Bishop Rojas wishes to share the following information:
Diocesan Pastoral Center Appointments
- Rev. Duong Nguyen, SVD, current Pastor of Holy Rosary Cathedral, San Bernardino will be appointed as the Director of the Office of Mission at the Diocesan Pastoral Center effective July 1, 2023. The Mission Office promotes and fosters the missionary endeavors of the Catholic Church in parishes, schools, religious education groups, private organizations and individual persons of the Diocese through prayer, awareness and sacrificial donations. We thank Fr. Nguyen for his commitment to the Diocese and missions work. Outside of his ministry with the Office of Mission, Fr. Nguyen will also reside and serve as a second Parochial Vicar at Our Lady of Hope, San Bernardino effective July 1, 2023.
Vicar Forane Appointments
- Rev. Mark Kotlarczyk, Pastor, St. Mary of the Valley, Yucca Valley is appointed Vicar Forane of the Low Desert Vicariate effective July 1, 2023 for a term of four years. Very Rev. Alex Gamino concludes his term of office as Vicar Forane as he departs the vicariate. We thank Fr. Gamino for his service and wish Father Mark well as he begins this new appointment.
Pastor Appointment
- Rev. Paul Ahiaba, CSSp, Pastor, Our Lady of the Valley, Hemet for a term of six years beginning July 1, 2023 and ending on June 30, 2029. Father Neil McQuillan, CSSp, current pastor of the parish will be ending his term on June 30, 2023 and has been reassigned by his community for ministry in Houston, Texas. We thank Fr. McQuillan for his faithful service. Father Daniel Abba, CSSp, current Parochial Vicar, will also depart the parish on June 30, 2023. Fr. Abba has been reassigned by his community to serve in Houston, Texas. Thank you, Fr. Abba, for your ministry.
Parochial Vicar Appointments
All appointments/reappointments are for three years, beginning July 1, 2023 and ending on June 30, 2026, unless otherwise specified.
- Rev. Antonio Guzman, Parochial Vicar, St. Joseph Barstow and St. Philip Neri, Lenwood.
- Rev. Alfredo Olmos, MSP, Parochial Vicar, St. Joseph, Barstow and St. Philip Neri, Lenwood. Fr. Alfredo will serve as the second parochial vicar of the two parishes. Fr. Alfredo will soon begin official time away from his religious community to discern diocesan priesthood. Let us keep him in prayer.
- Rev. Ken Vu, Parochial Vicar, St. Anthony, Upland.
- Rev. Barnabas Obinna Nwabor, CSSp, Parochial Vicar, Our Lady of the Valley, Hemet. We welcome Fr. Barnabas to the Diocese.
- Rev. Xavier Cachago, Parochial Vicar, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Riverside. Fr. Xavier is from the Archdiocese of Quito, Ecuador.
- Rev. Christy Yesudass Sunder Raj, MSC, Parochial Vicar, St. Catherine of Alexandria, Riverside. We welcome back Fr. Christy to the Diocese.
- Rev. Alexander Ospina, Parochial Vicar, St. Catherine of Alexandria, Temecula. Fr. Alex is here from the Archdiocese of Medellin, Columbia. We thank Fr. Alex for his recent service to Corpus Christi, Corona.
- Rev. Jaime Torres Lezcano, Parochial Vicar, Corpus Christi, Corona. Fr. Jaime is serving in the Diocese from the Archdiocese of Medellin, Columbia.
- Rev. Francis Grant, Parochial Vicar, St. Martha, Murrieta.
- Rev. Benediktus Oboh, SVD, Parochial Vicar, Queen of Angels, Riverside. We welcome Fr. Benediktus back to the Diocese. Both Fr. Alexander Sila, SVD and Fr. Predheep Sathiyanathan, SVD, will be departing the parish June 30, 2023 for new pastoral assignments outside the Diocese given by their religious community.
- Rev. Fransiskus Santoso, SVD, Parochial Vicar, St. George, Ontario. Fr. Hein Van Pham, SVD will be departing the parish and Diocese effective June 30, 2023.
- Rev. Alphonsus Ngwaogu, Parochial Vicar, St. Patrick, Moreno Valley. We thank Fr. Hector Vasquez, who will celebrate 50 years of Priesthood in June, for his ministry at St. Patrick parish. Fr. Hector will soon receive another pastoral appointment.
- Rev. Eloy Trujillo, Parochial Vicar, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Indio.
- Rev. Favio Andino, MSC, Parochial Vicar, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Rancho Cucamonga. Fr. Favio will soon arrive to the Diocese and comes to us from Colombia.
- Rev. Steve Porter, Parochial Vicar, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Beaumont/Banning (three-year reappointment).
- Rev. Biju Thomas, SVD, Parochial Vicar, Queen of Angels, Riverside for one year beginning July 1, 2023 and ending on June 30, 2024. Fr. Biju recently worked for Wordnet Productions and is now assigned to do parish ministry.
- Rev. Quang Ngoc Pham, SVD, Parochial Vicar, Our Lady of Hope, San Bernardino for a term of three years beginning August 1, 2023 and ending on June 30, 2026. Father is originally from Vietnam and will be ordained a priest on May 27, 2023. We congratulate and welcome to the Diocese Fr. Quang.
- Rev. Jose Luis Rivas, Parochial Vicar, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Chino for one additional year beginning July 1, 2023 and ending on June 30, 2024.
- Rev. David Foxen, MSC, Parochial Vicar, St. Theresa, Palm Springs for one year beginning July 1, 2023 and ending on June 30, 2024. We thank Fr. David for his ongoing service to the Diocese.
Newly Ordained Parochial Vicar Assignments
- Rev. Richard Ahumada, St. Frances of Rome, Wildomar.
- Rev. Carlos Flores, Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, San Bernardino
- Rev. Rafael Flores, St. Adelaide, Highland.
- Rev. Jonathan Garcia, Sacred Heart, Palm Desert.
- Rev. Julian Plascencia Gómez, Holy Family, Hesperia.
- Rev. Maurice Quindoy, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Beaumont.
- Rev. Bryant Rivas, St. Anthony, San Jancinto.
Retirement Announcement
- Bishop Rojas has granted Father Eduardo Aguirre, current Hospital Chaplain at Loma Linda Medical Center retirement status effective June 30, 2023. We thank Fr. Eduardo for his faithful service to the Diocese and wish him blessings in retirement.