Richard Henning

Richard Henning was born on October 17, 1964, to Richard and Maureen Henning in Rockville Centre, New York, growing up at Holy Name of Mary parish and grade school.[1] His father was a firefighter and his mother a nurse, and Henning credits their examples of service with inspiring his own vocation.[2] He graduated from Chaminade High School in Mineola, New York in 1982.[3] In 1986 and 1988, he earned bachelors and masters degrees in history from St. John's University in New York City before entering seminary for the Diocese of Rockville Center and being sent to the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Lloyd Harbor, New York, for priestly formation.[4][5] On May 30, 1992, Henning was ordained to the priesthood.

As a priest of Rockville Center, Henning served as a professor of sacred scripture and formator at Seminary of the Immaculate Conception and as episcopal vicar for the diocese. In 2000, he earned his licentiate degree in biblical theology from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and in 2007 a doctorate degree in biblical theology from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome.[5]

Coat of Arms as Auxiliary Bishop of Rockville Centre and Coadjutor Bishop of Providence

Pope Francis appointed Henning as auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of Rockville Centre on June 8, 2018.[4][6] Henning was consecrated as a bishop by Bishop John Barres on July 24, 2018.

On November 23, 2022, Francis appointed Henning as coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of Providence. He was installed on January 26, 2023.[7][8] In accordance with this, Henning possessed the right to succeed Bishop Thomas Tobin as Bishop of Providence when Tobin retired.

He became bishop of Providence on May 1, 2023, when Pope Francis accepted the resignation of his predecessor Thomas J. Tobin.[9]

Henning is fluent in Spanish and Italian and literate in French, Greek, and Hebrew.[1]