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Like many young Catholic grade schoolers, Duns “played” Mass with his cousins. In middle school, Brother Jim Boynton, S.J., made an impression on Duns when they performed together in an Irish band. Duns also found himself drawn to the Jesuits and a life of service when he attended St. Ignatius High School.
“There was something about them,” he says. “They were different. They were venerable, legendary teachers, firebrands and peaceful souls.”
But it wasn’t until Duns’ sophomore year at Canisius College that he made the decision to pursue the vocation. “I took a New Testament course taught by a Jesuit,” he says. I loved the material and the class, and I was in awe of the professor, Rev. Benjamin Fiore, S.J.”
Father Fiore saw the qualities of a Jesuit in Duns.
“Ryan is creative, enjoys learning and teaching, and is very generous,” says Father Fiore. “He has a lively sense of humor and is at ease in people’s company, which suits him for the multi-faceted work of a Jesuit priest, in the classroom and the church at-large.”
Duns entered the Society of Jesus in 2004 and soon after began the blog “A Jesuit’s Journey” (www.ryandunssj.blogspot.com) to chronicle his formation. In it, he shares his faith, his thoughts and his vocational journey.
Duns represents a new generation of Jesuits in an age where the phenomenon of social media (blogs, Twitter and Facebook) continues to grow.
“One of the great things about the Jesuits is that we are adaptable,” says Duns. “St. Ignatius wrote at the beginning of the Spiritual Exercises that we should put all things on Earth toward the greater glory of God. Blogging is just another way to reach people.”
Another way Duns connects with people is through music. He began lessons on the accordion and tin whistle while in fourth grade. Today, he is considered somewhat of a rock star in the Irish music arena. A national award-winning musician, Duns plays the accordion at Irish dancing competitions. He is often asked to sign autographs. In fact, one enthusiastic fan told him that his music was the ringtone on her cellphone!
For Duns, music is part of his ministry.
“Music has a transformative power and so does the Gospel,” he says. “We pray and play in similar ways. When we play from the heart and pray from the heart, we are touching who we really are.”
Now in the regency period of his formation, Duns teaches theology at the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy. He continues to perform on the weekends and blog about his journey.
“In my blog, I make it clear that I love what I do,” he says. “No one has ever converted to anything because they think it’s a good idea. They convert because they see and they experience that someone is in love with what they are doing. I think that is why Jesus was such a captivating figure in the scriptures. He shared that with people and brought people into it. I think it is what all Christians are meant to do.”