William Sadlier Dinger Award
Sadlier & NCCHM: Honoring Hispanic Leadership
William Sadlier Dinger Award
The William Sadlier Dinger Award honors and recognizes a person for outstanding work in nurturing the Word of God within the Latino community. The name of the award recognizes William Dinger’s early and constant commitment to catechesis in the Latino community.
In partnership with the National Catholic Council for Hispanic Ministry (NCCHM), Sadlier proudly recognizes the vital contributions of Hispanic leaders in the Church. Their dedication, vision, and faith continue to strengthen families, parishes, and communities across the United States. Together, we celebrate their leadership and affirm their essential role in shaping a more vibrant and inclusive Church.
Sadlier Award 2025 – Dr. Emilce Cuda
Dr. Emilce Cuda, Secretary of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America at the Holy See, is a leading scholar in Social Moral Theology. She is also a member of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences and the Pontifical Academy for Life, and professor at Loyola University Chicago. Author of Para leer a Francisco (2017), she has received honorary doctorates from Loyola University Chicago and the National University of Rosario, Argentina.
Sadlier Award 2024 – Father Rafael Capó
Father Rafael Capó is Vice President for Mission and Ministry and Dean of Theology at St. Thomas University in Miami, Florida. A priest of the Archdiocese of Miami, he has been appointed by Pope Francis as a Papal Missionary of Mercy and by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops as a National Eucharistic Preacher.
He previously served as Director of the Southeast Bishops Office for Hispanic Ministry (SEPI), and has held roles as school president, vocations director, and professor of theology. With advanced degrees in Educational Leadership and Theology, Father Capó is a leading voice in Hispanic Ministry, advising national organizations and serving on the USCCB World Youth Day Advisory Committee and the Council on Foreign Relations’ Religion Advisory Committee.
He is also a dynamic presence on social media, engaging especially with young people through a ministry that integrates faith with the fitness of body, mind, and spirit.
Sadlier Award 2023 – Cardinal Christophe Pierre
Cardinal Christophe Pierre, born in Rennes, France in 1946, has dedicated his life to the service of the Church through pastoral ministry and diplomacy. Ordained a priest in 1970, he later entered the Vatican’s diplomatic service, serving in countries across the globe before being appointed Apostolic Nuncio in Haiti, Uganda, Mexico, and most recently the United States. In 2023, Pope Francis created him Cardinal, recognizing his decades of service as a bridge-builder between the Church and the world.