A Christopher Awards Video and Picturepalooza

When a rainfall of Biblical proportions began falling in Manhattan during the afternoon of May 23, I was afraid our guests for the Christopher Awards ceremony that evening might need an ark to get there.

Thankfully, the majority of winners and guests made it to the event and had a wonderful time celebrating the talented people behind the best books, films, and TV programs of 2012 – as well as a couple of special Awards.

Special thanks go to our presenters: Master of Ceremonies Ernie Anastos from Fox5 NY, NBC News correspondent and “American Story” author Bob Dotson, two-time Christopher Award winning author Joan Bauer, “Blue Bloods” star Len Cariou, and Commissioner Victor Calise of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities.

Len Cariou and I did some press for the event the previous Saturday when we appeared on WCBS to discuss the Special Christopher Award being presented to “Blue Bloods.” (Video below)

Len was also kind enough to introduce our TV/Cable winners at the ceremony, which included many of the producers of the ABC docuseries “NY Med,” shot at New York Presbyterian Hospital’s Columbia and Weill-Cornell medical centers.

A special treat was getting to meet many of the doctors and nurses featured on “NY Med,” three of whom (Diana Costine, Katie Duke and Marina Dedivanovic) I wrote about in one of my most-read and shared blog posts of 2012 (What Their Treatment of a Homeless Woman Reveals About the ER Nurses of NY Med).

It was a privilege meeting everyone who attended the Christopher Awards because they are producing work that improves our culture and our world – and because they’re kind and friendly people! Below are more pictures and links. Enjoy! (Photos taken by Paul Schneck)

(From l to r) Author Arthur Fleischmann (Winner, “Carly’s Voice: Breaking Through Autism”), The Christophers’ V.P. Mary Ellen Robinson, author Colleen Carroll Campbell (Winner, “My Sisters the Saints”), author Nicole Lataif (Winner, “Forever You: A Book About Your Soul and Body”)

(From l to r) Kevin Tedesco (Publicist, “60 Minutes”), Producer Magalie Laguerre-Wilkinson (Winner, “60 Minutes: Joy in the Congo”), NBC News correspondent Bob Dotson (Presenter of the Books for Adults category), Correspondent Bob Simon (Winner,, “60 Minutes: Joy in the Congo”)

(From l to r) Katherine Schwarzenegger, Christopher Award-winning author Mark Shriver (“A Good Man: Remembering My Father, Sargent Shriver”), Tim Shriver

The Christophers’ Msgr. Peter Finn presents Christopher Award to Mother Dolores Hart and her friend Judith Pinco, accepting for “God Is the Bigger Elvis”

(from l to r) The “NY Med” team accept their Christopher Awards: Producer Jeanie Ahn, Executive Producer Terence Wrong, Broadcast Producer Andy Genovese, Supervising Producer Chris Perera, Producer Sarah Namias, Producer Aysu Grodowski, The Christophers’ Msgr. Peter Finn, Supervising Producer Erica Baumgart

Commissioner Victor Calise, Judith Vecchione (“Medal Quest: American Athletes and the Paralympic Games”) and Kevin Wade (Executive Producer, “Blue Bloods”)

Master of Ceremonies Ernie Anastos banters with ‘Books for Young People’ presenter Joan Bauer

‘Books for Adults’ presenter from NBC News, Bob Dotson

The Christophers’ Msgr. Peter Finn presents Christopher Award to author Eric Blehm (“Fearless: The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy SEAL Team SIX Operator Adam Brown”)

The Christophers’ Msgr. Peter Finn presents Christopher Award to author Aili McConnon (“Road to Valor: A True Story of World War II Italy, the Nazis, and the Cyclist Who Inspired a Nation”)

The Christophers’ Msgr. Peter Finn presents Christopher Award to author Jo S. Kittinger (The House on Dirty-Third Street)

The Christophers’ Msgr. Peter Finn presents Christopher Award to author Warren St. John (“Outcasts United: The Story of a Refugee Soccer Team That Changed a Town”)

The Christophers’ Msgr. Peter Finn presents Christopher Award to author Colleen Carroll Campbell (“My Sisters the Saints”)

The Christophers’ Msgr. Peter Finn presents Christopher Award to author Arthur Fleischmann (“Carly’s Voice: Breaking Through Autism”)

The Christophers’ Msgr. Peter Finn presents Christopher Award to author Mark Shriver (“A Good Man: Remembering My Father, Sargent Shriver”)

The Christophers’ Msgr. Peter Finn presents Christopher Award to author Nicole Lataif (“Forever You: A Book About Your Soul and Body”)

The Christophers’ Msgr. Peter Finn presents Christopher Award to producer Magalie Laguerre-Wilkinson (“60 Minutes: Joy in the Congo”)
 

For many more pictures, visit our Facebook page or website.

WATCH: Video segments done for “Currents” on The Net – and for World Liberty TV.

READ: A thoughtful blog post about the Awards.

UPDATES: The Christopher Awards in the New York Post

The Christopher Awards in Catholic New York

More to come in the future.