Three Holy Cross priests took first-place Catholic Press Association awards at the 2012 Catholic Media Conference in Indianapolis on June 22.
Rev. Ronald Raab, C.S.C., Associate Pastor of Saint Andre Bessette Catholic Church in Portland, Ore., won best regular column, spiritual life, for “Celebrate!” magazine for three columns: “Getting Our Feet Wet“(Spring 2011), “Message in a Bottle“(Summer 2011), and”Off The Wall“(Fall 2011).
The judges said, “The author offers insight and inspiration in each column, driving the reader to think about each column well after reading.”
Fr. Raab previously won first place in the column category in the 2012 Canadian Church Press Award for the same series of columns.
Rev. Daniel G. Groody, C.S.C., won first place for best coverage of immigration in “America Magazine,” New York, for “A Theology of Migration.” Fr. Groody is associate professor of theology and director of the Center for Latino Spirituality and Culture at the University of Notre Dame’s Institute for Latino Studies.
The judges noted that his story was “One man’s personal journey, experiences & reflections. Never loses the big picture. Everyone should approach immigration thus.”
Fr. Groody recently also received the Touchstone Award from the National Federation of Priests’ Councils.
Newly ordained Rev. Matthew Kuczora, C.S.C., won first place for best essay in religious order magazines for a piece called “Blessed are we who comfort the mourners” in “VISION Catholic Vocation Discernment Guide,” Chicago.
Fr. Kuczora is Holy Cross’ Director of the Office of Vocations in Mexico.
The judges said Fr. Kuczora’s essay is “An entertwined series of journeys: a spiritual calling, a lifelong friendship, a maturation into a career, a life cut tragically short. This is told with intelligence and insight.”
