Artist Linda Ronstadt and Rev. Mary
The Reverend Mary Moreno Richardson
The Rev. Mary Moreno-Richardson is an Episcopal priest (retired) and the creator/director of The Guadalupe Art Program, a spiritual empowerment program using the arts to heal violence against women and children. Far exceeding her role as a chaplain, Rev. Mary is a champion for victims of human trafficking, undocumented youth in dentation who are awaiting deportation hearings and women and children who are victims of violence. Rev. Mary has served as a Delegate to the United Nations and a member of the Committee of the Status of Women. She now serves on the Santa Barbara County Commission on Behavioral Wellness. She is the first Latina Priest ordained in the Diocese of San Diego.
She has served as priest-in-charge and founder of the Episcopal Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe in San Francisco 2014.
She has been featured on PBS program “Religion and Ethics News Weekly” for her chaplaincy at Central Juvenile Hall in East Los Angeles, and has been featured by the Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles for Juvenile Justice Sabbath’s documentary, “God Cries When We Sentence Kids to Life in Prison”.
Rev. Mary has been a guest speaker at the 2010 National Black and Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators Conference on Mental Health, and The National Latino Conference on HIV/AIDS.
Also, U.S.C.'s School of Social Work - Featured Speaker -
U.S.C. Human Trafficking Conference 2012.
Through the United Nations, she has worked closely with El Instituto Nacional de la Mujer de Mexico, she hosted San Diego-based workshops for immigrant women. Rev. Mary lead a "train-the-trainer DISCOVER HIV Prevention Workshop" for Professional Women in Michoacán, Hermosillo, Puerto Vallarta and Mexico City for El Instituto de Educación para Adultos de Latin America y el Caribe.
She is a strong activist against the “War on Drugs” policies and advocates for treatment over incarceration. Because Rev. Mary strongly believes these issues are all inter-related, her affiliations range from the Task Force for Women in Prison and Children in Crisis; Drug Policy Alliance; Mother’s Against the War on Drugs, and the Bi-national Committee on HIV.
Rev. Mary was also featured in Mike Gray’s documentary, “Clergy Speak out Against the War on Drugs” and she was a guest speaker with Ira Glasser at the International Drug Policy Alliance Conference on "Mass Incarceration and the War on Drugs". https://youtu.be/ozJ-ccVrPkI
Rev. Mary is the former Canon for Hispanic Ministry at St. Paul’s Cathedral, San Diego.
She served as Senior Episcopal Chaplain at the Central Juvenile Detention Facility in East Los Angeles, where she saw the need to create the first religious support group for gay minors. As a strong advocate for “Stopping Homophobic Bullying” in schools and in society, she has partnered with California Faith for Equality.
She also worked as a Mental Health Clinician/Forensic Child Abuse Clinician for the Violence Intervention Program at Los Angeles County/USC Medical Center and lectured at USC’s School of Medicine and Los Angeles School of Nursing on Domestic Violence and Addiction.
She is Chemical Dependency Specialist and has worked as a case-manager, treatment advocate and community educator at the AIDS Service Center in Pasadena and Santa Barbara County. Rev. Mary also served as a case-manager for addicted mothers in Southern California and further educated the community on chemical dependency as the Latino Coordinator for the Multicultural Community Partnership of Santa Barbara County.
She has been featured in Latina Magazine, El Latino, La Frontera and was the cover story of Episcopal Life. Rev. Mary’s Guadalupe Art Program was featured in the book “She Who Imagines”, A Feminist Theological Aesthetic.
Rev. Mary was one of the principle speakers in the San Diego Immigration March for Dignity and hosted Dolores Huerta for the Immigration Rights Mass. She served on the board of directors at Borderlinks in Tucson, AZ.
Rev. Mary and The Guadalupe Art Program have received the following recognition:
* 2021 recipient of the Commission for Women of Santa Barbara County,
Woman of the Year Achievement Award
· 2008 Path to Recovery Honoree (San Diego)
· 2009 recipient and finalist of the Soroptimist International of San Diego
“Making a Difference for Women” Honoree
· Uplifting Citizens of San Diego Tribute & Spirit Award 2009
· Interfaith Committee for Workers Justice 2009 VOICES 4 JUSTICE Award
· Macy’s Hispanic Heritage Month Award
· Recognition from the Los Angeles City Council
and Catholic Archdioceses for Juvenile Justice Week
· San Diego Union Tribune’s Latino Champion Award Nominee 2012
She has been featured in several publications, including Episcopal Life, Episcopal News, The New York Times, The San Diego Union-Tribune, Anglican Episcopal World, La Opinion, East County Magazine and others.
Rev. Mary is a Ct. Hypnotherapist with over 30 years of experience and enjoying a successful practice. She specializes in energy healing of trauma/ abuse and PTSD. She is happy to call Santa Barbara County home again.
She also serves as President of the board for Santa Barbara North County Rape Crisis Center.
She is the director of The RELIANCE PROGRAM in for migrant families in Tijuana, Baja CA, Mexico. Under One Story at a Time programs. https://just1atatime.org/about/
For speaking engagements/retreats/ workshops The Reverend Mary Moreno Richardson can be reached at 619.985.5682 or larevdamary@comcast.net
San Diego Downtown
Rotary Club Presentation
Rotary Club Presentation
The Diocese of California presents The Guadalupe Art Program
exhibit at Gallery 1055
1055 Taylor St. San Francisco, Ca 94108 (The Campus of Grace Cathedral)
exhibit at Gallery 1055
1055 Taylor St. San Francisco, Ca 94108 (The Campus of Grace Cathedral)
The Rev. Julia McCray Goldsmith and Mary Ronstadt (painting by Mary Ronstadt)
Francesca Perra and actress Brooke Adams
The children who live in Tijuana's City Dump
Open Cathedral
Rev. Mary participating in Open Cathedral Ministry in San Francisco.
Soroptimist International
Rev. Mary receiving an award
Soroptimist International of San Diego, “Making a Difference for Women Honoree 2009
Recognized by
Los Angeles City Council and
The Los Angeles Catholic Archdiocese
for Juvenile Justice Week
Rev. Mary speaking at the
Drug Policy Alliance Conference
Drug Policy Alliance Conference
Rev.Mary with
Mothers Against Prohibition
