The Servant of God Fr Patrick Ryan A priest described as a “simple son of Ireland” may be moving closer to being declared a saint with news that Church authorities are investigating a potential miracle attributed to his intercession.
Tipperary man The Servant of God Fr Patrick Ryan ministered to those suffering with yellow fever in the US state of Tennessee in the late 19th century, often putting himself in harm’s way to be with people who were suffering. Fr Ryan eventually succumbed to the disease himself.
Attending his recent memorial Mass and re-entombment at the Basilica of Ss Peter and Paul was Teresa Shramko, who believes the intercession of Fr Ryan has seen her son begin to recover from life-threatening injuries following a fall out of a second-story window in April.
Ms Shramko’s son has begun to talk and is learning to walk again after coming out of a medically-induced coma, and she believes the recovery to be miraculous.
She recalled how when her son Joseph had an accident “we immediately thought of Fr Patrick Ryan.
“I don’t really know why he came to me. We asked our rosary [group] to pray for Joseph…They do an intercession through Fr Patrick Ryan every Wednesday for him. We just kept asking for prayers and prayers,” she said.
These prayers are what brought about her son’s recovery, Ms Shramko told local newspaper The East Tennessee Catholic.
Speaking at the memorial Mass, Bishop Richard Stika referred to Fr Ryan as a “simple son of Ireland” and praised his apostolic courage insisting that his “Irish smile of kindness” saw many people through the yellow fever epidemic.
Born near Nenagh, Co. Tipperary in 1844, Fr Ryan travelled to the US, becoming pastor of Ss Peter and Paul Parish in Chattanooga. Locals say that even today, he is remembered fondly and with great pride in the parish.
Fr Ryan carries the title ‘Servant of God’ indicating that he is on the first step in the canonisation process. The alleged miracle will now be further investigated by Church authorities, and if it is judged that Fr Ryan displayed heroic virtue he will be declared ‘Venerable’. After the confirmation of a miracle, he would be declared ‘Blessed’ – the stage just before canonisation when a holy person is declared a saint by the Church.