Nine men will be ordained as permanent deacons on August 23 at Sacred Heart Church in Rancho Cucamonga. They are Juan Carlos Arreola, Héctor Ávila, Max E. Barillas, Martin Correa, Ramon Duran, German Gonzalez, Chukwunedum David Okonkwo, Victor Ortega, and Gerardo Vargas. The 10 am Ordination Mass will be livestreamed at: www.youtube.com/sanbernardinodiocese. Get to know these soon-to-be deacons and their faith journey by reading below.
Juan Carlos Arreola
Home Parish: Sacred Heart, Palm Desert
Occupation: Parish Sacristan and Director of Religious Education
Ministries of Interest: As I begin this journey, I feel especially drawn to ministries that serve those who are sick and the homebound. These brothers and sisters, due to their circumstances, hold a deep need for communion, connection, compassion, and hope. Spending time with those who are ill or who are ill and confined to their own homes has shown me the face of Christ in powerful ways. I hope to serve in this ministry, building relationships and reminding people that they are seen, valued, and never forgotten.
What inspired you to become a deacon?
Serving the Church in different ways, especially through my work with catechetical families, has opened my heart to a life of service. Walking with families as they grow in faith has shown me the beauty of God at work in everyday moments. Whether assisting at the altar or serving in the community, each experience has deepened my love for God and His people. Over time, I came to see that this isn’t just something I do, it’s the life I’m called to live. And in that call, I’ve found joy, purpose, and the quiet confidence that I am where God wants me to be.
Héctor Ávila
Home Parish: Corpus Christi, Corona
Occupation: Car repair technician
Ministries of Interest: I like all areas because they are all about service. I am drawn to the sick and preaching the Word. I believe that in this area our people are in great need and hungry to know more about Jesus and his doctrine.
What inspired you to become a deacon?
God’s call was always present in my life, and the need to bring others to the feet of Christ for the salvation of their souls.
Max E. Barillas
Home Parish: Our Lady of Guadalupe, Chino
Occupation: Real Estate Broker
Ministries of Interest: Since I received the call to diaconal formation, I have placed myself under the guidance of the Holy Spirit who will know where and when to carry out the ministry entrusted to me and to be an instrument of service, carrying it out with love and obedience for the benefit of my neighbor.
What inspired you to become a deacon?
I have always been a person deeply committed to my Catholic doctrine and while at my parish, during a celebration of the “Apostolado Círculo de Oración a Distancia,” I received God’s call to serve Him for the benefit of my neighbors, especially those most in need. I consulted with my family about my willingness to pursue diaconal formation and, since then, I have received their full support, as well as the support of my parish priest and the community.
Martin Correa
Home Parish: Our Lady of Guadalupe, Chino
Occupation: Self-employed
Ministries of Interest: I’m interested in the family ministry, the bereavement ministry, and collaborating in supporting other liturgical ministries. I’m also interested in helping young people, supporting them, and advising them so they feel welcomed in the Church.
What inspired you to become a deacon?
First, it was my parish priest, Father Edmundo Gómez, through whom the call came, and he inspires me when I see his dedication to service, his love and commitment to the community, because for me he is an example to follow. This inspired me to feel the call to service even more strongly, and seeing the need there is for ordained servants to serve the community, I have embraced that desire.
Ramon Duran
Home Parish: St. John the Evangelist, Riverside
Occupation: Route Sales Representative
Ministries of Interest: Pastoral Care, service to the elderly, the sick, and the liturgy.
What inspired you to become a deacon?
Above all, listening to the Word of God drove me and made me realize the great needs of our Church and parish in all its areas. As a lay server, I am open to helping all these areas within and outside of the community. However, it is through the role of deacon that I am further prepared and capable of serving my brothers and sisters in Christ at a deeper level of faith beginning in my own home.
German Gonzalez
Home Parish: St. Joan of Arc, Blythe
Occupation: Administrative Clerk
Ministries of Interest: My wife and I currently participate in the ministries of Baptism and Marriage Preparation, as well as being a lector, and my wife is also an extraordinary minister of the Holy Communion. In the immediate future, our plans are to establish a Grief and Companion Ministry, which is needed in our community.
What inspired you to become a deacon?
God’s call through our Bishop Emeritus Gerard Barnes and the need for Spanish-speaking deacons in our community.
Chukwunedum David Okonkwo
Home Parish: St. Anthony, San Bernardino
Occupation: Director of the Diocesan Office of Ministry to Catholics of African Descent
Ministries of Interest: Ethnic ministry, social justice and reconciliation in different levels.
What inspired you to become a deacon?
That is a short question with a long answer. The short answer is God. How you might ask? The answer is through prayer and discernment. And I believe God has been calling me all my life. I was just not giving in to God until now. Why now? When it is time, you will know. Through the mouths of so many in our diocese and around, God continued to make His wishes known. It became so loud, I had no choice but to answer.
Victor Ortega
Home Parish: St. Adelaide, Highland
Occupation: Automobile mechanic
Ministries of Interest: The Word, service, compassion and justice.
What inspired you to become a deacon?
The call.
Gerardo Vargas
Home Parish: St. Catherine of Alexandria, Temecula
Occupation: Cook in a restaurant
Ministries of Interest: For almost 16 years my wife and I have been catechists, and for the last six years Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and, of course, we have also been within the Charismatic Renewal, but I deeply desire within the diaconate to be able to assist the sick in hospitals and visit prisons as well, and in any other need of my parish.
What inspired you to become a deacon?
When I began to serve in my parish approximately 16 years ago, I did so only as a catechist, but it was only once a week, but I have always felt the desire to serve God and the Church, I believe, a little more deeply and with more formation, and with more time dedicated to the community. In this way some deacons, even a priest, invited me to enter diaconal formation. At first, I did not want to, but gradually I began to feel in my heart the desire to enter the formation and thank God I was able to enter.