Ramirez, Cornelio 1998-07-17
General Interview Information
Interviewee Name: Cornelio Ramirez
Additional Parties Recorded: None
Date: July 17, 1998
Location: Lubbock, Texas
Interviewer: Daniel Sanchez
Length:
Abstract
Tape 1:
Occupation;
Priest of Saint Patrick’s Church;
Belongs to the Society of Palotino Priests;
Cornelio Ramírez;
He was born in San Sabas, Texas on September 16th;
Family;
parents were from the state of Coahuila, México;
parents met and got married in San Sabas, Texas in 1924;
father (Crecencio Ramírez) was born in April 1905;
mother (Juanita Cazares) was born in July 1903;
Work;
father was a laborer and sheared sheep;
The entire family harvested Abernathy;
worked for Mr. Billy Harrison;
Religious Life;
In 1950, the Palotino Priests came to Saint Joseph Church;
He mentions that the only Catholic Churches were the Saint Joseph and Saint Isabel;
His family went to mass at Saint Joseph’s Church;
Education;
He studied for thirteen years to become a priest with the Order of the Palotino Priests in Ireland;
He was ordained on July 18, 1967 at Saint Joseph’s Church;
Ministry;
He was at the Saint Anthony’s Church in Brownfield for two years;
In 1969, he was assigned to Saint Joseph’s Church;
Tornado;
Twenty-one people died, the majority from the Guadalupe neighborhood;
Continuing his ministry;
He was assigned to Stephenville for six years;
He was assigned to Saint Joseph’s from 1984 to 1997;
Priesthood;
From a young age wanted to be either a doctor or a priest;
Because he lacked financial resources, he decided to join a religious order;
He learned English in the San Sabas School;
1954 was the last year that his parents harvested in Lubbock;
Festivities;
He mentions that San Sabas did not have a permanent priest; therefore, there were not activities in the parish;
He mentions that now there are activities and projects in parishes;
Discrimination;
He mentions that discrimination has decreased but still exists;
He thinks that discrimination now is “invisible”;
He discusses the discrimination that Mexican-Americans suffered at the movies, pharmacies, restaurants, and on buses;
He comments on the unfair wages laborers sometimes received from their bosses;
He mentions that his family was always cared for by Mexican doctors;
Organizations that support Mexican-Americans in continuing their education: LEARN;
South Plains College.
Range Dates:
Bulk Dates: 1958-1985
Access Information
Original Recording Format: audio cassette
Recording Format Notes: original recording digitized, CD copy available in Reading Room
Transcript: Spanish and English draft transcripts available in Reading Room
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