Saint Peter’s College Professor Wins Major Journalism Prize

June 30, 2003– Jersey City,NJ- Father Ray Schroth (Jersey City,NJ), a Professor of Humanities at Saint Peter’s College and a prolific writer, has won the Catholic Press Association’s top prize as the nation’s top columnist covering culture, the arts and leisure in Catholic publications. Father Schroth writes a regular column on television for the weekly National Catholic Reporter. It is the first time Father Schroth has won the award in his more than 17 years of writing for the NCR which won 19 awards in 35 newspaper categories. Father Schroth has authored six books and writes frequent opinion pieces for the Newark Star-Ledger. The judges wrote that Father Schroth is the “overwhelming choice” in the category. In supporting the award, the judges continued, “Ray Schroth is he most erudite and insightful writer on the American media in the Catholic press, and he’s a graceful writer too. This selection amply demonstrates his versatility.” In his NCR column, which he has written for 10 years, Schroth has covered such topics as the Sherlock Holmes TV series, Jimmy Durante, Survivor, and George Bush landing on the aircraft carrier, along with serious topics as both Iraq wars, Serbian conflict and the ongoing sex scandal in the Catholic Church. “I am particularly grateful to NCR for putting confidence in me for many years and to my Jesuit brothers for their support,” Father Schroth said. “We are extremely proud of Ray and feel privileged to have him in the NCR, the publication’s editor Thomas Roberts said. “He is a journalist at heart and is extremely well read. He has a broad view of the world ands looks at issues with a Catholic and Jesuit lens. As a professor, he has taught many people who have gone on to great success. With editors, if you have a guy like Ray Schroth around, he makes you look good. You sit back and enjoy what comes in from him.” Father Schroth has taught at Saint Peter’s College since 1999 after a distinguished career at Fordham University, Rockhurst College, College of Holy Cross and Loyola University New Orleans where the Southeast Journalism Conference named him Journalism Professor of the Year in 1995. He has authored six books, including Fordham, his most recent work, a history and memoir of the New York City university. He has also written more than 300 articles and reviews on politics, religion and the media, which have appeared in such publications as the Columbia Journalism Review, Los Angeles Times, Newsday, Boston Globe and Star Ledger.