Five members of the Los Angeles Catholic community who have long and distinguished records of service were announced last week as recipients of the 2006 Cardinal's Award.

Cardinal Roger Mahony presented the honorees Sept. 6 at the annual awards luncheon, held at the Cathedral Conference Center in downtown Los Angeles. They are (in alphabetical order):

---Deacon Hosea Alexander, ordained in 1975 as part of the first class of permanent deacons for the archdiocese, who has served at St. Agatha and Holy Name of Jesus Churches in Los Angeles.

---Mary Pat Cooper, of St. Paul the Apostle Church in Westwood, who has been long associated with the Maryvale Orphanage, Right to Life League and many school and service groups.

---Fran Curry, retired nurse and fulltime volunteer at St. Monica Church in Santa Monica, who has provided her liturgical and organizational skills to the Religious Education Congress and Liturgy Conference.

---Clyde Von der Ahe, of Christ the King Church in Hollywood, who as a doctor has provided a half-century of service to St. Anne's Maternity Home and served with the Mission Doctors Association in Africa.

---William Wardlaw, of Holy Family Church in South Pasadena, is a parishioner, attorney and business executive who has served on numerous school and organization boards in the archdiocese including Catholic Charities.

The beneficiary for this year's Cardinal's Award Dinner (Feb. 3, 2006 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel) will be Sagrado Corazon Church in Cudahy (in the San Pedro Region), which hopes to build a new and larger church.

Since 1990, funds raised from the Cardinal's Award Dinner have supported programs, agencies and relief efforts in all pastoral regions of the archdiocese. The 2006 honorees bring to 84 the number of men and women honored with the award. For information on the 2006 Cardinal's Award Dinner, call (213) 637-7636.