Father Erno Bolivar Diaz is the current Coordinator of the Filipino Apostolate of the Archdiocese of New York. He has held this position since 1995 when Cardinal John O'Connor established the archdiocesan Filipino Apostolate and appointed him to head the apostolate. In 1998 he founded the Philippine Pastoral Center In Manhattan, that became the official headquarters of the archdiocesan Filipino Apostolate and 'home-away-from-home' for Filipinos visiting Manhattan. He has just been re-appolnted by Cardinal Edward Egan of New York as 'Director of the Filipino Apostolate with the Chapel of San lorenzo Ruiz:  The Chapel designated for the Filipino community, is located on Broome Street in lower Manhattan.
 
The movement to promote devotion to then Blessed Lorenzo Ruiz in New York had Its beginnings In 1981, the year San Lorenzo was beatified in Manila.ln 1982, upon the urging of Father Ramon Salinas. O.P. and Mr. Celso Carunungan of the National Movement for the Cause of Blessed Lorenzo Ruiz and Companion Martyrs. Father Erno and a small group of devotees formally established it as an association naming it-Blessed Lorenzo Ruiz Association of America'" or BLRAA. In 1987, after Pope John Paul II canonized Lorenzo Ruiz, the name of the association was changed to "San lorenzo RulzAssoclation of America” or SLRAA.
 
Father Erno also held the following positions, namely: 

• Filipino Liason for the East Coast with the Office of the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Refugees (PCMR) of the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops, from 1985 to 1990;
• Coordinator, Filipino Apostolate. Archdiocese of Newark, from 1985 to 1990
• Pastor, St. Malachy's Church, The Actor’s Chapel, NY (2001-2003)
• Parochial Vicar, St. Peter's, NY (2000-2001)
• Epiphany (19941997)
• St. Joseph of Yorkville (1979-1981)
• Assumption, Tuckahoe {1978-1980}
• Chaplain, Hackensack Medical Center (1982-1989)
• Chaplain, Philippine Women's University, Manila (1991-1994)

Born In Ma-ayon, Capiz, Philippines, he studied under Cardinal Jaime Sin (then Rector of St. Plus X Seminary, Roxas City), and pursued studies in Philosophy and Theology at the Central Seminary of the University of Santo Tomas (UST). Manila, graduating with a Ph.L. degree (Magna Cum Laude) in 1965 and with a STL degree (Magna Cum Laude) In 1968. He was editor of “Benavides”; the ecclesiastical journal of the Central Seminary of UST.

Father Emo was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Capiz In 1969, and then taught philosophy at St. Pius X Seminary from 1971 to 1974. He migrated to the United States in 1977. in 1998, Cardinal John O'Connor incardinated him to the Archdiocese of New York.

He recently launched his book "ON THE ROAD WITH SAN LORENZO"  - Stories about the San Lorenzo Ruiz movement and the devotions in the metropolitan New York during the founding years and beyond (1982 to 2004) - as told by the founder and the first director of the Blessed Lorenzo Ruiz Association of America (BLRAA) and the coordinator of the Filipino Apostolate of the Archdiocese of New York.