Bishop Joseph V. Brennan

Bishop of the Diocese of Fresno

On May 2, 2019, The Most Reverend Joseph V. Brennan was installed as Sixth Bishop of the Diocese of Fresno.

Bishop Brennan was the Episcopal Vicar of the San Fernando Pastoral Region, one of the five Pastoral Regions in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. He was appointed Titular Bishop of Trofimiana and Auxiliary Bishop in 2015.

Bishop Joseph Brennan received a B.A. in Philosophy from St. John’s Seminary College, in 1976 and a Masters in Divinity from St. John’s Seminary Theologate in 1980.

After his ordination to the priesthood, he served as associate pastor at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Los Angeles, St. Linus in Norwalk and at the Cathedral of St. Vibiana in Los Angeles. Later on, he was a pastor at St. Linus in Norwalk and Holy Trinity in San Pedro. After becoming Moderator of the Curia, he was in residence at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels and at Mother of Sorrows Catholic Church.

He has been a Chaplain for the Knights of Columbus in California, a member of the Council of Priests and the College of Consultors of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and also sits on the Board of the Catholic Education Foundation, the Williams Charitable Trust, and Together in Mission, and Served as Moderator of the Curia for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Deacon Steve Greco 

Spirit Filled Hearts Ministry 

"The Pursuit of Holiness"

Steve Greco is a permanent deacon of the Diocese of Orange, president of Spirit Filled Hearts Ministry, a retired pharmaceutical industry executive and author of numerous books and articles on Catholic spirituality.  He also believes he was inspired by the Holy Spirit to be a messenger for the Lord through I Thirst.  St. Teresa of Calcutta, better known as Mother Teresa, was called by God to thirst for souls and share her love for God's people in a powerful day.  Jesus is calling all of us to quench His thirst at Calvary by evangelizing people in the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I Thirst is a call to respond to the mandate of Jesus Christ to go to the ends of the earth to proclaim the Gospel.

Andi Oney 

Hope and Purpose Ministries 

"Thirsting for a Visitation"

Andi Oney is the wife of Deacon Larry Oney.  She has a background in education, and has developed a love for Scripture.  In 2013, Andi attended the International Prophetic Consultation gathering of leaders in the Renewal in the city of bread (Bethlehem, Israel), where she had a profound experience as she prayed in the Upper Room with leaders from all over the world for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  As a result of Andi’s Upper Room experience, she has answered the call to share with others the gift of the baptism in the Holy Spirit and just finished writing her first book on praise entitled: Extravagant Praise!

Barbara Heil

From His Heart Ministry 

"How to Win a Catholic"

Barbara Heil is founder of the Catholic ministry From His Heart. Barbara grew up on the West Coast, and as a student, had a life changing encounter with the love of Christ and became Christian. Barbara didn’t know until recently that she had been baptized as a child in the Catholic Church, and after much prayer and deliberation, she received the Rite of Confirmation in St Paul, Minnesota in April of 2013. She is a public speaker, trains missionaries to share the love of Christ and leads pilgrimages to the Holy Land.  She said, "It's my mission to go and tell everybody that God is real and He is alive."

Teresa Tomeo

Teresa Tomeo Communications

Teresa Tomeo is an author, syndicated Catholic talk show host, and motivational speaker with more than 30 years of experience in TV, radio, and newspaper, 20 of which were as a secular reporter/anchor in the Detroit market. In the year 2000, Teresa left the secular media to start her own speaking and communications company, Teresa Tomeo Communications, LLC. Her weekday morning radio program, Catholic Connection, is co-produced by Ave Maria Radio in Ann Arbor, Michigan and the EWTN Global Catholic Radio Network. It is heard on over 500 Catholic radio stations worldwide and on the Sirius Satellite Network. Teresa appears frequently on the EWTN Global Catholic Television Network, and co-hosts the EWTN television series, The Catholic View for Women. She is also a correspondent for EWTN News In Depth. As a deacon’s wife, Teresa also writes a column for Our Sunday Visitor’s The Deacon magazine. In 2019, she opened her own Italy travel consultation company, T’s Italy (TravelItalyExpert.com). Teresa has written more than 10 books, is an international speaker, where she addresses media awareness and activism, as well as sharing her reversion to the Catholic Church. She resides in Southeastern Michigan with her husband, Deacon Dominick Pastore. They travel the world giving marriage and diaconate couples’ retreats.

Fr. Alex Chavez

Good Shepherd Catholic Parish, Visalia
 

Before being ordained a priest, Fr. Alex studied Civil Engineering at Fresno State and worked nearly eight years as a Civil Engineer for the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). During his career at Caltrans, he worked in three of their units: Construction, Project Management, and Design. Providentially, the last project he worked on before becoming a priest was the preliminary design work of the 6-mile stretch of Highway 101 in the City of Prunedale, where Highways 156 and 101 merge. This highway, as many of you know, roughly follows the same route as the El Camino Real, the original road traveled by Fr. Junipero Serra over 250 years ago between the original 9, then ultimately all 21 California missions.

Even as Fr. Alex was working as an engineer, he responded to our Lord’s call to follow Him as a priest and entered priestly formation in 2006. He attended St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo, CA and was ordained a priest in 2012. and since then he has continued to be extremely honored, grateful, and joyful to have received and responded to our Lord’s invitation to serve him as an ordained priest.

Fr. Alex’s assignments include Sacred Heart, Merced  which he refers to as his first love. Ten months later a need arose at Saint Francis Cabrini in Huron. After a stay of 15 months, Bishop Ochoa assigned him to the beautiful City of Visalia. Two years later, he was made Rector of St. John’s Cathedral where he was assigned for three years, and a new assignment returned him to Good Shepherd Catholic Parish as its Pastor, where he was able to use his experience and knowledge in overseeing the building of St. Charles Borromeo Church, the largest Catholic Parish Church in North America. 

 

Fr. Iván Hernández

St. Rita's Catholic Church, Tulare

Fr. Iván Hernández Melchor was born on August 5, 1977, in the city of Morelia, Michoacan Mexico.  Fr. Iván is the second oldest of six siblings. In 1993, he immigrated to the United States.  He entered St. John's Seminary and Seminary College in 1999 at Camarillo California. He studied there for four years and obtained a double major Bachelors of Arts degree in Philosophy and Spanish with Honors.  After completing his studies at St. John's, Fr. Iván transferred to St. Patrick's Seminary and University at Menlo Park California. Fr. Iván graduated from St. Patrick's Seminary on May 8, 2009 with three post graduate degrees: Master of Arts in Divinity, Baccalaureate of Sacred Theology, and a Master of Arts in Theology. He was ordained to the Priesthood on May 23, 2009 in Fresno California by Bishop John T. Steinbock of the Diocese of Fresno. After his ordination, he was associate pastor of St. Phillip the Apostle in Bakersfield California and on February 22, 2015, he was named pastor of St. Rita's Catholic Church.

Arturo Medina

Catholic Evangelist

Arturo Medina is a missionary preacher who evangelizes throughout the country. He is coordinator of the family ministry: CALEB active in the parish of Santa Rita in Tulare, California under the direction of its pastor, Father Iván Hernández. He offers growth material on various virtual platforms including YouTube.

 Arturo is a committed layperson who has served the Catholic Church for over 20 years as a music director, conference and retreat coordinator, parish youth and family group coordinator, preacher, and much more. He has a master's degree in catechesis and formal preparation. He has provided training as a preacher at multiple youth, couples, and family events within the United States.

Ely Medina

The Diocese of Fresno's Youth & Young Adult Ministries Coordinator

Ely Medina is the Youth & Young Adult Ministries Coordinator for the Diocese of Fresno. He also oversees Pastoral Juvenil in nine vicariates with various apostolic ministries. He holds two bachelor of arts degrees from the University of the Incarnate Word in Pastoral Ministry and Religious Studies, and has received three and a half years of formation as a diocesan seminarian. He is a former Director of Religious Education, Substitute Teacher, and Youth Group Coordinator. Ely directs and oversees UNITED Ministries, a catholic missionary ministry that uses the performing arts to produce formation events focused on young people for parishes, religious education and confirmation programs, and much more. He is a strong advocate for utilizing technology to evangelize all young people including the ones in the peripheries.