The Visitor has received six awards from the Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada. They were announced June 15 at the 2018 Catholic Media Conference in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The awards were given for work completed in 2017.
The awards were:
- First place for best reporting on ecumenical and interfaith issues for “Together in hope: Catholics and Lutherans commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.”
Visitor multimedia reporter Kristi Anderson wrote about a Catholic-Lutheran joint-worship service in Fergus Falls and included information about a small study group and a listing of other commemorative gatherings in the diocese. - First place for best photograph of “Earth Day aurora” by Sandy Clemons, a member of Christ Our Light Parish in Princeton/Zimmerman who submitted the photo after The Visitor invited readers to commemorate Earth Day by sharing an image that captures the beauty of God’s creation.
- Second place for best publication blog for “From the Heart: A Catholic Blog for Central Minnesota” coordinated by Anderson. The judges called the blog — at www.fromtheheartmn.org — “enjoyable every time. … This blog does a great job of capturing day-to-day life in Minnesota and captivating its intended audience.”
- Second place for best reporting on vocations to priesthood, religious life or diaconate for “Farm life, family door open to vocation” by Anderson, with photos by Paul Middlestaedt, telling the story of then-Deacon Derek Wiechmann’s route to the priesthood.
- Third place for best sports journalism for a story about 18-year-old shortstop Royce Lewis, the Minnesota Twins’ No. 1 draft pick who said Minnesota is “where God intended me to be,” written by Anderson.
- Honorable mention for best layout of article or column for “A new creation” by Dianne Towalski, which featured her layout (and photographs) of the St. Cloud