LYNN — Archbishop Richard Henning received an enthusiastic welcome from St. Mary’s students Monday when he came to Lynn to celebrate Mass to kick off Catholic Schools Week.
“Hopefully, it’s the first of many visits to St. Mary’s,” said Archbishop Henning, who was installed as the leader of the Archdiocese of Boston on October 31. “I’m so grateful to be here and for your faith in our Lord Jesus.”
Archbishop Henning said Catholic schools play an important role in the development of students.
“Catholic schools form the whole person in every dimension: academically, emotionally, spiritually,” he said. “Catholic schools are a gift to the church and the students are a gift to the church. I’m a big believer in the power of Catholic education.”
A Rockville, N.Y., native, Archbishop Henning went to Catholic elementary and high school and St. John’s University, where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He was ordained a priest in 1992 and received his doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.
He came to Boston from Providence, where he served as bishop for two years. Prior to that he was auxiliary bishop of Rockville Center.
In addition to Rev. Brian Flynn, pastor of St. Mary of the Sacred Heart Parish, concelebrants of the Mass included former St. Mary’s pastor Rev. Msgr. Paul V. Garrity. Eileen McLaughlin, superintendent of schools for the archdiocese, was in attendance along with several members of the St. Mary’s board of trustees.
The St. Mary’s school choir provided music and was joined by members of the girls and boys basketball teams for the Communion songs.
At the end of the Mass, Head of School Dr. John F. Dolan gave Archbishop Henning a St. Mary’s sweatshirt and told him the school would always support him, a sentiment repeated by Board Chair William Mosakowski and appreciated by the archbishop.
“It’s daunting to be archbishop of Boston,” he said. “I’m blessed. I thank you for your gift of young faith and witness.”
As has become tradition when leader of the archdiocese visits, Archbishop Henning announced a future day off for St. Mary’s, which was met with resounding approval by the packed church. The day chosen by Dolan was St. Patrick’s Day, appropriately a day celebrating the patron saint of the archdiocese.
