Pope Names Two New Auxiliary Bishops of Boston

WASHINGTON—Pope Francis has named two priests of the Archdiocese of Boston as auxiliary bishops to the archdiocese. The bishops-elect are Father Mark O'Connell, 54, judicial vicar of the metropolitan tribunal, and Father Robert P. Reed, 56, secretary for Catholic media and president of Catholic TV Network.

The appointment was publicized in Washington, June 3, by Msgr. Walter Erbì, chargé d' affaires of the nunciature of the United States.

Father Mark O'Connell has served as vice chancellor and judicial vicar of the Metropolitan Tribunal of the Archdiocese of Boston since 2007. He was born June 25, 1964, in Scarborough, Canada. He holds bachelor of arts degrees in philosophy and English from Boston College, Massachusetts (1986); a master of divinity degree from St. John's Seminary (1990); a licentiate and doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, Rome. He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Boston on June 16, 1990.

Other assignments after ordination included parochial vicar of St. Barbara Parish, Woburn (1990-1995) and St. Mary of the Annunciation Parish, Danvers (1995-1997); campus minister at Salem State College, Salem (1995-1997); assistant to the moderator of the curia (2001-2007); Office of Adjutant Judicial Vicar (2002-2007). Father O'Connell has also served as an adjunct faculty member, St. John Seminary, Brighton (2006-present).

Father Robert P. Reed has served as archdiocesan secretary for Catholic Media since 2015, and as president of Catholic TV Network since 2005. He was born June 11, 1959, in Boston. He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Boston on July 6, 1985. He holds a bachelor of arts degree from St. John's Seminary (1981); a bachelor of Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome (1984); a master of theology from the Angelicum University in Rome (1985); and a master's degree in broadcast administration from Boston University (2012).

Other assignments after ordination included parochial vicar of Immaculate Conception Parish, Malden (1985-1990), St. Catherine of Sienna Parish, Norwood (1990-1994), and All Saints Parish, Haverhill (1998-1999); director of Archdiocese of Boston Radio Apostolate (1993-1998); pastor of St. Matthew Parish, Dorchester (1994-1997) and Holy Ghost Parish, Whitman (1999-2005); interim president and CEO of iCatholic Media. He also served on the Clergy Personnel Board of the archdiocese (1992-1997).

The Archdiocese of Boston comprises 2,465 square miles in the state of Massachusetts.  It has a total population of 4,147,275 people of which 1,949,219, or 47 percent, are Catholic. The archbishop of Boston since 2003 is Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley, OFM Cap. The archdiocese has four other active auxiliary bishops and three retired ones.
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