SAN BERNARDINO—Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Rutilio del Riego celebrated the Rite of Candidacy for 12 men at Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, San Bernardino on Oct. 9.
The Rite of Candidacy is given to men who are preparing for the Sacrament of Holy Orders and in this case, the Permanent Diaconate.
These men have spent the last year discerning God’s call in their lives, and in September Bishop Gerald Barnes approved them to participate in the Rite of Candidacy. They will spend three years in formation before they are ordained as a permanent deacon.
Entering formation are: Hector Aguirre, Sacred Heart, Rancho Cucamonga; Armando Berumen, Holy Name, Hesperia; Jose Calderón, St. George, Ontario; Cesar Chávez, St. James the Less, Perris.
Hector Garcia, Immaculate Conception, Colton; Thomas Imbruglia, St. Peter and St. Paul, Alta Loma; Carl Jones, St. Anthony, San Bernardino; Andrés Lozada, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Rancho Cucamonga; Richard Mercado, The Holy Name of Jesus, Redlands.
Alfonso Pastrana, St, Martha, Murrieta; Jose Ramirez, St Elizabeth of Hungary, Desert Hot Springs and Manuel Vides, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Ontario.