Clergy Directory

It is a pleasure to be part of the priest-team that serves Holy Family Parish!  The parish is known throughout the archdiocese as a model of this type of ministering.  As a member of the team I have pastoral responsibilities for the areas of Social Ministry, Hispanic Ministry and Stewardship

Previous assignments include St. Veronica Parish, Milwaukee; founder of Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) Parish in the Dominican Republic; Pastor of Holy Trinity - Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, Milwaukee, founder of Juntos Caminando  (Walking Together), Walworth County Hispanic Ministry; Archdiocesan Vocation Director; Episcopal Vicar for Hispanic Ministry; and Pastor of St. Hyacinth, St. Vincent de Paul and Prince of Peace/Príncipe de Paz Parishes in Milwaukee.

I have been uniquely blessed in my ministerial assignments and am excited to become part of the Holy Family community!

Fr. Bob and the priests of Holy Family Parish have started a Blog called “The Fondy Family Four”. Its purpose is to provide an interactive informal forum regarding items of personal interest of the priests that we think may be of interest to the parish community.  Each of the four priests will be adding to the Blog and we hope to have something new at least once a week.  Where to find it?  Check it out at www.holyfondyfamily.blogspot.com

¡Es un gran placer ser parte del equipo-sacerdotal que sirve la Parroquia Sagrada Familia!  La parroquia está conocida en todos partes del arquidiócesis como un modelo de este estilo del ministerio pastoral.  En el equipo, tengo responsabilidades pastorales en los campos de Ministerio Hispano, Ministerio Social, y Co-responsabilidad Parroquial.

Nombramientos previos incluye Parroquia Santa Verónica,  Milwaukee; fundador de la Parroquia Sagrada Familia en Ysura, Republica Dominicana; párroco de la Parroquia Na. Sra. de Guadalupe, Milwaukee, fundador de Juntos Caminando, El Ministerio Hispano del Condado de Walworth, WI;  Promotor Vocacional Arquidiocesano; Vicario Episcopal del Ministerio Hispano Arquidiocesano; y párroco de las parroquias de San Jacinto, San Vicente de Paúl, y Príncipe de Paz en Milwaukee.

¡Soy únicamente bendecido por mis nombramientos pastorales y estoy muy emocionado ser parte de la comunidad de la Sagrada Familia!

Father Ryan Pruess was raised in Slinger, Wisconsin which is a small Village nestled within the the beautiful rolling hills of the Kettle Moraine. It was there where Fr. Ryan attended St. Peter Catholic grade school and also attended Slinger High School. After graduating from high school in 2001, Fr. Ryan began his post-secondary education at Waukesha County Technical College where he earned his Associates of Arts degree in Criminal Justice. Following the completion of the degree program at Waukesha County Technical College, Fr. Ryan entered the 13 week police recruit academy and completed the necessary training to begin a career in law enforcement.

After discerning a calling from God to enter the priesthood, Fr. Ryan placed a career in law enforcement on hold and met with the vocations director for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. It wasn't long after that meeting that Fr. Ryan returned to school to begin studies for the priesthood.   Fr. Ryan began studies at Cardinal Stritch University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious Studies. He was accepted to St. Francis de Sales Major Seminary in 2008 and completed his priestly formation program in 2012. The academic portion of his priestly formation program was conducted at Sacred Heart School of Theology where Fr. Ryan earned a Masters of Divinity Degree in 2012.

Along with his academic experience, Fr. Ryan has also worked in a variety of private sector industries where he gained some experience in sales, marketing, and finance. He worked for a privately owned debt collection company in Germantown, Wisconsin. Prior to beginning his studies for the priesthood, Fr. Ryan also worked in an accounts receivables department for a Fortune 500 company. Fr. Ryan's entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well. In recent years, he has owned and operated his own vending machine business as well as a security consulting firm.

Fr. Ryan and five of his classmates were ordained to the priesthood on May 19, 2012 by the Most Reverend Jerome Edward Listecki at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. All six men were ordained for service within the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

Fr. Ryan's assignment as one of the four Pastors serving Holy Family Catholic Community began on June 19, 2012. The priest team serves in Solidum which means that the pastoral care of the parish is entrusted to a team of priests that work as a unified group promoting pastoral co-responsibility, as well as fostering a greater sense of community among the priests serving the Parish. He also serves as an Executive on the Board of Directors for St. Mary's Springs Academy, a K4 through 12th grade Catholic School System in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Fr. Ryan enjoys the outdoors which he attributes to his years of involvement in the Boy Scouts of America where he earned his Eagle Scout award. He also enjoys traveling, and spending time with his family and friends.