Meet Eric Flores: Parish Seminarian on Vocational Road to the Priesthood

If you walked around Assumption Seminary in San Antonio and asked the men how and why they discerned a vocational call to the priesthood, most all of them would offer a different response. Eric Flores, a Theology II seminarian, would immediately reference his uncle, Fr. Florencio Rodriguez, a Franciscan Third Order Regular priest serving in the Diocese of Austin,

“I remember when I was 8 years old, I was making my First Communion, and I thought that my uncle had the coolest job in the world,” Eric says. “I remember thinking ‘I want to be a priest when I grow up.’”

From then on, the seed was planted. When asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Eric would almost always answer, “a priest.”

Eric started at St. Vincent de Paul in September and will be with us for about a year. This is part of his seventh seminary year, called “the parish life year.” He attended minor seminary for four years at Saint Joseph Seminary College in Covington, La.

“God willing I will be ordained a priest on the third Saturday of May 2024,” he says.

Although Eric had a childhood dream to be a priest, he didn’t immediately follow that all the way through. Eric attended Catholic school through to graduation from Nolan Catholic High School in Fort Worth.

“There was a real fostering of vocations in school,” he says. “I was surrounded by Catholics, and they were very supportive of my call.”

But Eric decided to attend college at Texas A&M University in Kingsville. He was planning to study chemical engineering, but God had other plans.

“At college, I discerned properly that something didn’t feel right,” he says. “It was a faith journey of really asking God, ‘Is this what I am supposed to do?’ I finally discovered I am called. It wasn’t just a childhood dream.”

Getting to this point took some twists and turns, but Eric is glad to be in the seminary and also spending a year here with us at St. Vincent de Paul. He has appreciated that people are willing to stay after Mass to get to know him, and he notes that everyone has been very welcoming. Although Eric has a break from the book learning of the seminary, being at our parish is a different kind of schooling.

“This really puts things in perspective,” Eric says. “It’s one thing to talk about theological concepts and to learn in a classroom, and it’s different to look at it through pastoral experience. How do I relate what I’ve learned to a parish setting?”

In his seminary time, Eric has enjoyed sharing in brotherhood with his fellow seminarians. The men are all working toward the same goal — the priesthood.

“Just having them all together is awesome,” Eric says. “I love having the opportunity to hang with them and rely on them. The seminary builds a fraternity among future priests.”

So far, Eric has learned a lot from Fr. Philip Brembah — the most important thing has been how to be available to people and present.

As his seminary formation prepares him for priestly duties, Eric looks forward to administering the sacraments and celebrating Mass.

“I’m excited to be a good minister to the people of God — whether that’s house visits, or just being there for the people, to hopefully bring God to them and bring them to God,” he says.

Eric is thankful to be living close to family in Fort Worth. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with family and friends, being active outdoors, and reading. Eric has one younger sister named Emma.

Seminarians Austin Evans and Eric Flores (right), on their institution in the ministries of lector and acolyte by Bishop Mulvey of the Diocese of Corpus Christi in 2020.