El Paso Priest to Receive Lumen Christi Award; County Commissioners Deny Sheriff’s Overtime Request
Retired El Paso priest Msgr. Arturo Bañuelas will be honored with the Lumen Christi Award for his decades of service in the community. Separately, the El Paso County Commissioners Court denied a $7,000 overtime request from the Sheriff's Office for…
El Paso, TX, October 2, 2026 — Retired El Paso priest Msgr. Arturo Bañuelas is slated to receive the prestigious Lumen Christi Award in recognition of his extensive service to the community over many decades. The award signifies a significant acknowledgment of his contributions and dedication within the El Paso area.
In a separate development, the El Paso County Commissioners Court has denied a financial request from the Sheriff’s Office. The court rejected an overtime request amounting to $7,000. This funding was sought by the Sheriff’s Office to compensate deputies for working at a concert featuring artists Usher and Chris Brown.
The Commissioners Court cited two primary reasons for its decision to deny the overtime request. First, concerns were raised regarding existing budget constraints. Second, the court noted the presence and involvement of other law enforcement agencies, suggesting that additional overtime funding for the Sheriff’s Office may not have been deemed necessary given the overall security arrangements for the event.
Further details regarding the specific dates of Msgr. Bañuelas’ service or the precise nature of his community work were not immediately available. Similarly, the exact date of the Commissioners Court meeting where the overtime request was denied, and the names of the specific officials who voiced concerns, were not provided in the available information. The outcome indicates a careful review of fiscal responsibilities by the county’s governing body in allocating public funds for supplementary law enforcement duties at private events. The Sheriff’s Office has not released further comment on alternative staffing plans for future events. The Lumen Christi Award is typically presented to individuals or groups who have made significant contributions to Catholic education and pastoral outreach. The specific details of Msgr. Bañuelas’ award ceremony and the full scope of his decades of service are anticipated to be elaborated upon by the awarding body. The denial of the overtime request highlights the ongoing balance between public safety needs and budgetary limitations faced by local government entities.
Story summarized from the original created by El Paso Matters Staff on elpasomatters.org, see more information here.
Media gallery
