Family, friends, teachers and mentors of 58 exemplary high school seniors gathered April 12 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels to attend the annual Christian Service Celebration, recognizing students' selfless acts of service to the community's less fortunate over the past four years.

"Today we honor a wonderful group of young men and women for their outstanding efforts in the area of Christian service," said Nancy Coonis, archdiocesan superintendent of secondary schools. Many of the students chosen for recognition volunteered 100 hours each year during their high school career, serving in schools, parishes, neighborhoods and missions.

A sampling of agencies and projects benefiting from the students' volunteerism included: AIDS Care Walk-a-Thon, Casas por Cristo (Juarez, Mexico), Catholic Relief Services, Good Samaritan Hospital, Habitat for Humanity, Meals on Wheels, Good Shepherd Home for Battered Women, St. Teresita Manor for the Elderly, St. Vincent de Paul and Special Olympics.

San Fernando Auxiliary Bishop Gerald Wilkerson, concelebrating the liturgy with San Pedro Auxiliary Bishop Alex Salazar, said during his homily that the Christian Service awardees represented "the finest in love and service." In an "upside-down [selfish] world" "you're the kind of people who turn the world right-side-up," the bishop declared. "Be strong, be courageous and continue to be leaders."

Bishop Wilkerson also expressed gratitude to the students' mentors for their unwavering spiritual guidance, thanking parents, campus ministers and teachers. During the ceremony, five teachers were recognized for their efforts in encouraging students to participate in Christian service. They included Kenneth Kowalewski, Damien High School in La Verne; Dona Long, Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino; Wilma Martin, Immaculate Heart High School in Los Angeles; Miguelangel Ortiz, Verbum Dei High School in Los Angeles; and Tom Zeko, Loyola Jesuit Preparatory High School in Los Angeles.

Student Christian service awardee and Bishop Conaty-Loretto High School student body president, Jacqueline Gonzalez-Reyes, said her service initiating an altar girl server program at St. Gregory Church in 2000 followed a few years later by the creation of a similar altar girl server ministry at St. Basil Church "was a blessing" personally and communally.

"Once I saw it was possible [to be an altar girl], I wanted to serve and [help] girls improve the parish," said Gonzelez-Reyes, adding that her teenage brother helped to train the girls, and they also borrowed books from the library on altar serving. "It's a team effort."

Highlights of St. John Bosco High School senior Alfredo Fletes' Christian service included working at a Salesian summer camp for disadvantaged children and participating in Thanksgiving food drives and the first-ever toy drive held at the school. "I've learned when doing Christian service you have to be compassionate; you grow with people together," said Fletes, who hopes to major in politics and culture at college.

Reflecting on the spiritual dimension of Christian service, he said he received insights from a Catholic website for teens, Disciplesnow.com, which had been recommended by one of his religion teachers.

Christian service highlights for St. Genevieve High School senior Monica Perez de Corcho included participating in the Los Angeles AIDS Walk during her junior year and working with the elderly at a Mission Hills convalescent home.

"It was very touching," said Perez de Corcho. "A lot of times we see the elderly as burdens, but they have a lot of interesting things to tell us. I've learned you just have to open your eyes to different people in our society. You can learn a lot from everyone." She hopes to become a family court judge, a vocation she calls "very overlooked" in today's society.

Holy Family High School senior Natalie Marshalian, commented that highlights of her Christian service included knowing she was "making a difference" by serving as a Kairos retreat team leader as well as by participating in Glendale's annual fundraising Crop Walk. She especially enjoyed tutoring in an after-school program at St. James the Less elementary school and watching the children's "little faces light up." According to Marshalian: "What you do for others, you should do with love, otherwise, it's not worth it."

Christian Service Awardees for 2005 included: Sara Ann McCarthy, Alverno High School; Anna Eliza Garcia, Bellarmine-Jefferson; Anabel Garcia, Bishop Alemany; Zanea A. Taylor, Bishop Alemany; Sabrina Barbosa, Bishop Amat; Philip Aceves, Bishop Amat; Jacqueline Gonzalez-Reyes, Bishop Conaty-Loretto; Claire Scholl, Bishop Garcia Diego; Anthony H. Maggio, Bishop Montgomery; Allison C. Boiles, Bishop Montgomery; Rudy Ortega, Bishop Mora Salesian; Michelle Claudia Herrera, Cantwell-Sacred Heart; Juan Ochoa, Cathedral; Amy Johnson, Chaminade College Preparatory.

Phillip David Romero, Crespi Carmelite; Kendrick Glover, Damien; Kelley Hall, Damien; Pepito D. Intal, Jr., Daniel Murphy; Justin Ordoveza, Don Bosco Technical Institute; Byron Umana, Don Bosco Technical Institute; Kate Mitchell, Flintridge-Sacred Heart Academy; Natalie C. Marshalian, Holy Family; Kimberly Mendoza, Immaculate Heart; David Manuel Tellez, Junipero Serra; Meagan Cara Radomski, La Reina; Amanda Evans, La Salle; Hilary Hisako Porter, Louisville; Sean Boyle Cain, Loyola Jesuit Preparatory.

John Spencer Lawson, Loyola Jesuit Preparatory; Christina DiMaggio, Mary Star of the Sea; Asha E. Neptune, Marymount; Evelyn Alfaro, Mayfield Senior; Victor Valadez, Notre Dame; Lauren McCabe, Notre Dame; Lilianna Quezada, Notre Dame Academy; Belinda Duran, Paraclete; Margaret Zen, Pomona Catholic; Andranik (Andy) Demirchyar, Providence; Marie Catherine Yeseta, Ramona Convent Secondary; Melissa Castro, Sacred Heart; Diana Enriquez, San Gabriel Mission; Michael F. Aranda, Santa Clara.

Andrew Schnorr, St. Anthony; Maria Soto, St. Bernard; Janael Sarah Rose, St. Bonaventure; Bosco Yuen, St. Francis; Monica Perez de Corcho, St. Genevieve; Alfredo A. Fletes, St. John Bosco; Nicholas Bardales, St. John Bosco; Molly Marie Lander, St. Joseph, Lakewood; ViAnna Raquel Garcia, St. Joseph, Santa Maria; Sarah De Los Santos, St. Lucy's Priory; Jacqueline Hernandez, St. Mary's Academy; Jessica Larios, St. Matthias; Elizabeth Anne Wheeler, St. Monica; Sarah Valentino, St. Paul; Dwayne Elliott, Verbum Dei; Monika Foster, Villanova Preparatory.