Stephen V. Ryan
Encyclopedia
Stephen Vincent Ryan, C.M. (January 1, 1825—April 10, 1896) was a Canadian
-born American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Buffalo
from 1868 until his death in 1896.
Ryan was born in Almonte, Ontario
on January 1, 1825, and later moved with his family to Pennsylvania
, where he entered St. Charles Borromeo Seminary
at Overbrook in 1841. On May 5, 1846, he joined the Congregation of the Mission (also known as the Lazarists or Vincentians) at Cape Girardeau, Missouri
. He was ordained
to the priesthood
by Archbishop Francis Kenrick
on June 24, 1849, and named Visitor General of the Congregation of the Mission in the United States
in 1857.
On March 3, 1868, Ryan was appointed the second Bishop of Buffalo, New York
, by Pope Pius IX
. He received his episcopal consecration
on the following November 8 from Archbishop John McCloskey, with Bishops John Loughlin
and John Joseph Lynch
, C.M., serving as co-consecrators
, at St. Joseph's Cathedral
. Ryan unified the Catholic school
system and established a commission to supervise the work of parochial school
s. He founded the diocesan
newspaper
called the Catholic Union (later known as the Catholic Union and Echo, the Magnificat, and the Western New York Catholic). He also engaged in a public controversy with Arthur Cleveland Coxe
, the Episcopal
Bishop of Western New York
, over the issue of apostolic succession
.
Ryan died at Buffalo
, aged 71, and was interred next to Bishop John Timon
at St. Joseph's Cathedral. His tenure as Bishop spanned 28 years, the longest in the history of the Buffalo Diocese.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
-born American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He served as Bishop of Buffalo
Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo
The Diocese of Buffalo is a Catholic diocese headquartered in Buffalo, New York, USA. The current Bishop is the Most Rev. Edward U. Kmiec.The Diocese of Buffalo was established 23 April 1847. It consists of Erie, Niagara, Genesee, Orleans, Chautauqua, Wyoming, Cattaraugus, and Allegany counties...
from 1868 until his death in 1896.
Ryan was born in Almonte, Ontario
Almonte, Ontario
Almonte is a Canadian exurb and former mill town located in Lanark County, in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario, Canada. Formerly a separate municipality, Almonte is now a ward of the town of Mississippi Mills, which was created on January 1, 1998 by the merging of Almonte with Ramsay and...
on January 1, 1825, and later moved with his family to Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, where he entered St. Charles Borromeo Seminary
St. Charles Borromeo Seminary
St. Charles Borromeo Seminary is the seminary of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Named for Charles Borromeo, it is located in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania,...
at Overbrook in 1841. On May 5, 1846, he joined the Congregation of the Mission (also known as the Lazarists or Vincentians) at Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Cape Girardeau is a city located in Cape Girardeau and Scott counties in Southeast Missouri in the United States. It is located approximately southeast of St. Louis and north of Memphis. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 37,941. A college town, it is the home of Southeast Missouri...
. He was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
by Archbishop Francis Kenrick
Francis Kenrick
Francis Patrick Kenrick was an Irish-born clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the third Bishop of Philadelphia and the sixth Archbishop of Baltimore .-Early life and education:...
on June 24, 1849, and named Visitor General of the Congregation of the Mission in the United States
Canonical Visitation
A canonical visitation is the act of an ecclesiastical superior who in the discharge of his office visits persons or places with a view of maintaining faith and discipline, and of correcting abuses by the application of proper remedies.-Catholic usage:...
in 1857.
On March 3, 1868, Ryan was appointed the second Bishop of Buffalo, New York
Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo
The Diocese of Buffalo is a Catholic diocese headquartered in Buffalo, New York, USA. The current Bishop is the Most Rev. Edward U. Kmiec.The Diocese of Buffalo was established 23 April 1847. It consists of Erie, Niagara, Genesee, Orleans, Chautauqua, Wyoming, Cattaraugus, and Allegany counties...
, by Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
. He received his episcopal consecration
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
on the following November 8 from Archbishop John McCloskey, with Bishops John Loughlin
John Loughlin (bishop)
John Loughlin was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the first Bishop of Brooklyn, New York .-References:...
and John Joseph Lynch
John Joseph Lynch
John Joseph Lynch C.M. was the Roman Catholic Bishop of Toronto from 1860 to 1870 and the last Bishop as the diocese and the first Archbishop of Toronto .-Early years:...
, C.M., serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
, at St. Joseph's Cathedral
Saint Joseph Cathedral in Buffalo
Saint Joseph Cathedral, is located at 50 Franklin Street, in downtown Buffalo, New York and is currently the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo.-History:...
. Ryan unified the Catholic school
Catholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
system and established a commission to supervise the work of parochial school
Parochial school
A parochial school is a school that provides religious education in addition to conventional education. In a narrower sense, a parochial school is a Christian grammar school or high school which is part of, and run by, a parish.-United Kingdom:...
s. He founded the diocesan
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
called the Catholic Union (later known as the Catholic Union and Echo, the Magnificat, and the Western New York Catholic). He also engaged in a public controversy with Arthur Cleveland Coxe
Arthur Cleveland Coxe
Arthur Cleveland Coxe DD LLD was the second Episcopal bishop of New York. He used Cleveland as his given name and is often referred to as A. Cleveland Coxe.-Biography:...
, the Episcopal
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
Bishop of Western New York
Episcopal Diocese of Western New York
The Episcopal Diocese of Western New York, is the diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America with jurisdiction over the counties of Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming in western New York. It is in Province 2 and its cathedral, St. Paul's...
, over the issue of apostolic succession
Apostolic Succession
Apostolic succession is a doctrine, held by some Christian denominations, which asserts that the chosen successors of the Twelve Apostles, from the first century to the present day, have inherited the spiritual, ecclesiastical and sacramental authority, power, and responsibility that were...
.
Ryan died at Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, aged 71, and was interred next to Bishop John Timon
John Timon
Most Rev. John Timon, C.M. was the first Roman Catholic Bishop of Buffalo, New York.Born in Conewago, Pennsylvania, he grew up in Baltimore, Maryland working for the family dry goods business there and in Louisville, Kentucky after the family moved west in 1818. They relocated a year later to St....
at St. Joseph's Cathedral. His tenure as Bishop spanned 28 years, the longest in the history of the Buffalo Diocese.