Henry Joseph Mansell | |
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| Archbishop Emeritus of Hartford | |
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| Archdiocese | Hartford |
| Appointed | October 20, 2003 |
| Installed | December 18, 2003 |
| Retired | October 29, 2013 |
| Predecessor | Daniel Anthony Cronin |
| Successor | Leonard Paul Blair |
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| Orders | |
| Ordination | December 19, 1962 by Martin John O'Connor |
| Consecration | January 6, 1993 by Pope John Paul II,Giovanni Battista Re, andJustin Francis Rigali |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Henry Joseph Mansell (1937-10-10)October 10, 1937 (age 88) |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Residence | Connecticut |
| Parents | Henry; Bridget |
| Alma mater | St. Joseph's Seminary,Pontifical Gregorian University |
| Motto | Blessed be God |
| Styles of Henry Joseph Mansell | |
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| Reference style | |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Archbishop |
Henry Joseph Mansell (born October 10, 1937) is anAmericanprelate of theCatholic Church. He served as archbishop of theArchdiocese of Hartford in Connecticut from 2004 to 2013.
Mansell previously served as bishop of theDiocese of Buffalo in New York State from 1995 to 2003 and as an auxiliary bishop of theArchdiocese of New York in New York City from 1992 to 1995.
Henry Mansell was born on October 10, 1937, in theBronx section of New York City to Henry and Bridget (née Finn) Mansell.[1] He wasbaptized atSt. Augustine's Church in the Bronx three weeks later. He has a sister, Ann.[2] Mansell attendedCathedral College in Manhattan from 1951 to 1955. He then enteredSt. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers, New York, earning abachelor's degree in 1959.
Mansell wasordained to the priesthood in Rome at theBasilica of Sacro Cuore di Cristo Re for the Archdiocese of New York by ArchbishopMartin O'Connor on December 19, 1962.[3][4] He earned aLicentiate of Sacred Theology from thePontifical Gregorian University in Rome in 1963, and didpostgraduate work at theCatholic University of America in Washington, D.C. until 1965.[3]
After his return from Washington, the archdiocese assigned Mansell to pastoral positions in atparishes inHarrison, New York and the Bronx, then at Saints John and Paul Parish inLarchmont, New York.[3] He was appointed director of the Office of Parish Councils on June 9, 1972, and vice chancellor of the archdiocese on July 1, 1985. On March 17, 1986, Mansell was raised by the Vatican to the rank ofhonorary prelate.[3] He later became director of priest personnel and chancellor (1988) of the archdiocese.[3]
On November 24, 1992, Mansell was appointed as anauxiliary bishop of New York andtitular bishop ofMarazanae byPope John Paul II. He received hisepiscopal consecration on January 6, 1993,[5] from the pope inSt. Peter's Square in Rome, with ArchbishopsGiovanni Re andJustin Rigali serving asco-consecrators. He selected as his episcopalmotto, "Blessed be God" (Psalms 68:36).
John Paul II appointed Mansell as the twelfth bishop of Buffalo on April 18, 1995.[5] He wasinstalled on June 12, 1995, atSt. Joseph's Cathedral in Buffalo.[1]
During his tenure, Mansell visited every parish in the diocese, most of them multiple times. He also promotedCatholic education, andhealth care andsocial service institutes within the diocese. Mansell established the Catholic Health, combining the Catholic hospitals, nursing homes, and other health care facilities in the diocese under one administration.[6] In 1996, Mansell instituted the diocese'svicariate structure, and in 1997 he led the diocese in celebrating its 150th anniversary.[7] He instituted a televised "Daily Mass" celebrated from a chapel atSt. Joseph Cathedral.[8]
Mansell receivedhonorary doctorates fromNiagara University in Lewiston, New York, in May 1996, fromSt. Bonaventure University in Saint Bonaventure, New York, in August 1996, and fromCanisius College in Buffalo in May 1997. In September 2003, New York GovernorGeorge Pataki named Mansell to the State Commission on Education Reform.[8]
In Mansell's farewell letter to the diocese in 2003, he said that, "Buffalo is a very strong diocese," and that its parishes, schools, and social service agencies "guarantee strength...for years to come." In 2006,Buffalo Business First reported that Mansell's successor, BishopEdward Kmiec, said that some statistics were too optimistic, and that the diocese would have to close some parishes and schools to address declining attendance and enrollment, as well as a $3 million diocesan debt.[9]
John Paul II appointed Mansell as the fourth archbishop of Hartford on October 20, 2003. He was installed on December 18, 2003.[1] On June 29, 2004, Mansell received thepallium from John Paul II in Rome.
In 2005, the archdiocese paid $22 million to settle sexual abuse claims brought by 43 people against 14 priests, the majority of cases occurring in the 1960s and 1970s.[10] Mansell was quoted in aNew York Times article stating: "[It is] part of a healing process for the persons whose lives have been severely harmed by the evil of sexual abuse and for the Church itself."[10]Mansell is a proponent of theTraditional Latin Mass.[11]
Having reached the mandatory retirement age of 75, Mansell submitted his letter of resignation as archbishop of Hartford toPope Francis. Mansell was succeeded by Bishop Leonard P. Blair in December 2013.[12]
| Catholic Church titles | ||
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| Preceded by | Archbishop of Hartford 2003–2013 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Bishop of Buffalo 1995–2003 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by – | Auxiliary Bishop of New York 1992–1995 | Succeeded by – |
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