Seminarian Endowment Fund created in Bishop Rojas’ name
A new Seminarian Scholarship Endowment was established in recognition of Bishop Alberto Rojas’ 25th Priesthood Anniversary to support future seminarians and priests.
Bishop Emeritus Gerald R. Barnes and Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Rutilio del Riego, along with diocesan priests and some other donors, provided the lead gifts for the fund. About $30,000 was raised, which was then matched by a major donor for the Bishop Alberto Rojas Seminarian Scholarship Endowment Fund’s starting amount of $61,000.
Julio Chavez, Operations Manager of the Diocesan Office of Mission Advancement, said that it is a tradition to open endowments in the bishop’s name to benefit seminarians, but that they hadn’t done so yet for Bishop Rojas due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Bishop Rojas’ anniversary was a perfect opportunity to give him an endowment,” said Chavez.
An endowment is an investment fund that gains value over time. Only the interest of the fund’s amount will be spent.
“An endowment is a gift that keeps giving,” said Chavez.
If you are interested in donating to the new endowment fund, contact Julio Chavez from the Office of Mission Advancement at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (909) 475-5462.
Bishop Rojas celebrates Silver Jubilee
Bishop Alberto Rojas celebrated his 25th anniversary of priesthood ordination on May 24. He had been ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago on May 24, 1997.
Diocesan employees gathered on May 25 for a special Mass in honor of the anniversary. Afterwards, there was a celebratory lunch.
“Today we do not celebrate me, but the gift of the priesthood ... it is not my priesthood, but yours,” said Bishop Rojas during his homily.
“Coming to 25 years of ordination and service has been such a wonderful adventure that changes and evolves, it’s never the same, and it’s exciting and it’s beautiful,” he said.
We give thanks to God for Bishop Rojas’ service to the Church and we ask you to join us in prayer and thanksgiving during his Silver Jubilee year. To give Bishop Rojas well wishes, visit https://bit.ly/3lHD7l6 or scan the QR code below.
Bishop’s Dinner raises over $100,000 for seminarians
The 21st Annual Bishop’s Dinner was held on Saturday, May 14, drawing 812 individuals who attended in support of the Diocese’s seminarians. A total of $114,000 was raised for the Seminarian Fund.
At the dinner, five individuals were recognized with the Amar Es Entregarse Award: Very Rev. Rafael Partida, Pastor of St. Patrick, Moreno Valley and Episcopal Vicar of the Riverside Pastoral Region; Very Rev. Romeo Selección, M.S., Pastor of St. Christopher, Moreno Valley and Episcopal Vicar of the San Bernardino Pastoral Region; Maria Echeverria, Vice Chancellor and Director of the Department of Apostolic and Ethnic Affairs; Ann Marie Gallant, Director of the Office of Emergency Operations Collaborative; and Virginia Turner, Senior Director of the Office of Human Resources.
In the front row of the photo, from left to right, are Vicar General, Monsignor Gerard Lopez, Bishop Alberto Rojas and Sister Leticia Salazar, ODN, Chancellor. In the back row are the award recipients: from left to right, Father Romeo Selección, M.S., E.V., Virginia Turner, Maria Echeverria, Ann Marie Gallant and Father Rafael Partida, E.V.
Diocese sends delegates to National Congress on Hispanic ministry
A team of ten delegates from the Diocese, including Bishop Alberto Rojas, departed for Washington D.C. on April 25th to attend the 6th National Catholic Congress on Hispanic Ministry, Raíces y Alas.
This annual event hosted by the National Catholic Council for Hispanic Ministry, NCCHM, brings together Hispanic Ministry leaders for in-depth conversations to discern, and provide initiatives to the ministry priorities of family, pastoral juvenil hispana, social justice, and pastoral formation. These responses and action steps created at Congress will be presented to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
Perris native ordained a priest
Father Efren Franco, MSP, was ordained a priest for the Misioneros Servidores de la Palabra (MSP) on May 18 at St. Mary Parish, Palmdale, which is in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Fr. Franco comes from Perris and his family attends St. James Parish, where he celebrated his first Mass on May 20. We give thanks to God for this vocation from our Diocese. May God bless Fr. Franco as he begins his journey as a priest.