Evangelist wins seven CPA awards

Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger and photographer Cindy Schultz led the way as The Evangelist garnered seven awards, while the Communications Department of the Diocese of Albany earned three awards from the Catholic Press Association during the 2020 Virtual Catholic Media Conference.

“We might have a small staff, but they constantly deliver compelling stories, photos and layouts that inspire me,” said Mike Matvey, editor. “And it is always great to receive recognition from your peers on the national level.”

Bishop Scharfenberger won a second-place award for Best Regular Column by a Bishop or Archbishop. The Bishop’s columns are published weekly in The Evangelist and online (evangelist.org). One of the Bishop’s most compelling columns was his piece on the death of George Floyd (“In pursuit of justice, all must ante up”) in the June 4, 2020 paper (top r.).

The judges said Bishop “grapples with important and timely issues.”

Photographer Cindy Schultz won first place in Best Photograph — Vocations to the Priesthood, Religious Life or Diaconate for “A very special day.” The photo that highlighted her talents in the design was Deacon Charles Onyeneke getting emotional during his Ordination to the Priesthood as his cousin, Glory Ozor, wipes a tear from his eye (top l.).

“Lots of beautiful images in this category,” the judges said, “and I just kept coming back to this one. So emotional, so timely because of the pandemic. Loved the composition.”

“Since she started working for The Evangelist, Cindy has consistently shot photos that have that ‘Wow’ factor,” said Matvey. “Every time she is on assignment, I can’t wait to see what she comes up with.”

Matvey won a third-place award for Best News Writing on a Local or Regional Event — One Shot for “A day to anoint” which followed Father Kyle Eads as he anointed COVID patients at Teresian House during the height of the pandemic.

“A crisp and direct storytelling approach that highlighted both the caregiver and the overarching situation made this article stand out,” commented the judges.

And in the same category, Matvey earned an honorable mention for “Live Stream,” which chronicled one of the first live­stream Masses in the Diocese at St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish in Schenectady.

The Evangelist won second place and an honorable mention in Best Seasonal Issue — Print Only for “Back to School” and “Salute to Grads.” The team of Matvey, Schultz, staff writers Emily Benson and Franchesa Caputo and designer Brenda Powell worked on both projects.

For the second-place award, the judges remarked the “Back to School theme is carried out with insightful articles, wonderful photographs and design elements that carry the theme throughout the publication,” and for the honorable mention, they said the paper was a  “wonderful theme issue with all parts connecting to the graduation theme.”

And in the category of Best Story and Photo Package, The Evangelist staff of Benson, Powell, Matvey and Schultz earned an honorable mention for the story “He’s like a saint.” The story and accompanying photos followed an anniversary caravan of cars which celebrated the 70th anniversary to the priesthood of Father James J. Vaughan, pastor emeritus of Sacred Heart Church in Troy, at Van Rensselaer Manor in Troy.

The Communications Department — led by Mary DeTurris Poust, director of diocesan communications, and Molly Halpin, communications specialist — won second place for Best Package — COVID Pandemic Outreach Communications Plan (“Strong production values coupled with a robust, multi-platform plan, attractive and detailed website recommend this for placement,” the judges said. “Unique features to this submission — including a TV commercial that, while low on production, is high on impact.”); a second place for Best use of Graphics in Social Media (“Both the cover image and the post image were well designed, with a lot of detail included. The cover image really hits the mark, feeling bright and optimistic,” the judges remarked. “Meanwhile, the post image was very accessible and easy to interpret. The videos linked in the posts are nicely done and continue to support the positive message of the campaign.”); and a third place for Best Diocesan Website (This website uses a clear, consistent design and is frequently updated. The “How Do I...” feature at the top of the homepage helps visitors quickly find answers to common questions,” the judges said.).