The Most Reverend Cirilo Flores, appointed by Pope Benedict XVI Titular Bishop of Quiza and Auxiliary Bishop of Orange on January 5, 2009, was ordained March 19, 2009 at Saint Columban Church, Garden Grove. His motto is "For the greater glory of God".

The native of Corona, Calif., Bishop Flores graduated from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles and then from Stanford University School of Law. He practiced law before he entered Saint John’s Seminary in Camarillo, California in 1986. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 8, 1991 by Bishop Norman McFarland at Holy Family Cathedral in Orange, California His first priestly assignment was as Parochial Vicar at St. Barbara Parish in Santa Ana. Bishop Flores also served as a Parochial Vicar at St. Joachim Parish in Costa Mesa and served briefly as the administrator of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish in Newport Beach. In 1997, he was assigned to Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in La Habra where he served as Parochial Vicar until his appointment as Pastor of St. Anne Parish in Santa Ana in 2000. In September of 2008 he was appointed as Pastor of St. Norbert’s Parish in Orange.

Beginning, July 1st, Bishop Cirilo will be in residence at Saint Angela Merici.

I was born in San Francisco when my parents were on vacation! My family is from the East, and I lived in New England, the East Coast, and in the South. My ministry experience was primarily Campus Ministry --- on various levels and educational settings before I requested parochial experience. Prior to St. Angela’s, my parish assignments included: Saint Joaquin in Costa Mesa, Saint Anne in Santa Ana, and Our Lady of Fatima in San Clemente.

Fr. Michael-Dwight

I was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Orange in 2005 and had served four years as a Parochial Vicar at St. Hedwig in Los Alamitos. As of July 1st, I will begin my ministry at St. Angela Merici. I was born in Vietnam and immigrated with my parents to this country when I was ten-years-old. The three of us arrived in California in November of 1986 after spending eleven months in two different refugee camps in Indonesia. I entered St. John’s Seminary College in Camarillo in 1994. After graduating in 1999, I took one year off before starting theology, during which time I worked as a teacher. I am thankful that God called me to the priesthood and I look forward to serving the people of God at St. Angela Merici to the best of my ability in the years to come. It gives me great joy to have a positive impact on the faith lives of the people. I have been blessed with the Good News of the Gospel, which I love to share in my ministry. I look forward to seeing, working with and knowing each of you.

Fr. Martin Nguyen

Hi, my name is Deacon Ben Flores. I was born in a very small village in Guanajuato, Mexico in 1949 to Maria Luisa and Alfredo Flores. I have 5 brothers and 6 sisters. I moved from Mexico to Tijuana in 1960, where I lived for 3 years. When I was 13 years old, my father migrated me and my family to the United States.

I am married to my dear and lovely wife, Lydia Flores. I have seven beautiful children and 20 delightful grandchildren. I have lived in Brea, California for the past 22 years and have been a parishioner of St. Angela Merici since this time. I was ordained a deacon on April 30, 2005 and was fortunate enough to get assigned to my own parish. It was been a true blessing to serve the community here and I am honored to be a member of this clergy.

Deacon Ben Flores

Deacon Jim Merle was ordained to the Permanent Diaconate in April of 2005.  Along with his parish duties, he is the Diocesan director of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.  Deacon Jim and his wife Candi have been married for 40 years and have 4 children and seven grandchildren.

Deacon Jim Merle