Pope Francis appoints Father John Ryan as Bishop of Mzuzu

Prince Henderson-ECM Communications Officer

The Holy Father His Holiness Pope Francis has appointed Reverend Father John Alphonsus Ryan of the Missionary Society of St. Patrick as Bishop of Mzuzu replacing late Bishop Joseph Mukasa Zuza who died early last year (15th January 2015) in a road accident.

Announcing the appointment, His Excellency Archbishop Julio Murat, Apostolic Nuncio to Malawi and Zambia said the news was published in the Vatican on Tuesday April 26th at Noon time in the Vatican City.

“The Reverend Mons. Michael A. Mughogho, Diocesan Administrator of Mzuzu, remains in charge of the Diocese until the new Bishop will take possession of the Episcopal See of Mzuzu,” reads part of the statement which was locally released by the Secretary General of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi, Rev. Fr. Henry Saindi.

According to information sourced by ECM Communications Department, Reverend Father John Alphonsus Ryan was born on 27 February, 1952 in Tipperary (Archdiocese of Cashel and Emily – Ireland).After his secondary school studies; he entered Saint Patrick’s Society For the Foreign Missions which was based in Co Wicklow.

He studied Philosophy and Theology in Ireland and was ordained priest on 18 June, 1978.Later on, he was sent to Malawi as a missionary and served in several parishes in the Diocese of Mzuzu including Saint Paul in Mzimba, Saint Stephan in Kaporo, Saint Mathias in Misuku.

The Bishop elect had taught in the Saint Patrick’s Minor Seminary in Rumphi as well as in the Secondary Community Day School in Misuku.In 2003, he went back to Ireland to conclude his doctorate in Mathematics on the Coding Theory.

Until his appointment, he was the Chaplain of the University of Mzuzu where he teaches Maths and he is a member of the College of Consulters of the Diocese of Mzuzu.

Reverend Father John Alphonsus Ryan speaks English, Tumbuka and Chindali.