Columba Ryan
Encyclopedia
Columba Ryan OP
(born Patrick Ryan), January 13, 1916 – August 4, 2009, was a Dominican priest
who was a philosophy teacher, university chaplain, and pastor. He was the brother of John Ryan
, the British animator and cartoonist.
in 1916, the second son of Sir Andrew Ryan, a British diplomat who was the last dragoman
in Constantinople
, and his wife Ruth. Patrick was educated at Ampleforth
in North Yorkshire. In 1935 he entered the Dominican Order
at Woodchester Priory in Gloucestershire where he was given the name Columba.
At the age of 30 (in 1946) he completed his DPhil at Oxford University. He was one of the friars who was on the Peace Pilgrimage to Vézelay in Burgundy, selecting "30 strong men" to carry a heavy wooden cross across France in thanksgiving for the end of the Second World War.
Ryan had an analytical mind and enjoyed philosophical controversy and debate. While teaching philosophy at the Dominican House of Studies at Hawkesyard in 1954, he set up a Philosophical Enquiry Group, an annual meeting for Catholic philosophers held at the nearby Spode House. The Catholic philosophers Elizabeth Anscombe and Peter Geach
were among the first invited, remaining leading figures of the group for the 20 years. He was also bursar at the priory.
He was briefly in charge of studies at Blackfriars, Oxford
, where he was pro-regent of studies, then became chaplain to the Catholic students at the University of Strathclyde
.
Ryan's contribution to philosophy and theology was more through his influence on the people he taught, although a short piece 'The Traditional Concept of Natural Law: an Interpretation' (which he claimed to have written on the train before he gave it as a lecture) has been influential. His students included Herbert McCabe
and Timothy McDermott, both translators of the Blackfriars Summa, and Fergus Kerr
.
He was an early pioneer of religious broadcasting, producing and narrating films about the religious life.
He died, aged 93, on the Feast of St Dominic (according to the old calendar of the Church).
OP
OP, O.P., or Op may refer to any of the following:* Observation post, a position from which soldiers can watch enemy movements* Ocean Pacific, a retail company based in California, United States...
(born Patrick Ryan), January 13, 1916 – August 4, 2009, was a Dominican priest
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
who was a philosophy teacher, university chaplain, and pastor. He was the brother of John Ryan
John Ryan (cartoonist)
John Gerald Christopher Ryan was a British animator and cartoonist, best known for his character Captain Pugwash. His brother was Roman Catholic theologian and philosopher Columba Ryan.-Biography:Ryan was born in Edinburgh...
, the British animator and cartoonist.
Life
Patrick Ryan was born in HampsteadHampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
in 1916, the second son of Sir Andrew Ryan, a British diplomat who was the last dragoman
Dragoman
A dragoman was an interpreter, translator and official guide between Turkish, Arabic, and Persian-speaking countries and polities of the Middle East and European embassies, consulates, vice-consulates and trading posts...
in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, and his wife Ruth. Patrick was educated at Ampleforth
Ampleforth College
Ampleforth College in North Yorkshire, England, is the largest Roman Catholic co-educational boarding independent school in the United Kingdom. It opened in 1802, as a boys' school, and is run by the Benedictine monks and lay staff of Ampleforth Abbey...
in North Yorkshire. In 1935 he entered the Dominican Order
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
at Woodchester Priory in Gloucestershire where he was given the name Columba.
At the age of 30 (in 1946) he completed his DPhil at Oxford University. He was one of the friars who was on the Peace Pilgrimage to Vézelay in Burgundy, selecting "30 strong men" to carry a heavy wooden cross across France in thanksgiving for the end of the Second World War.
Ryan had an analytical mind and enjoyed philosophical controversy and debate. While teaching philosophy at the Dominican House of Studies at Hawkesyard in 1954, he set up a Philosophical Enquiry Group, an annual meeting for Catholic philosophers held at the nearby Spode House. The Catholic philosophers Elizabeth Anscombe and Peter Geach
Peter Geach
Peter Thomas Geach is a British philosopher. His areas of interest are the history of philosophy, philosophical logic, and the theory of identity.He was educated at Balliol College, Oxford...
were among the first invited, remaining leading figures of the group for the 20 years. He was also bursar at the priory.
He was briefly in charge of studies at Blackfriars, Oxford
Blackfriars, Oxford
Blackfriars, Oxford houses three distinct institutions: the Priory of the Holy Spirit, the religious house of the friars, whose current prior is John O'Connor OP; Blackfriars Studium, the centre of Theological studies of the English Province of the Dominican Friars ; and Blackfriars...
, where he was pro-regent of studies, then became chaplain to the Catholic students at the University of Strathclyde
University of Strathclyde
The University of Strathclyde , Glasgow, Scotland, is Glasgow's second university by age, founded in 1796, and receiving its Royal Charter in 1964 as the UK's first technological university...
.
Ryan's contribution to philosophy and theology was more through his influence on the people he taught, although a short piece 'The Traditional Concept of Natural Law: an Interpretation' (which he claimed to have written on the train before he gave it as a lecture) has been influential. His students included Herbert McCabe
Herbert McCabe
Herbert McCabe was an English Dominican priest, theologian and philosopher, who was born in Middlesbrough in the North Riding of Yorkshire. After studying chemistry and philosophy at Manchester University, he joined the Dominicans in 1949, where under Victor White he began his life-long study of...
and Timothy McDermott, both translators of the Blackfriars Summa, and Fergus Kerr
Fergus Gordon Kerr
Fergus Gordon Thomson Kerr, OP, FRSE is a Scottish Roman Catholic priest of the English Dominican Province and is widely recognized for his contributions in philosophy and theology. He has published significantly on a wide range of subjects, but is famous particularly for his work on Ludwig...
.
He was an early pioneer of religious broadcasting, producing and narrating films about the religious life.
He died, aged 93, on the Feast of St Dominic (according to the old calendar of the Church).