Archbishop Richard G. Henning Celebrates Mass at Austin Prep

On Thursday Austin Prep welcomed the Most Reverend Richard G. Henning, the new Archbishop of Boston, to campus as he celebrated a school-wide liturgy for students and staff. You can view photos here and a video highlight here.

"You will come to know this Jesus, your friend, our king. The king of love,” Archbishop Henning said in his homily. “And that you will allow His grace to bathe and change your heart, so that you may live and exercise that greatest power, the power of love and compassion."

Upon the completion of Mass, the native New Yorker noted that while he is not yet ready to convert to a Boston Red Sox fan, he is “as of today, an Austin Prep Cougar fan."

He further encouraged those in attendance with this proclamation: "The students may be aware that in the Archdiocese of Boston there is a tradition when the Archbishop visits. So I have a request of you, Dr. Hickey, that you would select a suitable day to give a day off to the students" He added that the Archbishop’s day off of school will be given in honor of the choir, lectors, and servers, who all performed admirable throughout the Mass.

The event began with a welcome from Reading Fire Chief Gregory Burns. Archbishop Henning has a fondness for first responders as his father, great grandfather, and uncle were all members of the New York City Fire Department.