Father Peter Ryan, S.J. has been  appointed executive director of the Secretariat of Doctrine and Canonical Affairs of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).  I have known Fr. Peter for some time and was a Fellow at the (now closed) Westchester Institute for Ethics and the Human Person with him.  All I can say is that Fr. Peter is a holy priest, gifted theologian & philosopher and one fine gentleman. He will prove to be a solid and reliable asset to the USCCB and I am overjoyed at this appointment. His gifts need to be shared with a larger community.

He has an amazing education and resume. He is profoundly gifted, a great orator and preacher. But at the end of the day, every day he is simply a humble, good and holy priest who listens well. I am a better person for simply knowing him in the all too short season we shared at the Westchester Institute.  I will be offering prayers of thanksgiving and support for him in this important role he was asked to assume and ask you to do the same.

Edited to add at 2056 May 29, 2013 – Fr. Peter Ryan, S.J. is a board member of the Cardinal Newman Society.

UPDATE May 30, 2013:      It seems that First Things has picked up the story from the from the National Catholic Reporter, who predictably is disappointed in the selection of Fr. Peter because he actually promotes the radical (in their words “conventional”) notion that marriage is for life.

Thanks be to God.

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