Fatima pilgrimage ignites discernment in lawyer-turned-catechetical leader

Ryan Franklin has started a new role as the director of sacramental formation at the Parish of Saint John Neumann in Cape May, New Jersey. A former environmental lawyer who practiced in Virginia, Franklin began his position this summer after spending several years teaching religious education and directing music at Wildwood Catholic Academy.

Franklin stated that a solo pilgrimage to Fatima in 2004 led him to begin discerning a call to the priesthood. He noted that after more than a year of serious discernment, he returned to New Jersey last December to serve his parish.

In his new role, Franklin will implement a new curriculum called Spirit of Truth, which utilizes sacred art and the personal testimonies of teachers. He expressed gratitude for the support from the parish community following the long tenure of his predecessor, Sister Kathleen Nuckols, IHM.