Christopher D. Ringwald, 55

A funeral Mass was offered Sept. 29 at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Albany for Christopher D. Ringwald, a former editor of The Evangelist, who died Sept. 26. He was 55.

A native of the Bronx, he was educated at Georgetown and Columbia Universities and St. Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry in Rochester.

He wrote many articles and several books on faith, social policy and mental health, including "The Soul of Recovery: Uncovering the Spiritual Dimension in the Treatment of Addiction" and "A Day Apart: How Jews, Christians, and Muslims Find Faith, Freedom, and Joy on the Sabbath."

Between 1989 and 1998, he worked at the Albany Times Union newspaper. He was editor of The Evangelist from June 2008 until March 2011. Before and after that, he was a visiting scholar with The Sage Colleges, where he directed the Faith and Society Project. He had recently begun working as a reporter for The Daily Gazette of Schenectady.

As a journalist, Mr. Ringwald enjoyed being out in the community. In his time at The Evangelist, he covered subjects ranging from President Barack Obama's visit to the Capital Region to the popularity of Lenten fish fries, plus many personal reflections.

Mr. Ringwald was a passionate advocate for society's downtrodden and forgotten. His passing leaves a gap in the lives of countless friends and loved ones. Bishop Howard J. Hubbard told Catholic News Service that his death "has had a profound effect on all of us in the Albany Diocese who had the opportunity to work with him" and extended "prayers to his family during this very difficult time of grief and sorrow."

Survivors include his wife, Amy Biancolli Ringwald; their children, Madeleine, Jeanne and Mitchell; and his siblings, Carl, Tom, Anne and Marie.[[In-content Ad]]