"I would like to start by thanking everyone in the Co-Redemptorist family for your love and support during my years in formation.

I was ordained to the priesthood on March 18th, 2006.

You have no idea what it means for young seminarians (perhaps not so young in my case) to know that there is a large contingent of the faithful - devoted to the teachings of St. Alphonsus Liguori, C.Ss.R. - pulling for us to succeed in our studies, and to emerge as faithful servants of St. Alphonsus' call to preach "His plentiful redemption" to the poor and most abandoned.

The U.S. Catholic church needs people like you to nurture and encourage the religious aspirations of young men who are hearing the call to join the priesthood.

It's like having our own spiritual support group. And on behalf of all those students who will come after me, I'd like to express our deepest appreciation for your generosity and prayers."

Fr. Denis Ryan, C.Ss.R., a Vietnam Veteran, former corporate bond trader on Wall Street for over 20 years, and now a Redemptorist priest, at the young age of 61, is ministering today in New Orleans as part of the St. Alphonsus Community and St. Mary's Assumption Catholic Church.