John Alphonsus Ryan facts for kids
Bishop John Alphonsus Ryan was born in Ireland on February 27, 1952. He is a Catholic bishop and a smart academic. Currently, he serves as the Bishop of Mzuzu in Malawi, a country in Africa.
John Ryan grew up in Holy Cross, Thurles, in County Tipperary, Ireland. He joined a group called the Saint Patrick’s Society for the Foreign Missions. They are also known as the Kiltegan Fathers. He studied to become a priest.
He also loved learning about math and philosophy. He went to University College Cork in Ireland. There, he earned advanced degrees in Mathematics. He even got a special doctorate in math. After becoming a priest, he moved to Malawi in 1978.
His Journey as a Priest and Professor
Before becoming a bishop, Father Ryan was a professor. He taught mathematics at Mzuzu University in Malawi. He started teaching there in the year 2000.
He was also a chaplain at the university. A chaplain is like a spiritual guide or advisor. His main interest in math was something called Coding Theory. This area of math helps with things like sending secret messages.
Becoming a Bishop
In 2016, Pope Francis chose Father Ryan to become a bishop. He was named the Bishop of Mzuzu. This meant he would lead the Catholic Church in that area of Malawi.
He took over from Bishop Joseph Mukasa Zuza. Bishop Zuza had sadly passed away in an accident in 2015. Bishop Ryan now leads the diocese and helps many people.
