For the fifth time in Boston's archdiocesan history, one of our priests will be going to serve as diocesan bishop in New York -- Bay State to Empire State. And this one includes a move from one state capital to another -- Boston to Albany. The previous moves were Cardinal Francis J. Spellman, to the metropolitan Archdiocese of New York in 1939; Bishop Thomas V. Daily to Brooklyn (1990) via a previous stop in Palm Beach, Florida; Bishop William F. Murphy, to the Diocese of Rockville Centre in 2001; and Bishop Richard J. Malone to Buffalo in 2012, via a stop in Portland, Maine. Buffalo was named a diocese on the same day as Albany -- April 23, 1847.

On Oct. 20, 2025, Pope Leo XIV named Boston's present auxiliary bishop and vicar general and moderator of the curia, Mark W. O'Connell as the 11th bishop of New York's second-oldest diocese -- Albany. He becomes the first non-New Yorker to be Albany's bishop. All predecessors were native born to the Empire State or were ordained for one or the other of its dioceses. Bishop O'Connell was installed in his new diocese at St. Edward the Confessor Church in an Albany suburb, Clifton Park. The choice was made because of its accessibility and the space for the assembly and reception following on Dec. 5, 2025.

The morning of Dec. 5, 2025, bloomed with sunshine, which was ineffective in overcoming the frigid temperatures of the day. However, the excitement of the priests and people of Albany as they welcomed their new bishop and the generous and infectious enthusiasm of the hospitality team of the parish and the diocese warmed everyone.

The main body of the church seats probably 1,200 people. The gathering area, which was the first parish church, also served the overflow assembly via livestream. There was a large contingent of Bostonians, with some 70 priests and perhaps 200 or more religious and laity, many of them from the staff of the Pastoral Center who had worked in Boston with Bishop O'Connell. The Albany Diocese gave "premier" seating to the Boston attendees.

Before the Mass started, and no one was surprised, Bishop O'Connell came into the church and greeted people, the Bostonians, the choir and the other ministers in the church. He made a special effort to greet the overflow of attendees.

One of the greeters, who works in the Albany chancery, told me that "we're really excited about our bishop. We at the chancery were especially pleased that on the day of his press conference, he met with us all before the conference began. He went out of his way to meet each of us."

She continued with this: "He's really good with social media. He did a podcast, at his own request, when he took the challenge of trying to pronounce the names of some of the cities and towns of the diocese." Some of them are genuine tongue twisters. "I think he did very well."

As the assembly spaces filled in and the liturgical procession lined up and began at the scheduled 2:00 p.m., it was clear that the diocesan and parish staffs had cooperated in every step and phase of the installation.

The procession included ecumenical and interreligious representatives, the various fraternal orders and the correlative women's branches, the orders of knights and their ladies. There were 30 deacons, most from the Albany parishes and close to 200 priests of whom about one-third were from the Archdiocese of Boston.

Bishops from New England and New York accounted for some 30 of the clergy in attendance. To name some of those from Boston: Archbishop Emeritus Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley, who in 2016 ordained Bishop O'Connell to the episcopacy; Archbishop Richard G. Henning; and Boston's four present auxiliary bishops, Robert F. Hennessey, Peter J. Uglietto, Robert P. Reed, and Cristiano G. Borro Barbosa. Others with Boston connections were Portland's Bishop Emeritus Robert P. Deeley, and Hartford's present metropolitan Archbishop Christopher J. Coyne. Archbishop Alfred C. Hughes, emeritus of New Orleans, was also present, having been the preacher at the Vespers celebration the evening prior at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany.

The installation is rather simple and occurs at the beginning of the Mass, replacing everything up to the Gloria. The principal celebrant at this point is the metropolitan archbishop of the see, in this case, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the inimitable and gregarious Archbishop of New York. It can be said of him, "he never met a crowd he didn't like." Also, an important participant is the Apostolic Nuncio in the United States, Cardinal Christophe Pierre, who brought with him the office letter, or papal bull, appointing Bishop O'Connell to Albany.

The letter, having been read by the nuncio to the assembly, was given to Bishop O'Connell, who showed it first to the consultors of the Albany Diocese. After having also shown it to the bishops and priests in their places, he went throughout the church and the adjoining overflow hall to the delight and applause of all.

Returning to the sacristy, he was then led to the episcopal chair, or cathedra, where he was seated, thus becoming Albany's bishop.

He was greeted by ecumenical and interreligious guests, civic officials, and representatives from the diocese's parishes and various diocesan offices and ministries.

The Mass resumed with the singing of the Gloria and the Collect, which was from the Votive Mass of the Sacred Heart, as were the remaining prayers from that Mass.

The assembly participated enthusiastically in word and song.

The bishop's homily was both delivered with his usual smile and with a sincere heart. He mentioned his duties as bishop; his happiness being priest and bishop; his desire to get to know the diocese; and the challenges that faced him and the diocese. He did not neglect to mention his favorite saint, Andrew the Apostle, clearly explaining him as an example of evangelization, bringing others to Jesus. His episcopal motto is from the Gospel of John 1:41-42, "We have found the Messiah," and appears in Latin on his redesigned coat of arms, "Invenimus Messiam."

The Mass proceeded as would a Sunday Mass in your parish.

At the conclusion of the Mass prior to the dismissal, the new bishop thanked his friends and collaborators -- the former ones in Boston and the new ones in Albany.

A reception followed in the parish center, where Bishop O'Connell stood and greeted people and posed for pictures.

His first full workday in Albany would be on Dec. 8 -- the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. It is under this title that the Blessed Virgin Mary is patroness of both the cathedral church in Albany and the Roman Catholic Church in the United States of America.