Pope Benedict XVI has accorded the papal honor of Protonotary Apostolic to four priests of the Archdioicese of Los Angeles, and the title of Monsignor to 13 others.

Additionally, more than 200 lay and religious men and women received papal honors. Nearly 40 were honored as Knights and Dames of St. Gregory, another 28 as recipients of the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Award, and 150 as recipients of the Benemerenti Award.

Collectively, the recipients represent a third of the 288 parishes of the archdiocese. Each of the honors is presented in recognition for outstanding service and commitment to the church and the Holy Father. The honors will be presented to each recipient at liturgies to be arranged in their parishes and/or pastoral regions.

Monsignors

Protonotary Apostolic is the highest level in the honorary title of monsignor. The four priests named to this honor, all of whom were previously monsignors, are:

Msgr. John Barry,
pastor of American Martyrs Church,
Manhattan Beach, ordained to the priesthood in 1961.

Msgr. James Loughnane,
pastor of St. Denis Church, Diamond Bar,
ordained to the priesthood in 1961.

Msgr. Lloyd Torgerson,
pastor of St. Monica Church, Santa Monica,
ordained to the priesthood in 1965.

Msgr. Royale Vadakin,
archdiocesan Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia, ordained to the priesthood in 1964.

Named Chaplains of His Holiness (with their year of ordination in parentheses) are:

Msgr. Joseph Brennan (1980),
pastor of Holy Trinity Church, San Pedro.

Msgr. Charles Chaffman (1984),
archdiocesan Judicial Vicar.

Msgr. Jarlath Cunnane (1977),
pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Los Angeles.

Msgr. John Foley (1959),
pastor of Holy Redeemer Church, Montrose.

Msgr. Robert Gallagher (1973),
pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Church, North Hollywood.

Msgr. Michael Jennett (1974),
pastor of San Roque Church, Santa Barbara.

Msgr. Timothy Nichols (1973),
pastor of St. John Vianney Church, Hacienda Heights.

Msgr. John O'Byrne (1961),
pastor of St. Catherine Laboure Church, Torrance.

Msgr. Benigno Rodriguez (1966),
pastor of Presentation of Mary Church,
South Los Angeles.

Msgr. Jerome Schmit (1957),
retired pastor of Sacred Heart Church, Altadena.

Msgr. Michael Slattery (1962),
pastor of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha Church,
Santa Clarita.

Msgr. Thomas Welbers (1968),
pastor of Our Lady of the Assumption Church, Claremont.

Msgr. John Woolway (1980),
pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church,
Los Nietos.

Order of St. Gregory

The Order of St. Gregory was instituted in 1831 by Pope Gregory XVI and is presented for loyalty and service to the Holy See.

Knight Commanders: Robert Ahmanson, Christopher Alders, Joseph Brown, Stanley Chambers, Michael Feeley, Michael Hennigan, Michael Joseph, Gary Krauss, Thomas Larkin, Allen Lund, Charles Norman, Thomas Romano, Hilmar Rosenast, Edward Roski, Timothy Smith, Clyde Von der Ahe and William Wardlaw.

Dame Commanders: Kathleen Aikenhead, Margaret Auth, Vivian Burgess, Jane Castruccio, Michele Crahan, Lois Erburu, Maude Ferry, Norma Gonzales, Maria Grant, Therese Grojean, Marjorie Illig, Margaret Jagels, Frances Morehart, Patricia Paumier, Joan Payden and Patricia Smith.

Knight Commanders with Star: Robert Erburu, Stanley Hayden and Robert A. Smith, III.

Dame Commanders with Star: Helen Close and Dorothy Shea.

Pro Ecclesia Et Pontifice Award

This honor ("For the Church and the Holy Father") recognizes the commitment of men and women and their service to the ecclesial community.

Vincent Paul Adams, St. Jude, Westlake Village; Ruby Aklamakpe, St. Agatha, Los Angeles; Betty Bavario, Padre Serra, Camarillo; Ramona Bravo, Holy Cross, Moorpark; Marjorie Brown, St. Ferdinand, San Fernando; Harold "Fritz" Cahill, St. Raphael, Goleta; Jane Carlson, St. Bartholomew, Long Beach.

Doris Carver, St. Monica, Santa Monica; Ida Coleman, Nativity, Los Angeles; Sister Eileen Connors, CSJ, Mary Star Of The Sea, San Pedro; Oswald Da Ros, Our Lady of Sorrows, Santa Barbara; Benny Faretta, Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, Santa Clarita; Margaret Fusek, St. Charles Borromeo, North Hollywood; Daniel Gomez, Ss. Peter and Paul, Wilmington.

Brother Paulinus Horkan, OSF, Our Lady of the Assumption, Ventura; Cecilia Kwolek, St. Mary Magdalen, Camarillo; Ted Landreth, St. Victor, West Hollywood; Robert Lass, St. Brendan, Los Angeles; Eileen Loughran, St. John Fisher, Rancho Palos Verdes; Ken and Peggy Martinet, St. Bede the Venerable, La Canada.

Sister Patricia McGahan, SSL, Corpus Christi, Pacific Palisades; Clifford Palacio, St. Michael, Los Angeles; Patty Paumier, Santa Clara, Oxnard; Oscar Pratt, Transfiguration, Los Angeles; Norman Roberts, St. Mel, Woodland Hills; Lucia Russo, Incarnation, Glendale; James Teutimez, St. Anne, Santa Monica; Clyde Von Der Ahe, Christ the King, Los Angeles.

Benemerenti Award

This papal honor (for "serving with distinction") is given to those who have shown exemplary service to their church, family and community.

Isolde Gabrielle Amadeah, St. Catherine Laboure, Torrance; Juan Antonio Arias, St. Thomas the Apostle, Los Angeles; Julia and Roy Asmus, St. Gertrude, Bell Gardens; Janet and Ross Bacica, Mary Star of The Sea, San Pedro; Jesus and Guadalupe Baez, Cristo Rey, Los Angeles; John and Alice Beck, St. Ferdinand, San Fernando.

James Bernard, St. Eugene, Los Angeles; Ida Rita Borgatello, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Santa Barbara; Laura Victoria Borgatello, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Santa Barbara; Ada Maria Braden, Santa Clara, Oxnard; Francis Bradisich, St. Michael, Los Angeles; Luisa Brennan, St. Jude, Westlake Village; Anne Brophy, St. Maximilian Kolbe, Westlake Village; Ken Buckowski, St. Bede the Venerable, La Canada; Richard R. Bungarden, St. James, Redondo Beach.

Rojelio Cadena, St. Anne, Santa Monica; Frank Capone, St. Jerome, Los Angeles; Rosario Casillas, St. Frances X. Cabrini, Los Angeles; Mary Joyce Cellner, St. Bernardine of Siena, Woodland Hills; John Collins, Holy Cross, Moorpark; Gail Cooper, St. John Fisher, Rancho Palos Verdes; Joseph Cormier, St. Michael, Los Angeles; Ted Coss, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Santa Clarita; Sister Marta Ann Cota, CSJ, St. Brendan, Los Angeles; Irene D'auria, St. John Eudes, Chatsworth.

Luigi Dal Ponte, St. Bernard, Los Angeles; Gregory Davies, Our Lady of Lourdes, Northridge; Jean Davis, St. Lucy, Long Beach; Nancy Daws, Our Lady of Lourdes, Northridge; Ferdinand Dejan, Transfiguration, Los Angeles; Sarah Denk, St. Joseph The Worker, Canoga Park; Richard Dixon, St. Francis Xavier, Burbank; Lorraine Duperon, St. Agatha, Los Angeles; Edward Ehren, Holy Cross, Moorpark; Ann Ellison, St. Eugene, Los Angeles.

Tomas Escobedo, St. Columbkille, Los Angeles; Mary Lou Etzel, Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, Santa Clarita; Elizabeth Fan, St. Denis, Diamond Bar; Rose Fefie, Nativity, Los Angeles; Mary Ann Fell, St. Bede the Venerable, La Canada; Christina Fernandez?Caso, St. Teresa of Avila, Los Angeles; Sister Mary Jean Ferry, BVM, St. Camillus Center, Los Angeles; Jose Frias, Epiphany, South El Monte; Anthony Joseph Frumento, St. Thomas Aquinas, Monterey Park; Robert Funari, St. Mel, Woodland Hills.

Molly Gaines, St. John Eudes, Chatsworth; Carol Gallion, St. Joan of Arc, Los Angeles; Wilhelmina Garcia, Our Lady of Sorrows, Santa Barbara; Millie Garretson, American Martyrs, Manhattan Beach; John Garvey, St. Catherine of Siena, Reseda; Ron Gellenbeck, St. Julie Billiart, Newbury Park; Gertrude Gesing, St. Anne, Santa Monica; Michelle Gonsalves, St. Frances X. Cabrini, Los Angeles; Kathleen Farrell Gorze, St. Catherine Laboure, Torrance; James Graham, St. Maximilian Kolbe, Westlake Village.

Sister Angela Hallahan, CHF, St. Victor, West Hollywood; Sister Dora Hauchecorne, ICM, St. Camillus Center, Los Angeles; Pauline Frances McBride Healy, St. Paul of the Cross, La Mirada; William Heinen, SS. Felicitas And Perpetua, San Marino; Georgianna Higson, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Downey; Harold Hill, St. Dorothy, Glendora; William Hood, St. Jerome, Los Angeles; Susan Jakel, St. Charles Borromeo, North Hollywood; Thomas Jamison, St. Thomas Aquinas, Ojai; Begnedicta Jimenez, St. Michael, Los Angeles.

Lee and Margaret Johnson, San Buenventura Mission, Ventura; Frank and Trudy Kaun, Holy Family, Glendale; Rosemarie Kelley, American Martyrs, Manhattan Beach; Lucille Kerecman, St. Bernardine of Siena, Woodland Hills; Betty Keyes, St. Camillus Center, Los Angeles; Neil and Pam Kingsley, Padre Serra, Camarillo; Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, CSJ, St. James, Redondo Beach.

Sylvia Lackey, St. Columbkille, Los Angeles; Christine Ladesich, Corpus Christi, Pacific Palisades; Peter and Teresa Lago, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Downey; Arline Laporte, St. Jude, Westlake Village; I?Ming Philip Liu, St. Thomas Aquinas, Monterey Park; Elizabeth Mary Loll, St. Mary Magdalen, Camarillo; Antonio Lopez, Nativity, Los Angeles; Rafael Lopez, St. Philip Neri, Lynwood; Claire Loughlin, St. Francis De Sales, Sherman Oaks.

Josefina Lozano, St. Joseph the Worker, Canoga Park; Bill and Marie Madden, St. Francis De Sales, Sherman Oaks; Beatrice Mahoney, Our Lady of the Assumption, Ventura; Ellie Martin, Holy Redeemer, Montrose; Bonnie McGovern, Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, Santa Clarita; William McKenna, St. Victor, West Hollywood; Larry and Mary McLaughlin, St. Bartholomew, Long Beach; Mona Mitchell, Incarnation, Glendale.

Frank Modica, St. Helen, South Gate; Chuck Montag, St. Thomas Aquinas, Ojai; Dorothy Moorman, St. Anastasia, Los Angeles; Patricia and Thomas Moran, St. Maria Goretti, Long Beach; Dave Murphy, Padre Serra, Camarillo; Rita Najoan, St. Genevieve, Panorama City; George Newburn, American Martyrs, Manhattan Beach; Patricia and Samuel Nicholson, St. James the Less, La Crescenta.

Jane Owens, Holy Cross, Santa Barbara; Vern Pritchard, St. Joan Of Arc, Los Angeles; Felix Ramos, Epiphany, South El Monte; Rita Recker, St. Francis Xavier, Burbank; Louis Maria Ritchie, All Saints, Los Angeles; Howard Ritt, St. Jerome, Los Angeles; Miguel Rocha, SS. Peter And Paul, Wilmington; Esther Ronen, SS. Peter ad Paul, Wilmington; Maria Del Refugio Rosas, St. Philip Neri, Lynwood; Mary Rosenast, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Santa Clarita.

Judy Roussey, Santa Clara, Oxnard; Juanita Rubalcava, St. Agatha, Los Angeles; Christina Marie Salsameda, St. Mariana De Paredes, Pico Rivera; Christopher Sandner, Our Lady of Sorrows, Santa Barbara; Joan and Richard Santos, St. Bernard, Los Angeles; Raymond Screbant, St. Mel, Woodland Hills; Harry Secky, Our Lady of Lourdes, Northridge; Connie Siordia, St. Helen, South Gate; Edith Skeehan, Holy Redeemer, Montrose.

Hugh T. "Bud" Smith, St. Catherine o Alexandria, Avalon; Mablene Smith, Transfiguration, Los Angeles; Marie (Vidulich) Smith, St. Catherine of Alexandria, Avalon; Betty L. Swoboda, St. Bernard, Los Angeles; Jose and Enriqueta Torres, Cristo Rey, Los Angeles; Lucie Traxler, St. John Fisher, Rancho Palos Verdes; Diane Underwood, SS. Felicitas and Perpetua, San Marino; Susan Valdez, Our Lady of Lourdes, Tujunga; Carlos Valenzuela, St. Raphael, Goleta.

Lewis and Lydia Valenzuela, Holy Cross, Santa Barbara; Salome Vasquez, St. Teresa o Avila, Los Angeles; Herman Villoria, St. Lawrence Martyr, Redondo Beach; Frank Wagner, Corpus Christi, Pacific Palisades; Elizabeth Wells, St. Genevieve, Panorama City; George Wilkerson, St. Anastasia, Los Angeles; Patti Williams, American Martyrs, Manhattan Beach; Pam Wollonciej, Our Lady of Lourdes, Tujunga; Frank Zugelter, St. Charles Borromeo, North Hollywood.