Michael Paulson has an excellent piece in today's Boston Globe on J. Bryan Hehir, outgoing president of Catholic Charities of Boston. Highly respected by his brother priests in the archdiocese, there's no exaggeration in suggesting that Bryan Hehir has been gifted with one of the finest intellects in today's Roman Catholic Church. His history as national head of Catholic Charities, as a key consultant to the US Conference of Catholic Charities and as the first Roman Catholic to serve as dean of the the Harvard Divinity School are but highlights in a remarkable resume'.
"The Rev. J. Bryan Hehir will continue to serve as a secretary in O'Malley's cabinet, and as a professor at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, but his primary responsibility will be to advise O'Malley on a variety of public policy matters, including the archdiocese's relationship with the Legislature, its ownership of a struggling hospital chain, and the future of its school system. Hehir also will continue to serve as a primary troubleshooter for O'Malley... Church officials regard Hehir as a pragmatist who is valuable to O'Malley because of his analytical and negotiating skills... He joins the vicar general, the Rev. Richard M. Erikson, and the chancellor, James P. McDonough, in O'Malley's inner circle."As a pastor in an archdiocese still bearing the brunt of the crises of sexual abuse and reconfiguration, those three names (Erikson, McDonough and Hehir) give me hope. In my 34 years as a priest I have never seen such leaders in such powerful positions. (Those looking for change in the church today need to respect the subtlety of such appointments. Change is unlikely to come in headlines but rather in articles like Paulson's which chronicle the shifts that really make a difference.) These three are realists who love the church and who have a decent and pragmatic sense about how to negotiate a limping Church's way through a troubled and thoroughly secular culture.
Also subtle but worthy of note is the appointment of Tiziana Dearing as Hehir's successor. Dearing is a former student of Hehir and since 2003 has been the executive director of Harvard's Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations. That Dearing will be the first woman to head Boston's Catholic Charities carries its own significance but of equal import is the stamp of approval her appointment imprints on Hehir's controversial tenure in that post.
Of local interest: J. Bryan Hehir once served as a priest "next door" at St. Elizabeth Parish in Acton.
Thanks for your insights on this. It is difficult for laypersons to understand the subtleties of such appointments but we appreciate your analysis and take hope from it.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read the story in the Globe about Fr. Hehir, a remarkable man and priest, I felt the first real HOPE for the Boston
ReplyDeleteArchdiocese for Cardinal Sean O'Malley, and indeed, for the laity and the hard working priests like yourself. What a badly needed shot in the arm.
I am also hopeful that the appointment of Fr. Hehir to Cardinal Sean's "inner circle" bodes well for the archdiocese. I have a couple of questions: when Cardinal Law wanted Fr. Hehir to resign the presidency of Harvard Divinity School, did Fr. Hehir resign at that time? Does Fr. Erikson meet individually and/or in groups with diocesan priests? Have you had a one-on-one with him and, if so, how did it go?!
ReplyDeleteI'm not altogether sure about your first question regarding Fr. Hehir's departure as dean of the EDS and his taking over Cathoic Charities for the archdiocese. I'll see if I can get more info on that story.
ReplyDeleteI have had occasion to work with Fr. Erikson individually when I had some questions of a pastoral nature here in Concord. He was helpful, informative, supportive and responsive. And those are not insignificant adjectives given what my experience has been with his predecessors. He does meet with small groups of priests and the same description applies. He listens, he responds, he gets things done!
I am happy to hear what you had to say re Fr. Erikson! My first question I didn't make very clear. I wondered if Fr. Hehir stepped down from being President of the Harvard Divinity School because Cardinal Law wanted (told) him to. How long did he remain as President once he knew Cardinal Law wasn't thrilled with the idea?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Concord Pastor, for being so good about answering questions!
I was disappointed that Fr. Hehir headed the closing down of Catholic Charities Adoptions (through which we adopted our daughter). Any thoughts?
ReplyDeleteDennis:
ReplyDeleteCatholic Charities (CC)stopped adoption work because Massachusetts state law required that CC be open to adopting to gay and lesbian couples. Over th past 20 years CC had processed 720 adoptions of which only 13 were to same-sex parents.
It was reported that the CC Board of Directors voted unanimously to continue to adopt to gay and lesbian households - eventually 8 members of the Board resigned.
Although not all the evidence is in, studies so far show that being raised in such homes does not have an adverse affect on children. I know same-sex couples in our own community and parish who are doing a wonderful job of parenting and raising their children in the Catholic faith.
Once again, I believe that we need to be open to the wisdom of human experience.
I was a student at HDS when Bryan Hehir was "dean". In fact he never officially served as dean, but in an interim position as "chair of the executive committee" - though he essentially fulfilled all the duties of the dean.
ReplyDeleteThis was right after the previous dean of HDS had to resign because he was found to have porn on his computer. HDS was in dire need of a dean, and the Cardinal allowed Hehir to step in temporarily, but with the understanding that this was not an ideal situation and as soon as a replacement could be found, Hehir would step down.
But I count myself lucky to be part of the only graduating class from HDS that had Hehir sign our diplomas!