Ramon Alvarez was born May 5, 1955, in Dallas, Texas. He was raised in the Mexican barrio adjacent to downtown Dallas. He is the second child of three brothers. After graduating from North Dallas High School in 1973, he entered Holy Trinity Seminary that fall.  He received his bachelor's degree in history from the University of Dallas then continued his graduate studies in theology. Ramón Alvarez was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Dallas on May 1, 1982 at the Cathedral Santuario de Guadalupe by the Most Reverend Thomas Tschoepe. Father Ramón has served at Immaculate Conception in Grand Prairie, St. Bernard in Dallas, Holy Spirit in Duncanville, and the Cathedral in downtown Dallas. He served as diocesan Vocation Director and Chancellor under Bishop Charles Grahmann. In 1994 he was named pastor of St. Edward and on January 9, 1997 was named pastor to St. Pius X in East Dallas where he served until June of 1999.

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Michael Forge was born July 25, 1958 in Riverhead, New York. His parents, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Eugene A. and Patricia A. Forge also had three daughters. Fr. Michael grew up an "Air Force Brat," as they say, and by the age of 11 had lived in New York, Pennsylvania, Alaska, Michigan, Florida, California, Kansas, Colorado, and finally TEXAS!
Prior to entering Holy Trinity Seminary in Irving, Texas, he worked in Insurance, Banking and Real Estate, primarily in bookkeeping and accounting. After earning a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy at the University of Dallas in 1992, he continued formation to the Priesthood at St. Mary’s Seminary in Houston, Texas. During his tenure at St. Mary’s, he spent one summer in Mexico studying Spanish, and one summer in Jerusalem studying the Shoah (Holocaust) at the Israeli Center for Holocaust Studies at Yad Vashem. He received both a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Theological Studies from St. Thomas University in Houston, Texas and was ordained for the Diocese of Dallas on May 17, 1997.

Fr. Michael enjoys fishing, golfing, camping, or going to the movies on his day off.   At St. Pius, when he couldn't do any of these activities he could be found "vegging out" in front of his 37 inch, surround sound T.V. watching CNN and CMT videos. J

St. Pius X is Fr. Michael’s first assignment and he enjoyed the rich diversity of people that St. Pius X possesses.  He transferred in June of 1999 to lead the vocation ministry for the diocese.

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Cliff Garner was born December 7, 1965 in Dallas. He grew up, however, in Houston and on his uncle's farm near Stephenville, Texas.   Born to a Baptist family, Cliff Garner was baptized in the Disciples Church when he was about 13 years old.  His faith was nurtured and formed by his grandparents and his uncle who lived in the West Central regions of Texas.   High school friends in Houston set an example for him, and he converted to Catholicism by age 18. In 1989, he entered Holy Trinity Seminary and received his BA in Psychology from the University of Dallas.   Fr. Cliff brings a background in counseling from his seminary and pastoral formation.

In 1994 Fr. Cliff was commissioned as a Naval Officer as he continued his formation at St. Mary's seminary in Houston.  Since his initial commissioning, "Chaplain" Garner served on board the Naval Training Center and The United States Marine Corps Recruit Depot, both located in San Diego.   After this experience, Chaplain Garner was certified by the US Marine Corps as a chaplain for USMC Field Expeditionary Skills.

This certification process took place at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Chaplain Garner graduated from the Naval Chaplain School in Newport, Rhode Island and then spent a short time with the Marine Drill Instructors on board the US Marine Corps Recruit Depot: Parris Island, South Carolina.

Fr. Cliff graduated from St. Mary's Seminary with a Master's degree in Divinity from the University of St. Thomas in Houston, TX. He was ordained May 22, 1999 by Bishop Grahmann at the Cathedral Santuario de Guadalupe. Fr. Cliff` enjoys being around a variety of people and as an extrovert, he is energized by friends and family. He enjoys working out, country music, and his dog which he calls "Gunny" named after the USMC Gunnery Sergeants whom he jokingly attributes the formation of his "pastoral skills".  Father Cliff served St. Pius X until June 2002.

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Mar Ortiz was born in the Philippines on May 8, 1954.  He entered the college seminary of Our Lady of Angels in 1967 double majoring in Philosophy and Behavioral science (yes, this would be his first year of high school).  After leaving the seminary, he taught school until returning in 1978 to the Divine Word Seminary to complete his formation to the priesthood.  He was ordained on July 4th 1982 and spent the next 17 years in the Philippines.  In 1998 he moved to Staten Island, N.Y. for one year and in 1999 to New Jersey.  In addition to his priestly assignments during this time he also attended Seton Hall to earn a degree in Biblical Studies.  St. Pius welcomed Fr. Mar in June of 2002 and he left shortly afterwards to return to New Jersey.

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Don Zeiler joined St. Pius X Parish in September of 2002 and was reassigned to Holy Spirit parish in Duncanville in November of 2004.  This was a homecoming of sorts since seminarian Don Zeiler served an internship here at St. Pius X as part of his formation.

Don is the youngest of four children, born in 1965 and raised in Paris, Arkansas.  Prior to entering the seminary, he completed his bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering at the University of Arkansas in 1988 and worked for Cuplex, Inc. in Garland for 6 years.

In 1994 the priesthood called and he entered Holy Trinity Seminary in Irving to study philosophy before going on to the Seminary at St. Mary's in Houston to study theology.

Ordination came in June of 2001 and his first assignment was as Parochial Vicar of All Saints parish in North Dallas.

Don enjoys music, golf, cooking, fishing and travel. 

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Jose Figueroa joined St. Pius X Parish in December of 2004.  Fr. Jose came to St. Pius X from the Cathedral downtown.  He was born in Colombia.  In June of 2006 Fr. Jose was transferred to St. Luke parish.

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Arturo Kannee joined St. Pius X Parish in October of 2005.  Fr. Kannee was born in Venezuela.

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