Christendom College’s Communications and Marketing Office has won a prestigious First Place award from the Catholic Media Association as part of its 2025 Catholic Media Awards, announced this past week. The awards, which honor excellence in Catholic journalism and communications, recognized the feature article “Restless Until They Rest in Thee: 2024 Grad Finds Unexpected Vocation” as one of the best of the year, showcasing how Catholic education can transform lives and communities for the better.
This marks the Communications Office’s first-ever Catholic Media Association award and follows the department’s recognition in 2023 with a Platinum MarCom Award for its Instaurare Magazine. The First Place Catholic Media Association award, given for “Best Reporting on Vocations to Priesthood, Religious Life, or Diaconate,” honored both the story and the full Summer 2024 issue of Instaurare as “a rich collection of stories…[that] show the significance of Catholic education and how it is transforming the community.”
The feature story, written by Publications and Project Manager Lianna Youngman ’21, tells the inspiring journey of recent graduate Karla Martinez ’24, who experienced a profound conversion — from a deeply unhappy liberal agnostic to a joyful Catholic graduate answering God’s call to religious life. The story has resonated with readers across the country, including one generous benefactor who, after reading it, paid off Martinez’s debts, allowing her to freely pursue her vocation. Martinez has since entered religious life, beginning her formation with the Institute of the Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matara and taking a new religious name, Sister Maria Mater Viventium.
Instaurare, the official magazine of Christendom College, has long been praised for its storytelling, design, and production quality, with the Catholic Media Association award the latest in a series of prominent recognitions. In 2023, Instaurare received the prestigious Platinum Award from MarCom, one of the world’s oldest and most respected creative competitions. The award was specifically given to the Summer 2023 issue of the magazine, which covered the dedication of the college’s new Christ the King Chapel and more. Christendom was recognized alongside numerous other organizations, including Bank of America, Burger King, Cornell, Loyola Marymount, Mastercard, PepsiCo, SEGA, the University of Texas, and the U.S. Army.
Created by the college’s Communications and Marketing Office, Instaurare is published two times a year and is mailed free of charge to alumni, families, prospective students, donors, and friends of the college. The name comes from the college’s motto, “Instaurare omnia in Christo,” or, “To restore all things in Christ.” Niall O’Donnell is the Editor & Layout Designer, Zach Smith is the Assistant Editor, Julie Wells is the Assistant Designer and Illustrator, and Lianna Youngman is the Publications Manager.
To see the full list of 2025 Catholic Media Association Awards, visit here.
To learn more about Instaurare Magazine, visit here.