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.
Seminary Appointment
-Rev. Dr. Javier Gonzalez Cabrera, Director of Pastoral Formation, St. Junipero Serra House of Formation is assigned full time to seminary formation work beginning July 1, 2023. Father Javier will conclude his part time work at St. Adelaide, Highland on June 30, 2023 and take on additional responsibilities at the seminary.
-Rev. Hau Vu, Vocations Director, Office of Vocations, has been appointed effective immediately the Director of Seminarians for all diocesan seminarians completing theological studies away from the Diocese.
Pastor Appointment & Reappointment
- 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.
-Rev. Juan Lopez Cortes, MSP, Pastor, St. John the Evangelist, Riverside for a term of six (6) years beginning July 1, 2023 and ending of June 30, 2029. We welcome Father Juan to the Diocese as he will be arriving from Texas.
-Rev. Charles Miller, Pastor, Queen of Angels, Idyllwild, for one additional term beginning July 1, 2023 and ending on June 30, 2024.
Administrator Appointment & Reappointments
-Rev. Juan M. Escobedo-Cepeda, MSP, Administrator, St. Joseph, Fontana, extended for one (1) more year beginning July 1, 2023 and ending on June 30, 2024.
-Rev. Luis Alberto de la Cruz Quen, MSP, Administrator, St. Charles Borromeo, Bloomington for a term of three (3) years beginning July 1, 2023 and ending on June 30, 2026. Father Luis currently serves as a parochial vicar of the parish. Father Juan Fernando Bonilla Sanchez concludes his service as Administrator of the parish.
-Rev. Arturo Mateo, MSC, Administrator, St. Catherine of Alexandria, Riverside, for one (1) year beginning July 1, 2023 and ending on June 30, 2024. Father Arturo returned to the Diocese in January 2023 and now will remain with us for one additional year.
-Rev. Francisco Javier Varela Delgadillo, CORC, Administrator, Our Lady of Guadalupe, San Bernardino for a term of three (3) years beginning July 1, 2023 and ending on June 30, 2026. We thank Father Francisco for his ongoing work at the parish and congratulate him on his new appointment.
Parochial Vicar Appointments & Reappointments
The following 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.
- 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
- Rev. Quang Ngoc Pham, SVD, Parochial Vicar, Our Lady of Hope, San Bernardino
-Rev. Andres Lino Salinas, CORC, Parochial Vicar, St. Edward, Corona.
-Rev. Christopher Navarro, MS, Parochial Vicar, St. Christopher, Moreno Valley.
The following appointments/reappointments are for one year, beginning July 1, 2023 and ending on June 30, 2024, unless otherwise specified.
-Rev. Chidi Martinianus Chileke, Parochial Vicar, Sacred Heart, Rancho Cucamonga.
-Rev. Julian C. Okoroanyanwu, Parochial Vicar, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Ontario.
-Rev. Gabriel Ezeh, SMMM, Parochial Vicar, St. Vincent Ferrer, Menifee.
- Rev. David Foxen, MSC, Parochial Vicar, St. Theresa, Palm Springs
- Rev. Jose Luis Rivas, Parochial Vicar, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Chino
- Rev. Biju Thomas, SVD, Parochial Vicar, Queen of Angels, Riverside. Fr. Biju recently worked for Wordnet Productions and is now assigned to do parish ministry.
-Rev. Remigius Owuamanam, SMMM, Parochial Vicar, Our Lady of Lourdes, Montclair.
Newly Ordained Parochial Vicar Assignments
The following appointments/reappointments are for three years, beginning July 1, 2023 and ending on June 30, 2026, unless otherwise specified.
- 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.
Hospital Chaplain Appointments
All appointments/reappointments are for three years, beginning July 1, 2023 and ending on June 30, 2026, unless otherwise specified.
-Rev. Cyriacus Okoro, Hospital Chaplain, Kaiser Hospital, Riverside.
-Rev. Michael Okafor, Hospital Chaplain, Providence St. Mary Medical Center, Apple Valley.
-Rev. Franklin Kulandai Y. A. Dass, MSC, Hospital Chaplain, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda.
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.