By Mary Stadnyk | News Editor

Sentiments of love and gratitude were conveyed around Corpus Christi Parish, Willingboro, by the throng of faithful, family members, clergy and friends who gathered to commemorate the life and priesthood of their pastor, Father Daniel J. Ryan.

Father Ryan died suddenly Dec. 24, in his residence in Willingboro.

Funeral services began the afternoon of Dec. 28 when Father Ryan’s casket was brought into Corpus Christi Church for the Rite of Reception of the Body which was presided over by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M.

The following day, Dec. 29, the bishop celebrated Father Ryan’s Mass of Christian Burial before a congregation of nearly 1,000 people, including some 60 priests who concelebrated.

In his remarks at the rite, Bishop O’Connell acknowledged that he was “shaken to the core” when he learned of Father Ryan’s death, noting that it was the first time that a priest in active ministry died during his time as Bishop of Trenton. Offering condolences to Father Ryan’s family and parishioners, Bishop O’Connell said, “and I know many of you were devastated by the news that this young, active, beloved pastor had left us.”

Bishop O’Connell spoke of the special “exchange” that occurred when Father Ryan “left us on a beautiful occasion” – Christmas Eve.

“Father Ryan left us when God himself became flesh and Jesus was born,” said Bishop O’Connell, and “in being Lord and becoming flesh, Jesus took on himself all the aspects of our humanity with the exception of sin.”

The “exchange” that in a sense took place on Christmas Eve was when Father Ryan “went into heaven to meet his Lord and savior and spend his Christmas there.”

“He was a good man, a generous man; this was a man who had joy in his heart,” Bishop O’Connell said of Father Ryan.”This is a man who loved his parish even more than he loved his own life, who in a sense gave himself completely, totally and entirely to you on Christmas Eve.”

At the funeral Mass, homilist Father Kevin Keelen, pastor of St. Aloysius Parish, Jackson, described Father Ryan as being a faithful man of God who served his 23 years of priesthood extraordinarily well. He spoke of how the seed for Father Ryan’s vocation to the priesthood was inspired by his family “of whom he was very proud and to whom he was so very close.”

Along with his parents who “instilled a deep love of God and a drive to give and serve,” Father Ryan was also influenced to become a priest by his older brother, Patrick, who has been a Cistercian monk for 51 years, said Father Keelen.

Although Father Ryan had set out to follow in his brother’s footsteps and pursue a Cistercian vocation, “he quickly realized” that he was being called to serve the Lord in another way as a diocesan priest, said Father Keelen. “He needed to be out there as he loved being in the midst of people and had a great desire to help the marginalized and underprivileged in any way he could.”

One highlight of Father Ryan’s more than 13 years serving as pastor of Corpus Christi Parish that Father Keelen emphasized was Father Ryan’s love for shepherding a multicultural flock, with parishioners hailing from all corners of the world, including Africa, Asia, Central and South America and Eastern European countries.

 “Father Ryan truly understood what it meant to be a servant leader,” said Father Keelen.”And that was easy for him because it was in his DNA. Father Dan always put others before himself, actually to a fault, I think.”

Among others who shared happy memories of Father Ryan was Msgr. Richard Tofani, pastor of Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, Hainesport, and episcopal vicar of Burlington County.

“As neighboring pastors and members of the diocesan presbyteral council, Father Ryan and I frequently shared with each other our views on matters relating to our respective parishes and the diocese,” said Msgr. Tofani.

“Also, Father Ryan expressed interest in the ministry of the diocesan Missions Office and enjoyed discussing the global evangelizing efforts of the Church’s missionaries,” said Msgr. Tofani, who is also director of the diocesans Missions Office.

“Father Ryan loved being a priest,” Msgr. Tofani said of his friend. “In addition to the loving service Father Ryan gave so generously to his parishioners, he was as genuinely concerned about the well-being of his brother-priests as any priest I have known.”

Corpus Christi parishioner Dayna Smith said that it was meeting Father Ryan and experiencing his celebration of the liturgy that had a major influence on her decision to become Catholic. Smith joined the parish Rite of Christian of Initiation of Adults and was baptized, confirmed and received her First Holy Communion at the Easter Vigil in 2010.

Parishioner Ann Connolly, who attends daily Mass with her husband, Jim, recalled the support and encouragement she and other women parishioners received when they approached Father Ryan about starting a women’s monthly breakfast gathering in 2004.

“Because of his encouragement, The Women of Joy Prayer Breakfast” is going into its 10th year and averages around 125 women each month,” said Connolly.

Connolly smiled as she spoke of Father Ryan’s great love for the celebration of the liturgy and noted that she and Jim were “privileged” to be present for the last Mass that Father Ryan celebrated on the morning of Dec. 22.