BOSTON -- The Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada announced May 30 that The Pilot had earned five awards in the organization’s annual Press Awards competition. The awards were presented at the annual Catholic Media Convention held May 28-30 in Toronto, Canada.

Each year, the Catholic Press Association requests award submissions from Catholic newspapers, Web sites, magazines and book publishers which are judged by a panel of independent experts for excellence. The Pilot has been honored with awards every year since 2002.

Among the five awards received this year were two first place honors.

The Pilot received first place in the category of Best Editorial on a Local Issue by a mid-sized diocesan newspaper for “Gambling Invasion? No, Thanks” which addressed Gov. Deval Patrick’s attempt to expand casino gambling in Massachusetts.

In their comments on the editorial the judges said, “This crisply written, well organized piece raises alarm about a looming expansion of casino gambling by explaining the current situation; then outlining the cause for concern and backing it up with strong independent references; then arriving at its verdict with a thud.”

Managing editor Gregory L. Tracy also received first place for Best General News Photo for his photograph, “Fallen Hero” depicting the funeral procession of Boston firefighter Paul Cahill who was one of two men who perished fighting a West Roxbury restaurant fire in August 2007.

According to the judges the photograph, “manages to capture the massive scale and somber attitude of the event without feeling cluttered.”

“This image is both descriptive and artful; a fitting tribute to the fallen hero,” they continued.

In addition to the two first place showings, The Pilot also received second place in the category of Best Editorial on a National/International Issue by a mid-sized diocesan newspaper for “Immigration reform -- Now” reacting to the March 2007 immigration raid at a New Bedford textile plant, as well as second place for Best Newspaper Web site for TheBostonPilot.com.

The Pilot’s annual Christmas subscription campaign was also honored for the third year in a row, taking third place in the category of Best Circulation Promotion Campaign.