[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 159 (Friday, October 4, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1252]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       HONORING SANTA ANA POLICE DEPARTMENT CHAPLAIN RUPERT VEGA

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. J. LUIS CORREA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 4, 2019

  Mr. CORREA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Santa Ana Police 
Department Chaplain Rupert Vega, a true hero of our community.
  Chaplain Rupert Vega was born and raised in Santa Ana. He, along with 
his family of six, lived in the Artesia Pilar neighborhood, near El 
Salvador Park. He received his education from the Santa Ana Unified 
School District. Chaplain Vega, with his wife, raised their two 
children in Santa Ana, where he continues to live to this very day. His 
children, now adults, also reside in Santa Ana.
  At age 57, Chaplain Vega retired from his 25-year career in the 
medical field, but retirement has done nothing to slow him down. He has 
been a licensed ordained chaplain and minister for many years and has 
worked as a Santa Ana Police Department Chaplain for the last five 
years, volunteering well over 5,000 hours to date.
  Chaplain Vega was recruited as a Police Chaplain, by his friends, Ed 
and Maria Martinez--two long time employees of the Santa Ana Police 
Department.
  As a Police Chaplain, Rupert has volunteered his time to the 
community of Santa Ana and the members of the Santa Ana Police 
Department. However, Chaplain Vega is so much more than a chaplain--to 
our community, he is a vision of hope in times of tragedy, to the 
members of the Santa Ana Police Department, he is a big brother, a 
guiding light, and even a shoulder to cry on when times get tough.
  With much humility, Chaplain Vega would say that he has been blessed 
beyond measure to have been commissioned by the Lord to work as a 
Police Chaplain, but it is really the community and the members of 
Santa Ana Police Department that are blessed to have him as their 
chaplain and as a part of our community.

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