Boston Archbishop Praises Cardinal Dolan as ‘Tremendous Model’ and Shares Wisdom for New York’s Next Leader

BOSTON — Boston Archbishop Richard Henning on Saturday described Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the retired archbishop of New York, as a “tremendous model” of leadership and faith.

Henning highlighted Dolan’s dual role as both a public face of the church and a steady personal support for his community during his tenure as an auxiliary bishop in New York.

“I have always been uplifted by his own personal example of deep and abiding and humble faith,” Henning said, emphasizing Dolan’s ability to communicate the Catholic message in a way ordinary people could understand.

The archbishop praised Dolan for combining spiritual grounding with exceptional communication skills that served the church’s mission across New York and beyond.

When discussing Bishop Ronald Hicks, who will assume leadership of New York’s archdiocese, Henning acknowledged the challenges ahead but expressed confidence in his successor. He recalled meeting Hicks in Rome during what bishops informally call “Baby Bishop School” in 2018, noting his humility and authentic priestly life.

“I was deeply struck by his humility, by the prayerfulness and authenticity of his priestly life, by the fact that he has a missionary heart,” Henning said.

Henning urged Hicks to simply be himself: “Just be who you are, a priest of Jesus Christ, live that to the full.”

Turning to the upcoming Christmas season, Henning called for Christians to refocus on the heart of the holiday: welcoming Jesus into their hearts and homes.

He encouraged listeners to slow down and listen to the lyrics of Christmas carols, which he described as “rich with the language of the scriptures and of the church’s faith.”

For families seeking to avoid a purely material celebration, Henning emphasized that adults must model the faith they wish children to emulate.

“Your children observe everything you do,” he said. “So I think the quality of your own faith, your trust in the Lord, your openness to God’s word, that’s sort of where it begins.”

He also recommended using the nativity scene as a teaching tool about Christ’s birth rather than mere decoration.

Henning addressed the relevance of Christmas in increasingly secular times, noting a deep hunger for connection in modern society.

“The Lord loves us, and the Lord comes to us,” he said, describing Jesus in the manger as God drawing near in vulnerable human form.