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My name is Eric J. Rosario Ramos. I was born and grew up in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. I was the third of four children. My childhood was really interesting growing up in one of probably the worse neighborhoods in the Island. Thankfully I found an excellent example in my Parents. They were always active in Church Ministries (Eucharistic Ministers, Choir, Catechism, visiting the sick, etc…). I would go out with my Mother (now enjoying real life with the Lord) picking up children from the neighborhood for Catechism. I also started at a young age to serve as an altar server and a member of our Church’s youth group. I have an Associates Degree in Liberal Arts, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration.I joined the Military on March 1987 and served for twenty-two years. During that time frame, at the beginning, I was still attending Mass but not as much as I should have. I fell in love and married my wife Yolanda from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico first by civil court on Dec 1988 because I was going to be assigned to Germany. On Jan 1995 we received God’s blessing in our union. I began serving the Church again while stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas. I became a trained Eucharistic Minister and served in the Church on base and when we would go out for any field exercise with our units. When the Chaplain would come around to provide us a Mass at the field site, I would help him with the setup and tear down and during the service as, lector, altar server, and Eucharistic Minister.Things that are important in my life:
In August 1999 I was assigned to the United States Army Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, NC. I began serving again at the John F. Kennedy Spanish Mass. I was first instituted as a Eucharistic Minister and later I became a lector, monitor and leader of the Eucharistic Ministers and was in charge of making the schedule and ensuring all individuals were prepared for their duties. I also began performing the ministry taking Communion to the sick from within the community. Later, I was selected as the Spanish Mass Coordinator/Parish Council Chair for that Fort Bragg Chapel. In 2006 while serving in the Iraq war I was able to serve as a Eucharistic Minister for the duration of my deployment. I got reacquainted with a person that I have known since I was a child, Deacon Vicente Colon. Deacon Vicente provided Bible classes at Saint Patrick and I began attending them. I have been feeling the desire for serving the Lord as a Deacon for a few years but did not have anyone I could speak to about it. I spoke to Deacon Vicente and he told me that in order to do that I should leave Fort Bragg and get involved in the Diocese of Raleigh.
I spoke to Deacon Nay Henriquez, left Fort Bragg and registered at Saint Isidore Mission. I spent four years at Saint Isidore. While there I served as an EXO, EXO instructor, lector, lector instructor, catechist, pre-baptismal class instructor, altar server, and oversaw the youth group. I served at Saint Elizabeth of Hungary in Raeford, NC as a Eucharistic Minister, lector, RCIA director, pre-Baptismal class instructor, occasionally, I would sneak in an altar server duty with the youth, before been ordained a Deacon. I was involved (before COVID hit) in taking Communion to sick brothers and sisters at the hospital, nursing homes or home when called. I am attending retreats/encounters throughout the Diocese with the purpose of spiritual growth. Before ordination I started working on Prison Ministry with Deacon Mike Vandiver. I am looking forward to the opening of the prisons I visit, to continue to minister to my brothers in prison. I visit Lumberton prison (2nd Wed of the month, 7:00pm), Lumberton detention (Sat 3:00pm), and Scotland County prison (Thurs 7:00pm). I am a member of Saint Andrew School of Evangelization, and the John XXIII Retreats Movement.
In my life currently the most important things are:
- God – First and foremost, because we must work for what really matters. What really matters to me now is serving Him with all my heart and strength. At the end of my life, I want to be able to rejoice in heaven.
- Family – After God my family is what is more important to me, even more than myself. It is a gift given to me to cherish, protect and guide in the right path.
