SYDNEY NZ Catholic has collected six awards, including two for a cartoon by Malcolm Evans, at the back-to-back Australasian Catholic and Religious Press Association conferences in Sydney. In his cartoon in July 2008, Mr Evans, NZ Catholics longtime cartoonist, depicted Pope Benedict arriving in Sydney for World Youth Day running from his plane with his surfboard. A caption suggested he was heading for Bondi Beach.
The cartoon won best humorous item at the ARPA awards and was highly commended at ACPA in the best original artwork category.
In that latter category, Dunedin-based Tui Motu won the top award for a piece illustrated by Donald Moorhead.
Also at the ACPA conference, NZ Catholic won best news story for coverage of a controversial conference at Wellingtons Mercy Centre for gay and lesbian couples and best editorial for an article on Dominican Father Peter Murnanes efforts to bring attention to communications surveillance being carried out at a government spy base at Waihopai.
The news category judge acknowledged Michael Ottos story was on a contentious topic, but said the story is factual, presented without bias, and, in the best tradition of a news story, with all angles covered, and a story almost certain to arouse comment for and against the topic.
Of the winning editorial, the judge said the submission stood out in a strong list of contenders. Its impact comes from well-reasoned arguments and persuasive supporting information.
Written in traditional newspaper editorial style, it is unwavering in its view but keeps its sense of balance throughout, the judge wrote.
Marist Messenger received a highly commended award in the best editorial category. NZ Catholic also won highly commended awards at ACPA in the best advertising feature and best headline categories.
Wel-com, the newspaper of Wellington archdiocese and Palmerston North diocese, picked up an award at the Catholic conference. It won the category for best devotional article applying faith to life for a story by World Youth Day pilgrim Heath Hutton on his experience in Sydney.
This personal reflection appears at first to be somewhat simple in approach, and this is its strength I believe, the judge wrote. It is a very readable and engaging personal experience of the tensions between difference and unity during World Youth Day.
Tui Motu won an award at the ARPA conference, receiving a bronze award in the category for best devotional article applying faith to life. The article, by Jeph Mathias, was entitled Musings about justice aboard a Jumbo jet.