Blog: Creating Ethical Leaders: Faith and Service at Father Ryan

Schools play a vital role in shaping not only students’ intellectual growth but also their moral character and sense of responsibility to others. At Father Ryan High School, a Catholic high school rooted in a Christ-centered, college-preparatory education, students learn that ethical leadership means making decisions that are informed by Catholic tradition and a well-formed conscience. 

This values-based education is grounded in a 100-year tradition of faith formation and service, calling students to practice servant leadership with purpose and integrity. Father Ryan’s Campus Ministry and Service Learning programs challenge and inspire students to look beyond outcomes and consider the people, communities, and moral responsibility connected to every decision they make.

Father Ryan students discover that leadership is not about status but about stewardship. They learn to create environments where others feel valued, heard, and supported, bringing the principles of ethical leadership and the Gospel to life:

●     Respect for the dignity of every person

●     Accountability for one’s actions

●     A spirit of service to others

●     Honesty in word and deed

●     A commitment to justice

●     And a deep sense of community

We spoke with Louisa Bateman, Director of Campus Ministry, and Daniel Dion, Coordinator of Service Learning, about how Father Ryan High School forms purpose-driven students prepared to lead with integrity and a moral compass grounded in faith.

What makes an ethical leader, and how do you define ethical thinking?

Daniel Dion: Our job is to form young men and women, to help them encounter God, to fall in love with God, and to understand that they are children of God. In my view, ethical leadership is leadership. Virtue and moral development fall within that realm.

Louisa Bateman: Our number one goal is to give students an opportunity to encounter Christ, whether through serving others, participating in the Sacraments, practicing prayer, or living as a disciple. We want their love for Him to be so great that they want to live lives of discipleship and service and love their neighbor. Formation is primarily done through the four-year Theology curriculum. I taught sophomore Theology, which focuses on morality. Juniors and seniors then apply morality to the social needs of the world and to a life of discipleship.

Moral and ethical decision-making are top 21^st-century skills. Why is this so relevant today?

Louisa: Research shows that kids at this age and in college waver in their faith or even reject faith completely. We are very aware of the developmental aspects of faith formation and the culture wars that our kids face daily. We lead them to the Truth, and we encourage them to live their faith through their hearts and minds in a way that feels authentic while also guiding them in the Catholic tradition.

The world needs people of faith and leaders with a strong sense of moral direction. If we don't consider what our work on earth earns us after life, what is the goal? The alternative is so nihilistic.

Students today are inundated with cultural influences that focus on what the individual wants, needs, and feels, less so on the collective and how we serve one another and God. A Father Ryan education gives students the foundation and the tools they need to overcome when they face opposition or go through spiritual darkness.

The Catholic Church has not changed very much in the last 2,000 years, which shows students its dependability. Yet we also show them modern ways to serve God. It is a joy to see all of our students participate in the liturgy as altar servers, lectors, gift bearers, and choir members. Many of our graduates go into service-related industries, a direction guided by their faith.

Daniel: Matthew 16:25 says, "When you lose your life, you find yourself for whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." That really captures the kind of spirit we want for them. It is about giving of yourself to each other in the same way that God gives God's self to us through Jesus, who gives Himself on the cross.

Our teachers talk about our students’ appetite for faith and service experiences outside of the classroom. Much of our new programming in 2025-2026 builds on our traditions and meets the students’ desire for more out-of-class experiences. Also, from early in their Father Ryan careers, our students are making their faith personal, rather than inheriting it from their families or culture.

In ages past, Catholicism did not necessarily include having your own unique personal faith. Now the onus is on students to really seek out what is authentic to them. It is exciting for us to see the way it manifests in how they grow, engage, and lead. 

How does Father Ryan address formation for non-Catholic students?

Louisa: We are a Catholic school that welcomes all faiths. Part of being a community of faith is being welcoming. Our students have a strong sense of morality and respect the views and beliefs of others regardless of faith or background.

Father Ryan holds optional daily Mass and a monthly All-School Mass. Every student may participate in the liturgy, receive a blessing during the Eucharist, and take the Sacrament. At the beginning of the year, for all new students, we host a Mass that teaches our students the traditions, symbols, and parts of Mass. All students have access to conversations with our priest, Father Phan, as well as confession. 

We host Masses that highlight and celebrate different cultures. Our Hispanic Heritage Mass is bilingual with Spanish music and religious artwork. We have also had an African-American Heritage Mass with African spirituals, highlighting Black saints in our faith. These Masses allow our students to be known and loved. We also teach different faith traditions in our World Religions class.

Daniel: Catholic education is for everyone because it centers on the dignity of the human person and reaching our potential to build a better society. I always frame Catholicism to non-Catholic students as an invitation to see the world through the Catholic lens. It is a lens imbued with God's grace, purpose, and meaning, and a sense of doing right and taking responsibility for your fellow human being, especially those who are vulnerable and marginalized. For some, this perspective illuminates their own faith. They may continue being Muslim or Protestant, but it deepens their appreciation of what other faiths have to offer.

Louisa: In April 2026, nine of our students will enter the church [converting to Catholicism]. It is a privilege to accompany our students through the process of joining the Catholic faith. If they have the desire in their heart, with their parents’ support, we journey with them and prepare them. 

How does Father Ryan approach Service Learning?

Daniel: We have revitalized and expanded our Service Learning curriculum this year. We tied our service expectations to learning outcomes, reflection, and academic goals through Theology classes. During Junior year, the curriculum focuses on bridging students' service experiences with Catholic Social Teaching. For freshmen and sophomores, we tie their experience back to a personal reflective piece that allows them to deepen their understanding of who they are and how they can connect with later service experiences. 

What are new service opportunities at Father Ryan?

Daniel: We have twice-annual, class-wide retreat days on our new Faith and Service Days. Juniors and seniors are trained to run those retreats with our Campus Ministry team and faculty. They write witness talks, lead small group discussions, and share their own personal faith formation training. On Faith and Service Days, the grades not engaging in the retreats are doing hands-on service projects across Nashville. We also have two on-campus men's and women's groups, Brotherhood and Magnificat.

On April 11, 2026, to celebrate the school’s 100th anniversary, we will hold our first-ever Community Day of Service for the entire Father Ryan community. Families will gather on campus to engage in activities that will benefit the needy. We will have three hands-on activities on campus, three donation drives, and three off-campus service experiences.

Every activity involves our long-time Nashville community partners. One partner is Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville, specifically Pope Leo Village. Our Seniors had a great time building walls for affordable homes in Antioch's Bella Terra community at our first engagement with Pope Leo Village during our second Faith and Service Day in February.

What are new Campus Ministry initiatives?

Louisa: The Diocese of Nashville organizes SEARCH, an application-based retreat program for juniors and seniors. You do not have to be Catholic, but it is a Catholic retreat. Kids who attend SEARCH can go back and apply to be leaders. They are trained in a very beautiful and intentional way to lead these retreats. SEARCH is Friday through Sunday, so Father Ryan created a ministry called the Fourth Day Ministry for our students. After their SEARCH weekend, our students welcome the new SEARCH participants on the following Friday to talk about the experience and pray.

We are working on a ministry with our athletic program, tentatively called Our Lady of Victory program to provide pastoral support to our sports teams and develop a chaplaincy program with each team.

We are renaming our student ministry group the Sanctuary Society to honor the very first Father Ryan group of young men who were discerning the priesthood. We want young men and women today to be lay readers, Eucharistic ministers, help set up and serve Mass, and keep them engaged in the life of their parish wherever they choose to attend.

Are there travel opportunities for faith and service?

Louisa: Yes! We work hard to give our students many different opportunities to encounter faith and service. This year, we offered a pilgrimage to a dual canonization in Rome of our two newest saints. We have offered alternative domestic and abroad spring breaks and trips, and have several in the pipeline for meaningful, intentional trips where students get to serve and learn more about their faith.

Tell me about Father Ryan’s new participation in the national St. Joseph of Arimathea Society Pallbearer Ministry.

Louisa: This program brings volunteers to serve at the graveside of those who are buried without family. St. Joseph of Arimathea was a holy man who assumed responsibility for the burial of Jesus after Jesus was taken down from the cross. Our students have witnessed some very emotional, powerful services and have been a model of stoicism, strength, and faith. Our students serve every first Wednesday of the month. Some students have volunteered for every burial.

Everybody, regardless of their life circumstances, deserves to have somebody bear witness to their final act. The person’s story does not matter. What matters is that this is their final moment and that we can be there and pray for them. For this program, in addition to Calvary Cemetery, we also work with the Call the Name burial program at Room In The Inn.

Read about Father Ryan’s participation in Nashville’s St. Joseph of Arimathea Society in the Tennessee Register.

What is one word or phrase you use to describe a Father Ryan's student's embodiment of faith?

Louisa: Joyful.

Daniel: Servant heart.

Louisa: We are blessed to be so supported by the school and with a full Campus Ministry and Service Learning team planning and implementing faith and service opportunities. Father Ryan’s goal is to lead our students to Christ and to impact the destination of their souls.

Watch a video of Faith and Service at Father Ryan.

Read “The Timeless Value of a Catholic Education” Irish Insights blog post by Francisco M. Espinosa, Jr., Principal.

About Louisa Bateman, Director of Campus Ministry and Theology III Teacher

Before joining the Father Ryan faculty in 2022, Mrs. Bateman taught grades 6-12 at Christ the King School and St. Cecilia Academy. She earned her B.S. from the University of Texas at Austin, her M.Ed. from Vanderbilt University, and her post-baccalaureate Teaching Certification through Trevecca Nazarene University. She is a certified Catechist through the Diocese of Nashville. A native Texan, she is married to Buster Bateman, Father Ryan class of 1999, and the first of their three daughters begins at Father Ryan this fall. Her family belongs to St. Matthew Parish, where Mrs. Bateman serves as a Lector, Eucharistic minister, and parent volunteer.

About Daniel Dion, Coordinator of Service Learning

Mr. Dion joined Father Ryan in 2025 after serving as Coordinator of Community Service at Pope St. John Paul II Preparatory School in Hendersonville, TN. He holds a B.A. in Theology from Boston College, a M.T.S. in  Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School, and has completed doctoral work in Theology from Loyola University Chicago.