Bishop Mark O’Connell. / Credit: Photo courtesy of the Archdiocese of Boston
Vatican City, Oct 20, 2025 / 09:44 am (CNA).
PopeLeoXIVonMondaynamedBishopMarkO’Connell,anauxiliarybishopofBoston,thenextbishopoftheDioceseofAlbany,NewYork.
O’Connell,acanonlawyer,succeedsthe77-year-oldBishopEdwardB.Scharfenberger,whohasbeenbishopofAlbanysince2014andwhoseresignationwasacceptedbyPopeLeoonOct.20.
The61-year-oldO’ConnellhasservedtheArchdioceseofBostonasanauxiliarybishopsince2016.HehasalsobeenvicargeneralandmoderatorofthecuriasinceDecember2022.
TheDioceseofAlbanyservesapproximately300,000CatholicsinthecapitalcityofNewYorkstateandthesurroundingarea.
Scharfenbergerannouncedearlierthisyearthatthediocesewillundergoaplanninginitiativeinresponsetoa“financialandmaintenancecrisis”thatcouldresultintheclosureofuptoone-thirdofits126parishes.
O’ConnellwasborninToronto,Ontario,Canada,onJune25,1964,toAmericanparents.HisfamilymovedbacktotheUnitedStateswhenhewas12.Heearnedabachelor’sdegreeinEnglishandphilosophyfromB
