Sean Cardinal O'Malley
Encyclopedia
Seán Patrick O'Malley, OFM Cap
(born June 29, 1944), is an American
Cardinal
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He currently serves as the Archbishop of Boston
, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 2006. O'Malley is a member of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
, commonly known as the Capuchins.
, the son of Theodore and Mary Louise (née Reidy) O'Malley. O'Malley, his sister, and his older brother grew up in South Hills of Pittsburgh, and Reading, Pennsylvania. At age 12, he entered St. Fidelis Minor Seminary
in Herman, a boarding school
for students considering joining the Franciscan order
. While there, in addition to studying the normal high school subjects, he also studied Spanish
, Greek
, German
, and Hebrew
, and he was active in theater
.
On July 14, 1965, at the age of 21, O'Malley professed his vows in the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
and took the name Seán in honor of St. John the Apostle
. After he was ordained a deacon
, he spent a brief period in Easter Island
, Chile
. He was ordained
a priest
on August 29, 1970, at age 26, by Bishop John Bernard McDowell
, an auxiliary
of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh
.
After graduating from St. Fidelis, he attended Capuchin College in Washington, D.C.
and The Catholic University of America
, where he is now a member of the Board of Trustees
.
in religious education and a Ph.D.
in Spanish
and Portuguese literature
. He once said of his alma mater
, "I have a great affection for Catholic University. I studied there, received my doctorate there and even taught there for a couple of years. It’s always a joy to go back to see the progress that they have made." O'Malley served as a professor
at The Catholic University from 1969 to 1973.
In 1973, he was asked to minister to Latino
s living in the D.C. area
at the Centro Católico Hispano (Hispanic
Catholic Center). The Centro was founded in 1967 by the Archdiocese of Washington, and it was originally headed by the Spanish missionaries, Fr. Rutílio and Sister Ana María; it is an organization which provided educational, medical and legal help to immigrants. He opened a Spanish
bookstore and founded El Pregonero
, the first Spanish newspaper
in the D.C. area. In 1978, Cardinal William Wakefield Baum appointed him episcopal vicar
for the Portuguese
, Hispanic, and Haiti
an communities, and he became the executive director of the archdiocesan Office of Social Ministry. He was also named knight commander of the Order of Infante D. Henrique by Portugal
in 1974 for his service to its people.
of the Diocese of Saint Thomas
on May 30, 1984 by Pope John Paul II
. He received his episcopal consecration
on the following August 2 by Bishop Edward John Harper
, CSSR
, with Archbishop James Hickey
and Bishop Eugene Marino, SSJ
, serving as co-consecrators.
He served as coadjutor for one year and then succeeded Bishop Harper as Bishop of Saint Thomas on October 16, 1985, upon Harper's resignation. While in the Virgin Islands
, he worked with the homeless
, and opened a home for people with AIDS
. He was made an honorary chaplain
of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in 1991.
As a bishop in New England, O'Malley first attempted to settle the sexual abuse scandal in Fall River diocese
. In Palm Beach, he tried to overcome the abuse scandal there too. He also worked closely with the Portuguese and Hispanic population, which make up a large percentage of the Catholics in the United States.
In 1998 John Paul II appointed O'Malley to the Special Assembly for Oceania
of the Synod of Bishops
. In 2003, he became the archbishop of Boston, succeeding Cardinal Bernard Law, who had resigned as a consequence of the scandal there.
elevated O'Malley and 14 others to the rank of Cardinal-Priest
in the consistory
on March 24, 2006, as announced on the Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter
, February 22, 2006. O'Malley, who was assigned the titular church of Santa Maria della Vittoria
, was one of two Americans to be elevated on that day (the other was William Joseph Levada, who succeeded Pope Benedict as the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
in 2005). In the following May, O'Malley was named as a member of both the Congregation for the Clergy
and the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life
in the Roman Curia
. In late September 2009, he became a member of the Presidential Council of the Pontifical Council for the Family
, on the same day as an American couple and a professor of law at the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis were named as consultors.
On September 19, 2006, O'Malley became the first cardinal with a personal blog
, www.CardinalSeansBlog.org. As of Christmas
2006 he began offering a regular podcast
as well. He views the podcasts "as yet another tool [he] can use to reach the young people in our Church who more and more are turning to the Internet for their information."
O'Malley will be able to participate in any future papal conclave
s held as the result of a sede vacante beginning prior to his 80th birthday on June 29, 2024.
O'Malley, as of September 2011, is the only Capuchin member of the College of Cardinals.
has been persistently hostile to pro-life groups, adding that the support of many Catholics for Democratic candidates "borders on scandal." In spite of intense pressure not to speak publicly at Senator Ted Kennedy
's funeral, due to the latter's long-standing support for abortion rights, O'Malley agreed to assist at the funeral Mass and led a prayer, because, he said, "as Archbishop of Boston, I considered it appropriate to represent the Church at this liturgy out of respect for the Senator, his family, those who attended the Mass and all those who were praying for the Senator and his family at this difficult time." He appreciated the Senator's work for social justice, but saw in Kennedy's lack of support for the unborn "a tragic sense of lost opportunity". He reportedly refused to deny communion to pro-choice Catholic politicians living within his diocese.
At the time of his elevation into the College of Cardinals
, he joked that the scarlet robes that are customary for the "red hat" ceremony would be useful in the case he was invited to go quail hunting with Vice President Dick Cheney
.
, which had been under investigation by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
, O'Malley said that "the Church is grateful for all that your communities have done and continue to do to advance the mission of the Church, especially in the areas of health care, education, social services and pastoral ministry, as are highlighted in the exhibit".
claims and claims to have initiated a zero-tolerance policy against sexual abuse
. He also instituted one of the first comprehensive sexual abuse policies in the Roman Catholic Church.
on the abuses by the Church in Ireland, Cardinal O'Malley was named along with others to oversee the apostolic visitation of certain dioceses and semanaries in Ireland
. Cardinal O'Malley was named to as the Visitor to the diocese of Dublin
and its suffragan sees, Ferns
and Ossory
and Kildare and Leighlin
. He will report back to the Holy See on what steps have been taken since the reports where issued, and what else needs to happen.
Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an Order of friars in the Catholic Church, among the chief offshoots of the Franciscans. The worldwide head of the Order, called the Minister General, is currently Father Mauro Jöhri.-Origins :...
(born June 29, 1944), is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He currently serves as the Archbishop of Boston
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the New England region of the United States. It comprises several counties of the state of Massachusetts...
, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 2006. O'Malley is a member of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an Order of friars in the Catholic Church, among the chief offshoots of the Franciscans. The worldwide head of the Order, called the Minister General, is currently Father Mauro Jöhri.-Origins :...
, commonly known as the Capuchins.
Early life and ordination
Seán Patrick O'Malley was born as Patrick O'Malley in Lakewood, OhioLakewood, Ohio
Lakewood is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. It is part of the Greater Cleveland Metropolitan Area, and borders the city of Cleveland. The population was 52,131 at the 2010 making it the third largest city in Cuyahoga County, behind Cleveland and Parma .Lakewood, one of Cleveland's...
, the son of Theodore and Mary Louise (née Reidy) O'Malley. O'Malley, his sister, and his older brother grew up in South Hills of Pittsburgh, and Reading, Pennsylvania. At age 12, he entered St. Fidelis Minor Seminary
Minor seminary
A minor seminary is a secondary boarding school created for the specific purpose of enrolling teenage boys who have expressed interest in becoming priests. They are generally Roman Catholic institutions, and designed to prepare boys both academically and spiritually for vocations to the priesthood...
in Herman, a boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
for students considering joining the Franciscan order
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
. While there, in addition to studying the normal high school subjects, he also studied Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
, German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, and Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
, and he was active in theater
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
.
On July 14, 1965, at the age of 21, O'Malley professed his vows in the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an Order of friars in the Catholic Church, among the chief offshoots of the Franciscans. The worldwide head of the Order, called the Minister General, is currently Father Mauro Jöhri.-Origins :...
and took the name Seán in honor of St. John the Apostle
John the Apostle
John the Apostle, John the Apostle, John the Apostle, (Aramaic Yoħanna, (c. 6 - c. 100) was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He was the son of Zebedee and Salome, and brother of James, another of the Twelve Apostles...
. After he was ordained a deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
, he spent a brief period in Easter Island
Easter Island
Easter Island is a Polynesian island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian triangle. A special territory of Chile that was annexed in 1888, Easter Island is famous for its 887 extant monumental statues, called moai, created by the early Rapanui people...
, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
. He was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
a priest
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
on August 29, 1970, at age 26, by Bishop John Bernard McDowell
John Bernard McDowell
John Bernard McDowell was the Roman Catholic titular bishop of Tamazuca and the auxiliary bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania....
, an auxiliary
Auxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh
Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh is a Roman Catholic diocese. It was established in Western Pennsylvania on August 11, 1843. The diocese includes 211 parishes in the counties of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Greene, Lawrence, and Washington, an area of with a Catholic population of 719,801...
.
After graduating from St. Fidelis, he attended Capuchin College in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
, where he is now a member of the Board of Trustees
Board of Trustees of The Catholic University of America
As of May 2010, the Board of Trustees at The Catholic University of America was composed of:*Carl A. Anderson, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus*Richard D. Banziger, B.A. 1981, Managing Director, Salomon Smith Barney...
.
Professor and pastor
He graduated from CUA with a master's degreeMaster's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in religious education and a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in Spanish
Spanish literature
Spanish literature generally refers to literature written in the Spanish language within the territory that presently constitutes the state of Spain...
and Portuguese literature
Portuguese literature
This is a survey of Portuguese literature.The Portuguese language was developed gradually from the Vulgar language spoken in the countries which formed part of the Roman Empire and, both in morphology and syntax, it represents an organic transformation of Latin without the direct intervention of...
. He once said of his alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
, "I have a great affection for Catholic University. I studied there, received my doctorate there and even taught there for a couple of years. It’s always a joy to go back to see the progress that they have made." O'Malley served as a professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
at The Catholic University from 1969 to 1973.
In 1973, he was asked to minister to Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
s living in the D.C. area
Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area
The Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area is a combined statistical area consisting of the overlapping labor market region of the cities of Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C.. The region includes Central Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Jefferson County in the Eastern Panhandle of West...
at the Centro Católico Hispano (Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
Catholic Center). The Centro was founded in 1967 by the Archdiocese of Washington, and it was originally headed by the Spanish missionaries, Fr. Rutílio and Sister Ana María; it is an organization which provided educational, medical and legal help to immigrants. He opened a Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
bookstore and founded El Pregonero
El Pregonero
El Pregonero is a Catholic, Spanish-language weekly newspaper published by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington's Carroll Publishing Company....
, the first Spanish newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
in the D.C. area. In 1978, Cardinal William Wakefield Baum appointed him episcopal vicar
Vicar general
A vicar general is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ordinary executive power over the entire diocese and, thus, is the highest official in a diocese or other particular...
for the Portuguese
Luso American
The prefix Luso- indicates a relation to the Lusitania, Portugal or the Portuguese people, as in the terms Portuguese American, Luso- Brasileiros, Luso-Africans, Luso-Asian. It is often used alone, somewhat loosely, to refer to people of Portugal descent in United States, South America, Africa,...
, Hispanic, and Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
an communities, and he became the executive director of the archdiocesan Office of Social Ministry. He was also named knight commander of the Order of Infante D. Henrique by Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
in 1974 for his service to its people.
Bishop
O'Malley was appointed coadjutor bishopCoadjutor bishop
A coadjutor bishop is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese, almost as co-bishop of the diocese...
of the Diocese of Saint Thomas
Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Thomas
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Thomas is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the Caribbean. The diocese comprises the overseas dependency of the Virgin Islands specifically the islands Saint Thomas, Saint Croix and Saint John. The diocese is a suffragan of the...
on May 30, 1984 by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
. He received his episcopal consecration
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
on the following August 2 by Bishop Edward John Harper
Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Thomas
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Thomas is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the Caribbean. The diocese comprises the overseas dependency of the Virgin Islands specifically the islands Saint Thomas, Saint Croix and Saint John. The diocese is a suffragan of the...
, CSSR
Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer
The Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer is a Roman Catholic missionary Congregation founded by Saint Alphonsus Liguori at Scala, near Amalfi, Italy for the purpose of labouring among the neglected country people in the neighbourhood of Naples.Members of the Congregation, priests and brothers,...
, with Archbishop James Hickey
James Hickey
James Hickey may refer to:*James Hickey , colonel in the US Army who earned notoriety during Operation Red Dawn.*James Hickey , Irish Labour party politician, TD and senator...
and Bishop Eugene Marino, SSJ
Josephites
Josephites may refer to one of the following religious movements:* the Russian followers of Joseph Volotsky who advocated the church's ownership of land;* Josephites , a 20th-century movement in the Russian True Orthodox Church....
, serving as co-consecrators.
He served as coadjutor for one year and then succeeded Bishop Harper as Bishop of Saint Thomas on October 16, 1985, upon Harper's resignation. While in the Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands are the western island group of the Leeward Islands, which are the northern part of the Lesser Antilles, which form the border between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean...
, he worked with the homeless
Homelessness
Homelessness describes the condition of people without a regular dwelling. People who are homeless are unable or unwilling to acquire and maintain regular, safe, and adequate housing, or lack "fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence." The legal definition of "homeless" varies from country...
, and opened a home for people with AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. He was made an honorary chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in 1991.
As a bishop in New England, O'Malley first attempted to settle the sexual abuse scandal in Fall River diocese
Sexual abuse scandal in Fall River diocese
The sexual abuse scandal in Fall River diocese is a significant episode in the series of Catholic sex abuse cases in the United States and Ireland.-James Porter affair:...
. In Palm Beach, he tried to overcome the abuse scandal there too. He also worked closely with the Portuguese and Hispanic population, which make up a large percentage of the Catholics in the United States.
In 1998 John Paul II appointed O'Malley to the Special Assembly for Oceania
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
of the Synod of Bishops
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
. In 2003, he became the archbishop of Boston, succeeding Cardinal Bernard Law, who had resigned as a consequence of the scandal there.
Cardinal
Pope Benedict XVIPope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
elevated O'Malley and 14 others to the rank of Cardinal-Priest
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
in the consistory
Consistory
-Antiquity:Originally, the Latin word consistorium meant simply 'sitting together', just as the Greek synedrion ....
on March 24, 2006, as announced on the Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter
Chair of Saint Peter
The Chair of Saint Peter is a relic conserved in St. Peter's Basilica, enclosed in a gilt bronze casing that was designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and executed 1647-53....
, February 22, 2006. O'Malley, who was assigned the titular church of Santa Maria della Vittoria
Santa Maria della Vittoria
Santa Maria della Vittoria is a roman catholic titular church and minor basilica dedicated to the Virgin Mary located in Rome, Italy. The church is known for the masterpiece of Gian Lorenzo Bernini in the Cornaro Chapel, the Ecstasy of Saint Teresa....
, was one of two Americans to be elevated on that day (the other was William Joseph Levada, who succeeded Pope Benedict as the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , previously known as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition , and after 1904 called the Supreme...
in 2005). In the following May, O'Malley was named as a member of both the Congregation for the Clergy
Congregation for the Clergy
The Sacred Congregation for the Clergy is the congregation of the Roman Curia responsible for overseeing matters regarding priests and deacons not belonging to religious orders...
and the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life
Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life
The Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life is the congregation of the Roman Curia responsible for everything which concerns institutes of consecrated life and Society of Apostolic Life regarding their government, discipline, studies, goods, rights, and...
in the Roman Curia
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
. In late September 2009, he became a member of the Presidential Council of the Pontifical Council for the Family
Pontifical Council for the Family
The Pontifical Council for the Family is part of the Curia of the Roman Catholic Church. It was established by Pope John Paul II on 9 May 1981 with his motu proprio Familia a Deo Instituta, replacing the Committee for the Family that Pope Paul VI had established in 1973...
, on the same day as an American couple and a professor of law at the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis were named as consultors.
On September 19, 2006, O'Malley became the first cardinal with a personal blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
, www.CardinalSeansBlog.org. As of Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
2006 he began offering a regular podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
as well. He views the podcasts "as yet another tool [he] can use to reach the young people in our Church who more and more are turning to the Internet for their information."
O'Malley will be able to participate in any future papal conclave
Papal conclave
A papal conclave is a meeting of the College of Cardinals convened to elect a Bishop of Rome, who then becomes the Pope during a period of vacancy in the papal office. The Pope is considered by Roman Catholics to be the apostolic successor of Saint Peter and earthly head of the Roman Catholic Church...
s held as the result of a sede vacante beginning prior to his 80th birthday on June 29, 2024.
O'Malley, as of September 2011, is the only Capuchin member of the College of Cardinals.
Politics
Cardinal O'Malley has said that the Democratic PartyDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
has been persistently hostile to pro-life groups, adding that the support of many Catholics for Democratic candidates "borders on scandal." In spite of intense pressure not to speak publicly at Senator Ted Kennedy
Ted Kennedy
Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy was a United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. Serving almost 47 years, he was the second most senior member of the Senate when he died and is the fourth-longest-serving senator in United States history...
's funeral, due to the latter's long-standing support for abortion rights, O'Malley agreed to assist at the funeral Mass and led a prayer, because, he said, "as Archbishop of Boston, I considered it appropriate to represent the Church at this liturgy out of respect for the Senator, his family, those who attended the Mass and all those who were praying for the Senator and his family at this difficult time." He appreciated the Senator's work for social justice, but saw in Kennedy's lack of support for the unborn "a tragic sense of lost opportunity". He reportedly refused to deny communion to pro-choice Catholic politicians living within his diocese.
At the time of his elevation into the College of Cardinals
College of Cardinals
The College of Cardinals is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church.A function of the college is to advise the pope about church matters when he summons them to an ordinary consistory. It also convenes on the death or abdication of a pope as a papal conclave to elect a successor...
, he joked that the scarlet robes that are customary for the "red hat" ceremony would be useful in the case he was invited to go quail hunting with Vice President Dick Cheney
Dick Cheney hunting incident
The Dick Cheney hunting incident occurred on February 11, 2006, when then U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney shot Harry Whittington, a 78-year-old Texas attorney, while participating in a quail hunt on a ranch in Kenedy County, Texas...
.
Lifting of the SSPX excommunications
He has defended Pope Benedict XVI’s decision to lift the excommunication of the four bishops of the society of Saint Pius X.Leadership Conference of Women Religious
In a letter to the Leadership Conference of Women ReligiousLeadership Conference of Women Religious
The Leadership Conference of Women Religious is a canonically approved membership organization which exists as a support system and corporate voice for leaders of institutes, or congregations, of women religious in the United States.The conference has more than 1500 members, whose congregations...
, which had been under investigation by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , previously known as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition , and after 1904 called the Supreme...
, O'Malley said that "the Church is grateful for all that your communities have done and continue to do to advance the mission of the Church, especially in the areas of health care, education, social services and pastoral ministry, as are highlighted in the exhibit".
Sexual and other abuse politics
He has settled 101 abuseAbuse
Abuse is the improper usage or treatment for a bad purpose, often to unfairly or improperly gain benefit. Abuse can come in many forms, such as: physical or verbal maltreatment, injury, sexual assault, violation, rape, unjust practices; wrongful practice or custom; offense; crime, or otherwise...
claims and claims to have initiated a zero-tolerance policy against sexual abuse
Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser or molester...
. He also instituted one of the first comprehensive sexual abuse policies in the Roman Catholic Church.
Pro-Life Views and Policies - Caritas Christi Healthcare Controversy
In 2009, the Caritas Christi healthcare network was proposed to contract out certain healthcare provisions to other providers. Controversially some of these services would have included abortion and pregnancy termination services. The contract with Celticcare, set up by the Caritas board as an outside way to avoid Catholic prohibitions on material cooperation with abortion, was seen by some pro-life groups as a disingenuous way to perform abortions and procure more government funds. O'Malley took the proposed contract and sent it for review as to its theological implications to the National Catholic Bioethical Center, where O'Malley sits as a board member, presenting an apparent conflict of interest. Ultimately, under pressure, the diocese withdrew the Caritas contract with Celticcare and no longer pursued abortion referrals at Catholic healthcare facilities.Apostolic Visitor to Dublin
In June 2010, after the Ryan Report and Murphy ReportMurphy Report
The Murphy Report is the brief name of the report of an investigation conducted by government of Ireland into the Sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic archdiocese of Dublin...
on the abuses by the Church in Ireland, Cardinal O'Malley was named along with others to oversee the apostolic visitation of certain dioceses and semanaries in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Cardinal O'Malley was named to as the Visitor to the diocese of Dublin
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin
The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Dublin, , is a Roman Catholic archdiocese in eastern Ireland centred around the republic's capital city – Dublin. The see of Dublin was raised to the status of a Metropolitan Province by the Synod of Kells in 1152. Its jurisdiction includes much of the Province of...
and its suffragan sees, Ferns
Roman Catholic Diocese of Ferns
The Diocese of Ferns is a Roman Catholic diocese in south-eastern Ireland. It is one of six suffragan dioceses in the ecclesiastical province of Dublin and is subject to the Archdiocese of Dublin. The incumbent Ordinary is Denis Brennan....
and Ossory
Roman Catholic Diocese of Ossory
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Ossory is a Roman Catholic diocese in eastern Ireland. It is one of six suffragan dioceses in the ecclesiastical province of Dublin and is subject to the Archdiocese of Dublin...
and Kildare and Leighlin
Roman Catholic Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin is a Roman Catholic diocese in eastern Ireland. It is one of six suffragan dioceses in the ecclesiastical province of Dublin and is subject to the Archdiocese of Dublin...
. He will report back to the Holy See on what steps have been taken since the reports where issued, and what else needs to happen.