Pope Leo XIV has appointed Bishop Mark O’Connell, an auxiliary bishop from the Archdiocese of Boston, as the next Bishop of Albany, New York, a decision sparking controversy for his past advocacy of “listening” to LGBT Catholics and for voting against drafting a document that would have addressed Communion for pro-abortion politicians, according to LifeSiteNews.
O’Connell, 61, will succeed Bishop Edward Scharfenberger, 77, who has led the diocese since 2014. His formal installation as the 11th Bishop of Albany is set for December 5.
“I am delighted and deeply grateful to God and the Holy Father, Pope Leo, for calling me to serve as the 11th Bishop of Albany,” O’Connell said following his appointment. “Wherever this journey leads, I will walk with you, guided by the hope and peace of the Risen Lord. I ask for your prayers and goodwill, and I pledge the same to you,” he told LifeSiteNews.
Background and Ministry
O’Connell has served as a priest for 35 years in the Archdiocese of Boston. Ordained in 1990, he holds a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome and has served as Judicial Vicar, Regional Bishop for Boston’s North Region, and most recently as Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia.
A native of Toronto, O’Connell comes from a family with strong religious roots, including his uncle, the late Father David Delaney, and his aunt, Dominican Sister Jean Delaney.
Advocacy for LGBT Catholics
In a 2018 interview with America Magazine’s Michael O’Loughlin, O’Connell said he was inspired by Pope Francis to “find new language to express the beauty of our truth” when speaking about issues concerning LGBT Catholics. “We need to work on language that we can all agree on,” he said, according to LifeSiteNews.
While O’Connell affirmed Church teaching on marriage and gender, critics have argued that his emphasis on developing “more inclusive” language risks confusing the faithful about Catholic doctrine. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered” and “contrary to the natural law.”
O’Connell also served as chair of a Boston archdiocesan committee tasked with creating gender identity guidelines for Catholic schools, which drew criticism for not including those identifying as transgender in the process.
Communion Debate and Public Witness
In 2021, during a meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, O’Connell was among 55 bishops who voted against drafting a teaching document on the Eucharist that would have emphasized the incompatibility between supporting abortion and receiving Holy Communion.
“I fear the whole process of writing the document will lead to more and more opportunity for some bishops and writers to further polarize our people,” O’Connell wrote at the time, as reported by LifeSiteNews. He added, “It is not up to me (or you) to deny anyone Holy Communion. Canon law leaves it to (Biden’s) individual bishop and pastor to speak with him and that is a private conversation.”
Looking Ahead in Albany
O’Connell’s appointment comes as the Diocese of Albany faces significant challenges, including a recent $8 million settlement with clergy abuse victims. His predecessor, Bishop Scharfenberger, had also suppressed the Traditional Latin Mass in all parishes in 2023.
While O’Connell has previously expressed appreciation for liturgical diversity — saying in 2017 that “we have everything, if you want a Latin Mass or a charismatic one” — it remains to be seen whether he will revisit those restrictions.
As the faithful in Albany prepare to welcome their new bishop, Catholics across the United States will be watching how Bishop O’Connell’s leadership balances pastoral outreach with fidelity to Church teaching in one of the nation’s most scrutinized dioceses.
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