Vincent James Ryan
Encyclopedia
Vincent James Ryan was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Bismarck
from 1940 until his death in 1951.
, Wisconsin
, to Thomas and Ann (née Welch) Ryan. He was raised on his family's farm
and attended high school
at Lodi
for two years, when he entered St. Francis Seminary at Milwaukee
in 1902. From 1906 to 1912, he studied at St. Paul Seminary
in St. Paul
, Minnesota
. Seeking a career as a missionary
, he was accepted by Bishop John Shanley
into the Diocese of Fargo
, North Dakota
. He was ordained
to the priesthood
by Archbishop John Ireland
on June 7, 1912.
Following his arrival in North Dakota the following July, Ryan served as private secretary
to Bishop James O'Reilly
and chancellor
of the diocese until 1936. In addition to these duties, he erected St. Anthony's Church in Fargo
, where he served as pastor
from 1917 to 1936. He also organized and served as the first director of the Catholic Welfare Bureau, which became one of the most important charities in the state. He was vicar general
of the diocese from 1939 to 1940, and raised to the rank of Domestic Prelate of His Holiness
in 1939. He was elected president
of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference in 1941, and co-authored Manifesto of Rural Life. He also held a Bachelor of Sacred Theology
from the Catholic University of America
in Washington, D.C.
On March 19, 1940, Ryan was appointed the second Bishop of Bismarck
by Pope Pius XII
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following May 28 from Bishop Aloisius Joseph Muench
, with Bishops Joseph Francis Busch
and Thomas Anthony Welch
serving as co-consecrators
, at St. Mary's Cathedral
in Fargo. He was installed
the next day by Archbishop John Murray
. During his 11-year-long tenure, Ryan constructed a 69 church buildings for a total cost of over ten million dollars. Among these buildings was the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, which was dedicated in August 1945. He founded the diocesan newspaper
, Dakota Catholic Action, in 1941. He opposed the 1948 "anti-garb" law, which prohibited nun
s from wearing wearing their religious habit
while teaching in public schools in North Dakota.
Ryan later died at age 67. He is buried at St. Mary's Cemetery in Bismarck.
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 Bismarck
Roman Catholic Diocese of Bismarck
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Bismarck is a Roman Catholic diocese in North Dakota. It was founded on December 31, 1909. It is part of the ecclesiastical province of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, which is headquartered in the twin cities of Minneapolis and St...
from 1940 until his death in 1951.
Biography
The fourth of five children, Vincent Ryan was born in ArlingtonArlington, Wisconsin
Arlington is a village in Columbia County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 484 at the 2000 census. The village is located within the Town of Arlington...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, to Thomas and Ann (née Welch) Ryan. He was raised on his family's farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
and attended high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
at Lodi
Lodi, Wisconsin
Lodi is a city in Columbia County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the census of 2000, the population was 2,882. The city's estimated 2005 population was 2,929...
for two years, when he entered St. Francis Seminary at Milwaukee
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
in 1902. From 1906 to 1912, he studied at St. Paul Seminary
Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity
The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity, located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, was founded by Archbishop John Ireland in 1894, to provide ordained priests for the ever-increasing Catholic population of the Upper Midwest. The seminary now sits on the south campus of the University of St. Thomas,...
in St. Paul
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. Seeking a career as a missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
, he was accepted by Bishop John Shanley
John Shanley
John Shanley was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Fargo, North Dakota, from 1889 until his death in 1909.-Biography:...
into the Diocese of Fargo
Roman Catholic Diocese of Fargo
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fargo is a Roman Catholic diocese in North Dakota. It was founded on April 6, 1897 by Pope Leo XIII. Fargo, North Dakota is the episcopal see of the diocese.-Bishops of the Diocese of Fargo:...
, North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
. 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 John Ireland
John Ireland (archbishop)
John Ireland was the third bishop and first archbishop of Saint Paul, Minnesota . He became both a religious as well as civic leader in Saint Paul during the turn of the century...
on June 7, 1912.
Following his arrival in North Dakota the following July, Ryan served as private secretary
Personal assistant
A personal assistant or personal aide is someone who assists in daily business or personal tasks. It is common in design to have a PDA, or personal design assistant....
to Bishop James O'Reilly
James O'Reilly (bishop)
James O'Reilly was the second Roman Catholic Bishop of Fargo .O'Reilly was born in Ireland and educated at All Hallows College in Dublin, where he was ordained to the priesthood on June 24, 1882. After coming to the United States, he was attached to the Diocese of St...
and chancellor
Chancellor (ecclesiastical)
Two quite distinct officials of some Christian churches have the title Chancellor.*In some churches, the Chancellor of a diocese is a lawyer who represents the church in legal matters....
of the diocese until 1936. In addition to these duties, he erected St. Anthony's Church in Fargo
Fargo, North Dakota
Fargo is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Cass County. In 2010, its population was 105,549, and it had an estimated metropolitan population of 208,777...
, where he served as pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
from 1917 to 1936. He also organized and served as the first director of the Catholic Welfare Bureau, which became one of the most important charities in the state. He was vicar general
Vicar general
A vicar general is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ordinary executive power over the entire diocese and, thus, is the highest official in a diocese or other particular...
of the diocese from 1939 to 1940, and raised to the rank of Domestic Prelate of His Holiness
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
in 1939. He was elected president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference in 1941, and co-authored Manifesto of Rural Life. He also held a Bachelor of Sacred Theology
Bachelor of Sacred Theology
The Bachelor of Sacred Theology is a graduate-level academic degree in theology.The Bachelor of Sacred Theology is offered by a number of Pontifical Universities. It is sometimes offered as a graduate degree, for students who have already completed a B.A. or other first degree...
from the Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
On March 19, 1940, Ryan was appointed the second Bishop of Bismarck
Roman Catholic Diocese of Bismarck
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Bismarck is a Roman Catholic diocese in North Dakota. It was founded on December 31, 1909. It is part of the ecclesiastical province of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, which is headquartered in the twin cities of Minneapolis and St...
by Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
. He received his episcopal
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....
consecration
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
on the following May 28 from Bishop Aloisius Joseph Muench
Aloisius Joseph Muench
Aloisius Joseph Muench was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Fargo from 1935 to 1959, and as Apostolic Nuncio to Germany from 1951 to 1959...
, with Bishops Joseph Francis Busch
Joseph Francis Busch
Joseph Francis Busch was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Lead and Bishop of Saint Cloud .-Biography:...
and Thomas Anthony Welch
Thomas Anthony Welch
Thomas Anthony Welch was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Duluth from 1926 until his death in 1959.-Biography:...
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. Mary's Cathedral
St. Mary's Cathedral
St. Mary's Cathedral, or St. Mary Cathedral or Cathedral of St. Mary the Virgin, or other variations on the name, may refer to:-Canada:* St. Mary's Cathedral, Calgary* St. Mary's Cathedral, Kingston* St. Mary's Cathedral, Winnipeg-Ireland:...
in Fargo. He was installed
Enthronement
An enthronement is a ceremony of inauguration, involving a person—usually a monarch or religious leader—being formally seated for the first time upon their throne. This ritual is generally distinguished from a coronation because there is no crown or other regalia that is physically...
the next day by Archbishop John Murray
John Murray (archbishop)
John Gregory Murray was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Saint Paul from 1931 until his death in 1956, having previously served as Auxiliary Bishop of Hartford and Bishop of Portland .-Early life and education:John Murray was born in Waterbury,...
. During his 11-year-long tenure, Ryan constructed a 69 church buildings for a total cost of over ten million dollars. Among these buildings was the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, which was dedicated in August 1945. He founded the diocesan 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...
, Dakota Catholic Action, in 1941. He opposed the 1948 "anti-garb" law, which prohibited nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
s from wearing wearing their religious habit
Religious habit
A religious habit is a distinctive set of garments worn by members of a religious order. Traditionally some plain garb recognisable as a religious habit has also been worn by those leading the religious eremitic and anachoritic life, although in their case without conformity to a particular uniform...
while teaching in public schools in North Dakota.
Ryan later died at age 67. He is buried at St. Mary's Cemetery in Bismarck.