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Local woman receives papal award
Diane Taricco among three to get special recognition from pope
The executive assistant to Bishop Stephen Blaire is one of three people in the Stockton Diocese to receive a special award from Pope Benedict XVI.
Diane Taricco
Diane Taricco, who has served as executive assistant for Blaire and the late Bishop Donald Montrose, will receive the Cross Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice on Dec. 10. Her husband, Dennis, is the longtime principal at St. Anne's School in Lodi.
"She has been long dedicated to her work in the church," Blaire said in a phone interview this week. "She is just highly regarded by all who work in the diocese."
In addition to Taricco, papal awards will go to Digna Ramirez Lopez, who directs the diocese's Hispanic ministry, and Rosemarie Desjardins, who has been office manager at Our Lady of Fatima Parish, executive assistant to the bishop and benefits officer for the diocese.
Taricco was stunned that she would receive the award.
"It just came as a complete surprise," she said. "I was at home sick, and the bishop called me (with the news). He said it was because of my outstanding life of service and dedication to my job."
Taricco says that working for a Catholic bishop isn't really different than in any other office.
What is Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice?
The award was established in 1888 by Pope Leo XIII to commemorate his golden sacerdotal jubilee, or 50th year as pope, and was originally bestowed to people who promoted the jubilee. It is the highest award that can be awarded to lay people.The medal may be cast in gold, silver or bronze. The ribbon is purple with lines of white and yellow on each border.
Source: Stockton Diocese
"You do the typing, you set up his flights, you set up his schedule and arrange dinners," Taricco said.
Blaire added that Taricco is talented at taking great care to patiently listen to sometimes hostile callers who want Blaire's attention over a particular topic.
"I always try to be nice to people, even when they're angry," she said. "I don't take it personally."
Taricco, who lives in the Linden area, has worked for the diocese for 25 years, starting as a secretary at St. Mary's High School in Stockton in 1983. She performed different secretarial jobs at the diocese office beginning in 1989.
Taricco was executive assistant for Montrose and continued in the same capacity when Blaire became bishop in 1999. She previously worked for the Oakland Diocese.
Her husband Dennis was principal at St. Anthony's School in Manteca for 10 years before taking the same post at St. Anne's in the early 1990s.
The Tariccos enjoy cooking and spending time with their children and grandchildren.
Sharing time at the stove took some adjusting because of their varied backgrounds.
"I'm a meat-and-potatoes (woman) coming from the Midwest, and then I married an Italian," she said.
Contact Religion Editor Ross Farrow at rossf@lodinews.com.
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