Vicente Tomas Segura Arredondo – Mexico (parents are from Sacred Heart Parish, Riverside); Antony Assaf - The Holy Name of Jesus, Redlands; Derek Cossio - St. John XXIII, Fontana; Derek Curtis - St. Patrick, Moreno Valley; Triet Dang – Seattle; Rafael Flores - St. Catherine of Siena, Rialto; Gerardo Lopez - Modesto (Misioneros de la Palabra); Sergio Morales Mojica - St. Joseph, Barstow; Jesus Muratalla Ornelas - St. Christopher, Moreno Valley; Anthony Ribaya - St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, Yucaipa; Giovanni Sevilla - Modesto (Misioneros de la Palabra); Onyekachi Damian Ugocha - Los Angeles.
The new class of seminarians is just two men less than the largest group ever accepted into Serra House and the biggest in years.
Men from St. Christopher Parish in Moreno Valley continue to make the list with Jesus Ornelas’ acceptance this year, two other seminarians completing their last year of formation before ordination and Father Tomas Guillen, who was ordained last May.
“I think that St. Christopher Parish has consistently kept the idea of the need for priests in their mind,” said Sister Shrewsbury, O.S.C., Director of Vocations for the Diocese.
Ornelas credits his parish youth group, Lambs of Christ, for helping him to grow in his faith. He says that the group consists of young people who have either attempted to join the religious life or considered it.
“Being surrounded by these people who are willing to give the religious life a chance was very nurturing for me,” said Ornelas. “I’m very thankful to have a supportive community from my parish.”
The men on the list who are not from a local parish have either spent time working in the Diocese or have a connection with a priest within the Diocese.
This year’s group of men is culturally diverse and offers many talents including writing, music and engineering, to name a few.
“I think that the seminarians need to be a mini representation of what the Diocese is like,” said Sr. Shrewsbury. “It shouldn’t be just one culture because the diocese is such a mix of cultures, so the diocese should reflect that. I think we do that pretty well.”
Sr. Shrewsbury and Father Javier Gonzalez-Cabrera, Associate Director of Vocations, are responsible for recruiting men to become priests and managing the application process. The application isn’t always given right away, says Sr. Shrewsbury. The process starts with a meeting to get to know the applicant. Once the paperwork starts, discernment, screening and psychological testing begin. The men attend group meetings and the vocations team will also meet with them individually several times between each of the group meetings. Several of the men are screened out after the long process.
“Our ministry, our task, is to help them see if this will work,” said Sr. Shrewsbury. “If the people in the churches will be happy and if they will be happy.”
Once Sr. Shrewsbury and Fr. Gonzalez decide that a person may be a good fit, he is recommended to an eight-person Admissions Team that will further review the paperwork and interview the applicant. If a person is accepted, then they are recommended to Bishop Barnes for final approval.
“One of my favorite days in ministry is calling these guys to say that they are accepted,” said Sr. Shrewsbury. “Father Javier and I really enjoy that part. It’s a lot of work talking with them and working with them.”
The men on this year’s list received a call or a letter in early July with the good news.
“When I got the letter I was jumping around in my room,” said Jesus Ornelas. “I really wanted to get in and my family was really happy because we have been waiting for that letter for a while.”
Derek Curtis of St. Patrick Parish in Moreno Valley, where his parents are active in parish life, recalls his reaction to the news.
“When I first found out, I was overjoyed,” he said. “It’s an excellent blessing. I’m so excited and I can’t wait to begin. My family has been extremely supportive and my friends and parish have been as well.”
Anthony Ribaya of St. Francis Xavier Cabrini Parish in Yucaipa, where he serves as music director for the parish youth choir, says he experienced a mix of feelings.
“I was both excited and scared when I got the news,” said Ribaya. “My parents received the news very happily, especially my dad, he was very happy. My sister was happy, too. We were so joyful about the news.”
With only one priest for every 6,117 parishioners in the Diocese, Sr. Shrewsbury and her team at the Office of Vocations continue to work on recruiting more men to the priesthood. At the same time, the support and effort of the parishes in the Diocese is pivotal to the success of this ministry.
“I want our diocese to pray for those who are going into the seminary and those already in the seminary as well as the young women going into the convent and deacons in the diaconate program,” said Sr. Shrewsbury. “We encourage everyone to promote vocations in their parishes and get a vocations committee going. It’s also very easy to just put in a prayer every Sunday or every time there is Mass.”
Sr. Shrewsbury says some parishes have a vocations cross or statue and families take that home and pray for vocations.
“It keeps alive the idea of how much priests are needed in our diocese.”
Malie Hudson is a freelance writer based in Riverside.