Richard Henning, Archbishop of Boston

On Thursday, October 31, Richard Henning will be installed as the new Archbishop of Boston, taking up the role from the long-serving Cardinal Seán O’Malley.

Cardinal O’Malley has served as the Archbishop of Boston for 21 years, a fairly long stay in an era where bishops, at least in the United States, are frequently transferred. Originally a priest of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchins and a CUA graduate, he was elevated to the episcopate by Pope St. John Paul II, and has previously served as bishop to the U.S. Virgin Islands, Fall River, and Palm Beach.

In his time in Boston, O’Malley has become renowned as a leading figure responding to the sexual abuse scandals of the Catholic Church, several of the most dramatic of which occurred in Boston before his arrival and for which he was brought onto the scene. He is a founding member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.

Although O’Malley passed the customary age for a bishop’s retirement at 75 in 2019, he has kept on with his office until this month at Pope Francis’s request. His extended stay only stoked more questions about his successor. The announcement of his resignation and the succession of Richard Henning, bishop of Providence, came this past August.

Bishop Henning is relatively fresh in his office. After a lengthy education and time spent in administration and managing seminary studies, he was elevated to the episcopate in 2018 by Pope Francis, first as an auxiliary bishop for his birthplace, the Diocese of Rockville Centre, New York, and then as coadjutor bishop of Providence last year.

At a joint press conference in August, O’Malley expressed his thanks to the people of Boston and his hope for their future with Bishop Henning:

“For the two decades that I have been here as Archbishop, I found strength from the deep faith of our Catholic people…The arrival of a new archbishop is always a time of renewal and hope to the people of the Archdiocese. Archbishop Henning is a joyful pastor who seeks to serve Christ and his people.”

Henning made some of his own replies and outlined his personality and intentions as he approaches the Archdiocese of Boston:

“Maybe some of you are as surprised by this appointment as I was. Maybe the first thing is simply to say that I am a sinner in need of grace, and that I place my faith, my trust, my hope in the Lord Jesus, who is bread for the world and the King of love.”

Archbishop Henning further noted his knowledge of Spanish language and culture along with his efforts to learn Portuguese to better communicate with the Brazilian Catholic population in Boston.

Cardinal Sean also made comments on his monthly blog concerning the transition to Bishop Henning:

“​​We have been waiting a long time for the news, and we are very grateful that the Holy Father has not forgotten about us and is sending a very fine pastor to Boston…I am so grateful that the Lord has left me here as long as he has.  It was difficult to come to Boston, but it is also difficult to leave.”

“I look forward to doing whatever I can to make the new archbishop’s transition as easy as possible. I trust that the Lord will bless his ministry here and that he will find all of the love and support that I have experienced over the last 21 years as the archbishop.” The Mass for Henning’s installation will take place on October 31st at 1:30pm at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, the seat of the archdiocese, and will be livestreamed.