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Q. Tell me about your family.
A. All my family lives in Portugal or Venezuela. I just have my parents and my twin brother here in the States. Both of my parents are from Portugal. My brother and I were raised here.
Q. Describe your faith life growing up in Vilonia.
A. We went through CCD. It was such a long distance to get to church so we only went on Sundays. My mother was very good at teaching us. My family got really involved in all kinds of church activities when I was a teenager. My mom and dad were both involved in Hispanic ministry.
Q. When did you first hear the call to be a priest?
A. I was probably 7. I was at Mass and I was enamored with the mystery of the Mass. I would go home and play Mass. I had saltine crackers and a cup and I took a book from the pew that had the words of the Mass.
The next two questions come from the Fishers of Men program conducted by the Diocese of Little Rock. Several priests were asked these questions this spring.
Q. What were your initial excitements and hopes as you began to think more deeply about your vocation?
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Q. What have priests said or done that most helped you when you were thinking about entering the seminary?
A. I would only see the priest on Sunday. But in greeting them afterward and seeing them at Mass, I would see they were prayerful and their joy. Growing up and even through college and working at Axiom, I didn't have that much interaction with the priests except for Mass. ... It was Father (Warren) Harvey that really became a fisher and hooked me.
Q. Did you ever have doubts that God was calling you?
A. No. I never questioned it and I never had doubts. Some of it was tough, but I never had moments of doubts. I wasn't left in darkness as far as the direction that Christ willed for my life, my vocation.
Q. What person has influenced you in your seminary formation?
A. Father Jim Orosco. He was my spiritual director at Holy Trinity Seminary in Dallas. He has always been supportive of me. We had a very good rapport that has continued. He has kept in touch.
Q. What kind of priest do you want to be?
A. A holy one. I hope to be open to anyone who comes to me, be receptive to them and loving.
Q. What areas of ministry do you feel most called to?
A. I think more with the elderly. Recently I have been thinking a lot about prison ministry.
Q. When you think of ordination, what thoughts or feelings come to mind?
A. Overwhelmed in two ways. Everything that has to take place for the ordination and the first Mass. I like to have things as simple as possible. Secondly, the change that is going to take place in me and in my life is overwhelming.
Edward "Eddie" Pereira D'Almeida
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