Almost 50 years ago, a teenage Ray Ricci sat in the classroom at West Catholic High School. Taught by Christian Brothers, the history and mission of St. John Baptist de La Salle was instilled in him. Little did he know that his days at West Catholic were only the stepping stone to a lifelong relationship with the Christian Brothers.
As a student, teacher and administrator, he has served the mission of St. John Baptist de La Salle for most of his life. In recognition of his dedication and service to the Lasallian mission, Ricci has received the highest honor bestowed by the Christian Brothers — Affiliation to the Brothers of the Christian Schools.
Ricci, a parishioner of Sacred Heart Parish in Camden, was recently honored at an Affiliation Ceremony during the recent visit of Brother Alvaro Echeverria, superior general of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. Brother Michael McGinniss, president of La Salle University, presided over the ceremony which included readings by Ricci’s wife, Kathy, their sons and daughters-in-law.
“I ask how can I not see the influence the brothers have had on my life, of the way I think about the world, and my place in it; of the hope that Kathy and I have had for our family and their happiness; for my life here at La Salle?” said Ricci. “Today, our term for this may be relatively new —we call it Lasallian now — but we lay men and women all know that the roots of the word have been planted in the soil of the Christian Brothers’ world view.”
Brother Dennis Malloy, Visitor of the District of Eastern North America for the Brothers of the Christian Schools, presented Ricci at the ceremony. “Ray’s colleagues, at La Salle and beyond, describe him as being passionate about La Salle University and the broader Lasallian mission and community,” said Malloy. “A man who listens before he speaks, cares about what others have to say, and who is a model of leadership. Perhaps the hallmark quality is his gift and energy for connecting others for a larger vision of mission, collaboration, and community.”
After his days at West Catholic, Ricci arrived as a freshman at La Salle’s campus and with the exception of a short stint as an English teacher for the School District of Philadelphia after graduating with a degree in English in 1967, he has not left the University since.
For the past 42 years, Ricci has served a myriad of roles at the University: as an evening division assistant dean, a teacher, director of planning, and registrar. He also served as vice president for enrollment management, a position he held for 17 years, before stepping down in 2007 to take on his current position — special assistant to the president for mission integration.
In addition to his role at the university, Ricci has served on various committees concerned with the mission of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, was appointed to the first Baltimore Mission Council, and was a founding member of the Board of La Salle Academy, a Philadelphia school sponsored jointly by the Christian Brothers and the Sisters of St. Joseph.
He has played a major role in organizing and sustaining the formation of the Philadelphia Area Lasallian Ministries (PALM), an association of Lasallians across the seven Lasallian ministries in the Philadelphia region
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