by Deacon Jorge Arturo Gonzalez
I write these words to celebrate the life of an extraordinary man who recently passed away, Deacon Ramon Lima. A husband, a father, a grandfather, a deacon, and a brother, he was a man who lived ahead of his time — a man whose life was a blessing to all those who met him.
It would be impossible to speak about the permanent diaconate in the Diocese of Brooklyn without speaking about Deacon Lima, whose 48 years of service as an ordained minister revealed his deep love for God, the Church, his family, his brothers in the diaconate, and those whom he served.
Even before his ordination as a deacon in 1977, Ramon and his wife, Doña Digna, were an example of how a husband and wife should love each other.
Deacon Lima’s devotion to Digna during their 66 years of marriage was a living testimony. He often called her “the better part of me.” They met at the University of Havana, where she unexpectedly took the seat next to him in class. From that moment on, as Deacon Lima used to say, “the rest was history.”
He served multiple parishes in the diocese: St. Leo in Corona, St. Raphael in Long Island City, and Resurrection-Ascension in Rego Park, among others. He led bilingual RCIA programs for adults entering into the full communion of the Church. He led workshops for lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, and ministers of hospitality.
Deacon Lima wrote a book entitled “Ensayos: A Spiritual Guide to the Holy Land” and numerous articles for Nuestra Voz and The Tablet.
Deacon Lima was a pioneer of Hispanic pilgrimages to the Holy Land and to numerous shrines in Europe. His love for the Holy Land was contagious. He knew every turn of the road, every stone, every sanctuary. He could tell you about the history and the biblical passages associated with each site with impressive clarity, wisdom, and love that moved hearts.
Since 1982, Deacon Lima was a pillar of the diaconate formation program, especially for Hispanics. He was a professor of sacred Scripture, spirituality, and homiletics; a facilitator; a workshop presenter; and the director of retreats for candidates, aspirants, and their wives. He served on the scrutiny, admissions, and evaluations committees. He was a mentor and spiritual director to many.
Deacon Lima served as personal assistant to then-Msgr. Octavio Cisneros when he was rector of the college seminary in Douglaston, and later when the bishop served as vicar for Hispanic affairs. Deacon Lima touched the lives of countless seminarians, many of whom now serve as priests.
I first met Deacon Lima in 1994, and since then, we have enjoyed a deep friendship and affection. I will never forget his frequent advice: “Let nothing disturb you, nothing shake you. Everything passes; God does not change. Patience obtains everything. Whoever has God lacks nothing. Only God suffices.”
We give thanks to the Lord our God for the life of Deacon Ramon Lima.
To his wife and family, I say: Thank you for sharing him with us.
To my brother Ramon, I say: Faithful servant, enter into the rest of your Lord.
Deacon Jorge Arturo Gonzalez serves at St. Michael-St. Malachy Parish in East New York.