Widower father of 3 ordained as priest in Antipolo

A widower who was once a topnotch corporate executive has been ordained as a priest in Antipolo City in Rizal, GMA News' Athena Imperial reported on 24 Oras on Friday.

Fr. Lambert Ramos, who has three grown children, was ordained at the Immaculate Heart of Mary and will be assigned at the Our Lady of the Abandoned in Marikina City.

"Words are not enough to say how I feel, but the basic feeling is that of rejoice. Gaudete," Ramos said.

Before she died in 2009 due to colon cancer, Ramos' wife, Maria Vilma de Guzman, encouraged him to pursue his dream to become a priest. 

Ramos had once been on a path to priesthood in his youth, but instead chose to leave the seminary and pursue teaching after finishing his philosophy degree. Over time, he rose to high positions in a number of local and overseas companies. 

"Mom and my sister-in-law Vilma, I'm sure they are both happy up in heaven. Kasi ito naman talaga ang ginusto rin nila," said Buddy Ramos, the newly ordained priest's brother.

Family man

All three of Ramos' children were able to finish their schooling. On Friday's event, two of them even put the stole and chasuble on him during the ceremony.

The Diocese of Antipolo, meanwhile, welcomed Ramos with open arms.

"Ang kay Lambert ay special in the sense na nag-asawa siya, nabiyudo siya, malalaki na ang mga anak niya," said Rev. Francisco Mendoza de Leon, bishop of Diocese of Antipolo.

"Puwede naman 'yon basta't malalaki na ang mga anak, wala nang pananagutan."

Ramos said his experience as a family man will help him deal with parishioners.

"That is probably one area where I can truly be of immediate help — family ministries and parenting ministries," he said.

God's work

In an interview with GMA News' Sandra Aguinaldo in March, Ramos said his faith never faltered even while he was raising his family.

"I will be talking direct from my heart, direct from my experiences. Hindi na puwede ngayon 'yung hintayin mo ang mga taong magsimba at pangaralan mo ng pangaralan. 'Di na ho puwede 'yon... Pumunta ka na," he said.

In jest, he added: "I will make use of my marketing expertise to do this."

He said the circumstances of his finally becoming a priest could be chalked up to divine will.

"This is God's work. Pure and simple. This is really Opus Domini. The word of the Lord and the whispering of the Holy Spirit that did this...I can't explain this," he said.

"Thy will be done. And when you are called like this, you cannot but say 'Yes, Lord. Here I am," he added. —KBK, GMA News