In its annual tradition, the Diocese of San Bernardino honored 73 men and women for their exemplary work in their ministries through the 2026 Diocesan Awards. The program consists of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Award, the St. Bernardine Award and the St. John Paul II Youth Award.
Pastors, Administrators, Pastoral Coordinators and Diocesan Office Directors are asked to submit a nomination for the awardees. The awardees are recognized at the Annual Diocesan Awards Ceremony, held this year on May 20 at Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral in San Bernardino. Below are this year’s award recipients.
Our Lady of Guadalupe Award
This award is presented to adult individuals aged 18 years and older 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 civic community. Recipients of this award for service in the civic community need not be members of the Roman Catholic Church.
- Arturo Amador, St. Christopher Church, Moreno Valley
- Roberto and Petra Arizmendi, Our Lady of Solitude Church, Palm Springs
- Gustavo Chamorro, Our Lady of the Assumption Church, San Bernardino
- Veronica Denier, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Church, Yucaipa
- Carlos and Alma Escobar, Sacred Heart Church, Palm Desert
- Michelle Franks, Holy Spirit Church, Hemet
- Pedro & Silvia Garcia, St. James the Less Church, Perris
- Rolando Gaza, St. Francis de Sales Church, Riverside
- Susan Green, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Palm Springs
- Carlos and Martha Gutierrez, St. Thomas The Apostle Church, Riverside
- Christopher Hoover, Our Lady of the Desert Church, Apple Valley
- Patricia Jimenez, St. Patrick Church, Moreno Valley
- Evan Kimble, Pastoral Center - Office of Construction and Real Estate
- Joel Klink, Blessed Sacrament Church, Twentynine Palms
- Marilyn Kott, Pastoral Center - Department of Communications
- Antolina Lepe, Rachel’s Vineyard Ministry, San Bernardino
- Kenneth Llave, St. Matthew Church, Corona
- Anthony Lopez, St. Francis de Sales Church, Riverside
- Lilibeth Lucinario, St. Kateri Tekakwitha Church, Beaumont
- Jerome and Carol Murphy, St. Paul the Apostle Church, Chino Hills
- Dr. Ernelyn Navarro-Cheung, DM, LCSW, BCC, Pastoral Center - Asian Pacific Islander Ministry
- Juana Neri, Holy Spirit Church, Hemet
- Hanh Duc & Thuy Thi Thanh Nguyen, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Riverside
- Deacon Mark Padilla, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Indio
- Cora Payad, St. Vincent Ferrer Church, Menifee
- Donna Pencz, St. Anthony Church, Upland
- Curtis Plumb, The Holy Name of Jesus Church, Redlands
- Frank and Terry Proctor, St. Margaret Mary Church, Chino
- Michele Sgantas, St. Joan of Arc Church, Victorville
- Angeles Sotelo, Holy Spirit Church, Hemet
- Angelica Torres, St. Joan of Arc Church, Blythe
- Jose Torres, Our Lady of the Valley Church, Hemet
- Juan and Rosa Viramontes, St. Oscar Romero Church, Eastvale
St. Bernardine Award
This award is presented to a Church employee (parish or Diocesan Pastoral Center) with at least 10 consecutive years of employment service, and who has significantly impacted the fulfillment of the vision and mission of the local Church through exemplary and generous leadership and/or service. Parish Employees may be nominated by their Pastor or Pastoral Coordinator. Diocesan Pastoral Center employees may only be nominated by their Office Director or Department Head.
- Julio Chavez, Pastoral Center - Office of Mission Advancement
- Sergio Cisneros, Our Lady of Solitude Church, Palm Springs
- Nellie Davison, St. Margaret Mary Church, Chino
- Paulina Espinosa, St. Paul the Apostle Church, Chino Hills
- Kathleen Estrella, Our Lady of the Assumption Church, San Bernardino
- Martha Flores, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Indio
- John Koss, Pastoral Center - Office of Divine Worship
- Eloise Montijo, St. George Catholic Church, Fontana
- Steven Portoles, Sacred Heart Church, Palm Desert
- Beatriz Rodriguez, St. Vincent Ferrer Church, Menifee
- Evelyn Sobrino, St. Matthew Church, Corona
- Shelley Volm, St. Anthony Church, Upland
St. John Paul II Youth Award
This 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 peoples and inspiring others to create peace and harmony.
- Ethan Arce, St. Vincent Ferrer Church, Menifee
- Maria Arco, Our Lady of Solitude Church, Palm Springs
- Isaac Calderon, St. Christopher Church, Moreno Valley
- Sarai Casillas, St. Patrick Church, Moreno Valley
- Kaylee Cervantes, St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Riverside
- Josh Do, St. Paul The Apostle Church, Chino Hills
- Kiana Ferreira, The Holy Name of Jesus Church, Redlands
- Jesus Figueroa III, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Church, Yucaipa
- Rhianna Flores, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Riverside
- Camila Lopez, Holy Spirit Church, Hemet
- Daniela Lopez, Holy Spirit Church, Hemet
- Esmeralda Garcia Marmolejo, St. Matthew Church, Corona
- Miguel Mora Popoca, Our Lady of the Assumption Church, San Bernardino
- Savannah Ortega, St. Oscar Romero Church, Eastvale
- Lizette Ramirez, Sacred Heart Church, Rancho Cucamonga
- Luis Ramirez-Lucero, St. Margaret Mary Church, Chino
- Micaela Sese, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Palm Springs
- Oscar Soria, Sacred Heart Church, Palm Desert
- Giselle Vargas, Aquinas High School, San Bernardino