Fr. Jim started the Rostro de Cristo program in 1989 while serving as a parish priest with the Society of St. James in Durán, Ecuador. Serving the people in his parish, Fr. Jim was inspired by their faith and wanted to invite young people to experience the presence of Christ in the reality of the lives of the people of Latin America. Fr. Jim returned to the U.S. in 1994 and worked as the Executive Director of the Secretariat for Latin America at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops until 2001 when he returned to Boston. Fr. Ronan continues to regularly visit his friends in Ecuador and is the Vice-Chair of the Rostro de Cristo Board of Directors. Recently, Fr. Jim celebrated his 40th Anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood and after 18 year stepped down as pastor at St. Mary/St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Charlestown, Massachusetts.