Father Manuel Ros, who served as a priest for 57 years, died Aug. 8 at Ozanam Hall, Bayside. He was 87.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Aug. 11 at Our Lady of Sorrows Church, Corona. Retired Bishop Alfonso Cabezas, C.M., was the main celebrant. Special concelebrants included Msgr. Thomas Healy, who preached the homily, and Fathers Raymond Roden, Walter Lawson and Jose Reyes.
Born in Vinalesa, Valencia, Spain, Father Ros studied at San José Calasan Seminary. He was ordained May 8, 1960, in Alicante, by Bishop Pablo Barrachina. He served as an assistant at St. Ana, and St. Pedro Diria, both in Nandaime, Nicaragua.
After coming to the U.S., he served at St. Gerard Majella, Hollis, 1972-75; St. Patrick, Kent Ave., 1975-86; St. Martin of Tours, Bushwick, 1986-87; St. Malachy, East New York, 1987-95; and Our Lady of Sorrows, 1995-2012.
He was incardinated into the Brooklyn Diocese in 1995.
Msgr. Healy, former pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows, remembered his years of service with Father Ros.
“Father Ros was wonderful, hard working, and artistic,” said Msgr. Healy. “He had such creative hands. He could take his computer apart and put it back together.
“He was dedicated and gained the love of the parish. The people were crazy about him. He worked tirelessly on marriage preparations. It was the best marriage preparation in the diocese. He established excellent work and people always came back to thank him.
“I have been traveling for the last two months and when I returned, I visited him as soon as I could. I know he was waiting for me, and I told him, ‘It’s okay, Jesus wants to take you home,’ and he died later that day. I will truly miss him.”
Father Ros is survived by his sister, Amparo Ros de Moreno, of Glen Cove, L.I.
Burial was in St. John’s Cemetery, Middle Village.