Meet Br. Eric Lastres, S.J. ’18

8/11/2026

Carlos Cristobal | Communications Specialist 
 

Br. Eric Lastres, S.J. is a proud alumnus of the Belen Class of 2018. After graduating from Belen, he attended the University of Florida, where he studied Civil Engineering. He entered the Jesuit Novitiate in 2021 after graduating from UF and is now entering his 6th year as a Jesuit. Br. Eric has been missioned to Miami for his Regency Stage of Jesuit formation, where he will be working at Belen Jesuit and the surrounding Miami community for the next few years. This year, Br. Eric will be teaching 6th and 7th grade Theology and will accompany our young men in their spiritual formation.

Let’s get to know Br. Eric a little bit more:

Looking back at your time as a Belen student, what is one memory, tradition, or teacher that deeply shaped who you are today?
It’s hard to pick just one, but what stands out most is the brotherhood and camaraderie I shared with my Belen brothers, especially in those final years. I remember playing Wii in the Senior Section, jumping into the pool on our last day as Belen students, and laughing hysterically when someone’s mischief made Dr. Jordan’s job a little more difficult. More than just fun memories, those moments are part of what made Belen feel like a family. Belen gave me my first real experience of community: people who celebrate with one another, carry one another through difficult moments, challenge one another to grow, and, above all, remain with one another. That deeply shaped and continues to shape who I am today.

Coming back to campus, what feels entirely unchanged from your student days, and what feels excitingly new?
Coming back to campus, what feels entirely unchanged is the energy, the passion, and the love that exudes from everyone you interact with on campus. From the security guard at the front gate to Silvia in the cafeteria, and the many incredible staff, faculty, and administration: Belen’s energy has always been contagious. One thing that feels excitingly new is the campus itself. Over the last several years since I graduated, the campus has really “upped” its game to further support our students and faculty in providing the MAGIS. When I was a student, our grounds were already great, but now there’s so much more versatility and intentionality with our spaces. It really feels like being on campus, you’re entering another world. 

Every Jesuit’s journey has pivotal moments—was there a specific milestone or experience during your formation that reaffirmed your calling?
One experience that stands out was serving for two years as Chaplain to Saint Louis University’s Baseball Team during my last stage of formation while I was studying Philosophy and Theology. My role was largely one of presence—joining practices, sitting in the dugout during games, talking baseball, and accompanying the players through the ups and downs of their lives as Division 1 Student-Athletes. But the most meaningful part was getting to make Christ present on the baseball diamond. We began every game with prayer, players brought deep questions to me in the dugout, and each week more than half the team gathered for Bible study. As a lifelong athlete myself, it was incredibly reaffirming to see God use my love of sports to serve as a Jesuit in this seemingly “secular” space. It became a lived example of “finding God in all things”--and of how God can use each of our unique gifts and passions to lead others to Him. 

During formation, Jesuits often serve in diverse settings. What was one assignment or community experience that stretched you or reshaped your perspective?
While I was in the Novitiate, I was sent to work with Jesuits in the Amazon for about three months, living in a remote village of roughly 800 Indigenous Wapichan people. There was no electricity, we slept mostly in hammocks, and life was far more austere than anything I was accustomed to. Yet it became one of the most transformative and eye-opening experiences of my life. The joy, faith, and generosity of the Wapichan community were contagious; they were a people of deep charity, rich culture, and celebration. Despite differences in culture, language, and worldview, they taught me something profoundly simple: even in the remotest places, love is a universal language. “God is love” (1 John 4:16).

As a Belen alumnus now serving as a Jesuit on campus, what unique connection or insight do you hope to bring to current students?
Coming back to serve as a Jesuit on campus, I think the most unique connection I bring to current students is having been a Belen student myself. It felt like yesterday I was the one sitting in these classrooms, playing sports, and hanging out with friends in Belen’s hallways. I know what it’s like to come to Belen as a sixth grader not knowing anyone and graduating as a senior alongside lifelong best friends. I know what it’s like to have a community who will walk with me, support me, and love me no matter what. I also know what it’s like to have the ups and downs of life in middle and high school, and yet somehow know that I’m not alone in my journey. That connection with our Belen community is priceless. 

Looking ahead to your time here, what is one main goal or hope you have for the impact you will leave on the Belen community?
My main hope for the impact I will leave on the Belen community is to be a witness. The biggest impact and legacy Belen left me was the countless witnesses of faith, passion, and love that inspired me. From teachers and coaches to maintenance staff and the administration, Belen gave me so many models of faith, joy, and service that I only later came to appreciate. More than ever, I believe our world and our community need witnesses of faith, hope, love, joy, laughter, and passion that inspire others to live their lives in service to others following Christ’s example. I pray that at the end of my time here, I may be part of this great “cloud of witnesses”  (Hebrews 12:1) our community is already surrounded by.