GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Michigan Catholic newspaper has been recognized by its peers in the Catholic Press Association with seven awards for outstanding journalism over the past year, including honorable mention for the association's highest honor, "Newspaper of the Year."

The awards were announced during the association's 2018 Catholic Media Conference from June 12-15 in Green Bay, Wis.

The honor is The Michigan Catholic's second since 2014 in the "Newspaper of the Year" category. The paper competed in a category with other Catholic newspapers in the United States and Canada with similar circulation. Judges took into account every aspect of the newspaper, from advertising to design to writing and editing.

In addition to the "Newspaper of the Year" honor, The Michigan Catholic was also recognized with six other content-based awards, including:

First Place – Best Supplement or Special Issue for “Chosen to Serve,” a Feb. 3 special edition introducing Bishops Gerard Battersby and Robert Fisher as the newest auxiliary bishops for the Archdiocese of Detroit.

First Place – Best Feature Writing for “The Miraculous Healing at Fr. Solanus’ Tomb” by Dan Meloy. Meloy told the story of Paula Medina Zarate, whose miraculous healing from an incurable skin disease paved the way for Blessed Solanus' historic beatification in November.

Second Place – Best Reporting on the Celebration of a Sacrament for “Priests in the Park” by Dan Meloy. In this article, The Michigan Catholic featured an initiative of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Plymouth, whose priests heard confessions in Plymouth's Kellogg Park as part of an effort to expand access to the sacrament of reconciliation.

Third Place – Best News Writing on a Local or Regional Event for “Beatification of Blessed Solanus Casey.” The Michigan Catholic was honored for its yearlong, ongoing coverage of Blessed Solanus' beatification, from the announcement in May to the Mass itself in November.

Honorable Mention – Best Reporting on Vocations to the Priesthood, Religious Life or the Diaconate for “Boundless Confidence in the Lord” by Dan Meloy. In this article, Meloy interviewed Sacred Heart Major Seminary student Michael Bruno, whose path to the seminary overcame numerous obstacles, including leaving his home country of India to follow God's will for his life.

Honorable Mention – Best Supplement or Special Issue for “Thank God Ahead of Time,” a special edition on the life, legacy and beatification of Blessed Solanus Casey, published Nov. 17.