My Name is Norman Moran-Rosero. I am From Ecuador, South America; I am the oldest of 3 bothers and one sister. I was raised up by my grandmother and started working in the banana plantation since the age of 9 years old. I discovered my vocation to the priesthood when I was enrolled in religious education in preparation for the Sacrament of First Holy Communion when I was 15 years old. I was admitted to the Mayor Seminary in Guayaquil Ecuador, and began my priestly formation at the age of 17.

During my college Seminary preparation in Ecuador, I discovered that the church in my town was organized and constructed by missionary priests from Saint James Society. Saint James is a society of diocesan priest that dedicates 5 years to the mission in south America specifically in Ecuador, Peru and, Bolivia; their Mission is to form and raise up communities of faith from the ground, building temples, schools, hospitals, and all that is required and necessary to start a community of faith, a parish; then when everything is established they move to another place to start from zero again. I was extremely impressed and inspired by the mission of saint James Apostle’s priests and strengthened my conviction in my vocation.

One priest of Saint James invited me to come to the United States to serve and help the need of so many Latino immigrants. I decided to answer the call from God and depend of god’s providence alone for all my needs. I have no family or relatives in the United States, so I saw this as a new calling from the Lord. After taking intensive courses for English as a Second Language, at UIC, I was accepted into the University of Saint Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary to continue my priestly formation. Part of my formation was to complete the Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), which I completed successfully during the summer of 2004 at Tampa General Hospital in Tampa, FL. I graduated from Mundelein with a master’s degree in divinity (M.Div.) and a Sacred Theology bachelor’s degree (S.T.B.) in 2005, I was ordained as a priest by Cardinal Francis George in May 21^st. 2005. I hold a Doctor in Ministry (D.Min. 2018) degree from Catholic Theological Unión (CTU) in Chicago.

I am currently pastor of Saint Basil Visitation in Englewood Chicago, where we serve the African American and Latino Community, a position I have held since July 2013. Previously I served as Associate Pastor of Saint Jerome in Rogers Park (2005 -2010), and in Saint Genevieve (2010 – 2013) both parishes located in the Chicago area. From 2011 to 2013 I was Assistant Vocation Director for the archdiocese of Chicago. In 2006 I founded Radio Maria in Chicago, A Catholic Radio for Latinos that operates 24/7 in Spanish Language and currently serve as a Director of Programing. In 2007 I founded Children of Pure Heart, a non-for profit organization to help the poor children in Latin America.

 I love to play soccer and ride my bike with my friends.