mercy Sister Mary Ann Walsh was surprised at her home at the Sisters
of Mercy motherhouse in Albany March 12 when visitors presented her with
the Catholic Press Association's St. Francis de Sales Award.
"Her life of service to the Catholic press, the USCCB and the church
is outstanding and a model for all," said Rob DeFrancesco, president of
the CPA and associate publisher of the Catholic Sun in the Diocese of
Phoenix, in explaining the decision to bestow the award.
Sister Walsh, the U.S. church correspondent for America magazine,
stepped down last summer as director of media relations for the U.S.
Conference of Catholic Bishops.
"What a great honor," Sister Walsh said in a note to Catholic News
Service. "Once I moved from journalism to media relations, I thought
such an honor was out of reach. I love the Catholic Press Association
and the writing world. I am a writer at heart."
She previously had been media editor and a Vatican correspondent for
Catholic News Service and a reporter for The Evangelist, newspaper of
the Diocese of Albany, her hometown. She also has edited several books,
produced two videos, written commentaries or op-eds for numerous
publications and appeared many times on radio and television programs.
The honor from the professional organization representing members of
the Catholic news media in the U.S. and Canada was presented by Salt
Lake City Bishop John C. Wester, chairman of the Committee on
Communications of the USCCB, and Helen Osman, secretary of
communications for the USCCB.
In presenting Sister Walsh with a bronze statue of the patron saint
of journalists, Bishop Wester quoted St. Francis, saying "nothing is so
strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength."
DeFrancesco said the CPA board was unanimous in deciding to honor the life and work of Sister Walsh.
0 التعليقات