Archbishop of Anchorage

On February 7, 1966, Ryan was appointed the first archbishop of the Archdiocese of Anchorage by Pope Paul VI.^[2] He received his episcopal consecration on March 25, 1966. from Cardinal Francis Spellman, with Bishops Edward Joseph Maginn and Edward Ernest Swanstrom serving as co-consecrators.^[2] The archdiocese was erected following the 1964 Good Friday earthquake, and was formed from the South Central area of the Diocese of Juneau.^[3]

Coadjutor Archbishop for the Military Vicariate

Archbishop for the Military Services, USA

Ryan was named by Paul VI as coadjutor archbishop for the Military Vicariate and Titular Archbishop of Gabii on November 4, 1975.^[2]Ryan was appointed to assist Cardinal Terence Cooke, who was serving both as archbishop of the vicariate and archbishop of New York. Cook died on October 6, 1983.

Pope John Paul II elevated the Military Vicariate to the Archdiocese of the Military Services, USA, on March 16, 1985, and named Ryan as its the first archbishop.^[2] As archbishop, Ryan provided for the pastoral and spiritual care of Catholics in the United States armed forces and their families, residents of veterans hospitals and civilian government employees living abroad.

John Paul II accepted Ryan's resignation as archbishop of the Military Services on May 14, 1991. Ryan then returned to Albany for retirement. John Ryan died on October 9, 2000, in Albany at age 86.^[4]