Current:Home > NewsPope Francis’ close ally, Cardinal Sean O’Malley, retires as archbishop of Boston at age 80-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
Pope Francis’ close ally, Cardinal Sean O’Malley, retires as archbishop of Boston at age 80
View Date:2024-12-24 01:40:05
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis on Monday accepted the resignation of Cardinal Sean O’Malley 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 announcement from the Vatican didn’t mention O’Malley’s other main role as Francis’ main adviser on fighting clergy sexual abuse as head of the pope’s 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’Malley 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.
At age 80, O’Malley 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.
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’Malley, a Franciscan friar, advised Francis not only on child protection issues, but also helped design the reform of the Vatican bureaucracy.
O’Malley’s relations with Francis haven’t always been easy. In 2018, he issued a blistering statement rebuking Francis after the pope dismissed claims of abuse by Chilean survivors of the country’s most notorious abuser.
O’Malley’s harsh tone was something of a wakeup call for Francis, who eventually apologized after commissioning an investigation into the Chilean scandal.
More recently, O’Malley’s commission flagged “serious problems” in the way the Vatican had handled the case of an ex-Jesuit artist, the Rev. Marko Rupnik, prompting Francis to order the case reopened.
veryGood! (49)
Related
- Man jailed after Tuskegee University shooting says he fired his gun, but denies shooting at anyone
- US steps up warnings to Guatemalan officials about election interference
- Judge rejects U.S. asylum restrictions, jeopardizing Biden policy aimed at deterring illegal border crossings
- X's and Xeets: What we know about Twitter's rebrand, new logo so far
- Mason Bates’ Met-bound opera ‘Kavalier & Clay’ based on Michael Chabon novel premieres in Indiana
- Chevrolet Bolt won't be retired after all. GM says nameplate will live on.
- Notre Dame legend, Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Johnny Lujack dies at 98
- What five of MLB's top contenders need at the trade deadline
- Firefighters make progress, but Southern California wildfire rages on
- The IRS has ended in-person visits, but scammers still have ways to trick people
Ranking
- At age 44, Rich Hill's baseball odyssey continues - now with Team USA
- 'Haunted Mansion' review: Don't expect a ton of chills in Disney's safe ghost ride
- Typhoon blows off roofs, floods villages and displaces thousands in northern Philippines
- ‘Our own front line’: Ukrainian surgeons see wave of wounded soldiers since counteroffensive began
- Firefighters make progress, but Southern California wildfire rages on
- Sarah Jessica Parker Shares Rare Insight Into Family Life With Her and Matthew Broderick's Kids
- Education Department investigating Harvard's legacy admission policies
- A hung jury means a Georgia man jailed for 10 years must wait longer for a verdict on murder charges
Recommendation
-
Rita Ora Says Liam Payne “Left Such a Mark on This World” in Emotional Tribute
-
Jason Aldean blasts cancel culture, defends Try That in a Small Town at Cincinnati concert
-
How artificial intelligence can be used to help the environment
-
Check Out the Best Men's Deals at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale on Clothing, Grooming, Shoes & More
-
'Underbanked' households more likely to own crypto, FDIC report says
-
Lucas Grabeel's High School Musical Character Ryan Confirmed as Gay in Disney+ Series Sneak Peek
-
She was diagnosed with cancer two months after she met her boyfriend. Her doctors saw their love story unfold – then played a role in their wedding
-
What to know about 'Napoleon,' Ridley Scott's epic starring Joaquin Phoenix as French commander