LEFT: St. Bernardino Award recipients CENTER: Our Lady of Guadalupe Award recipients RIGHT: St. John Paul II Award recipients
SAN BERNARDINO—The Diocese honored 59 individuals at the annual Diocesan Awards, held May 19 at Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, San Bernardino. There are three categories of diocesan awards: the St. Bernardine Award, the Our Lady of Guadalupe Award and the St. John Paul II Youth Award.
The St. Bernardine Award is presented to a parish or Diocesan Pastoral Center employee with at least 10 consecutive years of employment service who has significantly impacted the fulfillment of the vision and mission of the local church through exemplary and generous leadership and/or service. This year there were 12 St. Bernardine Award recipients.
The names of this year’s St. Bernardine Award recipients are Maria Antonia Amao, Ministry Formation Institute; Sr. Maria del Rosario Coronado, E.E.P., Prison Ministry/Office of Hispanic Affairs; Esmeralda Esquivel, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Beaumont; Tammy Adelle Griffin, Mission Office/St. Bernardine, San Bernardino; Maria Hermosillo, St. Joseph, Upland; Eva Jaimes, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Riverside; Sharla Ortiz, St. Catherine of Alexandria, Temecula; Martha Plumb, The Holy Name of Jesus, Redlands; Dana Robles, St. Thomas the Apostle, Riverside; James Shiflet, St. Margaret Mary, Chino; Johanna Valdivia, Office of Child & Youth Protection; Michael Vargas, Office of Construction & Real Estate.
The Our Lady of Guadalupe Award is presented to individuals from the parish or members of the civic community who have demonstrated exemplary generosity, leadership and/or service beyond the scope of the parish for the common good of the diocesan or local civil communities. This year there were 28 Our Lady of Guadalupe Award recipients.
The names of this year’s Our Lady of Guadalupe Award recipients are Dr. Ethel Ifeyinwa Anumba, Ministry to Catholics of African Descent; Herman Capobianco, St. Vincent Ferrer, Menifee; Jose Martin Cardoso, Holy Spirit, Hemet; Gustavo Covarrubias, The Holy Name of Jesus, Redlands; Khiarra Ward, Our Lady of the Assumption, San Bernardino; Thomas Gebelin, St. Thomas the Apostle, Riverside; Rafael & Lucia Hernandez, Torrez Martinez Reservation/Office of Native American Ministry; Laurette Hill, Blessed Sacrament, Twentynine Palms; Jose Luis Quintero & Maria De Jesus Anton, St. Anthony, San Bernardino; Nora Luz Juarez, Christ the Good Shepherd, Adelanto; Ryan Kleinvachter, St. Catherine of Alexandria, Temecula; Michael & Ruby Laponis, Sacred Heart, Rancho Cucamonga; Rodolfo & Lilian Membreno, Our Lady of Solitude, Palm Springs; Maria Meza, Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, San Bernardino; Marsha Midgett, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Beaumont; Emma Lucero Motte, St. Christopher, Moreno Valley; Mary Jo Nichols, St. Joseph, Upland; Damon Prieto, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Palm Springs; Lulu Torno Razon, Christ the Redeemer, Grand Terrace; Juvenal & Hermelinda Rivera, St. Bernardine, San Bernardino; Francisco Curiel Valenzuela, St. Margaret Mary, Chino; Jose Villareal, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, Yucaipa; Thomas Walsh, St. Frances de Sales, Riverside.
The St. John Paul II Youth Award is presented in recognition, support and encouragement to a young Catholic person from 16 to 20 years old who actively demonstrates a deep commitment, responsibility and outstanding voluntary service. This young person carries the spirit of St. John Paul II of building bridges among people and inspiring others to create peace and harmony. This year there were 19 St. John Paul II Youth Award recipients.
The names of this year’s St. John Paul II Youth Award recipients are Gabriel Canonoy, St. Christopher, Moreno Valley; Amy Marie Castañeda, St. Bernardine, San Bernardino; Kristen Anh Cervantes, Aquinas High School, San Bernardino; Olivia Awour Desire, St. Jeanne de Lestonnac Catholic High School, Temecula; Liam Frater, Notre Dame High School, Riverside; Victor Garcia, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Beaumont; David Silverio Gaston, Blessed Sacrament, Twentynine Palms; Jenna Ismael, St. Paul the Apostle, Chino Hills; Matthew Martinez, St. John XXIII, Rialto; Ashlyn McGreevy, St. Catherine of Alexandria, Temecula; Abigail Monteon, St. Thomas the Apostle, Riverside; Kenechukwu Okonkwo, Ministry to Catholics of African Descent; Marisol Popoca Mora, Our Lady of the Assumption, San Bernardino; Anna Serrano, The Holy Name of Jesus, Redlands; George Torres, Christ the Redeemer, Grand Terrace; Yasmeen Valdivia, Christ the Good Shepherd, Adelanto; Bricia Nicole Vazquez, Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, San Bernardino; Karen Victoria, St. Margaret Mary, Chino.
Congratulations to all the awardees!