This year, Bishop Alberto Rojas will proudly pay tribute to an organization and an individual who have long answered the call of the Church to serve the poor, exemplifying the spirit of “Amar es Entregarse” or “Love is the Total Giving of Oneself.” On May 24 at the annual Bishop’s Dinner Catholic Extension Society and Kenneth Sawa, former CEO of Catholic Charities San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, will receive the prestigious Amar Es Entregarse Award for their remarkable contributions to our community.
Catholic Extension Society, established in 1905, works in solidarity with people to build up vibrant and transformative Catholic faith communities among the poor in the poorest regions of America by providing grants to build churches and fix facilities and provide scholarships for emerging leaders and empower diverse ministries. Catholic Extension Society’s funding supports isolated and/or financially under-resourced Catholic dioceses in the United States, called “Extension dioceses,” including the Diocese of San Bernardino. Today its support reaches over 15 million American Catholics. Catholic Extension Society’s President, Father Jack Wall, who was appointed president of the Catholic Extension Society by the Holy See in 2007, will accept the award on the organization’s behalf.
Ken Sawa served as the dedicated Chief Executive Officer of Catholic Charities San Bernardino and Riverside Counties for 21 years until his retirement last June. Sawa first joined Catholic Charities in October 1992, fresh out of social work graduate school, as an associate therapist and later as the Program Director of Counseling Services. In July 2003, Sawa was appointed as the CEO/ Executive Vice President of Catholic Charities by Bishop Gerald Barnes. Catholic Charities San Bernardino and Riverside Counties is the official Social Outreach Ministry of the Diocese. The organization’s purpose is to fight poverty through crisis intervention services and by strengthening families. Over the past year, over 24,000 individuals benefited from Catholic Charities’ support.
The 24th Annual Bishop’s Dinner will take place at the JW Marriott in Palm Desert with registration beginning at 4:30 pm and dinner served at 6:00 pm. The theme of this year’s dinner is “The Roaring 20’s.” This beloved tradition within the Diocese serves as a wonderful opportunity to celebrate diversity, raise funds for the Seminarian Education Endowment Fund, and honor distinguished community leaders who have dedicated themselves to uplifting families, neighborhoods, and society with hope.
For more information on how to attend the Bishop’s Dinner please contact Julio A. Chavez, Diocesan Office of Mission Advancement at (909) 475-5462 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please visit sbdiocese.org/dinner/home.html to purchase sponsorship, tables or seats.