PRESS RELEASE

June 26, 2023

CONTACT: Justin Huyck, Director of Communications; (330) 744-8451, ext. 320, jhuyck@youngstowndiocese.org

The Catholic Diocese of Youngstown is pleased to announce that it has been awarded three Catholic Media Awards from the Catholic Media Association for diocesan media products, as well as one award for Bishop David Bonnar for his column in The Priest magazine. Separately, the Diocese of Youngstown received an award from the 2023 Communicator Awards, given by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts.

Leading the awards for the Diocese of Youngstown were Father James Korda, recognized with the 2023 Gabriel Award for Lifetime Achievement (see June 9 press release) and Pete Sheehan, who received first place in the category of regular column for pro-life issues. Sheehan, editor of the diocese’s former publication, The Catholic Exponent, and current writer for The Catholic Echo, was recognized for his column, “Considering past and future on the 49th anniversary of Roe v. Wade.”  The column originally appeared in January 2022 in The Catholic Exponent, and can be found on The Catholic Echo website at https://catholicecho.org/2023/06/23/pete-sheehan-wins-cma-award/. Judges noted that the column offered a good presentation of a complex issue while underscoring that challenges remain. This is the second straight first place award for Mr. Sheehan, who also won a 2022 Catholic Media Award for best column in the pandemic category, for his collection of columns on the COVID pandemic.

The Diocese of Youngstown’s communications department also received an honorable mention from the Catholic Media Association in the press release category for Justin Huyck and Katie Wagner’s press release, “Diocese of Youngstown announces The Catholic Echo.”

For his collection of columns in The Priest magazine, which is published by Our Sunday Visitor, Bishop David Bonnar won a third place award in the magazine category for best regular column on religious life. Bishop Bonnar serves as editor of The Priest magazine. This is the second year in a row that Bishop Bonnar’s column for The Priest has been recognized, having received a second place award in the same category in 2022.

Separately, the Diocese of Youngstown received an Award of Distinction from the 2023 Communicator Awards for its radio program Wineskins, hosted by Father James Korda and edited by multimedia specialist Robert Gavalier. Unlike the Catholic Media Awards, which are given by the Catholic Media Association, the Communicator Awards are given by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts.

Justin Huyck, Diocesan Director of Communications, commented, “I am grateful that Father Korda and Pete Sheehan, great veteran communicators, have been recognized for their important work. And I’m excited that our communications department continues to be recognized as we innovate towards the future. It is fitting that Bishop Bonnar, who is leading our diocese to embrace new methods of communications as we build upon our legacy, has again also been recognized for his own writing that inspires priests throughout the country.”

Commenting on his award, Pete Sheehan said, “It’s always gratifying to have your work recognized. I see the award as recognition of the importance of the right-to-life issue, the need for continued zealous, intelligent and loving advocacy on behalf of human life, and of the key nature of lay voices in the Church.”