Texas Catholic Herald, Archdiocesan comms office nets 10 Catholic Media Awards

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – The Texas Catholic Herald and the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston Communications Office earned a record 10 honors at the 2026 Catholic Media Awards, presented June 19 at the Catholic Media Conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The awards, presented by the Catholic Media Association, recognize excellence in journalism, photography and media produced in 2025.

The organizations received five first-place awards, including two for “Sígueme: The Archbishop Joe S. Vásquez Special Edition,” a 56-page commemorative issue which marked the appointment and installation of the Archdiocese’s new Archbishop in spring 2025, profiling Archbishop Vásquez's life and story. Judges praised the edition’s “extraordinarily excellent quality,” citing its layout, design and editorial execution, and added, “Excellence across the board in this special section. Terrific work!”

A first-place award also went to the 2024 Annual Report, published by the TCH in collaboration with the Office of Development and Stewardship, which judges described as “very clear, pithy, and to the point, with a clean, easily readable presentation,” noting that its “strong use of statistics adds value and helps support the content.”

A second-place award was given for Best Headline by James Ramos and Elizabeth Morales for “From Aloysius to Zélie: Woodlands Parish Opens Doors to Archdiocese’s Largest Parish Reliquary.” Judges commended the “excellent” wordplay and said it drew interest to a topic that might otherwise be overlooked.

Ramos also earned a third-place award for Best In-Depth News/Special Reporting – Diocesan Non-Weekly for “Voices from the Great Storm: 125 Years Since the Storm of 1900 That Changed Texas Forever.” Judges called it an “unexpectedly gripping story” elevated by vivid writing and strong use of historical narratives of "bravery and survival."

James Ramos, content editor for the Texas Catholic Herald, vice president and Southern Region representative for the Catholic Media Association, right, presents Rob Kaczmarek, founder of Spirt Juice Studios, with the 2026 Cardinal John P. Foley Award during a June 18 session of the Catholic Media Conference in Atlantic City, N.J. (OSV News photo/Bob Roller)

The Herald has been a longtime member of the CMA, formerly known as the Catholic Press Association, and has received many awards and recognitions from the organization since the first edition of the Herald was published in 1964. Both staff and Herald correspondents contributed to this year's record-breaking slate of awards. 

In 2023, James Ramos was elected to the CMA Board of Directors as Southern Regional Representative, representing more than 280 CMA members across 14 states. In 2025, he was also elected as an officer, serving a two-year term as vice-president. 

He also chairs the CMA's membership committee. In Atlantic City, Ramos presented the 2026 Cardinal John P. Foley Award on June 18 at the Catholic Media Conference to Rob Kaczmarek, founder of Spirit Juice Studios. 

First Place

• Best Social Media Campaign – Liturgical Seasons for “Easter Joy: New Catholics in Galveston-Houston” by Elizabeth Morales, Marcus Norwood, Sean O’Driscoll, James Ramos and Rebecca Torrellas. Judges said the videos were “phenomenal windows into the hearts and minds” of those entering the Church and that the storytelling serves as both encouragement and a catalyst for interest in conversion.
• Best Annual Report for the 2024 Annual Report – By Catherine Viola, James Ramos and Jonah Dycus.
• Best Special Supplement or Special Issue with Advertising Emphasis for “Sígueme: The Archbishop Joe S. Vásquez Special Edition” by Jonah Dycus, James Ramos, Rebecca Torrellas and Catherine Viola.
• Best Print Special Supplement: Print Only – on Bishop’s Transition for “Sígueme: The Archbishop Joe S. Vásquez Special Edition” by Jonah Dycus, James Ramos, Rebecca Torrellas and Catherine Viola.
• Best Photograph – Priesthood, Religious Life, Diaconate for “Clergy in Motion” by James Ramos, praised as a “wonderful skilled image capturing movement at an important moment.”

Second Place

Third Place

Honorable Mention

The Catholic Media Association is an organization of Catholic publishers and media professionals united in the action of servicing the Catholic Church around the world. Incorporated in 1911 to serve the growing community of Catholic print publications, today its diverse membership, located across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Africa and Europe, uses all platforms to serve Catholics, and the association serves its members through social and educational interaction.