Bishop John Alphonsus Ryan S.P.S. (b. 27 February 1952), is an Irish Catholic bishop and academic, who was the Bishop of Mzuzu
Bishop of Mzuzu in
Malawi
Malawi, officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeast, and Mozambique to the east, south, and southwest. Malawi spans over and ...
. Ryan was born in Holy Cross, Thurles, Co. Tipperary. He joined the
Saint Patrick’s Society for the Foreign Missions (Kiltegan Fathers), studying theology in Kiltegan, Wicklow, and Philosophy and Mathematics in
University College Cork
University College Cork – National University of Ireland, Cork (UCC) () is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland, and located in Cork (city), Cork.
The university was founded in 1845 as one of three Queen's Universit ...
gaining a Masters and Doctorate in Mathematics (his doctorate on "Irreducible Goppa Codes" was done with Pat Fitzpatrick). Professor Ryan came to Malawi in 1978 shortly after his ordination.
Priesthood and career
Before being named Bishop of Mzuzu, Ryan lectured in mathematics in
Mzuzu University
Mzuzu University is a public university in Malawi. The university is located in Luwinga, Mzuzu, Luwinga, Mzuzu, Mzuzu City, in the northern region of Malawi. It was founded in 1997 after being transformed from a teachers training college establi ...
, and where he was a chaplain and professor of Mathematics beginning in 2000. His academic interests revolve around Coding Theory.
Episcopacy
In 2016
Pope Francis
Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio; 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until Death and funeral of Pope Francis, his death in 2025. He was the fi ...
named Ryan as Bishop of Mzuzu. Ryan filled an empty see that had been vacated when
Joseph Mukasa Zuza died on in an accident 15 January 2015.
Irish Missionary Priest ordained Bishop of Mzuzu
Catholic Ireland
References
1952 births
Living people
Alumni of University College Cork
20th-century Irish Roman Catholic priests
People from Thurles
21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in Malawi
Irish expatriate Roman Catholic bishops
Academic staff of Mzuzu University
Roman Catholic bishops of Mzuzu
Christian clergy from County Tipperary
Scientists from County Tipperary
20th-century Irish mathematicians
21st-century Irish mathematicians
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