About
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Coordinates State and Local Legislative visits/meetings
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​Coordinates and organizes the annual Catholic Advocacy day event
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​Coordinates and Chairs the Diocesan Justice for Immigrants committee
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Works with and represents the Diocese at the Justice for Immigrants Coalition of Southern California
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Coordinates, Promotes and leads all advocacy campaigns in the Diocese, Advocates for just immigration reform at the federal, state, and local level, Know Your Rights workshops, and parish education on Catholic Social teachings in relation to immigration and the immigrant experience, including human trafficking
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Promotes and educates all of the people and all Parishes on the need to participate in political advocacy for the common good and promotion of Catholic Social Teaching
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Coordinates the ESL classes
Wilfredo aguirre
Director
Advocacy
Faithful Citizenship​
In order to live one’s faith in the public square, we must begin with Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, a teaching from the USCCB that guides the Catholic faithful through these questions both at the ballot box and beyond.
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Catholic Advocacy Day
Every year, Catholics from across California are encouraged to engage with their local legislators on policies that support the mission of a more just society that values and upholds the dignity of the whole human person.
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Catholic Youth Advocacy Day
High Schoolers are taken from across the state to Sacramento for a day of prayer and advocacy. Starting with Mass at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, students go through a student- led training before meeting with their local elected officials. A joint project between the Ministry for Young Catholics and the Office of Advocacy. If you are interested in participating, please reach out to our Office.
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Get Involved
Find out more ways you can get involved.
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Justice for Immigrants
WHY WE WELCOME THE STRANGER
The story of salvation is wrapped up in the story of migration: Christ and the holy family echoed this journey by fleeing persecution and finding refuge in Egypt. To welcome the stranger, then, is to welcome Christ among us.
Know Your Rights​
Participants learn how, in their parish communities, they can identify social issues that impact the faithful and jointly discern the initiatives that can be implemented to bring justice, peace, and the service of charity.
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ESL Classes
Participants learn how to support the parish social mission by implementing the USCCB document, "Communities of Salt and Light: Reflections on the Social Mission of the Parish".
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Get Involved
Participants learn how they can continue the healing ministry of Jesus in their parish by accompanying those who suffer most.
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Operation Bienvenida
"Welcome the Stranger" - Matthew 25
A ministry run by the Diocese to assist newly arrived people seeking asylum with material needs. Started in October of 2018 and run in conjunction with various community partners such as Catholic Charities of San Bernardino and Riverside, Operation Bienvenida strives to live out what it means to, as instructed in Matthew 25, "welcome the stranger."
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"There is a role for all of us to play in Operation Bienvenida. Through prayer, advocacy and action we can ease the suffering of our immigrant brothers and sisters and help to bring about a more just and compassionate immigration system in our country." - Bishop Alberto Rojas
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If you are interested in assisting this ministry, we have 4 ways to help:
1. Give a financial contribution to ensure that we can continue to provide this necessary assistance via our fundraising page. Please click here.
2. Please review our continually updated list of material needs and order them via any online store and have it delivered to our community partner providing temporary shelter and assistance to asylum seekers. The delivery address is: The Galilee Center, 66101 Hammond Rd., Mecca, CA 92254.
3. You can deliver the items you plan donate – again, from our continually updated list of needs – to the Galilee Center directly. We ask that you please call Galilee Center directly to arrange a drop off time. You can contact them at 760.396.9100
4. You can drop-off your donations at the Diocesan Pastoral Center at 1201 E. Highland Ave., San Bernardino, CA, 92404. We can only accept drop-offs during business hours: M-Th, 8:30am-4:30pm.
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If you are interested in further information regarding this ministry, please contact the Office of Advocacy at 909.475.5351.