These four received on May 20 the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Cross Award, the highest honor bestowed upon a layperson in the Church by the Vatican.
When Petra Alexander, Sister Linda Nicholson, CSJ, and Greg and Densy Chandra received the Papal honor, it marked the first time since 2010 that the award was given to someone from the Diocese of San Bernardino.
Alexander, Director of the Diocesan Office of Hispanic Affairs for the past 16 years, was lauded for her ministry to Hispanics in the areas of education, immigration, and worker’s rights, among others. Alexander, a first generation immigrant from Mexico, is also a respected retreat director and speaker on Hispanic issues throughout California. She also conceived and coordinated the establishment of a call center allowing immigrant Hispanics to report workplace violations. In 2014 she co-authored “The Imprisoned Heart,” a book for families of those who are incarcerated.
Characteristic of all the 2016 Papal Award honorees, Alexander gave credit to those who she has encountered in her ministry for the honor.
“This acknowledgement belongs to my people, to the Latinos and Latinas who are a daily school of spirituality; humble and simple people, true sons and daughters of our Heavenly Mother,” she said. “I am grateful to all Hispanic leaders in the parishes and my family for the support they give me to share this mission and work.”
Sister Nicholson, who is the Associate Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese, has worked in the Catholic schools of the Diocese since 1985, beginning as a teacher at Precious Blood School in Banning. She served as principal of St. Mary Regional School in Apple Valley and most recently at Sacred Heart Academy in Redlands before coming to the Diocesan Office of Catholic Schools. After 57 years of ministry in Catholic schools, Sr. Nicholson gave credit to her community, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, and thanked Bishop Gerald Barnes and Pope Francis for their inspiration.
“My role as an educator I’ve always seen as empowering people, helping them be the best they can be,” she said. “If that is the result of my ministry, I’m happy.”
Greg and Densy Chandra are parishioners of The Holy Name of Jesus in Redlands. The two have been active in many parish and diocesan ministries including building and development (Greg’s profession), Asian-Pacific ministry and social concerns. Densy has been a national delegate to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Asian Pacific Ministry for more than ten years. At the local level she has been a chief volunteer coordinator of the Diocesan Migration Mass.
Greg and Densy Chandra are also Associate Members of the Sisters of the Holy Name of Jesus and Mary, an organization that seeks to empower people and has special concern for the poor and vulnerable. The couple also belongs to the Equestrian Order of the Knights and Ladies of the Holy Sepulcher, a lay institution charged with providing for the needs of the Church in the Holy Land. They are also regional advocates for Catholic Relief Services.
Like the other two Papal honorees, the Chandras expressed “stunned disbelief” when they were notified of their award.
“We want to thank you for giving both of us the opportunity to be part of this Diocese,” Greg Chandra said, addressing Bishop Barnes at the Diocesan Awards Banquet on May 20. “It started with Encuentro 2000 and thanks be to God that we have had these opportunities through these years.”