Most Rev. Ricardo Ramírez, C.S.B. was born in Bay City, Texas. He attended local schools in the area for his elementary and secondary education. Thereafter he studied at the University of St. Thomas in Houston where he obtained his Bachelor’s degree in 1959.  He later joined the congregation of St. Basil and at the same time studied at St. Basil’s Seminary in Toronto which was the time in which he entered the Seminario Conciliar in Mexico City.

Ramírez became ordained to the priesthood on December 10, 1966, and was then assigned to St. Mary’s Church in Owen Sound, Canada. He continued his education at the University of Detroit from 1967-1938 where he earned his Masters of Arts degree.  Ramírez went on to do religious work in Tehuacán, which is a city in central Mexico. It was upon his return to the United States that he became the Executive Vice President of the Mexican American Cultural Center in San Antonio from 1976-1981.

It was on October 27, 1981, that Ramírez was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of San Antonio and Titular Bishop of Vatarba by Pope John Paul II. Ramírez went on to become the first Bishop of Las Cruces, NM on August 17, 1982.  During his time in office, Bishop Ramírez served on many committees which included being the Chair for the Committee on the Church in Latin America.

On January 10, 2013, Ramírez had his resignation accepted by Pope Benedict XVI and at the same time his successor, Oscar Cantú.