Detroit — The Michigan Catholic Conference and CatholicTV, the Boston-based parent network of the Catholic Television Network of Detroit, both earned prestigious national awards for their multimedia efforts in 2018.

The Gabriel Awards, established in 1965 by the Catholic Broadcasters Association, “recognize outstanding artistic achievement in a television or radio program or series which entertains and enriches with a true vision of humanity and a true vision of life.”

The Michigan Catholic Conference won first place for its short television advertisement, “Hands of Service and Healing.” The one-minute film highlighted to a statewide audience the work of Catholic Charities personnel in service of the poor and vulnerable, especially through the distribution of water and aid to those in need in Flint.

The advertisement was part of the Michigan Catholic Conference’s “Freedom to Serve” series, which highlighted the role of faith-based individuals and institutions in serving the common good through education, health care and various charitable outreach efforts. The series was derived from a short documentary series produced by Minus Red and included multiple 30- and 60-second spots that ran in television markets across Michigan and online.

“Every day faith-filled Catholic Charities staff and volunteers provide material, emotional, and spiritual support for vulnerable persons in communities across the state,” said David Maluchnik, Michigan Catholic Conference vice president for communications. “This award is a testament to faith, service and charity, and the critical role Catholic agencies play to uplift the human dignity of every person in our society.”

The Gabriel Award is the second for the Michigan Catholic Conference and its first since 1998. The conference also was honored with four awards from the Central Michigan Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America for excellence in public relations.

In addition to the Michigan Catholic Conference’s Gabriel Award, the CatholicTV Network was honored for the second consecutive year as the Religious Television Station of the Year. The Boston-based network counts among its affiliate stations the Catholic Television Network of Detroit, which airs much of its programming from CatholicTV. The two networks have been affiliated since 2011.

“What a great honor it is to receive a Gabriel Award for Station of the Year,” said Jay Fadden, executive vice president and general manager of CatholicTV. “It is a reflection of the dedication and hard work of the staff of the CatholicTV Network and the continued support of our faith-filled viewers.”

The honor marks the fourth time overall that CatholicTV has been recognized as the Religious Television Station of the Year.

“This recognition is a tribute to the dedication and commitment of all who labor each day to make CatholicTV shine as America’s Catholic Television Network,” Bishop Robert Reed, president of CatholicTV, said in a statement.