place honors for its daily newsletter, Always Forward, and columnists Heather King and Greg Erlandson.
The awards were announced at the conclusion of the 2024 Catholic Media Conference, held June 18-21 in Atlanta.
The awards’ judges praised Always Forward on its layout and graphic design, diversity of reading content, strategic placement of ads, and even its “beautiful name.” Always Forward is curated by Angelus multimedia editor Tamara Long-Garcia.
“Features like global reading links, Photo of the Day, and social media links at the bottom enhance reader engagement and encourage return visits,” the judges wrote. “Overall, these thoughtful touches contribute to the success of the publication and keep readers coming back for more.”
This year marked the sixth time weekly Angelus columnist Heather King was awarded First Place for her column “Desire Lines” in the “Arts, Leisure, Culture, and Food” category. Judges praised her writing as “clear, unapologetic, honest, [and] exposed.”
Erlandson’s column, which won First Place in the magazine “General Commentary” category, was described as “excellent work in a crowded field,” and “a joy to read.”
The other First Place award given to Angelus went to contributor Rafael Alvarez’s cover feature on Servant of God Charlene Richard, a Louisiana farm girl who died in 1959 at the age of 12 and is now being considered for sainthood. Judges called the story a “beautifully written, detailed, and poignant narrative” that “invites readers to feel intimately connected to a simple faith and the depth of Roman Catholic teaching.’
Angelus contributor Elise Ureneck earned two prizes in the category “Best Essay — Diocesan Magazine.” Judges called her tribute to the “Benedict XVI generation (Second Place) a “candid snapshot of [a] tumultuous period in time … that resonates across generations” and praised her “compelling storytelling” in another essay titled “Here Come the Tradwives” (Third Place).
Angelus’ biweekly magazine placed an Honorable Mention in the “Best Magazine” category for “excellent news coverage that goes beyond the LA Archdiocese” that “includes social justice stories about the Los Angeles area.”
Editor-in-Chief Pablo Kay was included for the fourth year in a row in the Editor of the Year category, with an honorable mention. Kay’s “dedication to serving audiences in two languages is especially impressive,” judges noted.
FIRST PLACE
Best Writing — In-Depth: “Searching for ‘Saint’ Charlene” by Rafael Alvarez
Best Newsletter: Always Forward
Best Regular Column — Art, Leisure, Culture, and Food: “Desire Lines” by Heather King
Best Regular Column — General Commentary: “Intersections” by Greg Erlandson
SECOND PLACE
Best Guest Column/Commentary: “The Currency of the Heart” by Jennifer Hubbard
Best Regular Column — Family Life: “With Grace” by Dr. Grazie Pozo Christie
Best Essay — Diocesan Magazine: “The Benedict Generation” by Elise Italiano Ureneck
Best Original Poetry: “From guilt to grace” by Dr. Grazie Pozo Christie
Best Writing — Analysis: “A mystery mission” by John L. Allen, Jr.
THIRD PLACE
Best Essay — Diocesan Magazine: “Here come the ‘Tradwives’ ” by Elise Italiano Ureneck
Best Reporting on Catholic Education: “Small school, big difference” by Ann Rodgers
Best Review: “A self-conscious quest” by Joseph Joyce
HONORABLE MENTION
Editor of the Year: Pablo Kay
Best Reporting of the Celebration of a Sacrament: “When God gets close” by Mike Aquilina
Best Magazine: Angelus
Best Cover — Color (Large): “The genius of St. Therese” by Jacob Popcak
Best Coverage — Disaster or Crisis: “Mourning a peacemaker” by Pablo Kay; “Asking for answers” by Tom Hoffarth; “Signs to carry on” by Ann Rodgers
Best Essay — Diocesan Magazine: “A giant for the small ones” by Father Peter Cameron, OP
Best Interview: “A shepherd at the end of the world” by Pablo Kay
Best Reporting on Vocations: “Saying Goodbye to ‘Uncle Dave’ ” by Pablo Kay
Best Review: “A messy machine story” by Amy Welborn
Best Directory: Archdiocese of Los Angeles Catholic Directory (2023-2024)
