Church Leaders and Staff

Fr. Ryen Dwyer, S.J.

Fr. Ryen Dwyer, S.J., grew up in Ohio and southwest Michigan in a family shaped by both Catholic and Protestant traditions, where his father served as a pastor in the Christian Reformed Church. He studied Liberal Arts in the Great Books program at St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland, and after college entered the Catholic Church in Evanston, Illinois. Before joining the Jesuits in 2013, he worked in retail and retail management, where he came to value hospitality, teamwork, and the importance of meeting people with warmth amid daily challenges—skills that continue to shape his ministry.

As a Jesuit, Fr. Dwyer pursued philosophy and spirituality studies at Loyola University Chicago, ministered with the Ignatian Spirituality Project, and served as coordinator of the Red Cloud Volunteer Program on the Pine Ridge Reservation. During that time at Maȟpíya Lúta, he especially cherished daily conversations with students on the bus, moments that became touchstones of connection and accompaniment. He later studied theology at the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University in Berkeley, CA, where he also served at St. Mary Magdalen Church as a catechist and deacon, discovering a deep love for parish ministry. He earned a Master of Divinity degree and was ordained to the priesthood in 2024.

In August 2024, Fr. Dwyer began his service at Holy Rosary Mission as Associate Pastor. In July 2025, he became Pastor of the Mission churches and also began service as Superior of the De Smet Jesuit Community. Reflecting on his ministry, he shares, “I continue to find God in the people in front of me, whether the faith of those at Mass, families and friends gathered for funerals, or conversations on the street. I am grateful for the warmth and openness of people I encounter, and each encounter helps me to see where God is leading us. I am humbled and grateful to serve our community in this place.”

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Lisa Swallow

Operations Team Leader

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Carol LaDeaux

Operations Associate

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Joyce Tibbits

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