Archbishop Bernard Hebda’s dedication to the teachings of Christ, his leadership and accessibility were recognized April 26 as Catholic talk radio network Relevant Radio presented him with its eighth annual Christ Brings Hope Award.

More than 1,000 people attended the banquet, a fundraiser for Relevant Radio, at the JW Marriott Mall of America in Bloomington.

The archbishop received a standing ovation.

“I’m so grateful, not only for this honor, but your warmth this evening,” Archbishop Hebda said. “I love giving awards, but I am very uncomfortable receiving them. I only agreed tonight because of my respect for Relevant Radio, and my desire to see it spread in the archdiocese and indeed across the United States.”

Archbishop Hebda is a member of Relevant Radio’s board of directors. The network’s programming can be heard in the Twin Cities at 1330 AM.

People at the banquet donating to Relevant Radio, based in Green Bay, Wisconsin, were encouraged to pick a Twin Cities’ Catholic school of their choice to receive a dollar-for-dollar match provided by an anonymous benefactor.