Who is Richard Henning, Boston’s New Archbishop-Elect?

Bishop Richard Henning of Providence has been chosen to succeed Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley as the new archbishop of Boston.

This announcement was made on Monday by the Holy See. Cardinal O’Malley, who has led the nation’s fourth-largest archdiocese for over two decades, is stepping down after navigating the church through the aftermath of the priest sexual abuse scandal that erupted two decades ago.

Early Life, and Education

Archbishop-elect Richard Henning was born in October 1964 in Rockville Centre, Long Island, New York, as the eldest of five siblings. He pursued higher education at Saint John’s University in Queens, New York, where he earned a bachelor’s degree and a Master of Arts in history.

Henning completed his ecclesiastical studies at the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Huntington. He further advanced his academic credentials with a licentiate in biblical theology from the Catholic University of America in Washington in 2000 and a doctorate in biblical theology from the University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome in 2007.

Richard Henning is fluent in English, Spanish, and Italian, and can read French, Greek, and Hebrew. Recently, he mentioned taking up Portuguese.

Priesthood: Road To Becoming Archbishop of Boston

Richard Henning was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Rockville Centre on May 30, 1992. His first assignment was as the parish vicar of Saint Peter of Alcantara in Port Washington, where he served until 1997. In 2018, Henning was appointed titular bishop of Tabla and auxiliary of Rockville Centre.

Despite the Rockville Centre diocese filing for bankruptcy in 2020 due to numerous sexual abuse cases, Henning maintained that he was not involved in the day-to-day proceedings but understood the necessity of the decision.

In November 2022, Henning was appointed coadjutor bishop of Providence and took over the governance of the diocese in May 2023. Reflecting on his brief but impactful tenure in Rhode Island, he expressed a deep connection to the people there. His time in Providence was his first experience as a diocesan bishop, where he emphasized the importance of evangelization and reviving faith.

Henning’s journey culminated with his appointment as the new archbishop of Boston, succeeding Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley. The announcement was made by the Holy See, and Henning is set to take over officially on October 31.

During a press conference, Richard Henning expressed gratitude for the Holy Father’s confidence in him and emphasized his commitment to listen and learn from the Boston community before setting specific priorities. Henning’s fluency in Spanish is expected to help him connect with Boston’s large Hispanic Catholic population.