Nick was first elected president of the Australasian Catholic Press Association in 1970 and served several terms as president, vice-president or secretary between 1970 and 1986. He was ACPA president when it became a member of the World Council of the International Union of the Catholic Press (UCIP) and was a member of the UCIP council (1984-87).

FR JOHN COLGAN

After ordination in Ireland in 1960, Fr John Colgan was missioned for Chile where, apart from three years on Columban promotion in Chicago, he worked until 1987.

In 1987 he was appointed to the Region of Australia and New Zealand and took up the position of Editor of The Far East.

Between 1992 and 2001 he visited Fiji, Pakistan, the Philippines, Korea, Japan, China and Taiwan to collect articles and photographs for The Far East.

He was elected a life member of the Australasian Catholic Press Association in 2004. In 2007, Fr John headed home to Ireland to take up the role of Editor of Columban Intercom, an internal magazine of news and articles of St. Columban’s Mission Society from around the world. 

FR ROBERT (BOB) WILKINSON

In the days when ACPA was known as Catholic Press Association and conferences were called conventions our next inductee, Fr Robert “(Bob”) Wilkinson, was a regular participant at these gatherings – in fact Bob wants everyone to know the first CPA convention he attended was 50 years ago this year (2009).

Appointed as Priest-Editor of Adelaide’s ‘Southern Cross’ newspaper, Fr Bob would keep this position for a dozen years, acting, he said, under the prevailing belief that a priest “was expected to be able to do anything, from running a newspaper to administering a large hospital”.

FR FRANK FREEMAN

As a priest-editor Fr Frank has served the Association in ways that are professional and pastoral.

He first became our Treasurer in 1996 – a role he continued in until 2002.  This was at a time in the Association’s life when new publications and Associate memberships saw us growing bigger and more diverse as a group.

Fr Frank was always someone who would welcome the newcomer into the group.

Past President Penny Edman described Fr Frank’s contributions as ACPA Treasurer in these terms –  “As Fr Frank settled into the role he took it upon himself to be the guardian of the membership. This meant that not only was he interested in increasing the monetary figures, he took an active and caring interest in the people behind the membership dues – the editors and later Associate Members.

SR MIRIAM LORENZ

Sr Miriam Lorenz SSPC is a familiar face at ACPA conferences, often accompanied by Sr Eileen March SSPC.

One of the Missionary Sisters of St Peter Claver, Sr Miriam has been a member of ACPA from about 1960, attending conferences when we were known as The Catholic Press Association.

Since 1973, Sr Miriam has been the Editor of ‘Echo From Africa and Other Continents’, a monthly periodical which her congregation sends across the world.

Sr Miriam embodies characteristics of the religious press that have always been a feature of our group. Editorship for her is a solo ministry enlivened by deep faith, sharp wit and adaptability within the constant discipline of religious life.

Pat served as Editor and later Managing Editor of ‘NZ Catholic’ for more than nine years, before a transition into the role of Associate Editor and his eventual retirement in 2008.

Pat’s committed editorship, his willingness to seek news and to use his professional skills to communicate Gospel truths marks him as an exceptional Catholic editor and journalist.

One former member of the ACPA executive who has always been generous in sharing his time and talents is Dr Michael Costigan.

When he was a priest in Melbourne, Michael was the hardworking Associate Editor of the weekly ‘Advocate’ newspaper; he was a friend and colleague of ‘The Advocate’s’ Editor, Fr James Murtagh, the first president of The Catholic Press Association.

During the 1960s Michael served successive terms as CPA Secretary, 1962-68.

Michael’s talent as one of the finest writers of his generation was underscored by his winning the CPA’s Fr Murtagh Award for best feature story twice; once in 1964 and again in 1968. In the intervening time, in 1965, he won the first James Kelleher Award for outstanding news reporting.