MTSM Announces Faculty Promotions
01.27.25
In the past month, several members of the Mount St. Mary’s Seminary & School of Theology faculty have appointed to new positions, accepted new positions or have received promotions in ranks.
Effective January 1, Rev. Ryan T. Ruiz, S.L.D., was appointed Vice Rector and Director of Formation for MTSM by The Most Rev. Dennis M. Schnur, Archbishop of Cincinnati, while Samuel B. Johnson, Ph.D. was named the new Dean of the School of Theology by The Very Rev. Anthony R. Brausch, President & Rector of MTSM.
Effective January 27 and following recommendations from the Faculty Affairs Committee, Rev. David J. Endres Ph.D., the Dean of The Athenaeum of Ohio and Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, announced that Fr. Brausch, Bradford Manderfield, Ph.D. and Alan D. Mostrom, Ph.D. were all promoted to the rank of Associate Professor.
Fr. Ruiz, who also serves as Liturgy Director and Associate Professor of Liturgy and Sacraments at MTSM, was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati in May 2008 and joined the faculty of MTSM in August 2016. In Fall 2020, Fr. Ruiz was named the Dean of the School of Theology following the restructuring of the Lay Ecclesial Formation and Special Studies divisions. Fr. Ruiz completed his formation at MTSM and also received a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies from the Athenaeum of Ohio. He would receive his doctorate and licentiate in Sacred Liturgy from the Pontifical Athenaeum of Saint Anselm in Rome.
Dr. Johnson takes over from Fr. Ruiz as the Dean of the School of Theology. He joined the Faculty in Fall 2021 as Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies, with his teaching and research invested in drawing contemporary New Testament scholarship into dialogue with early Christian reading practices. Dr. Johnson earned his master in theological studies and doctorate in philosophy from the University of Notre Dame.
Fr. Brausch has been President and Rector of MTSM since May 2018. Ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati following completion of formation at MTSM in May 2002, he joined the faculty in 2008 and was named Vice Rector and Director of Formation in 2011. Fr. Brausch earned his licentiate and doctorates in philosophy from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
Dr. Manderfield came to MTSM in August 2018, having previously worked at St. Meinrad Seminary in Indiana. His doctorate in theology at the Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium) featured a dissertation on the work of Julian of Norwich and the role of Christ’s Passion in medieval theology.
Dr. Mostrom joined the faculty at MTSM in August 2017, having earned his doctorate in theology from the University of Dayton. His research has focused on the intersection of systematic and historical theology.