Pope Benedict XVI today named one of Cardinal Seán O’Malley’s top aides as a new auxiliary bishop to the Boston archdiocese.
Monsignor Robert P. Deeley, who spent the past year serving as vicar
general and moderator of the Curia in Boston, has been assigned to the
Titular See of Kearney and will be ordained as auxiliary bishop in
January, according to a statement from the archdiocese.
He will continue to serve as vicar general and moderator of the Curia.
Deeley, 66, said he is humbled by his new position.
“I pray that God grants me wisdom to continue to do the work He has
blessed me with nearly forty years of being a priest,” he said in a
statement. “Throughout, I have been inspired by the love and support of
my family and the joy of bringing the sacraments to our people.”
Deeley chose “Veritatem Facere in Caritate” as his Episcopal motto,
which translates to “Living the Truth in Love,” the archdiocese said.
O’Malley said in a statement that Deeley “has contributed greatly to
the life of the Church, always focused on bringing people closer to
God.”
Deeley was born in Cambridge and grew up in Belmont. His late parents
were born in County Galway, Ireland. He attended Sacred Heart Parish in
Watertown with his four brothers and graduated from Matignon High
School in Cambridge in 1964, the archdiocese said.
Deeley’s younger brother, the Rev. Kevin J. Deeley, is pastor of St. Michael’s Parish in North Andover.
Deeley entered Cardinal O’Connell Minor Seminary in Jamaica Plain and
then studied philosophy at the Catholic University of America in
Washington, D.C. He graduated in 1968.
He studied at the Pontifical North American College in Rome and
earned a degree in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in
Rome in 1972, the archdiocese said.
He was ordained in 1973 at his home parish and served as pastor of St. Bartholomew’s Parish in Needham for five years.
Deeley became secretary to the Metropolitan Tribunal of Boston in
1978 and served with the office for more than 20 years. He was a priest
at Mary Immaculate of Lourdes in Newton Upper Falls and St. Brigid’s
Parish in Lexington, the archdiocese said.
Deeley became pastor of St. Ann’s Parish in Quincy in 1999 and president of the Canon Law Society of America in 2000.
In 2004 Deeley was assigned to the Congregation for the Doctrine of
the Faith, the Vatican department that oversees doctrine and handles
cases involving clergy abuse of minors, the archdiocese said.
“We are grateful to the Holy Father for naming Monsignor Robert
Deeley as an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Boston,” O’Malley
said. “Throughout his priesthood Bishop-elect Deeley has served with a
deep and abiding commitment to Christ and the Church.”
O’Malley will say Mass at 12:05 in Bethany Chapel in Braintree to
introduce the bishop-elect, the archdiocese said.
Other auxiliary
bishops of Boston, priests, deacons, lay people, and the pastoral center
staff will attend the celebration.