​Dear El Retiro family-

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In honor of El Retiro’s Centennial, we are launching a new annual gala, the San Iñigo Award Gala, as a celebratory, preeminent, fundraising event on Thursday, May 22, 2025. The proceeds will ensure the care of and improvements for the 38-acre grounds, trails, historic buildings, and especially enable the continued presence of the Jesuit community and ministry, while expanding our capacity to offer retreat scholarships to those of lesser means.

Retreatants experience a closeness with their faith and God that enhances all aspects of their lives and has an amplifying effect by touching every soul they encounter in their personal relationships, career, and the routine of daily life. Retreats do change lives!

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Each year, an individual, family, or group will be chosen by The Jesuit Retreat Center and Community, to be honored with the San Iñigo Award, for expressing their wholehearted commitment, desire to imitate Christ, a generous spirit, and a readiness to work hard to support the Jesuit mission and that of “El Retiro”.

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We are honored to bestow our inaugural San Iñigo Award upon Father Greg Boyle, S.J., who is an exceptional first of many future worthy recipients. Hosts for sponsor tables are invited to stay for the entire Fr. Greg Boyle retreat weekend and attend a special Mass on Friday morning and champagne brunch in his honor.

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In the Contemplation to Attain Divine Love at the end of the Spiritual Exercises, St. Ignatius Loyola invites us to generously share the gifts that we have received as an outpouring of our gratitude. For Ignatius, gratitude is always a sign of spiritual growth that points us back to the Giver, as St. Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians proclaims, “God loves a cheerful giver.”

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The Jesuit Community, Ministry Team, Board of Directors and I ask that you join us in this inaugural event and sponsor it with your most charitable philanthropy. Please contemplate the included event overview and sponsorship benefits.

 

 

 In grace and peace,

 

 

 

Fr. Chi Ngo, S.J.

Executive Director

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​​​​San Iñigo Award Gala— Event Details and Sponsor Supplemental Information

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Thursday, May 22, 2025

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San Iñigo Award Recipient— Father Greg Boyle, S.J.- Founder and Director of Homeboy Industries, the world's largest gang intervention and rehabilitation program, El Retiro retreat leader, and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient

 

MC/Auctioneer— Diane Dwyer- Two-time Emmy Award winner and NBC News personality

 

Official VIP Photographer— Michael Collopy- preeminent portrait photographer of world figures and author of Works of Love are Works of Peace-Mother Teresa of Calcutta and the Missionaries of Charity

 

Musicians— Yeni Valdés y Teambahia-10-piece lineup Cuban band, Yeni is a 5-time Latin Grammy Award nominee

 

• 3 PM-5PM— Guest Room Check-in for Table Sponsor Host(s) staying for the Fr. Greg retreat

• 5 PM Loyola Garden— Reception, Open Bar, Auction, Raffle, Father Greg Receiving Award

• 7 PM Gourmet Dinner— Rotunda, Pereira, O’Mara

• 8:15 PM Loyola Garden— Dessert, Open Bar and After Party with Live Music and Dancing

  • Festive attire (not formal)

  • As much of the event will be outside in the Loyola Garden, please avoid heels.

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Friday, May 23, 2025

For sponsor table host(s) staying for the Fr. Greg weekend retreat

• 10 AM— Father Greg Mass

• 11 AM— Champagne Brunch with Father Greg

• 6 PM— Pre-retreat Social/Reception

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Sponsor highlights:

• Most sponsor levels provide the table host(s) with the option to remain for the Father Greg Boyle Retreat, Friday, May 23-Sunday May 25.

• Any guest seats that you do not use may be donated back to El Retiro to be used for scholarship seats for those without the means and/or for Jesuits and VIP honorary guests.

• The Presenting Loyola Sponsor will have the honor of hosting Father Greg and his attending guests at their table if all allotted seats are not used by their host.

• Most levels of sponsor hosts become members of the Manresa Circle with invites to special Jesuit Presentations and Dinners, and other benefits.

• Most sponsor levels will have the ability to submit words and/or photos used by our designer to create message ads in the printed commemorative program and onscreen. You may congratulate El Retiro for its centennial celebration, Father Greg for his award, or honor someone else you know who exhibits all the qualities desired for a San Iñigo Award recipient — An individual, family, or group expressing their wholehearted commitment and desire to imitate Christ, with a generous spirit, and a readiness to work hard to support the Jesuit mission and/or that of “El Retiro”.

• We encourage you to share a sponsor level with your friends and both names will be listed.

• Questions? Please contact Tod Thorpe at 650-917-4025 or tthorpe@jrclosaltos.org

• We pray that the event will fill up with sponsorships in such a way that no, or very few tickets will be available for sale later this spring. So don’t wait and miss out on this incredible celebration!

• To purchase the sponsorship online, click here

 

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Sponsor Levels and Benefits

 

2025 San Iñigo Award Gala Honorary Host Committee

(as of 2-26-25)

 

Mary and E. Jeffrey Banchero

Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. and Anne Gust Brown

Brother Guy Consolmagno, S.J., Director, Specola Vaticana

Elizabeth Otto Dohrmann

Stephanie and Phil Gatto

Justice Linda Gemello and Dr. John Gemello

Bill and Cris Goodman

Alex & Grace Hui

Fr. Patrick Lee, S.J. - Rector of San Francisco Jesuits

Silvia Scandar Mahan, President of Cristo Rey San José Jesuit High School and Matt Mahan, Mayor of San José

Reverend, Father, Doctor Anthony J. Mancuso- St. Francis High School

Tom and Laura Nann

Raymond and Barbara Nann

Reverend Peter Pabst, S.J.- Chancellor, Cristo Rey San José Jesuit High School

Prof. Arogyaswami Paulraj, Stanford University and Nirmala Paulraj

Lois and Carl Pileri

Bryan L. P. Saalfeld, Shareholder- Murphy, Pearson, Bradley & Feeney, P.C.

Thomas and Patricia Schneck

Kathleen O’Rourke and Jack Sheridan

Rev. Thomas H. Smolich SJ - Rector, Jesuit School of Theology, Santa Clara University

Tuan Van-Dinh and Van K. Tran, M.D.

Paul and Annette Venables

Fr. Duc Vu, SJ, Pastor of Most Holy Trinity Parish

Thomas Weston, S.J.- Jesuit Community, Oakland, CA

Jim and Lia Whitehead

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For more information, please contact Tod Thorpe at tthorpe@jrclosaltos.org