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Program time: 27:59 

The Gabriel Award

Cheri receiving the award

Cheri Lomonte and the Gabriel Award given to Mary's Touch

Mary's Touch hosts, Cheri Lomonte and Sally Robb, in the studio

Mary’s Touch honored with a Gabriel Award

Mary’s Touch was recently awarded a Gabriel Award for excellence by the Catholic Academy for Communication Arts Professionals. The awards ceremony was held at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, California. Cheri Lomonte  her husband, Tony, attended the event, and Cheri accepted the award for Mary's Touch.

Mary's Touch was recognized as Best Radio Program in the Religious–National Release Category.

The Catholic Academy for Communication Arts Professionals is affiliated with SIGNIS, the World Catholic Association for Communication,  a Vatican-approved organization for communication professionals serving the Catholic Church.

The Gabriel Awards are designed to honor works of excellence in film, including feature films and documentaries; network and cable television entertainment and news programming; public-service announcements; and radio programs that serve audiences through the positive, creative treatment of concerns to humankind. Categories for TV and radio include both English- and Spanish-language programs.

Mary’s Touch Program 1.30 was singled out for recognition by the Academy. This show features Sherri Davis in her second visit with Cheri and Sally. In Sherri’s segment, she shares a moving experience she had with one of the doctors caring for her, and she talks more about the importance of suffering and how we can actually give value to our suffering...

“…and not just someone with cancer, but all of us can give value to suffering by accepting our pain. Suffering is relative to the person who is carrying the pain…it could be despair of your heart over a child, it could be pain caused by anything. Maybe you want to offer it up for the conversion of sinners or for the conversion of your family. For whatever the reason, to say, ‘Jesus, I love you so much. I offer you this suffering because I love you.’ And what happens when you give your cross—a cross that the rest of the world rejects—when you give it to Jesus with love? You bring love instantly into the world…and then, mystically, something happens. Jesus pours out his grace, not just upon your life, but around everyone you are praying for, everyone that is there, and I am telling you I have seen it; I witnessed it in that hospital.”

The second story in Program 1.30 is from Gary, who gives an amusing account about a trip to a conference in Steubenville and how it changed his life. Sherri’s story and Gary’s story are perfect examples of the wide range of stories you hear on Mary’s Touch. These stories are real, and they come from people all over the world. Some are awe inspiring, some are funny, some are sweet and simple, but all of them demonstrate our Blessed Mother’s love and give witness to how she continues her Son’s work in our world.

The single most important criterion of a Gabriel-winning film or program is its ability to uplift and nourish the human spirit. A Gabriel-worthy film or program affirms the dignity of human persons and recognizes and upholds universally recognized human values such as community, creativity, tolerance, justice, compassion, and dedication to excellence.

We offer our congratulations to Cheri Lomonte, Sally Robb, Sherry Brownrigg, Matt Mayer, Ruben Villarreal, Ted Wrenn, Philipp Hübner, and everyone who has supported the Mary’s Touch programs, and we extend our sincere gratitude to all of the storytellers who have so graciously shared their moving and inspirational stories with Mary’s Touch. Most of all, we lift prayers of thanksgiving to our Blessed Mother for her continuing “Yes” to her Son. She is our best role model, and she brings us always closer to his Most Precious Heart.

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