Barb Arland-Fye holds the Distinguished Service Award she received during the Iowa Newspaper Association’s banquet Feb. 5 in Des Moines.
By Anne Marie Amacher
The Catholic Messenger
DES MOINES — Barb Arland-Fye, editor emeritus of The Catholic Messenger, was honored with the Distinguished Service Award by the Iowa Newspaper Association (INA) during its awards banquet Feb. 5.
As her name was announced, her husband Steve patted her on the back and former coworker Mark Ridolfi hugged her. As she accepted the award on stage, she said she was “shocked” to have received it.
Ridolfi, who worked with Arland-Fye at the Quad-City Times for many years, nominated her for the award. Ridolfi noted Arland-Fye served for 23 years at The Catholic Messenger after 21 years at the Quad-City Times.
“Few Iowa journalists share Barb Arland-Fye’s years of service to her community, profession and faith,” he said.
While at the Times, Arland-Fye “shined on the paper’s premier beat: Davenport city hall reporter. She navigated constant scrutiny, earning the trust of readers and sources. Later, she created the state’s first river beat, exclusively covering Mississippi River trade, recreation, environment and culture.” Prior to working at the Davenport office, she was regional editor of the Times Gateway edition covering Clinton and Jackson counties.
At the Messenger, “Barb produced weekly stories that supported and challenged her faith community. … Her weekly columns and editorials shared her own faith celebrations and challenges, never preaching and always informing,” Ridolfi said.
“Her work and ethics elevated our profession in the eyes of tens of thousands of Iowans informed throughout her four-decade career. Her work in the secular and faith press makes Barb a fine addition to INA’s roster of distinguished journalists.”
Terry Wilson worked with Arland-Fye at the Quad-City Times and currently serves on The Catholic Messenger Board of Directors.
“After 21 successful years at the Quad-City Times, several of those serving as the religion reporter, Barb had the good fortune to combine her talent and her faith, and accepted the position of editor of The Catholic Messenger. Since then, she has tirelessly reported the news, locally, nationally and globally,” Wilson said.
He noted she led a pilgrimage to Italy with Father Marty Goetz that included coverage of the canonization of Mother Teresa, now St. Teresa. She also led a pilgrimage to Ireland with then-Bishop Thomas Zinkula.
“Barb has met and interviewed the ‘who’s who’ of the Catholic Church including apostolic nuncios Archbishop Pietro Sambi and Cardinal Christophe Pierre. She also met with Cardinal Timothy Dolan, then-Archbishop of New York; and Cardinal Joseph Tobin, CSsR, of the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey.”
She traveled with Bishop Martin Amos to France to present Jean Vanier the Pacem in Terris Peace and Freedom Award in 2013. Then to India with Bishop Zinkula to present the Dalai Lama with the Pacem in Terris in 2019.
Wilson added, “And, there have been the tough stories. When the sexual abuse of children reached into the Davenport Diocese, Barb covered it with unbiased reporting of the allegations, investigations, trials, convictions, acknowledgment and apologies by the Church. With the same editorial integrity, she covered the resulting diocesan bankruptcy beginning in 2006 until it was resolved.”
In his nomination letter, Archbishop Thomas Zinkula of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, formerly the bishop of Davenport, said, “It is with heartfelt enthusiasm that I write to support the nomination of Barb Arland-Fye, editor of The Catholic Messenger, for the Iowa Newspaper Association’s Distinguished Service Award.”
“During my time as Bishop of the Diocese of Davenport, I had the privilege of working closely with Barb for several years. In that time, I came to admire her deeply — not only for her professionalism and journalistic skill, but also for her integrity, her pastoral sensitivity, and her unwavering commitment to the truth. Barb is a journalist of uncommon grace and grit.”
“What sets Barb apart, in my view, is her ability to integrate the highest standards of journalism with a deep sense of mission,” Archbishop Zinkula said.
Letters of support for her nomination also were sent in from Jan Touney who worked with Arland-Fye at the Quad-City Times; and Gail Karp, cantor emerita of Temple Emanuel of Davenport.
The following day, Arland-Fye said, “The Iowa Newspaper Association provides valuable resources and support to The Catholic Messenger, a longtime member of the statewide organization. INA strives to ensure that each newspaper makes a positive difference in improving the quality of life in Iowa. Receiving INA’s Distinguished Service Award is an honor I never anticipated.”
“I am grateful to the INA and all who made this award possible — The Catholic Messenger and the Diocese of Davenport staffs, and my mentors, colleagues and friends.”
