THE Catholic Church has been forced into an embarrassing backflip after being accused of homophobia over its prestigious media awards.The move came after inquiries by the Sunday Mail into a church decision to reject a judge's recommendation that community radio station Radio Adelaide be given first and second prizes for its entries. The awards – which the church says will now stand – are for two programs which highlight the problems confronting ageing gay people and women with HIV.
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Radio Adelaide entered the programs in the Catholic Archbishop of Adelaide Annual Media Citations, but despite being judged as winner and runner-up in the radio category by respected journalist Murray Nicoll, both were rejected by a church official.
Nicoll, a dual Walkley Award-winning print, radio and television journalist with more than 50 years' experience, had forwarded his recommendations to the Catholic Communications Office on April 17.
Several days later, he received a phone call from the office advising him there was a "problem".
"The woman told me there was an unwritten rule in the awards structure any entries should be in line with church teachings and principles," he said this week.
"To put it another way, it should be in line with the beliefs of the Catholic Church."
Mr Nicoll said initially he thought it was "hilarious in this day and age the church should take that line" and then he became angry, questioning the value of the awards.
"How many other times has that happened when a stand-out winner of an award has been thrown in the bin because it doesn't comply with the church's beliefs?" he said.
"You can look at it as a continuation of the Catholic Church's bigotry. They are out of step, they are out of date".
Mr Nicoll said he had suggested his choice for the second award be given the major award, but he was told that was also unacceptable – prompting his immediate resignation as a judge.
Late on Friday, the church reversed the decision to bar the Radio Adelaide entries, which is understood to have been made without consulting the church leadership group of Catholic Vicar-General Monsignor David Cappo, Auxiliary Bishop Greg O'Kelly and Catholic Archbishop Philip Wilson.
Church spokesman Chris Rann said a "mistake was made by a well-meaning person".
"We apologise unreservedly to Mr Nicoll, a highly respected journalist, for the inappropriate decision that was made and we sincerely apologise to those who submitted the affected entries," Mr Rann said.
"Since their inception, the awards have been made on the basis of professional excellence and social benefit and this will continue to be the criteria."
Radio Adelaide general manager Deborah Welch said she was "incredibly disappointed" after learning the entries had been rejected because both programs were "entirely in keeping within the criteria and spirit of the awards".
After learning the decision had been reversed late on Friday, Ms Welch said she and producer Logan Bold were "undecided" over whether or not they would now accept the awards.
"But we are pleased to know they have embraced their own criteria of truth and fairness," she said.
Prior to the decision being reversed, she said she was "flabbergasted" and questioned if the church was "just going to deny that gay and lesbian people exist".
"Perhaps we should be asking ourselves how homophobic the Catholic Church is?" she said.
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