The Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada, which held its annual national convention May 25-27 at the Hilton in the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla., honored The Georgia Bulletin with four journalism awards at the final banquet.

The 2005 Catholic Media Convocation was held this year for the first time as a combined convention for both the Catholic Press Association, based in Ronkonkoma, N.Y., and the Catholic Academy of Communication Arts Professionals, based in Dayton, Ohio.

Staff photographer Michael Alexander received an honorable mention in the category of individual excellence—photographer/artist, in competition with both newspapers and magazines. His photo submissions from 2004 included an image of a Hispanic child dressed as Juan Diego at an Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration at Holy Spirit Church’s Hispanic mission and an image focused on the hand and rosary of one of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia at St. Catherine of Siena School in Kennesaw, with a classroom in the background.

In the category of best personality profile for Catholic newspapers with a circulation of over 40,000, staff writer Priscilla Greear received a first-place award for her July 22, 2004, article “Volunteers Help Inmates Create Catholic Community.” The article featured the archdiocesan prison ministry of Paul Caruso and his volunteer team to inmates at Hays State Prison in Trion, and judges called it “a fascinating look into prison ministry.”

“The reporting is thorough and moving,” they continued, noting that the category for this award was “very competitive.”

Greear also received a third-place award in the category of best local/regional news writing for papers with circulation over 40,000 for the Dec. 23, 2004, article entitled “The Gift of Faith Comes at Christmastime for Soldier” about National Guard soldier Justin Russell who completed an expedited formation program last December at Holy Cross Church, Atlanta, to join the Catholic Church before being called up in January in preparation for deployment to the Middle East. Judges wrote that the story “gives good insight into the life of a soldier and good insight into the faith decisions made by an individual. Most of us just have that religion we are born into and don’t give it a lot of thought. It was intriguing to read of someone’s decision to come to it later in life.”

In the category of best reporting on children, in competition with newspapers of all circulations, staff writer Erika Anderson received an honorable mention for her April 22, 2004, story “Visiting ‘Wizard’ Challenges, Delights Students.” The article, which was featured on the front page of the paper, described a Discovery Channel program host’s visit to St. Joseph School, Athens, after then-student Joseph Stunzi won the channel’s “America’s Top Young Scientist of the Year” competition.