Two New Priests Ordained to Serve Inland Empire Faithful

The Journey of Two New Priests in the Diocese of San Bernardino

In the Catholic tradition, dedicating one’s life to God by becoming a priest is considered the ultimate act of service and sacrifice. Many believe that following this vocation is the highest calling one can have. On Saturday, May 16, hundreds of priests and laypeople gathered to witness two men take these holy vows during an ordination Mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Rancho Cucamonga.

The event marked the installation of two new priests in the Diocese of San Bernardino: the Rev. Luis Angeles, 26, and the Rev. Larry Curtis, 28. Both are natives of the Inland Empire and had been preparing for nearly a decade for this moment, after years of prayer and study at seminaries in the Diocese of San Bernardino as well as in San Antonio and Chicago.

During the Mass, the faithful watched as the two men celebrated their new appointments as leaders in the sprawling diocese, which has 93 parishes serving about 1.4 million Catholics across Riverside and San Bernardino counties. However, the diocese is currently facing a “priest shortage challenge,” according to spokesperson John Andrews. With only 194 priests in active ministry, including 65 diocesan priests, men from different religious orders, and those from countries like Nigeria, Mexico, the Philippines, and Vietnam, the diocese is working to fill gaps at churches through priests on loan and seminarians who are “priests in training.”

Angeles will be assigned to St. Francis of Assisi in La Quinta, while Curtis will serve Our Lady of The Rosary Cathedral in San Bernardino. Their assignments are for three years, after which they will move to other churches.

“We are really blessed to have two more brother priests who are called from among the people, and today they are sent right back to the people — to walk with them on their way to heaven,” said Bishop Alberto Rojas, who ordained them.

Curtis, a Riverside native, entered the seminary at 20 years old, inspired by his faith and the ministry at his home parish, St. Anthony of Padua in Riverside’s Casa Blanca neighborhood. He spent time in the seminary at the Junipero Serra House of Formation in Grand Terrace, as well as seminaries in Texas and Illinois.

“I’m excited, joyful, and very eager to begin my priestly ministry,” Curtis said before the ordination. “The newest emotion is nerves … the formation of souls is a grave responsibility, and I’m starting to feel the weight of it on my shoulders. Even that in itself is a grace from God.”

Angeles, who grew up in the High Desert in the Apple Valley/Hesperia area, credited his immigrant family for bringing him up in the Catholic faith, especially in the charismatic revival movement in Mexico. He admitted to being “anxious” about working in large church group settings but expressed trust that God would guide him.

Saturday’s ordination Mass included the installation, or “laying of the hands” on the two new priests. This is done by the bishop, the only one who can grant the authority of the priesthood to them. The new priests also wore the chasuble, a liturgical vestment, for the first time.

At one moving point in the Mass, a litany prayer to Catholic saints was said, and the men lay prostrate — down on the ground on their bellies — as a sign they are laying down their lives in service to God as a priest. At the end, they gave their first official blessings, which Catholics believe come with special indulgences, to those in attendance.

Curtis and Angeles join a growing line of priests in the diocese, which, as far as religious vocations, has seen a natural “ebb and flow,” said the Rev. Hau Vu, director of the Office of Vocations and director of seminarians in the diocese. The diocese has seen 17 priests ordained since 2020, with a record of seven men becoming priests in 2023.

More men are applying to enter the seminary in the San Bernardino diocese, said Hau, who oversees the entire prayer, application, and interview process. He noted a “steady uprise” in religious vocations overall. “We attribute it to prayer — it’s really the mystery of God,” Hau said. “Vocations change, but what we can explain is what God is doing for us in His plan. Some years there are more vocations, some years less, but what remains the same is God’s love.”

In addition to the number of vocations, more people are joining the Catholic Church nationwide, with an increase in baptisms over the recent Easter season. According to news reports, most of the 71 U.S. dioceses and archdioceses expected to see increases in those entering the church in 2026 from last year, including a 139% increase in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

On average, American dioceses had 38% more people becoming Catholic this year compared to 2025, according to an analysis by the Catholic app Hallow. In the San Bernardino diocese, the number of new Catholics has risen steadily since 2020, with 8,181 people baptized in 2024-25, compared to 6,678 in 2020-21. Ten years ago, that number was around 10,200.

The number of adult converts to Catholicism has jumped in the diocese — from 589 in 2025 to 998 this year. “Being Catholic is now ‘a cool thing,’ ” Hau said. “I think people nowadays realize there are so much lies, darkness, things to stray away … but God and His love is constant.”

When it comes to vocations, Hau said the numbers are related to where the seminarian priests-in-training are in their journey. The process of acceptance to the seminary is rigorous because the priesthood is a lifetime commitment. The path includes a sometimes yearlong application process, prayer, events, retreats, interviews, and evaluations. Then, once accepted, many potential priests go through at least eight years in training, which includes studying for their master’s degrees in philosophy and theology, internships at parishes, living with their fellow seminarians and priests, and processing their own stories and healing.

The overall preparation is intense, Hau said, because “it’s like 10 years of formation, then another 50 years as a priest. And in those years you’re dealing with people’s trauma, relationships, spiritual and psychological issues; so the training needs to be in-depth, well-informed and healing of the whole person — a lot of which takes place in the seminary. Just like becoming a doctor takes 10-plus years … we are the ‘doctors of the soul.’ It starts with healing undealt trauma.”

Those in training, and new and older priests, continue to receive regular training on topics from spirituality to addressing sexual abuse and harassment. Many also get counseling through the diocese.

Said Curtis, “there’s definitely a huge need for priests … our diocese has 1.6 million Catholics, and there’s not even 200 priests. The church is hungering for saints. I tell people to pray for me, for saintly vocations.”

Related stories
St. Oscar Romero Catholic Church blesses future site in Eastvale
Trump administration will join criticized prayer gathering
Record number of new priests — 7 — is ordained in San Bernardino diocese
Moms find help, support in Inland Empire groups
Fear of ICE leads to fewer immigrant Catholics at Masses
Local Catholics, leaders praise ‘historic,’ ‘significant’ election of Leo XIV, the first American Pope
* Does frequent worship lead to better mental health? Often, but not always, experts say

Angeles also expressed worry about diocesan priest shortages, as more priests are getting older and retiring. But he said more young men praying about their futures gives him hope that “the Holy Spirit is working … when God calls, He calls.” Hau is also optimistic about vocations.

“There’s a saying: the harvests are plenty, but the laborers are few,” Hau added. “Well, if people want more priests, the harvest is plenty, but the laborers are coming. Do we trust in God to believe He will send laborers for His harvest? … Life is a discovery. It’s not what we want, but what God wants. How do we discover that for themselves?”

For those pondering any vocation, including the priesthood or other religious life, Hau encouraged them to take their time and talk to their spiritual guides. “A lot of people say ‘I’m not worthy’ — but imagine if you were perfect and worthy, would God call you?”