Richard Henning was officially welcomed to the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in the Archdiocese of Boston as the tenth bishop and seventh archbishop.

“I don’t have the words to express all the emotions I feel on this day, but I hope and pray that I will find the wisdom and strength to dedicate myself completely to this beautiful Church and to serve you with all my strength for the coming years,” Henning spoke in the cathedral on Thursday to a huge crowd of clergy and parishioners.

Pope Francis announced Aug. 5 the appointment of Henning, 59, the former bishop of the Diocese of Providence. Henning takes over from Cardinal Sean O’Malley, 80, the long-time head of the Catholic Church in Boston.

Over 1,400 people gathered at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross on Thursday, including “Cardinal Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, five other cardinals, five archbishops, more than 50 bishops, almost 500 priests, religious, deacons, seminarians, etc. “the laity,” the archdiocese said. Representatives of interfaith communities, government officials including Mayor Michelle Wu, Henning’s parents and others also joined the event.

Henning began the ceremony with the traditional knock on the door of the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, after which Cardinal O’Malley embraced him.

O’Malley was appointed archbishop of Boston in 2003 and was appointed archbishop in 2006 by Pope Benedict XVI. appointed cardinal. He served as head of the Archdiocese of Boston for more than 20 years before reaching normal retirement age this year. He took office amid the Boston clerical sex abuse scandal and was a member of the Council of Cardinals and head of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.

“(O’Malley) has done remarkable things here, in many ways. I think it wasn’t so much the skills as the authenticity of the man that led his flock through really difficult days and helped them find healing in the Lord. “said Henning on Catholic television. “I am in awe of this legacy. I have no illusions that I will replace him. I will do my best to follow him.”

Henning declined to name priorities, saying his first instinct was to “visit, listen, see,” but said some broader key areas were priests, Catholic education and faith formation.

Henning also spoke about the lasting impact of the sexual abuse scandal, saying protecting children was “a central commitment I have made in my life” and telling survivors “they are important to us.”

“Many victims feel that the resignation of Cardinal O’Malley and the inauguration of Archbishop Henning will create a new level of unresponsiveness,” said Mitchell Garabedian, an advocate for people who have been sexually abused by members of the Archdiocese of Boston. “Archbishop Henning may say the right thing about clergy sexual abuse, but he will not implement meaningful programs to protect children from sexual abuse or help victims heal.”