The diocese is mourning Father Daniel J. Ryan, who served as pastor of Corpus Christi Parish, Willingboro, since 1999. Father Ryan died suddenly Dec. 24 at age 61.

Funeral services for Father Ryan, who was also dean of the Northern Burlington County Deanery since 2007, will begin with a Rite of the Reception of the Body on Dec. 28 at 4 p.m. in Corpus Christi Church, 11 South Sunset Rd., Willingboro. Viewing hours will follow until 9 p.m.

On Dec. 29, Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., will be principal celebrant of a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. in Corpus Christi Church. 

A priest for 23 years, Father Ryan was born Dec. 14, 1951, in New York City. He attended St. Helena Grammar School and High School, in the Bronx. He earned a bachelor of science degree in education from the State University of New York at Fredonia.

After relocating to Ocean County, Father Ryan worshiped in Epiphany Parish, Brick, and taught remedial math for seven years in the Lakewood public school system at both elementary and secondary levels.

As a candidate for the priesthood for the Trenton Diocese, Father Ryan pursued studies in St. Mary Seminary and University, Baltimore, where he was awarded a master of divinity degree in 1988. As a seminarian, he served two of three summer assignments in Epiphany Parish, and his third assignment in St. Mary of the Lakes Parish, Medford. Father Ryan was ordained a transitional deacon in April, 1988, and served his diaconate year assignment in St. Catharine Parish, Holmdel. He was ordained to the priesthood May 20, 1989, by Bishop John C. Reiss in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton.

Following his ordination, Father Ryan served for two years as parochial vicar of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, Moorestown, before he was named chaplain and vice principal of St. John Vianney High School, Holmdel, in June, 1991, a post he held for six years.

 In June, 1997, Father Ryan was assigned as parochial vicar of St. Benedict Parish, Holmdel, where he remained until his appointment as pastor of Corpus Christi Parish in April 1999 by Bishop John M. Smith.

Among the milestones that Father Ryan celebrated with the parishioners of Corpus Christi during his more than 13-year tenure as pastor was the parish’s 50th anniversary in 2009. In the course of a year, the parish marked the 50th anniversary with numerous activities and events including a pilgrimage to the Shrines of St. John Neumann in Philadelphia, and St. Katharine Drexel in Bensalem, Pa.; a week-long New England fall foliage cruise; a trip to the City of New York Museum, and publishing a commemorative anniversary journal and parish directory. The year concluded with an anniversary Mass and dinner.

One important aspect of the parish that Father Ryan took special pride in was how Corpus Christi Parish reflects the name it bears – the Body of Christ and the congregation that is comprised of parishioners who hail from many different and cultural backgrounds.

“We certainly have that here,” Father Ryan said at the time of the 50th anniversary.

“Looking out from the sanctuary into the congregation, I see the Body of Christ present with people who are literally from all over the world,” Father Ryan said. Within the parish there is a significant population of immigrant parishioners who hail from the West African countries of Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Ghana. In addition, there has been an increasing Hispanic presence, a strong number of Asian and Eastern European parishioners and others who have come from the Caribbean, Central American and South American countries.

To celebrate the diverse populations that comprise the parish, Father Ryan introduced the tradition of having four quarterly Masses celebrated each year that highlight the spiritualities of those diverse populations.

 Of his congregation, Father Ryan said that “the presence of people from so many countries has been a great blessing for our parish because it helps us to realize that all of us, regardless of who we are or where we are from, are all one family in the eyes of God.”

Another milestone for Father Ryan was shepherding the former Corpus Christi School through a diocesan study that addressed the viability of several schools in the Northern Burlington County deanery. The study resulted in the recommendation that Corpus Christi School be merged with nearby All Saints School, Burlington, Holy Assumption School, Roebling, and St. Peter School, Riverside, and become the new Pope John Paul II Regional School. The site for the new school, located on the Corpus Christi campus, opened in September, 2006, and ever since Father Ryan has served as priest pastor of the school.

Other appointments Father Ryan held over the years included as an at-large member of the executive board, Council of Priests, and the College of Consultors.

In recognition of his efforts on ministering to his multicultural parish, Bishop O’Connell appointed Father Ryan to serve on the new Diocesan Multicultural Outreach and Ministry Council in October, 2011.

Father Ryan was the son of the late John F. and Mercedes Ryan. He is survived by his four siblings, John C. (Elaine) Ryan of Grosse Pointe, Mich.; Cistercian Brother Patrick Ryan of Our Lady of Genesee Abbey, Piffard, N.Y.; Julie (Charlie) Cremeans of Pearl River, N.Y., and James T. (Libby) Ryan of Brooklyn; eight nieces and nephews, and two grandnephews.

Father Ryan will be buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Hainesport.