Meet the Chaplains

Atascadero State Hospital

Victor Chaplain

Catholic Chaplain PO Box 7001 Atascadero, CA 93423 Phone: (805) 468-2489 E-Mail: Victor.Ozoufuanya@dsh.ca.gov

What I like best about being a Chaplain is being the visible presence of the Invisible God and being the instrument that bring Love, Mercy and Forgiveness of God to the people I minister to.

 

Avenal State Prison

Mr. Rodney Ornellas
rodney.ornellas@cdcr.ca.gov
(559) 386-0587 x6384
What I like best about being a chaplain: “To witness the reality of the Father's mercy and his inexhaustible desire for them [prisoners] to be reconciled in his love.”
 

California City State Prison

Mr. George Peate
(760) 246-7600 x7451
george.peate@cdcr.ca.gov
What I like best about being a chaplain: “Helping those behind locked doors to listen for the knock and call of Christ's compassion and truth and inviting them to open the doors of their hearts.”

 

California Correctional Center (CCC)

 

Currently Vacant
(530) 257-2181 x4180

 

Fr. Linus Nwatarali 711-045 Center Road Susanville, CA 96130 Phone: (530) 257-2181 x4180 E-Mail: linus.nwatarali@cdcr.ca.gov

 

California Correctional Institute (CCI)

Chaplain Peraza

Mr. Edwin Peraza, Catholic Chaplain

PO Box 1031

Tehachapi, CA 93581

Phone: (661) 822-4402 ext 4387

E-Mail: Edwin.Peraza@cdcr.ca.go

 

What I like about being a Catholic Chaplain inside the State Prison is to be there for all the prisoners and to see them and talk to them. I like to provide the communion and prayer services and to facility literature, rosaries etc... I like to perform and do music with them. I also like to listen to their stories and to offer them hope. It is something impossible to describe it but God is here among the desperate people, God is among the incarcerated. God dwells in their souls. I love God. I love his incarcerated People.

 

California Institution for Men (CIM)

Rev. Eugene Eburuche
eugene.eburuche@cdcr.ca.gov
(909) 597-1821 x4152
What I like best about being a chaplain: “To bring hope and God's love and mercy to our incarcerated brothers and sisters…To bring to them the message of God's promise of a second chance.” 
 

California Institution for Women (CIW)

Dr. Maryloyola Yettke
maryloyola.yettke@cdcr.ca.gov
(909) 597-1771 x6366
What I like best about being a chaplain: “I LOVE MY JOB! This is where the Gospel message hits the road.”

 

California Medical Facility (CMF)

Fr. Pius Amah
chibuamah@yahoo.com
(707) 448-6841 x2378
What I like best about being a chaplain: “Being able to give the men hope and our instrument of God's Mercy.”

California Men's Colony (CMC)

Fr. John Farao, OFM Conv.
john.farao@cdcr.ca.gov
(805) 547-7177 x4506
What I like best about being a chaplain: “Helping men grow and change their lives.”
 

California Rehabilitation Center (CRC)

Chaplain Teddy

 

Mr. Teddy Harder
teddy.harder@cdcr.ca.gov
(951) 737-2683 x4315 or 4305

 

California State Hospital (CSH)

Deacon Porfirio Cisneros
porfirio.cisneros@cdcr.ca.gov
(209) 467-4110

 

California State Prison, LA County (CSP)

Deacon Daniel Bernal
daniel.bernal@cdcr.ca.gov
(661) 729-2000 x6129

 

California State Prison, Represa (CSP-SAC)

Mr. Greg Mellor
greg.mellor@cdcr.ca.gov
(916) 985-8610 x6425

California State Prison, Solano (CSPS)

Fr. Jude Okafor
jude.okafor@cdcr.ca.gov
(707) 448-6841
What I like best about being a chaplain: “It gives me the opportunity to interact with people who feel that they are not favored in life due to their situation. My best job is to bring Christ closer to them through counseling and prayer”

 

Calipatria State Prison

Deacon Refugio Gonzalez
refugio.gonzalez@cdcr.ca.gov

(760) 348-7000 x6139 

Deacon Sergio Hernandez, Catholic Chaplain PO Box 5001 Calipatria, CA 92233 Phone: (760) 348-7000 ext 6139 E-Mail: Sergio.hernandez3@cdcr.ca.gov

What I like best of being a chaplain. That I get to witness men whose lives have been transformed by the Gospel.

 

Centinela State Prison, Imperial

Deacon Marcos Lopez
marcos.lopez@cdcr.ca.gov
(760) 337-7900 x6372
What I like best about being a chaplain: “The struggle. The division. The hatred, envy. I actually don’t like the above, but I like combating these things with my prayer, service, and teaching.”

Deacon Fred Thornton, Catholic Chaplain

2302 Brown Road/PO Box 731

Imperial, CA 92251

Phone: (760) 337-7900 x 6372

E-Mail: fred.thornton@cdcr.ca.gov

Central California Women's Facility (CCWF)

Rosa Guembe
rosa.guembe@cdcr.ca.gov
(559) 665-5531 x7232

 

Chuckawalla Valley State Prison

Father Ike

Fr. Ikechukwu Titus Ibe
(760) 922-5300 x6444
What I like best about being a chaplain: “Listening and providing support to inmates.”

 

Coalinga State Hospital

Br. Raul Amador
raul.amador@dsh.ca.gov
(559) 934-3902
What I like best about being a chaplain: “Sharing a spark of God’s love with patients and staff. I share this love in various ways: by giving them a simple heartfelt greeting on my way to different locations at the hospital; by listening with empathy to patients and staff during one-on-one spiritual counseling in the chapel or wherever the place may be; by visiting our ill patients and staff on the medical units providing them with specific spiritual needs; by visiting patients and staff on the locked up units whether CDCR or MDO units providing them with individual and particular spiritual needs.”

 

Corcoran State Prison (CSP)

 

 

Fr. Charles Ugwu

989-293-9176

It gives me joy to provide pastoral and spiritual care to all Inmates and facilitate their opportunity to pursue individual religious beliefs and practices in the accordance with the California state prison policy.

 

 

Correctional Training Facility (CTF)

Fr. Ignacio Martinez
ignacio.martinez@cdcr.ca.gov
(831) 678-3951 ext 5016

 

Deuel Vocational Institution and Prison (DVI)

Deacon Edwin Santiago
edwin.santiago@cdcr.ca.gov
(209) 835-4141 x5076
What I like best about being a chaplain: “The inmates bring joy into my heart as I see them mature in their faith, and it is awesome to see and participate in their conversion.”
 

Fairview Developmental Center

Mr. Gerry Fay
Gerard.Fay@fdc.dds.ca.gov
(714) 957-5242
What I like best about being a chaplain: “I treasure the opportunity to walk with persons who have developmental disabilities--listening to their stories, concerns, and being with them to celebrate their many successes.” 
 

Folsom State Prison (Old)

Fr. Humberto Gomez
humberto.gomez@cdcr.ca.gov
(916) 985-2561 ext 4206
What I like best about being a chaplain: “Serving the spiritual needs of inmates, offering them opportunities to grow in their faith and in their relationship with Christ.”
 

 

High Desert State Prison

Mr. Joseph McLaughlan
joseph.mclachlan@cdcr.ca.gov
(530) 251-5100 x6722

 

Ironwood State Prison

Fr. Alex Nnaukwu
alex.nnaukwu@cdcr.ca.gov
(760) 921-3000 x6377
What I like best about being a chaplain: “Sharing the love of God with the less privileged/incarcerated.”

 

Kern Valley State Prison

Fr. Francisco Diaz
francisco.diaz@cdcr.ca.gov
(661) 721-6300 x6656
What I like best about being a chaplain: “To serve, to learn, to help, to walk with, to practice the faith.”

 

Metropolitan State Hospital

Father Delaney

Fr. Brian Delaney
brian.delaney@dsh.ca.gov
(562) 651-3142

 

Mule Creek State Prison

Deacon Fidel

Deacon Fidel Carrillo
fidel.carrillo@cdcr.ca.gov
(209) 274-4911 x6815
What I like best about being a Chaplain: “Is the opportunity to walk along the side of people as they try to draw into a more spiritual and intimate relationship with Christ.”

 

Northern California Youth Correctional Center 

 

 

Napa State Hospital

Deacon Joe

Deacon Joseph “Joe” McDonnell
josephn.mcdonnell@dsh.ca.gov
What I like best about being a chaplain: “I can offer my diaconate formation and training as professional chaplain to persons hurting in our society in hope that I can uplift their spirit and provide more meaning and purpose to their life.”

 

 

North Kern State Prison

Fr. Flordito Redulla
flordito.redulla@cdcr.ca.gov
(661) 721-2345 x6861
What I like best about being a chaplain: “To give emotional, moral, and spiritual support to all our inmates especially in the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Holy Eucharist.”
 

 

Patton State Hospital

Chaplain Steven Gomez

Mr. Steve Gomez
steven.gomez@dsh.ca.gov(909) 425-7429
What I like best about being a chaplain: “Listening to others, sharing in their pain, their hopes, and their healing. I enjoy good group discussion, sharing and dynamics. I like leading and facilitating liturgies and services.”

 

Pelican Bay State Prison

Mr. Sam Smolinisky
samuel.smolinisky@cdcr.ca.gov
(707) 465-1000 x7910
What I like best about being a chaplain: “The Spiritual reward I get from men incarcerated that have nothing other than the ability to have gratitude is larger than other rewards.”

 

Pleasant Valley State Prison

Andres Zamudio, amdg

 

 

 

 

Andres Zamudio, amdg
Andres.Zamudio@cdcr.ca.gov
(559) 935-4900 x6777 (D Yard)
What I like best about being a chaplain: “is that I get to fulfill my Ignatian commitment to love and serve in all things.”

 

Porterville Development Center

Deacon Michael Avila
mike.avila@pdc.dds.ca.gov
(559) 782-2401 x2401
What I like best about being a chaplain: “Being able to bring happiness through the ministry of the Catholic Faith and letting clients know that someone geniunely cares and loves them.”
 

RJ Donovan Correctional Facility & Prison

Deacon Miguel Enriquez
miguel.enriquez2@cdcr.ca.gov
(619) 661-6500 x6643
What I like best about being a chaplain: “The blessing to make Jesus present by reflecting his love and Mercy to everyone that I cross and engage inside the institution.”
 

 

Deacon Juan

Deacon Juan Buenrostro
(619) 661-6500 x6642
What I like best about being a chaplain: “The opportunity to bring Christ and Hope to the inmate population as well as the opportunity to encounter Christ on each and every person I encounter. Being able to help our incarcerated brothers to find hope and love and being present for them is such a blessing.”

 

Salinas Valley State Prison

Fr. Miguel Corona
Miguel.Corona@cdcr.ca.gov
(831) 678-5500  ext 6776
What I like best about being a chaplain: “Serving Inmates, evangelizing them, teaching them the sacraments, celebrating masses, counseling, hearing confessions.”

 

San Quentin State Prison

Chaplain Manny

 

Manuel Chavira, S.J.
manuel.chavira@cdcr.ca.gov
(415) 454-1460 x5314

“What I like best about being a chaplain”? The best part of being a prison chaplain is encountering Jesus Christ in the prisoners and staff that are part of my ministry.

 

 

SATF & State Prison Corcoran

VACANT, Catholic Chaplain PO Box 7100 Corcoran, CA 93212-7100 Phone: (559) 992-7100 xtn 6937, 7037 E-Mail: @cdcr.ca.gov

 

Sierra Conservation Center & Prison

Deacon Karl Welsbacher
karl.welsbacher@cdcr.ca.gov
(209) 984-5291 x5281
What I like best about being a chaplain: “I like to see the change in the men. Many come to prison feeling rejected and they are overjoyed when they discover what Christ can do for them.”

 

Sonoma Developmental Center

Noelani Sheckler-Smith
noelanishecklersmith@gmail.com
(707) 938-6721
What I like best about being a chaplain: “Witnessing the active love of God for persons who are profoundly spiritual, non-judgmentally accepting of all, and capable of giving back spiritually much more than all that is done for them.”

 

Valley State Prison

Mr. Danilo

Mr. Danilo Grajales
danilo.grajales@cdcr.ca.gov
(559) 665-6100 x6076

 

Ventura Youth Correctional Facility

Ms. Lulu

Ms. Lulu Santana
mariadelaluz.santana@cdcr.ca.gov
(805) 278-3746

What I like most about being a Chaplain? "Sharing in the daily mystery of humanity" 

 

Spotlight on my work: https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/insidecdcr/2021/09/17/incarcerated-youth-plant-garden-of-hope-at-ventura-facility/

 

Veterans Home Barstow

VACANT

Veterans Home Chula Vista

VACANT

Veterans Home Yountville

VACANT

Wasco State Prison

Deacon Joe

Deacon Joseph "Joe" Lubatti
Joseph.Lubatti@cdcr.ca.gov
(661) 758-8400 x5237
What I like best about being a chaplain: “Finding the opportunities during the day to see Christ in the faces of those I serve.”