WASHINGTON – The Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD), the anti-poverty program of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), has named Father Guillermo Treviño, Jr. of the Diocese of Davenport as the recipient of the 2022 Cardinal Bernardin New Leadership Award. Each year, this prestigious award from the CCHD recognizes a young adult between the ages of 18 and 40 who demonstrates leadership in fighting poverty and injustice in the United States through community-based solutions. Fr. Guillermo will be honored at a reception on November 15 during the U.S. bishops’ annual General Assembly in Baltimore.

Fr. Guillermo is the pastor of twin Hispanic parishes, St. Joseph West Liberty and St. Joseph Columbus Junction, and chaplain and co-chair of Escucha Mi Voz Iowa, a faith-based community organization in Iowa City. With Escucha Mi Voz (which means “Listen to my voice”), Fr. Guillermo played a key role in accompanying parish leaders and community members to fight for and win millions of dollars in pandemic relief for thousands of essential and excluded immigrant workers in Eastern Iowa. As a Catholic priest serving rural Hispanic Catholics who live and work in agriculture and meatpacking, Fr. Guillermo did more than provide spiritual relief to parishioners hard-hit by the COVID pandemic. He helped meatpacking plant workers find their own voice, identify issues impacting their lives, and take effective action to address them, including by contacting government and corporate decision-makers. Fr. Guillermo brings a unique perspective and understanding to his ministry – he knows first-hand the daily struggles of the immigrant families he serves since his own father was deported twelve times. He sees his role as one of empowerment, helping lay people become leaders in both the parish and the community as an expression of their dignity as children of God.

Bishop David G. O’Connell, auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles and chairman of the USCCB’s Subcommittee on the Catholic Campaign for Human Development said, “Fr. Guillermo’s dedication and tireless service to the vulnerable and excluded immigrant workers of Eastern Iowa embodies CCHD’s mission to empower individuals experiencing poverty to become the protagonists of their own development. CCHD is honored to award Fr. Guillermo with the 2022 Cardinal Bernardin New Leadership Award, and we hope that his inspiring example moves us all to put our faith in action and walk in solidarity with our most vulnerable brothers and sisters.”

The award, bestowed annually, is named for the late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, who was archbishop of Chicago from 1982 till his death in 1996. Cardinal Bernardin served as the first general secretary of the U.S. bishops’ conference from 1968-1972, and as the conference’s third president from 1974-1977. More information about the award is available at: www.usccb.org/about/catholic-campaign-for-human-development/cardinal-bernardin-new-leadership-award.cfm.

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