B.C. Catholic recognized as top newspaper at Canadian Christian journalism awards

The B.C. Catholic has won nine awards for Christian journalism in Canada, including first place in general excellence in newspapers.

B.C. Catholic editor Paul Schratz said the newspaper team was grateful and honoured with the recognition as staff watched the online awards ceremony by the Canadian Christian Communicators Association Wednesday.

“I’m so pleased to know we’re appreciated for the outstanding job we’re doing, especially at this time the pandemic is making independent journalism so critical,” said Schratz.

In addition to being awarded first place in the General Excellence - Newspaper category, the publication placed first in four other categories, recognizing Schratz for a powerful critique of Bill C-7 in the Editorial category; Agnieszka Ruck for a detail-oriented and descriptive Biographical Profile; graphic designer Inca Siojo for “top-notch” Layout and Design; and a team of contributors and editors for the 2020 B.C. Election Guide.

Judges praised the election guide as “the definition of service journalism,” and “a gift to readers.”

For her creative handling of 103 photos of parishioners thanking health-care workers during the pandemic, Siojo received second place in the Front Page category. The judge commented: “The designer who thought of this layout idea is an innovative giant.”

Ruck also received second place in two other categories: News Story (for coverage of the Delta Hospice Society and Fraser Health Authority dispute) and Feature Series (for a historical series on forced adoption practices in Canada).

Schratz’s column “Life in the Schratz Lane” took third place in the newspaper Column category for his “clear, concise, cogent arguments” that are “models of what columns are at their best.”

The B.C. Catholic’s nine awards tied last year’s record at the CCCA.