Spanish translation transforms men into better husbands

ESE HOMBRE ERES TU
➤ WHAT:  A transformation program to help men (age 18 and older) encounter God within the context of their marriages and family life. It has recently been dubbed into Spanish. The program is offered in English and Spanish through the nonprofit Paradisus Dei organization.
➤ WHERE/WHEN: Several locations in the Archdiocese of New Orleans offer either the English or Spanish version, including the Hispanic Apostolate, 2525 Maine Ave., Metairie; La Señora de Guadalupe, 4465 Hwy. 190 East Service Road, Covington, Saturdays at 8 a.m.; Our Lady of Prompt Succor, 2320 Paris Road, Chalmette, Saturdays at 7 p.m.; St. Joseph Church, 610 6th St., Gretna, Fridays at 5:45 a.m.; Our Lady of Lourdes, 400 Westchester Blvd., Slidell, Thursdays at 6 a.m., Wednesdays at 8 p.m.; St. Margaret Mary, 1050 Robert Blvd., Slidell, Sundays at 9 a.m.; Mary Queen of Peace, 1501 West Causeway Approach, Mandeville, Wednesdays at 5:45 a.m.; St. Peter, 125 East 19th Ave., Covington,  Thursdays at 5:45 a.m. and Wednesdays at 6 p.m.; St. Anselm, 306 St. Mary St., Madisonville, Fridays at 5:30 a.m.
➤ TO FIND A LOCATION: Call Deacon Carlos Ramirez at (985) 788-5971 or email him at [email protected]. Discover program details at: paradisusdei.org/that-man-is-you/#faq

By Christine Bordelon
Clarion Herald


Deacon Carlos Ramirez had long searched for a program that would arm Christian men with the tools they needed to combat modern societal norms and to become better husbands and fathers.

At a northshore deanery meeting, he heard a team leader of “That Man is You” extol the virtues of the men’s program that addresses faith, family, values and reason.

Deacon Ramirez, a deacon who serves at the archdiocesan Hispanic Apostolate, knew immediately he found what he was seeking because he saw men being changed from within by addressing core values that they can then pass on to their children.

But when Deacon Ramirez asked if there was a Spanish version of the program to help him minister to Spanish-speaking Catholics, the answer was no.

“I went home and told my wife, Elisabeth, about it,” he said.
   When Deacon Ramirez mentioned “That Man is You,” it hit home with his wife. She told him a client had visited her law office and was rude and disrespectful. A year later, the man returned and was dignified and respectful. He credited his positive change to “That Man Is You.”

When Deacon Ramirez told Elisabeth that the program was being used in English in the Archdiocese of New Orleans but was not available in Spanish, she said, “Translate it.”

He thought maybe he should. The reason stemmed from a spiritual experience he had in Spain in 2008 while on a silent retreat with his wife at a castle where St. Ignatius of Loyola stayed.

It was there, while praying after reading a Bible passage about Jesus being the gate, that “God told me I was going to be the gate.” Deacon Ramirez said he told Christ, “No. You are the gate. How can I be the gate?”

Started with a few tapes
In 2021, Deacon Ramirez began creating Spanish audio to accompany a few episodes of “That Man is You” to share with northshore Hispanics. He then contacted Paradisus Dei, the nonprofit organization founded by Steve Bollman in Houston, that created the program in 2002. Deacon Ramirez mentioned how he was reaching the Latino community with his Spanish dubbing of their program, and he received permission to translate all 26 videotapes – 13 shown in the fall, and 13 during the spring. He spent 1,000 hours dubbing his voice over the English voices.

The Spanish-translated version, “Ese Hombre Eres Tu (EHET)” has spread worldwide, he said.

Each gathering is divided into three parts. It starts with a meal to give men an opportunity to bond, followed by a 30-minute DVD and concluding with a 15-minute small group discussion. Two questions accompany each video to promote conversation, he said.

“It is very transforming,” Deacon Ramirez said. “Because men start talking about issues faced by all men with the culture, our jobs, pornography, fidelity and all these things. We have the freedom to present a subject so men can talk.”

He said wives have commented on the positive changes they’ve noticed as their spouses, who participate in the program, are formed into disciples of Jesus.

“I saw glimmers of hope,” Deacon Ramirez said. “I saw that these guys loved Jesus more. When I heard the wives talking about the positive transformation of their husbands, I said, ‘This is it.’ This is something that can really help not only Hispanic men but all the men in the world.

“I decided to translate all of these videos because I realized “That Man is You” or “El Hombre Eres Tu” is a program that can really change men into men after God’s own heart. By doing that, we will have better dads, better husbands, better people, and they can change the world into a better world.”

Thirty Hispanic parishes in the U.S. and several in the archdiocese have embraced this ministry, and it’s been endorsed by several bishops. The spring semester for EHET either just began or will start soon. Any parish can take part with a pastor’s approval. Find out more at Paradisus Dei at https://paradisusdei.org or call Deacon Carlos Ramirez at (985) 788-5971.

[email protected]