The instillation ceremony of Archbishop Richard Henning has begun

Henning takes over from Cardinal Sean O’Malley, who is retiring after serving 21 challenging years as archbishop of the nation’s fourth-largest archdiocese. Much of his tenure was dominated by the fallout from the clergy sex abuse crisis.

As the procession began, Henning knocked on the cathedral doors three times and was welcomed by O’Malley, who embraced Henning with a hug.

Guests included Cardinal Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, five additional cardinals, five archbishops, more than fifty bishops and nearly five hundred priests, religious, deacons, seminarians and lay people.

Before Henning officially became archbishop, Pierre read an English translation of Pope Francis’ papal bull, or decree, appointing him to the position. Henning then showed the bull to the archdiocese’s College of Consultors, which they inspected to ensure the papal seal was genuine. Once accepted, Henning presented the bull to the entire meeting.

At that point, Henning, 60, was led to the “cathedra,” or seat of the archbishop, and officially assumed his role as the congregation applauded.

During his first remarks as Archbishop of Boston, Henning drew laughter from the congregation when he initially joked that the most common question he is asked is whether he is or will become a Red Sox fan (he did not provide a specific answer).

He then spoke about his faith, which led to a reflection on the church’s longstanding failure to protect sexually abused children. He praised the courage of the survivors who came forward with their stories.

“This Boston church is, in a very real sense, a wounded church because of its failure to act with compassion and healing,” Henning said. “Sins against the innocent. We have seen a passionate effort to protect the vulnerable in recent decades, but we still feel the weight of those wounds.

“And we owe a debt of gratitude to the victims and survivors who are telling their stories, for they have helped protect new generations through their courage and by telling us the prophetic truth,” he continued. “And through their life of faith, through their capacity for compassion and solidarity and love for neighbor, they become our hope in the midst of the world, a light in the darkness.”

Henning inherits an archdiocese that is in much better shape than what O’Malley faced in 2003. At the time, the archdiocese was severely crippled financially and spiritually by the clergy sex abuse crisis. Finances were underwater, parishioners were outraged by the impending church closures, and both Mass attendance and Catholic school attendance fell.

Now the archdiocese is in the black: parishes have been consolidated and regrouped, school attendance appears to have stabilized and eleven priests have been ordained this year, the second highest number since 1997.

Henning’s parents, Richard and Maureen, were also in attendance, as were Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and leaders of other faiths, government, business and parishes in the archdiocese. Henning thanked Wu and the Boston Police Department for their assistance with the day’s events.

Near the end of the Mass, Henning thanked his family and friends who “have shaped and guided me throughout the course of my life.” He acknowledged his parents, who were sitting in the front row, and the congregation stood and applauded them.

“I thank you for that,” he told the crowd. “They deserve it, they are the best people.”

He also recognized O’Malley and his years of leadership in Boston.

“The quality of your ministry has always been a truly humble gift of your own, for the sake of others,” Henning said. “It was compassionate, it was gentle and it was truly Biblical and authentic to the faith…You are, in a very real sense, a foundation upon which we will continue to build.”

In his two decades as archbishop, O’Malley is credited with opening and maintaining a dialogue with abuse victims, who have received more than $175 million in settlements since 2002, according to the archdiocese.

But the cardinal also faced criticism for his handling of the fallout from the priest sex abuse scandal, especially in 2011 when he released the names of archdiocesan clergy accused of abuse. Although 159 clergymen were named, the list omitted the names of 91 others.

As the procession gathered outside the cathedral on Thursday, a group of people from the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP) organized a protest nearby.

Claude LeBeouf, 71, held a sign that read, “Child sexual abuse is spiritual murder.” LeBeouf said yes sexually abused by the late Rev. James Porterwho was convicted of abusing more than twenty children. He said he believes Henning helped cover up sexual abuse by priests.

“He may not be an abuser, but he was complicit in covering up the abuse,” LeBeouf said.

Another protester, Dr. Robert Hoatson, a former priest and sexual abuse survivor and co-founder of the group Road to Recovery, said the Archdiocese of Boston should create an easier process for abuse victims to receive compensation. He pointed to the recent news that the Archdiocese of Los Angeles has agreed to pay $880 million to the victims As an example, Boston should follow suit, but he expressed skepticism that Henning will be the change agent he hopes for.

“Here comes another archbishop who is of the same ilk as Sean O’Malley and all the others who came before him,” Hoatson said.

In a pre-recorded interview that aired during a livestream of the procession, Henning said he is committed to ensuring children are protected from abuse.

“I hope it is encouraging to say that this is a central promise that I have made in my life over many years,” he said. “We work hard to ensure that the children in our care are safe and cared for and treated with the dignity that God has given them. I certainly feel, as does the entire Church, a sense of sadness that there were young people who did not have that kind of protection and who suffered because of it.”

Henning, who most recently served as bishop of Providence, was auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Center on Long Island, New York, when the bishop filed for bankruptcy four years ago. The filing sparked an ongoing legal battle with 650 abuse survivors over settlements.

The case was referred to mediation in May after most survivors rejected a proposed $200 million settlement and the archdiocese tried to dismiss bankruptcy.

Henning has defended the move to file for bankruptcy.

“It was really the only decision that would have enabled the diocese to fulfill its obligations to the survivors and to continue the mission of the church,” he said, adding that he had only a limited role in the proceedings had.

Henning was asked during his introductory press conference in August how he would contact Catholics who had left the church over the abuse scandal. “I will listen to their pain and their injuries,” he said.

Boston attorney Mitchell Garabedian, who has represented hundreds of survivors of child sex abuse, including those abused by priests in Boston, said many victims “feel that the retirement of Cardinal O’Malley and the installation of Archbishop Henning are a will create a new layer of irresponsibility. .”

“Archbishop Henning may say the right things about clergy sexual abuse, but will not establish meaningful programs to protect children from sexual abuse or to help victims try to heal,” Garabedian said in a statement. “In other words, Archbishop Henning will further distance the archdiocese from the clergy sexual abuse crisis and ensure that the crisis becomes a thing of the past.”

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Nick Stoico can be reached at [email protected]. Brian MacQuarrie can be reached at [email protected]. Izzy Bryars can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her @izzybryars.