BRAINTREE -- The Pilot received nine awards from the Catholic Media Association for staff members' work in 2022, honoring a variety of aspects of the longest-running Catholic newspaper in the country.

Each year, the Catholic Media Association invites submissions from Catholic newspapers, websites, and magazines to be judged for excellence by a panel of independent experts. The Pilot has been honored with awards every year since 2002.

This year's winners were announced at the Catholic Media Conference held June 6-9 in Baltimore.

In the Newspaper Division, The Pilot won third place for best weekly newspaper. In their comments, the judges noted the publication's "Timely and relative stories that evoke emotion," as well as "Very strong photos put to good use."

The Pilot also took second place for Best Front Page in the category of Reporting on the sacred and the profane based on issues submitted from Lent 2022. The judges praised the "Quality pages in different styles" and "use of dynamic art" in the (Feb. 25) 'Lent 3.0' issue." They also cited the Feb. 18 cover photo, saying that "the illustration of a bullet hole with the picture of the men in uniform viewed through is dynamic and demanding of the reader's attention."

The newspaper received third place for Best Media Kit, which the judges said "tells me all about the place, the people I will be adventuring to and the price. A nice display of the calendar and supplements is also very helpful."

Production manager Nan Wilkins earned third place in the category of Best Ad Campaign Originating with the Publication for Advertiser for "Oblates Gala 2022." The judges observed that "Class and dignity meet style and refinement" in Wilkins' work.

Wilkins, advertising manager Daniel Maguire, and special section editor Father Robert O'Grady also earned third place for Best Special Supplement or Special Issue with Advertising Emphasis for The Pilot's 2022 Open House Education Section. The judges said the section was "a great example of how editorial and advertising can work hand in hand."

Staff reporter Jacqueline Tetrault won two awards for her articles. Her May 13, 2022, article "Local pro-life advocates react to SCOTUS leak, contemplate post-Roe future," took second place for Best Coverage of Pro-Life Issues.

The Sept. 2, 2022 article "Program trains new college grads as faith-centered Catholic educators" won first place in Best Reporting on Catholic Education.

"This article is thorough and organized. It paints a touching picture of the next generation of Catholic teachers. The interviews with both leaders and students were encouraging and portrayed a mutual love of faith-based education. This professionally written piece is a genuinely fascinating read!" the judges said.

Pilot managing editor Gregory L. Tracy also received recognition for his photographic coverage of last year's Eucharistic Congress in Lowell.

His photo "Jesus is Here," which was featured on the cover of the June 24, 2022, issue, earned third place for Best Photograph -- Sacramental.

"This is a beautiful photo that draws in the viewer to learn more about what is going on. Nice colors, shading, use of lighting. Great work!" the judges said.

Tracy also earned honorable mention in the category of best news photo story for the two-page spread "Scenes from the Eucharistic Congress" that featured additional images from the event.

Pilot editor Antonio Enrique said the awards "confirm our team's success in bringing exciting news and commentary with a Catholic perspective to our readers."

"It is gratifying to note that the awards encompass all aspects of our publication, including stories, photography, design, and advertising. Our peers' recognition of The Pilot as one of the best weekly Catholic newspapers in the nation is a wonderful affirmation of the talent and dedication of our staff," Enrique said.