BRAINTREE -- The Pilot received 17 awards, including two First Place prizes, at the 2026 Catholic Media Awards, the highest single-year total in at least the last 50 years, according to The Pilot's archives.

The awards are presented annually by the Catholic Media Association, which represents 600 member publications across the U.S. and Canada. This year's awards were announced at the annual Catholic Media Conference held in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on June 19, honoring the best work published by Catholic publications in 2025. The winners were lauded in the June 2026 issue of the Association's official publication, the Catholic Journalist, with comments from the judges.

The Pilot won First Place for Best Media Kit. The award went to Production Manager Nan Wilkins, Advertising Manager Dan Maguire, and Special Assistant to the Editor Father Robert O'Grady.

"The work of the publication was showcased nicely," the judges wrote.

Pilot reporter Wes Cipolla received First Place in Best Reporting on a Special Age Group -- Senior Citizens for his profiles of the winners of the Cheverus Awards. The annual archdiocesan awards go to those who have offered long-term, often unrecognized service to the Church in Boston and therefore typically go to older adults.

"The writing and storytelling is extremely well-done and engaging -- from the ledes to the quotes to the sensory details," the judges wrote in their comments. "Though they were profiles of individual people, their stories touched on deeper issues and histories about Catholic communities in Boston, which made these stories stand out."

Cipolla received Third Place in Writer of the Year, English Language. He was the only honoree from a diocesan newspaper -- the rest work for national publications.

"Wes Cipolla writes wonderfully compelling ledes to his stories and has a highly descriptive, engaging, and refreshing writing style that drew me in paragraph after paragraph," the judges wrote. "He shows the ability to handle any topic adeptly and expertly."

He also received Third Place for Best Feature Writing -- Diocesan Weekly with his Nov. 14, 2025, article "Volunteers Work to Preserve North End's Cherished All Saints Way." The article tells the story of the late Peter Baldassari, who constructed an ornate monument to the saints in a North End alleyway. After his death, his admirers and neighbors came together to restore his handmade shrine.

"This is a captivating article that flows from start to finish," the judges wrote.

Cipolla received Third Place in Best News Writing on a Local Event -- Diocesan Weekly for his article "New Boston Exhibit Explores Pope Leo's Diverse Family Tree." The article, published on Oct. 10, 2025, covers a panel discussion hosted by famed genealogist Henry Louis Gates Jr. on Pope Leo XIV's ancestry, part of an exhibit on the pope's lineage at the American Ancestors headquarters in Boston.

"This is a lively, fun piece anchored with fascinating detail," the judges wrote.

Finally, Cipolla received an Honorable Mention for Best Reporting on the Celebration of a Sacrament with his March 7, 2025, article "'We Forgive You:' Franklin Church Rededicated after Arson Damage Repairs.'"

Photographs by Pilot Managing Editor and photographer Gregory L. Tracy received six awards in categories open not only to other local publications but also to national newspapers and wire services.

Tracy's photo "Blessing at Sea," depicting Archbishop Richard G. Henning blessing the U.S. Coast Guard station from a boat in Boston Harbor during the "Into the Deep" Eucharistic Pilgrimage in May 2025, received Second Place for Best Photograph -- General News Photo.

"This is such a nifty angle that captures the story in just one shot!" the judges said.

Tracy's photo of the St. Patrick statue in the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, clutching cut shamrocks on St. Patrick's Day 2025, received Third Place in Best Photograph -- Holy Days/Liturgical Seasons, and an Honorable Mention for Best Photograph -- Scenic, Still-life, or Weather Photo.

Tracy's photo "Smiling Jubilee Pilgrims," depicting two pilgrims from the archdiocese at the gathering with Pope Leo for the Jubilee of Youth in Rome, received Third Place for Best Photograph -- Hot Topic -- The Jubilee Year.

"This is a simply framed yet powerful image that effectively captures emotion, reflecting both the significance of the event and its broader impact," the judges wrote.

Tracy received an Honorable Mention in the same category for his photo "Jubilee Pilgrim Prays," also from the Jubilee of Youth in Rome, and an Honorable Mention for Best Photograph -- Sacramental for his photo "Swampscott Beach Adoration," from the Into the Deep pilgrimage.

Tracy shared Second Place for Best Newspaper Website with Wilkins and Managing Editor Antonio Enrique.

"A very close second place, this entry's clean and modern site features an infinite scroll that makes reading easy to engage with," the judges wrote.

Tracy, Wilkins, and Enrique also shared an Honorable Mention for Best Diocesan Electronic Newsletter, for The Pilot's Saturday newsletter; and Third Place for Best Front Page Print Edition for "Gifts of the Spirit." The cover of The Pilot's June 13, 2025, issue, highlights Pope Leo XIV celebrating Pentecost with a large photo of the red-garbed pope sprinkling holy water. Smaller sections of the page advertise articles about Catholic Relief Services, Bellesini Academy in Lawrence, and Pope Leo XIV making AI "a top issue" for his pontificate.

"It contains nice colors and perspectives make the big photos attractive, and the small photos serve to give readers a glimpse of what they will find inside," the judges wrote. "Great work!"

Maguire, Wilkins, and O'Grady received an Honorable Mention in the category of Best Print Special Supplement: Regular Special Supplement for The Pilot's 2025 Open House Education section.

Finally, Archbishop Henning's column "I Believe" received an Honorable Mention for Best Bishop's Column in a Diocesan Newspaper.