Kevin Ranaghan

A Profile in Ecumenism

Kevin Ranaghan, born in New York City in 1940, was raised in the faith and culture of his solid, Irish Catholic parents. While completing his doctoral degree in liturgical studies in the theology department at the University of Notre Dame, Kevin met his future wife Dorothy. Shortly after they married in 1966 (they since had six children and three grandchildren), they heard about a new work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of some friends at Duquesne University. After an initial period of skepticism, their prayer and study led them to be baptized in the Holy Spirit on March 5, 1967. Life would never be the same again!

In 1969, Kevin and Dorothy published "Catholic Pentecostals", the first book detailing the history of this new renewal movement, and articulating its theological implications, linking baptism in the Spirit to a renewal of the sacraments of initiation. The book was translated into several languages, and Kevin traveled extensively both in and out of the United States spreading the news about this Pentecostal outpouring in the church. His travels brought him into contact not only with Catholic groups throughout the world, but also with groups of Protestants form Pentecostal, mainline, and evangelical streams of Christianity, who rejoiced to here what God was doing "among the Catholics." Kevin found himself serving as a bridge between Catholics and those from other denominations who, for the first time in history, were experiencing a simultaneous and similar renewal in the Spirit.

Kevin, ordained a permanent Catholic deacon in 1973, was a member of the United States National Service Committee for the Catholic Charismatic Renewal for 15 years, and for 11 years was its executive director. He has been a principal organizer of national and international conferences, in particular the 1975 Catholics leaders conference in Rome, and the 1977 ecumenical conference in Kansas City.

Currently serving as an ICCRS Council member representing the community expression of the renewal, Kevin also serves as Council vice-president. He was a member of the Council from the time of its establishment in the late 1970's until 1984, and returned to the Council in his present role in 1990.

Kevin was a founding member of the People of Praise Community, and ecumenical covenant community which now has 20 branches in cities throughout the United States and the Caribbean. The community is about to enter a year of celebration for its 25th anniversary. To his leadership in the renewal and in community, Kevin brings a deep love for the church, a heart for Christian unity, and a solid commitment to the principles of authentic ecumenism in the context of committed relationships.

Taken from the July-August 1996 issue of the (ICCRS) Newsletter, Palazzo della Cancelleria, 00120 Vatican City, Europe, these profiles introduce the ICCRS Council members.