Angelo J. Rizzo

Rev. A​​ngelo J. Rizzo (“A.J.”) is a priest of the Maryland Province Society of Jesus. He returns to Scranton Prep from New York City, where he serves as Director of Mission and Identity at Regis High School.

Fr. Rizzo has deep ties to Scranton, having taught English, religion, and Latin at Scranton Prep from 2011 to 2014. He is also an alumnus of the University of Scranton, where he earned bachelor’s degrees in both biology and philosophy in 2003.

An alumnus of St. Joseph’s Prep in Philadelphia, Fr. Rizzo has ministered at several other Jesuit high schools on the east coast. After completing his undergraduate studies, he returned to his alma mater as a volunteer teacher in the school’s Alumni Service Corps. He subsequently moved to Loyola Blakefield, where he was the director of Christian Service at Loyola Blakefield for three years. During his time in Baltimore, Fr. Rizzo completed a Master’s degree in Pastoral Counseling at Loyola University Maryland.

After entering the Society of Jesus in 2007, Fr. Rizzo attended Fordham University, earning a Master’s degree in Humanities in 2011. After teaching at Scranton Prep, he was missioned to theology studies at the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University. He completed a Master of Divinity degree in 2017, and was ordained to the priesthood the same year. In 2019, Fr. Rizzo was awarded a doctorate in Catholic Educational Leadership from the University of San Francisco. His dissertation research focused on educating students with learning differences in Jesuit secondary schools.

Fr. Rizzo has served as a trustee of St. Ignatius High School (CA), St. Elizabeth High School (CA), and Fairfield Preparatory School (CT). He was assistant pastor at St. Ignatius Loyola parish in Baltimore, and earlier was a deacon at St. Theresa Catholic Church in Oakland.