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Alberto Rojas

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His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Alberto Rojas
Bishop of San Bernardino
DioceseSan Bernardino
AppointedDecember 2, 2019
InstalledFebruary 24, 2020
PredecessorGerald Richard Barnes
Previous post(s)
Orders
OrdinationMay 25, 1997
by Francis George
ConsecrationAugust 10, 2011
by Francis George, Gustavo García-Siller, and Józef Guzdek
Personal details
Born (1965-01-05) January 5, 1965 (age 60)
Aguascalientes, Mexico
MottoNos basta el amor de Dios
(God's love is all we need)
Styles of
Alberto Rojas
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleBishop

Alberto Rojas (born January 5, 1965) is a Mexican-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as bishop of the Diocese of San Bernardino in Southern California since 2020. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago in Illinois from 2011 to 2019.

Biography

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Early life

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Alberto Rojas was born on January 5, 1965, in Aguascalientes, Mexico, and attended elementary, secondary schools and college there. He entered the Santa Maria de Guadalupe Seminary in Aguascalientes at age 15. After coming to the United States, he completed a year of discernment at Casa Jesus in 1993 and then attended Saint Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein, Illinois, Royas earned his Masters of Divinity from Mundelein in 1997.[1][2]

Priesthood

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Rojas was ordained on May 25, 1997, as a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago by Cardinal Francis George at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago.[3][4]

After his 1997 ordination, the archdiocese assigned Rojas as associate pastor of St. Gregory the Great Parish in Chicago. He was transferred in 1999 to serve in the same role at St. Ita Parish in Chicago. Rojas left St. Ida in 2002 to join the faculty of Saint Mary of the Lake, where he taught for the next seven years.[5] In 2010, Rojas was appointed as pastor of Good Shepherd Parish in Chicago.[6]

Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago

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Coat of arms for Rojas as Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago and Coadjutor Bishop of San Bernardino

On June 13, 2011, Rojas was appointed as an auxiliary bishop of Chicago and titular bishop of Marazanae by Pope Benedict XVI.[6] He received his episcopal consecration at Holy Name Cathedral on August 10, 2011, from Cardinal George with Bishop Józek Guzdek and Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller serving as co-consecrators.[7][4]

While an auxiliary bishop, Rojas also served as episcopal vicar for Vicariate III.[8] He also serve as the archbishop's liaison liaison to Hispanic Catholics and as his delegate to Consejo Pastoral Arquidiocesano Hispano-Americano.[5]

Coadjutor Bishop and Bishop of San Bernardino

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On December 2, 2019, Rojas was appointed as coadjutor bishop of San Bernardino by Pope Francis to assist Bishop Gerald Barnes in his duties.[1] Rojas automatically became as bishop of San Bernardino when Barnes retired on December 28, 2020.[9]

Decree Dispensing from the Obligation to Attend Sunday Mass (Due to ICE Enforcement)

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Rojas made national news on July 8, 2025 when he made a bilingual decree in both Spanish and English stating that due to raids conducted by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that he was granting a dispensation for Catholics in his diocese to receive mass.[10][11]

He cited Catholic Code of Canon law 87 §1 which states " A diocesan bishop, whenever he judges that it contributes to their spiritual good, is able to dispense the faithful from universal and particular disciplinary laws issued for his territory or his subjects by the supreme authority of the Church. He is not able to dispense, however, from procedural or penal laws nor from those whose dispensation is specially reserved to the Apostolic See or some other authority."[12]

The document stated that this dispensation only affects Roman Catholic who are within the Diocese of San Bernadino (which consists of San Bernadino and Riverside Counties). Additionally, the decree stipulated that those who use this dispensation must have a genuine fear of immigration enforcement. Roman Catholics within the Diocese were further encouraged to implement other spiritual practices such as watching mass on television or online, pray a rosary or Chaplet of Divine Mercy, make an act of spiritual communion, or to read the Bible. The diocese and its pastors were directed to support Catholics spiritually with sacramental preparation and catechesis. The dispensation was co signed by the dioceses' Vicar General Monsignor Gerard M. Lopez.[10]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Nomina del Coadiutore di San Bernardino (U.S.A.)". Holy See Press Office. December 2, 2019. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  2. ^ "Casa Jesús marks 25 years helping men discern priesthood: Unique program focuses on the Spanish-speaking". Chicago Catholic. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  3. ^ "Bishop Alberto Rojas". Diocese of San Bernardino. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Bishop Alberto Rojas [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
  5. ^ a b "AMENDED RELEASE: Pope Francis Appoints Most Rev. Alberto Rojas as Coadjutor Bishop of San Bernardino". US Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Rinunce e Nomine, 13.06.2011" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. June 13, 2011. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  7. ^ Duriga, Joyce (August 28, 2011). "Love the church, defend and give your lives for her". Chicago Catholic. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  8. ^ "Biographical Summary". Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
  9. ^ "Rinunce e nomine". Holy See Press Office (Press release). December 28, 2020. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  10. ^ a b Rojas, Alberto (July 8, 2025). "Decree Dispensing from Obligation to Attend Sunday Mass" (PDF). sbdiocese.org. Retrieved July 9, 2025.
  11. ^ Bharath, Deepa (July 9, 2025). "California bishop suspends Mass obligation due to immigration fears". The Associated Press. Retrieved July 9, 2025.
  12. ^ Wojtyła, Karol Józef (January 25, 1983). Catholic 1983 Code of Canon law. The Vatican.
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Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Bishop of San Bernardino
2020–present 		Succeeded by
incumbent
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