Catholic Media Awards

Honoring excellence in Catholic journalism and communications

 

This annual competition encourages media professionals to continually strive for the highest standards of faith-centered storytelling and communications, promoting a culture of excellence in media that serves the Church in its mission to spread truth and hope.

The Catholic Media Awards honor Catholic Media Association members for outstanding work produced in 2026. Winners are revealed at the annual awards celebration on July 16, 2027, the final evening of the Catholic Media Conference in Oklahoma City. They are announced in the awards edition of The Catholic Journalist, with comments from the judges, and featured on the CMA website and social media.

Submit Your EntriesView Divisions and Categories

New for 2027

  • An expanded All Member division. It is open to every CMA organizational member type and to freelance members, with categories for individual excellence, publications of the year, advertising, multimedia and video, podcasts, social media and websites.
  • Newspapers and Digital-only Publications. The Newspaper division now includes digital-only publications.

Key Dates

Submissions openNovember 2, 2026
Regular deadlineJanuary 31, 202711:59 p.m. CT
Extended periodFebruary 1 to 7, 202711:59 p.m. CT. Extension fees apply.
Payment deadlineFebruary 12, 2027
Awards presentationJuly 16, 2027Catholic Media Conference, Oklahoma City

Entry Fees

Per entry Regular periodNov. 2, 2026 to Jan. 31, 2027 Extended periodFeb. 1 to 7, 2027
CMA members $38 $48
  • The Catholic Media Awards are open to CMA members only. Members must be in good standing, with dues paid by March 31, 2027.
  • One free entry per CMA member organization or freelance member, when submitted by 11:59 p.m. CT on January 31, 2027. No free entries are available during the extended period.
  • The free entry may be your only entry. It is added to your cart automatically during the regular period.
  • If your organization also has a publication or communications office that is a CMA member, decide which one will use the free entry. If someone else on your staff has already used it, you will be invoiced for the difference after the program closes.

Divisions and Categories

The awards have five divisions. Each division page lists its eligibility requirements and full category descriptions.

All Member

Open to every CMA organizational member type and freelance members, with categories for individual excellence, advertising, video, podcasts, social media and websites.

View All Member categories

Newspapers and Digital-only Publications

For Organizational Media: Newspapers and Digital-only Publications members and their freelance contributors, covering writing, design and photography published in print or online.

View Newspapers and Digital-only Publications categories

Magazines and Print Newsletters

For Organizational Media: Magazines & Print Newsletters members and their freelance contributors, covering writing, design and photography from their magazines and print newsletters, in print or online.

View Magazines and Print Newsletters categories

Communications

For Organizational Communications members, covering appeals, pastoral messages, campaigns, annual reports, press releases and interviews produced outside a member publication.

View Communications categories

Spanish-language Publications

For Spanish-language member newspapers and magazines and their freelance contributors, covering writing, design and photography published in print or online.

View Spanish-language Publications categories

How to Enter

Every entry is submitted and paid for online through this portal. Hard copies are not required: upload a PDF or URL of the work with each submission form.

1. Create a profile

  • We recommend one profile for each publication or office.
  • Returning entrants can use last year's login. Click "Forgot My Password" on the login page to reset it.
  • New entrants: click "Enter the Catholic Media Awards" and follow the prompts to create an account.
  • Select your membership type at the start of the form, then choose your publication or communications office from the "Publisher Name" list. The address fills in automatically.

2. Submit your entries

  • Choose a category, fill out the form and upload your files. Click "Save" to return later.
  • To save time, duplicate a finished form, then select a new category and update the files.
  • Entries are marked "Incomplete" until they are paid. Delete any unfinished submissions from past years.

3. Pay

  • Add your entries to your cart, then check out and pay online by credit card.
  • Or pay by check, payable to the Catholic Media Association, and include your invoice number.
  • Paid entries are marked "Complete" and can't be edited. To fix a mistake, email the Awards Team by February 12, 2027.

Mail checks to:
CMA Awards Program
Catholic Media Association
10 S. Riverside Plaza, Suite 875
Chicago, IL 60606

Rules and Eligibility

Who can enter

  • Entries must come from a CMA member organization or freelance member in good standing. Dues must be paid by March 31, 2027, to be eligible for an award. No refunds are offered after judging.
  • Member organizations may submit the work of any employee or freelance member.
  • Freelance members may enter all categories. Their work must appear in the print edition of, on the website of, or in promotion of a member organization.
  • To avoid duplicate entries, freelance members should confirm that the member organization that published their work is not entering it in the same category.

Eligible work

  • Only work published in calendar year 2026 is accepted.
  • Unless a category says otherwise, entries must be the work of someone on the staff of, or a freelance contributor to, a CMA member organization.
  • Entries must be original work and follow the Fair Publishing Practices Code. Include bylines or credits on every submission.
  • Plagiarized or incorrectly credited entries will be disqualified.

Reasons for disqualification

  • Too few entries in a category. Every category needs at least two entries from different entrants to be judged. If a category falls short, your entry fee is refunded unless it was your free entry.
  • Missing requirements. Entries must include every required component and be submitted correctly. Please check the category descriptions.

Judging

Entries are judged by professionals knowledgeable about Catholic media, including faculty from prominent Catholic journalism schools. Our judges bring a wealth of experience in various media and are committed to the highest standards of integrity.

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