2003 Eileen Egan Journalism Award Winners Announced

Catholic Relief Services
Thursday, 29 May 2003

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) today announced the winners of the annual Eileen Egan Journalism Awards. The awards, which were presented at the Catholic Press Association convention in Atlanta, Georgia, honor journalists writing for Catholic publications on issues related to the developing world. This year's winners are Ed Langlois, Catholic Sentinel (Archdiocese of Portland, Ore. and Diocese of Baker); Greg LaFreniere, The Long Island Catholic (Diocese of Rockville Centre); and Heidi Schlumpf, U.S. Catholic.

Ed Langlois' coverage of the hunger crisis in southern Africa in "In Malawi, Food Drops Slow Starvation, but Crisis Persists," won for the under 35,000-circulation category. Among papers with a circulation over 35,000, Greg LaFreniere's article "Sisters of Mercy Bring Hope to Poor Women, Children in Panama," was chosen. Heidi Schlumpf's "War Comes of Age in Pakistan," a look at the lives of Afghan refugees in Pakistan and their uncertain future, took the national category prize. Award winners will travel overseas next year to witness firsthand the work CRS is doing.

Six finalists received honorable mentions: Maryangela Román, Catholic Herald (Archdiocese of Milwaukee); Lupe R. Flores, Today's Catholic (Archdiocese of San Antonio); Randy Grosse, The Catholic Voice (Archdiocese of Omaha); Barbara Erickson, The Catholic Voice (Diocese of Oakland); Claire Schaeffer-Duffy, National Catholic Reporter; and Patricia Mish, St. Anthony Messenger.

The competition, now in its eighth year, is judged by a national panel of journalists from secular news outlets. The panel of judges for this year's competition comprised Angela Potter from the Associated Press' Baltimore bureau; Jean Peerenboom, Green Bay Press-Gazette; Jerome McDonell, WBEZ-FM (Chicago public radio); and Alan Cooperman, The Washington Post.

Eileen Egan was CRS' first professional layperson and overseas staff representative. A noted author and advocate for the poor, Egan was the author of several books, including For Whom There is No Room: Scenes from the Refugee World and Such a Vision of the Street, on the life of Mother Teresa. Ms. Egan died in October 2000 at the age of 88.

For more information, or to contact Catholic Relief Services, see their website at: www.catholicrelief.org