ROCKFORD—Although there was no actual banquet to present them, the Diocese of Rockford Office of Communication and Publications won the most awards ever in its annual peer competition.

 

“We are excited by the honors we received in the Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada awards program this year,” said Penny Wiegert, director of communications and editor of The Observer. “To our knowledge, this year’s 17 awards are a new record for us.”

 

“Bishop David Malloy’s ‘Top o’ the Morning’ daily TV message, our weekly English and monthly Spanish newspapers, and our once-a-year diocesan directory all took prizes,” she added.

 

Observer correspondent also wins awards   ELGIN—Observer correspondent Pat Szpekowski, recently received four awards from the Illinois Woman’s Press Association and one national award from the National Federation of Press Women in its 2020 Communications Contest.   One award, a second place from the IWPA, was for a story she wrote for The Observer, “Diocese Marks 75 years of Cursillo.”   She also won a first place from the IWPA in the writing-electronic newsletter category for the “Connections” newsletter distributed to O’Hare International Airport concessionaires and employees. It also earned an honorable mention from the National Federation of Press Women.   Another IWPA second place in  the news category-magazine was for "O'Hare 21" on the redevelopment of O’Hare International Airport published in the Air Chicago Magazine distributed at O’Hare and Midway International Airports   She also earned an IWPA third place for a personality profile category-magazine on the founder of the not for profit  “Rags of Honor” published in Air Chicago Magazine.   Szpekowski, president of PR Strategies and Communications, Inc. in Elgin, and her husband, Dan, are members of St. Catherine of Siena Parish in West Dundee.

The bishop’s daily TV reflection took first place in the communications category Best Diocesan Pastoral Message Audio or Video. 

 

An image from the opening sequence (above) was also featured prominently both on the cover and inside of The Catholic Journalist, the CPA’s monthly member newspaper, awards edition.

 

Also taking another first place was the Diocese of Rockford 2019-20 Official Directory created by The Observer staff.The directory has won several first place honors in the book category for more than two decades.

 

A story that appeared in both The Observer and El Observador may have set a record for the most awards in multiple categories. Writer and photographer Amanda Hudson, designer Sharon Boehlefeld and translator Margarita Mendoza were honored for their parts in the story in: 

 

�–� Best Layout of Article or Column — Weekly Diocesan Newspaper, Circulation 25,000 or Less First Place (English); 

 

�–� Best Analysis/Background/RoundUp News Writing — The Gerard E. Sherry Award — Diocesan Newspaper Third Place (English);

 

�–� Best Reporting on Vocations to Priesthood, Religious Life or Diaconate Second Place (Spanish);

 

�–� Best Layout of an Article or Column — Newspaper First Place (Spanish).

 

“In the Habit” was the opening story of a series on the garb of clergy and religious. It began in the summer of 2019 and continued through spring of 2020.

 

The Sherry award was named in honor of a long-time editor of Our Sunday Visitor.

 

Another multiple category winner was “Celestial Bread: Astronaut Shares Eucharist with Fellow Catholics in Space,” by Margarita Mendoza, a Forever Family feature in The Observer. It was honored for: 

 

♦ Best Personality Profile — Weekly Diocesan Newspaper, Circulation 25,000 or Less Honorable Mention; and 

 

♦ Best Reporting on the Celebration of a Sacrament —Weekly Diocesan Newspaper, Circulation 25,000 or Less Honorable Mention.

 

In the Spanish language categories, El Observador editor Margarita Mendoza won first place for her column, Servir Para Vivir (Live to Serve).

 

The paper also took a second place for Best Reporting — On Immigration for “Rockford Catholic Lawyer Travels to Southern Border to Help Those Seeking Safety” by Boehlefeld.

 

A third place for Best Reporting — On a Local Issue went to “The Church’s Mission is More than Buildings” by  Wiegert.

 

In English categories, The Observer took second place for Best Newspaper — Weekly Diocesan Newspaper, Circulation 25,000 or Less.

 

“We especially appreciate this award because it recognizes the efforts of our entire staff,” Wiegert said.

The full staff was also credited for an honorable mention for Best Seasonal Issue for “The Rockford Diocese Celebrates Easter.”

 

First place for Best Promotional House Ad went to “Heading for the Shore?” by Boehlefeld. 

 

Hudson took second place for Best News Writing on a Local or Regional Event — Weekly Diocesan Newspaper, Circulation 25,000 or Less Second for “Lightning Closes Marian Central.”

 

Boehlefeld earned two honorable mentions, one for  “Blessed Bounty: The Right Gifts Can Encourage Faithful Marriages,” that appeared in the Forever Family section. and one for Best News Writing on a Local or Regional Event for “Rockford Refugees Take Part in Human Library.”