BOSTON (AP) 鈥� Pope Francis on Monday accepted the resignation of as archbishop of Boston and named the current bishop of Providence, Rhode Island, Richard Henning, to replace him as leader of one of the most important Catholic archdioceses in the United States.
The Vatican announcement didn鈥檛 mention O鈥橫alley鈥檚 other main role as as head of the pope鈥檚 Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, suggesting he would remain in that capacity until a new commission leader is named.
St. John Paul II had tapped O鈥橫alley to take over in Boston in 2003 at the height of the clergy sexual abuse scandal that had exploded there following an investigation by The Boston Globe newspaper. Revelations of years of abuse and coverups by the church led to the downfall of then-archbishop Cardinal Bernard Law, who resigned in disgrace in December 2002.
鈥淲hen I arrived it was a time of great crisis and of great pain because of the terrible scourge of sexual abuse,鈥� O鈥橫alley told a news conference as he reflected on all changes the church has seen during his 40 years as a bishop. 鈥淏ut despite all the challenges we鈥檝e had I鈥檓 full of hope.鈥�
At age 80, O鈥橫alley is five years beyond the normal retirement age for bishops. His 59-year-old successor, Henning, from Rockville Centre, Long Island, has been bishop of Providence since last year.
In terms of clergy abuse, the torch in Boston is being passed from a man whose contemporaries were the accused to one whose peers were the victims.
鈥淲hen these crimes and sins were committed, I was also a child. I鈥檓 grateful to God that I was not affected by it personally, but people in my generation were," Henning said at the news conference. "Those survivors, they deserve a listening heart. In some ways they have as much to proclaim to us about the gospel as we do to them.鈥�
O'Malley called the arrival of a new archbishop 鈥渁 time of renewal and hope鈥� and described Henning as 鈥渟omeone who transmits hope to restless hearts.鈥�
鈥淎rchbishop Henning is a joyful pastor who seeks to serve Christ," he said.
The Archdiocese of Boston is the fourth largest archdiocese in the U.S., serving more than 1.8 million Roman Catholics. It had operating expenses of more than $350 million in fiscal 2023, and its schools serve more than 46,000 students.
O'Malley will be remembered for his advocacy and support for families experiencing homelessness and victims of human trafficking, as well as his leadership in the fight against climate change, Gov. Maura Healey said in a statement. 鈥淚 greatly admire his deep faith and his empathy and compassion for all," Healey said.
Henning said he was 鈥渄eeply shocked and surprised鈥� that he was chosen.
鈥淚 am very well aware that I have a lot to learn,鈥� Henning said. 鈥淢y first job, really, is just to be listener.鈥�
Francis has long expressed his esteem for O'Malley and selected him as a founding member of his core cardinal advisers, known as the C9.
In that role, O鈥橫alley advised Francis not only on child protection issues, but also helped design the reform of the Vatican bureaucracy.
Born in Ohio and ordained as a priest of the Order of Friars of Minor Capuchin in 1970, O鈥橫alley came to Massachusetts in 1992 to serve as the bishop of Fall River, a diocese that had been rocked by a sexual abuse scandal involving a priest convicted of molesting children. O鈥橫alley was tasked with settling abuse claims.
The experience proved useful in 2003, when, after spending time as Bishop of the Diocese of Palm Beach in Florida, he was appointed by Pope John Paul II as archbishop of Boston. Once again, he took over a district shaken by sexual abuse 鈥� this time a much higher-profile crisis involving dozens of priests.
But David Clohessy, former national director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP, criticized O鈥橫alley for 鈥渁 masterful job with his public relations but a terribly disappointing job with the church鈥檚 on-going abuse and cover up scandal.鈥�
鈥淗e鈥檚 carefully crafted the impression of a 鈥檙eformer, while refusing to take some of the most simple and proven steps toward warning parents, parishioners and the public about potentially threatening clerics,鈥� Clohessy said in a statement.
Henning likely will bring more of the same, said Mitchell Garabedian, an attorney who has been representing abuse victims for decades.
鈥淏ishop Henning does not have track record of protecting children through either strongly speaking out against clergy sexual abuse or supporting substantive change,鈥� he said in a statement calling Henning 鈥渁 company man.鈥�
鈥淰ictims believe Bishop Henning will basically ignore the ugly problem of clergy sexual abuse and hope it just goes away,鈥� he said.
O鈥橫alley鈥檚 relations with Francis haven鈥檛 always been easy. In 2018, he issued after the pope dismissed of the country鈥檚 most notorious abuser.
O鈥橫alley鈥檚 harsh tone was something of a wakeup call for Francis, who eventually apologized after commissioning an investigation into the Chilean scandal.
More recently, O鈥橫alley鈥檚 commission flagged 鈥渟erious problems鈥� in the way the Vatican had handled , prompting Francis to order the case reopened.
Henning expressed gratitude to Pope Francis for the new appointment and described O鈥橫alley as a faithful servant who 鈥渉as served the Church of Boston for many faithful and joyful years鈥� during his tenure.
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Whittle reported from Portland, Maine. Ramer reported from Concord, New Hampshire. David Sharp in Portland, Maine, and Nicole Winfield at the Vatican also contributed.
Nick Perry, Patrick Whittle And Holly Ramer, The Associated Press
