At the convention of the Catholic Press Association, held May 28-31, 2003, St. Anthony Messenger received the following awards. A few weeks later, three of the magazine's editors won awards from the Queen City Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. All awards were for work published in 2002.

Catholic Press Association

First Place
Best Single Photo—Black and White: "Project Rachel: Vicki Thorn's Post-abortion Ministry," by Brad Smith (St. Anthony Messenger, January)

Best Ilustration: "A Group of Related Things," by Nicole Wong (St. Anthony Messenger, December)

Second Place
Best Interview: "Calm Amid the Stom: An Interview With Bishop Wilton Gregory," by Pat McCloskey, O.F.M. (St. Anthony Messenger, November)

Best Personality Profile: "Artist John August Swanson and His Images of Francis of Assisi," by Jack Wintz, O.F.M. (St. Anthony Messenger, October)

Best Review: Review of A Charmed Life, by Carol Ann Morrow (St. Anthony Messenger, December)

Best Short Story: "A Group of Related Things," by David Hull (St. Anthony Messenger, December)

Third Place
General Excellence—General-interest Magazines: St. Anthony Messenger, Pat McCloskey, O.F.M., editor; Barbara Beckwith, managing editor; Jeanne Kortekamp, art director

Best Editorial: "Clergy Sex Abuse: Put Children First" by John Bookser Feister (St. Anthony Messenger, May)

Best Single Photo—Black and White: "When Our Son Told Us He Was Gay," by Brad Smith (St. Anthony Messenger, May)

Best Single Photo—Color: "Curved Staircase," by Al Fuchs (St. Anthony Messenger, February)

Best Feature Article—General-interest Magazines: "September 11 in Manhattan: Finding My Son Alive," by Gerard F. Baumbach (St. Anthony Messenger, September)

Individual Excellence—Photographer/Artist: Jeanne Kortekamp

Honorable Mention
Best Photo Story (tie): San Xavier del Bac: A Mission and Its People text by Joan Merkel Smith, photos by Jack Wintz, O.F.M., and Joan Merkel Smith (St. Anthony Messenger, February)

Best Photo Story (tie): "She Opens Doors: Marie Wilkinson," text by Carrie Swearingen, photos by Miriam Sushman (St. Anthony Messenger, May)

Best Investigative Writing or Analysis (tie): "The Bethlehem Siege: An Insiders' Account," by Amjad Sabarra, O.F.M., as told to Peter Vasko, O.F.M. (St. Anthony Messenger, August)

Best Investigative Writing or Analysis (tie): "The Lost Boys of Sudan," by Patricia Mish (St. Anthony Messenger, July)

Individual Excellence—Writer/Editor: Jack Wintz, O.F.M.

Society for Professional Journalists

First Place
Photo Illustration—"The Lost Boys of Sudan": Jeanne Kortekamp (St. Anthony Messenger, July)

Third Place
Opinion Writing—Non-daily: Barbara Beckwith (St. Anthony Messenger, February and November)

Art illustration—"Juan Diego: Apostle of the New World": Julie Lonneman, illustrator; Jeanne Kortekamp, art director (St. Anthony Messenger, July)