Who is Richard Henning, Boston’s next archbishop? – Boston News, Weather, Sports

BOSTON (WHDH) – The Archdiocese of Boston can have a brand new chief later this yr following the retirement of Cardinal Seán O’Malley and the appointment of Bishop Richard Henning as the following archbishop of the Archdiocese of Boston. 

Pope Francis introduced Henning’s appointment Monday morning and O’Malley quickly launched Henning on the archdiocese’s Pastoral Heart in Braintree. 

Presently the bishop of the Diocese of Windfall, Henning would be the tenth bishop and the seventh archbishop of the Archdiocese of Boston. He will probably be put in on Oct. 31 on the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. 

Who’s Richard Henning? 

Boston’s first new archbishop in additional than 20 years was born in Rockville Centre, New York in 1964, in line with his biography from the Diocese of Windfall. 

The son of a New York Metropolis firefighter and a mom who was a nurse, Henning grew up in close by Valley Stream, which sits roughly two miles west of John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport on Lengthy Island. He was the primary of 5 youngsters for his dad and mom.

Henning acquired a bachelors and masters diploma in historical past from St. John’s College in Queens, New York earlier than finding out for the priesthood on the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Huntington, New York. 

Henning was ordained as a priest in 1992 and was first assigned to work as an affiliate pastor at a church in Port Washington, New York inside his hometown Diocese of Rockville Centre. 

Henning continued finding out as soon as he joined the priesthood, incomes licentiate in biblical theology from The Catholic College of America in Washington, D.C. and a doctorate in biblical theology from the College of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.

He was appointed auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Heart in 2018 and moved to Rhode Island in 2022 when Pope Francis appointed him as coadjutor bishop of Windfall. Henning routinely turned the brand new bishop of the Diocese of Windfall in 2023 when Bishop Thomas Tobin resigned. 

Along with English, Henning is fluent in Spanish and Italian, in line with his biography. He is ready to learn French, Greek, and Hebrew. Talking at Monday’s introduction occasion alongside O’Malley, he mentioned he’s additionally studying Portuguese. 

Henning has been energetic within the United State Convention of Catholic Bishops, in line with his biography.

Time in Rockville Centre

Henning served within the Diocese of Rockville Centre because the diocese confronted mounting monetary struggles associated to a collection of kid abuse circumstances. 

The diocese declared chapter in 2020 and a court docket to pause a collection of lawsuits to permit them to be settled collectively, as reported by the Related Press.

Henning confronted questions on his work in Rockville Centre on Monday. Although he mentioned he was not concerned within the day-to-day features of the chapter course of, he mentioned he agreed with then-Bishop John Barres’ choices. 

“The diocese couldn’t proceed within the face of the obligations that have been piling up,” Henning mentioned. “…It actually was the one choice that will have allowed the diocese to satisfy the obligations to survivors in addition to proceed the mission of the church.”

Time in Windfall

Earlier than being appointed to steer the Archdiocese of Boston within the wake of its clergy baby abuse scandal within the early 2000s, O’Malley served a quick stint because the Bishop of the Diocese of Palm Seaside in Florida. 

Henning is about to start his time in Boston after a equally brief time period in Windfall. 

Talking Monday, he mentioned he was shocked to listen to of his new appointment. 

“I do really feel a particular tug in my coronary heart right this moment for my beloved Rhode Islanders,” Henning mentioned. 

Although his time in Rhode Island was temporary, he described it as “intense and joyful.”

He mentioned the folks of Rhode Island welcomed him to their neighborhood and mentioned leaving Windfall will probably be tough. 

Henning, nevertheless, mentioned he’s “a person beneath authority” and understands the necessity to transfer.

Windfall parishioner Catherine Messier on Monday mentioned Henning “has been actually great within the final yr and a half.”

“I’m excited for a brand new journey for Bishop Henning however I gained’t lie and say that I gained’t miss him drastically,” Messier mentioned.

Father Jean Joseph Brice, a Windfall priest, equally praised Henning.

“He’s a prayerful man, a holy man, a all the way down to earth bishop who loves his clergymen,” Brice mentioned. 

“I want he may keep just a few years extra,” mentioned one different parishioner in Windfall on Monday. “However the place that they’re giving him, he’s elevating as much as a better place. He’ll simply be a great chief for our complete space.”

‘I’m a pastor, not a politician’

Henning’s predecessor in Windfall, Thomas Tobin, at occasions drew backlash in response to political stances, notably on the subject of identical intercourse marriage. 

Henning has prevented main controversies in his profession and shared his outlook on the intersection of politics and his duties as a bishop.

“I don’t know that I’ve ever been an activist. I’m not that thrilling,” he mentioned. “My stance in Windfall has been that I’m a pastor, not a politician.”

Henning mentioned the Catholic church’s instructing “acknowledges the correct and the duty of the lay folks to interact within the political course of.” 

“What I wish to do is to assist the Catholics, the trustworthy of this archdiocese type their consciences,” he mentioned.

Henning mentioned he has opinions and mentioned he’ll vote.

“I’ll by no means let you know for whom I vote,” he added, although. “I don’t belong to a celebration. That’s not my job to advocate for both facet.”

Henning acknowledged the Catholic church takes some positions based mostly on its teachings. 

On the subject of abortion, he mentioned he identifies as pro-life. However he mentioned he is aware of “folks of goodwill passionately disagree” and mentioned folks on all sides of such points should “take the chance of dialogue.”

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