Ralph Dwan Jr. · 1998 Honoree

Born in Minneapolis, three-year old Ralph arrived in Washington when his law professor father came as part of the “New Deal.” Legal and social issues became Ralph’s watchword and he took his B.A. and J.D. at the University of Michigan. Next stop was Rome, Italy, for graduate studies in theology at the Gregorian University.

Ralph moved to the Hill in 1963 as resident priest for St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic parish, then became the Director of the Southeast Catholic Center on Eighth Street, S.E. The center focused on social services; Ralph’s focus included the larger community. He particularly relished the Eighth Street Businessmen’s meetings, with their vibrant mix of business people, black and white, who had invested their lives in Eighth Street and its neighborhood. They were the kind of business people who helped neighbors, even the down and out, simply because they were part of the community.

A dramatic shift followed the death of Martin Luther King, Jr. Rioters hurt Eighth Street businesses, some mortally. As soon as order began to be restored. Ralph convened everyone he could. So much anger on all sides! Together, they stood in the middle of the street and held a service, with Ralph trying to change people’s attitudes, praying for the healing of a wounded nation, a wounded neighborhood.

Another major event occurred that year. Ralph Dwan, one of 40-plus priests in the Diocese who objected to the Catholic Church’s birth control encyclical, believed in a person’s right to be individually responsible. For Ralph, that meant redirecting his own vocation to work at a local legal clinic, then to establish a law practice with partner John Harmon. It also meant marriage to Mary McGahey in 1970, then foster parenting.

Ralph’s service to the Hill also encompasses twenty years on the Board of Friendship House, Inc. and along with fellow University of Michigan alumni, founding the University Legal Services on H Street, N.E.. More circumspect, he helps his clients in need; is developing a specialty in elder care law; and is a founding Board Member of the Spring Creek Foundation. Ask Ralph about service. He talks about this man, that woman, those fellow board members who work together to accomplish good things. We say that Ralph Dwan works to accomplish good things.