BOSTON (WHDH) – After more than two decades leading the fourth largest archdiocese in the country, Cardinal Seán O’Malley is saying goodbye.
His successor, Bishop Richard Henning, held his first prayer service Wednesday night at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Revere in advance of his formal installation.
“It’s just very exciting tonight to be finally meeting the people on the ground here. You can see the joy and the faith of the people gathering here tonight,” Henning said Wednesday night.
A Mass of Installation for Henning was celebrated at the cathedral Thursday. Around 1,400 guests, including 500 priests, were in attendance.
The mass began with Henning knocking three times on the front door of the cathedral. He was met by O’Malley at the door.
A short time later, Henning was installed as the seventh archbishop of Boston. He showed the congregation the apostolic mandate he received from the Vatican — the Pope’s call for him to serve the fourth-largest archdiocese in the United States.
Henning has led the Diocese of Providence for the last year and vows to continue O’Malley’s mission.
“We’re so sad that Cardinal O’Malley is leaving us, and we’re grateful to God and praise the Lord that we have a new pastor,” said parishioner Luis Munoz.
O’Malley was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI to lead the Boston archdiocese in 2003, in the wake of the clergy sex abuse scandal. He was also tapped by the Vatican to head a panel looking into the church’s efforts to address clergy sex abuse claims.
Over the last 20 years, O’Malley has emphasized the need to support survivors.
In his homily Thursday, Henning did not shy away from the issue, saying “this is a wounded church.”
“And we owe a debt of gratitude to victims, survivors, who tell their story, for they have helped to protect new generations,” Henning said.
Former Boston Mayor Ray Flynn, who served as United States Ambassador to the Holy See in the mid 1990s, was in attendance Thursday. He said he thinks Henning will do a great job serving the archdiocese.
“I met him when he was down in Rhode Island, and I met him when I was at the Vatican. He taught over there, and I met him over there in Rome. So, now he’s back home in Boston with me,” Flynn said.
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