Photo: James Rojas/WBZ NewsRadio
BRAINTREE, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Pope Francis has named Providence Bishop Richard Henning as the next Archbishop of Boston replacing the retiring Cardinal Sean O'Malley.
Cardinal O'Malley introduced Archbishop-elect Henning at a news conference Monday morning at the Archdiocese of Boston's Pastoral Center in Braintree after they celebrated Mass together. "We trust that your new job here will bring you much happiness and many graces," O'Malley said at the news conference. "It will bring you many challenges, I can promise you that, but there are also many, many joys."
Henning, 59, grew up on Long Island, N.Y. and was ordained a priest in 1992.
He said getting the call of the new position was shocking and he has much to learn. "My first job is to be a listener and to begin to understand," Henning said.
O'Malley, who is 80, has been Archbishop of Boston since 2003.
He succeeded Cardinal Bernard Law who resigned at the height of the church sex abuse scandal.
Pope Francis officially accepted O'Malley's resignation on Monday.
O'Malley is five years past the standard retirement age for Catholic bishops.
Henning is to be installed in Boston on October 31st.
WBZ NewsRadio's James Rojas (@JamesRojasMMJ) reports.
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