Diocesan website and newspaper receives awards from communications committee

Washington - the Catholic Communication Campaign (CCC) of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops announced winners of its 2001 Proclaim Awards honoring excellence in diocesan communications in those dioceses which participate in the CCC.

The awards were presented October 18, in San Antonio, Texas, during a luncheon at the Unda-USA Annual Assembly. As a member of Unda, a Catholic association for communications professionals, the CCC hosts its annual Proclaim Awards presentation in conjunction with their assembly. This year marks 20 years since the awards program was established.

Twelve Proclaim Awards were given to only 10 dioceses.

The Archdiocese of Detroit captured three Proclaim Awards and the Diocese of New Ulm received one Proclaim Award and one Certificate of Merit.

The Diocese of New Ulm received a Proclaim Award in the category of TV Public Service Announcements for "Our Men In Black" a series of (3) 15-second PSA’s produced to promote the Our Men In Black website, www.OurMIB.org.

The interactive vocations website invites young men to consider priesthood as a possible career choice. The site is a parody on the movie Men In Black and uses a humorous upbeat approach to answering "down to earth" questions about priesthood. The site has been recognized nationally by several religious communication organizations for its approach and excellent content.

At the same awards ceremony the Office of Communications also was presented with a Certificate of Merit in general excellence for the Prairie Catholic, the official newspaper of the Diocese of New Ulm.

The Catholic Communication Campaign produces and supports media projects that promote gospel values and is funded by an annual collection in Catholic parishes nationwide.

The U.S. bishops created the CCC in 1978 and established the Proclaim Awards in 1981. One hundred and one Proclaim Award entries were reviewed in July under the chairmanship of Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan of Santa Fe, NM, and member of the USCCB Communications Committee.