Rev. Richard Ryscavage, S.J.

Professor of Sociology and International Studies Director, The Center for Faith and Public Life

The Rev. Richard Ryscavage, S.J., is professor of sociology and international studies and director of the new Center for Faith and Public Life, which addresses public issues where politics and religion intersect. Fr. Ryscavage served previously as national director of the Jesuit Refugee Service/USA, a non-governmental organization operating in 50 countries. He set up the first program to provide religious coordinators for immigration detention facilities of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. At the national office for U.S. Jesuits, he was the main advisor for international and domestic social issues. In addition, he chaired the humanitarian section of Interaction, the largest coalition of American agencies working internationally. For several years, he was selected to represent the U.S. non-governmental organizations on official U.S. government delegations to the United Nations. From 1994 to 1997, he was a tutor and researcher at the Refugee Studies Centre of Oxford University. At Oxford, he convened a major international conference on the topic of "Military and Non-Governmental Humanitarian Organizations."

Fr. Ryscavage was executive director of migration and refugee services for U.S. Catholic bishops, where he ran the largest refugee resettlement agency in the United States with an annual budget of $40 million. He was also president of a legal services corporation set up by the bishops to help new immigrants with legal issues.

In 2006, Fr. Ryscavage was appointed official advisor to the delegation of the Holy See to the United Nations 61st General Assembly. He participated as one of the Vatican representatives in the "High Level Dialogue on Migration" convened by the U.N. Secretary General in September 2006.

Fr. Ryscavage is also a consultant for the Archdiocese of Bridgeport Catholic Charities immigration services program. In November 2006 he gave the Bricker Memorial Lecture at Tulane University on the topic of "Migration, Globalization, and the Future of Christianity." He recently contributed a chapter to "Basics of International Humanitarian Missions," Kevin Cahill (ed.) (Fordham University Press, 2002).

A graduate of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Fr. Ryscavage received a honorary doctorate from Assumption College and a master's degree in political philosophy from Boston College and in international administration from the School for International Training. He teaches regularly at Fordham University's International Diploma Program in Humanitarian Assistance. He is a member of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus.