2023 -- H 6135
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S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
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H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N
CONGRATULATING THE MOST REVEREND RICHAR D G. HENNING, D.D., S.T.D., ON
BEING APPOINTED BY POPE FRANCIS TO SERVE AS COADJUTOR BISHOP OF
PROVIDENCE, WITH THE RIGHT OF SUCCESSION
Introduced By: Representatives Fenton-Fung, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Corvese, Hull,
Serpa, Vella-Wilkinson, Lima, Azzinaro, and Chippendale
Date Introduced: March 07, 2023
Referred To: House read and passed
WHEREAS, Richard G. Henning was born in Rockville Centre, New York, to Richard 1
and Maureen Henning, and was raised in Valley Stream, a parishioner of Holy Name of Mary 2
Parish, where he also attended grammar school; and 3
WHEREAS, Bishop Henning attended Chaminade High School in Mineola, New York, 4
and gives much credit to the Marianists for their positive effect on his faith life and commitment 5
to learning. He proceeded to receive his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in history from St. 6
John’s University, and later received his training for the priesthood at the Seminary of the 7
Immaculate Conception in Huntington, New York; and 8
WHEREAS, Bishop Henning was ordained into the priesthood in 1992, and served for 9
five years as an Associate Pastor at the Church of St. Peter of Alcantara in Port Washington, NY 10
where he did yeoman’s pastoral work in the parish school. He also ministered to the mostly 11
Spanish-speaking, Salvadoran Catholic community; and 12
WHEREAS, In addition to being fluent in English and Spanish, Bishop Henning speaks 13
Italian and can read French, Greek and Hebrew. He attained a Licentiate in Biblical Theology at 14
the Catholic University of America, and a Doctorate in Biblical Theology from the Pontifical 15
University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome; and 16
WHEREAS, Upon completion of his studies, Bishop Henning became a member of the 17
faculty of the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Huntington, teaching scripture for more 18
than ten years. He was appointed in 2012, as part of the partnership for seminary formation 19
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among the Dioceses of Rockville Centre, Brooklyn and the Archdiocese of New York, to lead the 1
seminary through its transition to the largest retreat house in the Northeast; and 2
WHEREAS, In 2017, Bishop Barnes appointed Bishop Henning the Episcopal Vicar for 3
the Central Vicariate of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, and later as an Auxiliary Bishop of the 4
Diocese of Rockville Center in 2018. Since June of 2021, Bishop Henning has served as the Vicar 5
for Clergy and Vicar for Pastoral Planning until his most recent appointment as Coadjutor Bishop 6
of Providence; and 7
WHEREAS, On January 26 of 2023, in a Mass of Reception held at the Cathedral of SS. 8
Peter and Paul, nine weeks after being appointed by Pope Francis to serve as Coadjutor Bishop of 9
Providence with the Right of Succession, Most Reverend Richard G. Henning, D.D., S.T.D., 10
presented the Papal Bull, signed by the Holy Father, to Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, D.D., 11
authenticating his appointment; and 12
WHEREAS, The Mass of Reception was attended by numerous Catholic Church 13
dignitaries including Archbishop Christopher Pierre, D.D., J.C.D., Apostolic Nuncio to the 14
United States, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, of New York, Cardinal Sean Patrick O’Malley, OFM 15
Cap., of Boston, and Metropolitan Archbishop Leonard Blair of Hartford, and many other 16
Catholic Bishops, with the Mass being celebrated by Bishop Tobin, with Bishop Henning 17
concelebrating; now, therefore be it 18
RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby 19
joyously celebrates the appointment by Pope Francis of Bishop Richard G. Henning, D.D., 20
S.T.D., to serve as the coadjutor Bishop of Providence with the Right of Succession. We wish 21
him continued success in all of his new duties and responsibilities; and be it further 22
RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to 23
transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Most Reverend Richard G. Henning, D.D., 24
S.T.D., Coadjutor Bishop of Providence with the Right of Succession. 25
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