January 31, 2013. (Romereports.com) He is a 32-year-old Jesuit from Texas, and currently he's taking Theology classes in Rome. He
discovered his vocation during his college years, when he met other Jesuits. He was also inspired during the World Youth Day celebrations in Denver and Toronto, where he decided he would become a priest. Although his family welcomed the news, he says
his mother was a bit skeptical.FR. ERIC RAMIREZ
Seminarian, Society of Jesus
“Mostly, over all, are very excited, very happy. Very joyful for me. My mother was really clear, she wanted to make sure I wasn't doing it for her and that was never a problem, I was doing for me. But all of over my friends generally very happy, very excited for me. Wanting me to marry them when they got married. So that's very exciting, very supporting for me.”
Eric now has the chance to pray in Rome, at the very same room where St. Ignatius worked at for so many years. He founded the Jesuits more than 450 years ago. From this saint, Eric learned the importance of the spiritual exercises as a way to develop a personal relationship with God.
FR. ERIC RAMIREZ
Seminarian, Society of Jesus
“There is a hunger, there is a hunger among every human being in that search for God. And I think the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius that spirituality really becomes a pathway to get to that hunger, to recognize that hunger for what it is. And then to be able to recognize that God responds to our hunger.”
Eric Ramirez says he doesn't think there's a shortage of religious vocations, but he highlights that in the West, the number commitments is down because of so many distractions.
FR. ERIC RAMIREZ
Seminarian, Society of Jesus
“The ability to communicate with other people very quickly, to be able to access knowledge very quickly. This things are very good but in a lot of ways are distracting, distracting from with is it's really primary to any vocation, which the silence. To be able to be quiet and to listen to the Spirit within calling us to vocation.”
Next year, Eric will be ordained a deacon and, soon after, a priest in the United States. While he doesn't know where he will serve as a priest, he is calm knowing that he is dedicating his life to a good cause.
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