Richard Lennon

{{Short description|American Catholic bishop (1947–2019)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2016}} {{Infobox Christian leader | type = Bishop | honorific-prefix = His Excellency, The Most Reverend | honorific-suffix = | title = Bishop of Cleveland | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | church = Catholic Church | archdiocese = | province = | diocese = | see = Diocese of Cleveland | elected = | appointed = April 4, 2006 | enthroned = May 15, 2006 | term = | term_start = | quashed = | term_end = December 28, 2016 | predecessor = Anthony Michael Pilla | opposed = | successor = Nelson Jesus Perez | other_post =  | ordination = May 19, 1973 | ordained_by = Humberto Sousa Medeiros | consecration = September 14, 2001 | consecrated_by = Bernard Francis Law, Lawrence Joseph Riley, William Murphy | cardinal = | rank =  | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1947|03|26}} | birth_place = Arlington, Massachusetts, USA | death_date = {{Death date and age|2019|10|29|1947|03|26}} | death_place = Cleveland, Ohio, USA | buried = | nationality = | religion = | residence = | occupation = | profession = | previous_post = Auxiliary Bishop of Boston<br>(2001 - 2006) | education = Saint John's Seminary<br>Boston College | alma_mater = | motto = ''Diligamus Nos Invicem''<br>(Love each other) | name = Richard Gerald Lennon }}

{{Infobox bishopstyles | name= Richard Gerard Lennon | dipstyle= *His Excellency *The Most Reverend | offstyle=Your Excellency | relstyle=Bishop | image = Coat of arms of Richard Gerard Lennon.svg | image_size = 200px }}

'''Richard Gerard Lennon''' (March 26, 1947 – October 29, 2019) was an American Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Cleveland from 2006 to 2016. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Boston from 2001 to 2006.

== Biography ==

=== Early life and education === Richard Lennon was born on March 26, 1947, in Arlington, Massachusetts.<ref name="Robinson 2002 A13">{{Cite news | first = Walter V. | last = Robinson | title = The Cardinal Resigns; On the horizon interim leader | page = A13 | publisher = Boston Globe | date = December 14, 2002 }}</ref> Lennon's father Albert was the town's deputy fire chief.<ref name="May 2003">{{Citation | first = Michaela | last = May | title = Healing the Church will be a difficult task | publisher = The Justice | location = Waltham, Mass | date = February 25, 2003 }}</ref><ref name="Paulson 2003 A1">{{Cite news | first = Michael | last = Paulson | title = Lennon's Rise: from shy schoolboy to the chancery | page = A1 | publisher = Boston Globe | date = February 16, 2003 }}</ref> Lennon attended St. James the Apostle grammar school in St. James Parish in Arlington, where he was an altar boy.<ref name="Paulson 2003 A1" /> In 1965, Lennon graduated<ref name="Bentayou 2006 A10">{{Cite news | first = Frank | last = Bentayou | title = Highpoints in Lennon's life | page = A10 | publisher = The Plain Dealer | location = Cleveland, Ohio | date = April 5, 2006 }}</ref> from Matignon High School<ref name="Paulson 2003 A1" /> in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he was a member of the National Honor Society.<ref name="Robinson 2002 A13" />

Lennon attended Boston College, as mathematics major.<ref name="May 2003" /><ref name="Bentayou 2006 A10" /><ref name="Robinson 2002 A13" /> After two years, he transferred to St. John's Seminary in Boston. Lennon graduated from St. John's in 1969 with a Bachelor of Philosophy degree.<ref name="Bentayou 2006 A10" /> Lennon received a Master of Sacramental Theology degree from St. John's in 1973.<ref name="Bentayou 2006 A10" />

=== Priesthood === Lennon was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Boston by Archbishop Humberto Medeiros on May 19, 1973. From 1973 to 1982 he served at St. Mary of the Nativity Parish in Scituate, Massachusetts, and from 1982 to 1988 at St. Mary's Parish in West Quincy, Massachusetts.<ref name="Bentayou 2006 A10" /> He was awarded a Master of Church History degree in 1984 from St. John's,

In 1988, Lennon was appointed as assistant for canonical affairs for the archdiocese, working for Auxiliary Bishop William Murphy. Lennon later criticized Murphy for funding a job placement program for priests accused of sexual abuse of minors.<ref>{{cite news | title= Records reveal bishops's role in Boston scandal | url = http://www.natcath.org/NCR_Online/archives/030703/030703h.htm | access-date = 28 June 2017 | date= March 7, 2003 | work = National Catholic Reporter | first = Gill |last = Donovan}}</ref> In 1999, Lennon was appointed seminary rector.<ref name="Robinson 2002 A13" />

In 2000, while working as an aide to Cardinal Bernard Law, Lennon wrote a letter certifying that Paul Shanley, an archdiocesan priest, was in good standing for a transfer. This was despite Shanley's extensive record of sexual activity with boys. Shanley was convicted in 2005 of child rape.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-10-29 |title=Cardinal Law's aide, who took over for the disgraced Boston cardinal, dies |url=https://www.bostonherald.com/2019/10/29/cardinal-laws-aide-who-took-over-for-the-disgraced-boston-cardinal-dies/ |access-date=2022-06-19 |website=Boston Herald |language=en-US}}</ref>

In June 2001, Lennon was invested as a knight in both the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.{{citation needed|date=December 2016}}

===Auxiliary Bishop of Boston=== On June 29, 2001, Pope John Paul II named Lennon as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Boston. He was consecrated on September 14, 2001, by Cardinal Law.

In December 2002, Law resigned as Archbishop of Boston due to an ongoing sexual abuse scandal in the archdiocese. Lennon served as the apostolic administrator of the archdiocese from Law's resignation until the accession of Law's successor, Archbishop Sean O'Malley, in July 2003.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Paulson| first1=Michael|title=Lennon's rise: from shy schoolboy to the chancery|url=https://archive.boston.com/globe/spotlight/abuse/stories4/021603_lennon.htm|access-date=December 29, 2016|work=Boston Globe|date=February 16, 2003}}</ref> O'Malley appointed Lennon in 2003 as vicar general, a position he held until 2006. In a documentary on the clergy sexual abuse and church closings in the Boston area that aired in 2007 on PBS's ''Frontline'', Lennon tried to prevent the filming of "exterior shots of the archdiocese's chancery building".<ref>{{cite web|title=Updates on major figures and issues in 'Hand of God'| url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/handofgod/updates/|website=Frontline|access-date=December 29, 2016}}</ref>

===Bishop of Cleveland=== On April 5, 2006, Pope Benedict XVI named Lennon as the tenth bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland.<ref>{{cite news|last1=O'Grady|first1=Robert M.|title=Bishop Lennon named to Cleveland; Father Erikson is new vicar general|url=http://www.thebostonpilot.com/article.asp?ID=2992|access-date=December 29, 2016|work=The Pilot|date=April 7, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=New bishop: 'I am humbled'; Boston auxiliary to replace Pilla in May|url=http://blog.cleveland.com/pdextra/2010/12/new_bishop_i_am_humbled_boston.html|access-date=December 29, 2016|publisher=cleveland.com|date=December 4, 2010}}</ref> He was installed on May 15, 2006.

In June 2008, after allowing the diocesan reconfiguration process inherited from his predecessor to inform his decision, Lennon announced plans to close at least 30 parishes in the cities of Cleveland and Lorain, including older parishes in Cleveland's inner ring suburbs. Parishioners and members of Cleveland's City Council attacked his plan, including Michael Polensek of Ward 11. Critics have pointed out that several of the churches to be closed enjoyed steady, if limited, monthly incomes, and that several of these churches have a politically liberal orientation. However, a portion of these churches were also in need of major capital investment after years of delayed maintenance, which was not always readily evident when examined from the outside.

Significant criticism of the parish cluster organization and the decision-making process associated with the closing of parishes followed. Some Catholics in the diocese requested Vatican oversight of Lennon in 2009, seeking review by the Congregation for Bishops.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://ncronline.org/news/faith-parish/cleveland-catholics-ask-vatican-oversee-their-bishop | work=National Catholic Reporter | access-date=December 28, 2016 | date=September 28, 2009 | title=Cleveland Catholics ask Vatican to oversee their bishop | agency=Religion News Service | first=Michael | last=O'Malley | archive-date=December 29, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229172157/https://www.ncronline.org/news/faith-parish/cleveland-catholics-ask-vatican-oversee-their-bishop | url-status=dead }}</ref> Lennon presided at 78 Masses that marked the closing, merging, and opening of parishes over the next 14 months.

In April 2010, Lennon faced a schism in the diocese. That year, the diocese announced the closing St. Peter Parish in Cleveland. Its pastor, Reverend Robert Marrone and many of his parishioners decided to form without Lennon's approval a new congregation, the Community of St. Peter. In September 2010, after the Vatican ruled that the closing of St. Peter violated canon law, Lennon reopened it with a new pastors. However, many of the former parishioners now at Community of St. Peter, declined to rejoin that parish. On March 4, 2013, Lennon excommunicated Marrone ''latae setentiae'' (automatically by committing the offense) for having disobeyed him by participating in the schism.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Service |first=Catholic News |date=2013-03-06 |title=Cleveland priest who leads breakaway faith community excommunicated |url=https://www.catholicsun.org/2013/03/06/cleveland-priest-who-leads-breakaway-faith-community-excommunicated/ |access-date=2022-06-19 |website=The Catholic Sun |language=en-US}}</ref>

In July 2011, due to the discord created by the parish closings, Lennon requested that the Vatican conduct an apostolic visit to the diocese to assess the situation. The Vatican agreed and dispatched the bishop emeritus of the Diocese of Trenton, John Smith, to conduct the investigation.<ref>{{cite news|agency=The Plain Dealer|work=Cleveland.com|last1=O'Malley|first1=Michael|title=Cleveland Catholics abuzz over investigation of Bishop Richard Lennon| publisher=cleveland.com|date=July 24, 2011| url=http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2011/07/catholics_abuzz_over_investiga.html| access-date=March 15, 2012| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110812222132/http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2011/07/catholics_abuzz_over_investiga.html|archive-date=August 12, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> In March 2012, the Vatican ordered the diocese to reopen 13 of the 50 parishes that had appealed their closing to the Congregation for the Clergy.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Sadowski|first1=Dennis|title=Vatican congregation says 13 Cleveland parishes must reopen|url=http://www.catholicnews.com/services/englishnews/2012/vatican-congregation-says-13-cleveland-parishes-must-reopen-cns-1200979.cfm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229103928/http://www.catholicnews.com/services/englishnews/2012/vatican-congregation-says-13-cleveland-parishes-must-reopen-cns-1200979.cfm|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 29, 2016|access-date=December 29, 2016|agency=Catholic News Service|date=March 9, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|agency=The Plain Dealer|work=cleveland.com|last1=O'Malley|first1=Michael|title=Vatican reverses Cleveland Catholic Diocese's closing of 13 parishes |date=March 15, 2012|orig-year=First published March 7, 2012| url= http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2012/03/vatican_reverses_cleveland_cat.html|access-date=March 15, 2012| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120310212849/http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2012/03/vatican_reverses_cleveland_cat.html| archive-date=March 10, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Resignation and legacy === On February 4, 2016, Lennon underwent an emergency cardiac procedure.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2016/02/cleveland_bishop_richard_lenno_2.html |title=Cleveland Bishop Richard Lennon undergoes emergency heart procedure; resting comfortably at St. Vincent Charity Medical Center | access-date=December 28, 2016|date=February 5, 2016|publisher=cleveland.com| first=James F. |last=McCarty}}</ref> In November 2016, he submitted a request to the pope for early retirement. Pope Francis accepted his resignation as bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland on December 28, 2016. That same day, Lennon revealed his recent diagnosis of vascular dementia.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Krouse|first1=Peter |title=Retired Bishop Richard Lennon suffering from 'vascular dementia'|url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2016/12/retired_bishop_richard_lennon.html |access-date=December 28, 2016|publisher=cleveland.com|date=December 28, 2016}}</ref>

Richard Lennon died in Cleveland, Ohio, on October 29, 2019.<ref>{{cite news|last=Hlavaty|first=Kaylyn|title=Bishop Richard Lennon, who served as the 10th Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland, dies at 72|work=WEWS-TV|date=October 29, 2019|access-date=October 29, 2019|url=https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/oh-cuyahoga/bishop-richard-lennon-who-served-as-the-10th-bishop-of-the-catholic-diocese-of-cleveland-dies-at-72}}</ref> After a funeral mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Cleveland, he was entombed in the cathedral's mortuary chapel.<ref>{{cite news|last=Orlousky|first=Paul|title=Former Cleveland Bishop Richard Lennon remembered through calm, controversy|work=WOIO-TV|date=November 4, 2019|access-date=November 5, 2019|url=https://www.cleveland19.com/2019/11/04/former-cleveland-bishop-richard-lennon-remembered-through-calm-controversy/}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{wikiquote|Richard Gerard Lennon}} {{commons category|Richard Gerard Lennon}}

* [http://www.dioceseofcleveland.org/ Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland official website]

{{S-start}} {{s-rel|ca}} {{Succession box| title=Bishop of Cleveland | before=Anthony Michael Pilla | after= Nelson Jesus Perez | years=2006–2016 }} {{Succession box| title=Auxiliary Bishop of Boston | before= - | after= - | years=2001–2006 }} {{S-end}}

{{subject bar|portal1=Biography|portal2=Catholicism|portal3=Ohio}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lennon, Richard}} Category:1947 births Category:2019 deaths Category:Roman Catholic bishops of Cleveland Category:Boston College alumni Category:Saint John's Seminary (Massachusetts) alumni Category:People from Arlington, Massachusetts Category:Knights of Malta Category:Members of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre Category:Catholics from Massachusetts Category:21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States Category:Deaths from vascular dementia