5 Questions with ... Cause of Servant of God Patrick Ryan
One of our goals here at American Saints and Causes is to be a platform to amplify the messaging and work of the causes for these holy men and women of the United States. Today, we launch what we are dubbing our "5 Questions with ..." series, where we will give you a chance to hear from someone involved in the work of a cause. We hope it will be a fun way to learn more about a saint candidate and even some personal reflections of how the Servant of God, Venerable or Blessed has impacted the person's faith life.
(If you are associated with a cause and would like to participate in the "5 Questions with ..." series, please email or get in touch through our Contact Us page.)
In our inaugural installment, we are privileged to interview Fr. David Carter, who was the Episcopal Delegate in the Diocesan Phase of the Cause of Fr. Patrick Ryan. You can learn more about Servant of God Patrick Ryan here on his page at American Saints and Causes. Thank you Fr. Carter for participating!
American Saints and Causes: Would you please introduce yourself and how you became involved with the cause of Servant of God Fr. Patrick Ryan?
Fr. Carter: My name is Fr. David Carter, Pastor and Rector of the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga, TN. Sts. Peter & Paul is the parish that Fr. Patrick Ryan served as a pastor from 1872 to 1878. Our Knights of Columbus Council is named after Fr. Patrick Ryan, and that was the cause of us looking into who this priest was and why his name was memorialized in this way. It naturally led to our noting the heroic nature of Fr. Patrick Ryan's self-sacrifice for the people of Chattanooga during the yellow fever epidemic of 1878. Being a canon lawyer, I was able to serve in the role as the Episcopal Delegate for the Diocesan Inquiry into the life and sanctity of Fr. Patrick Ryan.
American Saints and Causes: For those who do not know him, who is Servant of God Fr. Patrick Ryan? What can the faithful learn from his witness to Christ?
Fr. Carter: The Servant of God Fr. Patrick Ryan was an immigrant to the United States, coming here from Ireland when he was still a young man. After ordination to the priesthood for the missionary diocese of Nashville, TN, he was eventually sent as pastor of Sts. Peter & Paul parish in Chattanooga, TN. When the yellow fever struck the city of Memphis, on the other side of the state, this zealous young man asked his bishop if he could go and serve the sick there, stating that he was afraid the people of God would be left without a priest. Many priests and sisters were dying daily. While the bishop had him stay in Chattanooga, the yellow fever eventually made its way there, and he was able to fulfill his desire to serve the people of God by giving his life. At the height of the epidemic, when all others had fled the city, he heroically opted to remain, and he was seen going from house to house into the hardest hit areas of the city, serving all people, poor and rich, no matter what race or creed. He contracted the disease and died of it one day shy of his 34th birthday, still in the prime of his youth. He was hailed as a hero of the epidemic by the civic authorities, and the Church recognized his heroic offer of life in various ways for the next decades, culminating with the naming of the Knights of Columbus chapter after his namesake.
His priestly service is very edifying to the faithful as a reminder that Christ the Good Shepherd does not abandon his sheep in their time of need.
American Saints and Causes: How has Servant of God Fr. Patrick Ryan impacted you? How has he helped you live your faith?
Fr. Carter: As a successor pastor of the parish he shepherded, I am very inspired by his example of faithful service, weathering the storms of life and persevering in the call to serve God's people.
American Saints and Causes: What are the next steps for the cause? Are there any potential miracles being evaluated that might lead to his beatification?
Fr. Carter: With the Diocesan Inquiry concluded, the cause has now passed into the Roman phase at the Dicastery for Causes of Saints in Rome. The Acts of the Cause have officially been opened and submitted to the evaluation of various experts. The end of that process will hopefully result in the Holy Father's declaration that this Servant of God is worthy of veneration; hence, the title Venerable. During the course of the Diocesan Inquiry, we heard from many who testified to favors they received through Fr. Patrick Ryan's intercession. However, to date, none have been submitted to the very rigorous process to discern whether these favors could be declared as miracles.
American Saints and Causes: If someone wanted to help, how could they best support or assist the work of the cause?
Fr. Carter: Spreading the word of this heroic priest is the best thing that one can do. Second to that would be financial contribution to the work of postulating his cause before the Dicastery in Rome. The amount of paperwork and experts needed to pursue the Church's very rigorous process of examination requires a lot of financial support. If you are interested in donating to the cause or learning more, visit https://stspeterandpaulbasilica.com/fr-patrick-ryan.
Thanks again, Fr. Carter, for helping us learn about Fr. Patrick Ryan! As Fr. Carter indicated, you can donate to the cause here and learn more about this holy priest on the Basilica's web page for the cause.