Where can Bishop Malone get a degree in compassion and understanding?
Third Sunday of Advent
Unlike Bishop Richard J. Malone, Jesus didn't have a B.A. in Philosophy, a Bachelors degree in Divinity, a Masters degree and Doctorate in Theology or a Licentiate in Sacred Theology (S.T.L.) see below.
Instead, Jesus devoted his ministry to feeding the poor, giving drink to the thirsty, welcoming the stranger, caring for the sick and visiting the imprisoned.
Jesus stood in communion with the voiceless and the vulnerable among us. Jesus engaged the pain and suffering of the poor, those who have been rejected and disenfranchised.
Millions of Catholics have added additional insult to victims of priest abuse by their failure to stand up and demand redress for the sexual molestation of their children and the cover up of these crimes by bishops, priests and church officials.
Jesus entered this world in a most radical way. He came to us, not as the heir to a wealthy and powerful fortune, but as the son of a poor, gossiped about and often ridiculed unwed mother. As a child, Jesus was tormented by the other kids in town because his parentage was in doubt. He was forced to play by himself, wandering the foothills, speaking only to the much older shepherds who were tending their flocks.
From a very young age, Jesus knew what it was like to be lonely, despised and unwanted. His sad and unfortunate childhood experience became the foundation for his ministry.
The Compassion of Christ was born.
Once again, as yet another Christmas approaches, Bishop Richard Malone continues to refuse to sit in the same room with Marie Tupper, whose only child was sexually abused by her family's parish priest. Marie wants to work with the bishop to help protect children and reach out to those in her Boothbay Harbor community who were sexually abused.
We should all listen carefully to Bishop Malone's Christmas homily, just as Marie Tupper will.
She'll be sitting in the first pew.
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Bishop Richard Malone, Th.D.
Bishop Richard Joseph Malone is the 11th Bishop of Portland. He was installed as Bishop of Portland on March 31, 2004 after serving as auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Boston, South Region.
Bishop Richard Joseph Malone was born in Salem, MA on March 19th, 1946 and was raised in Hamilton and Beverly, MA. He graduated in 1964 from St. John’s Prep, Danvers and began his seminary college years at Cardinal O’Connell Seminary in Jamaica Plain. He graduated from St. John Seminary, Boston with a B.A. in Philosophy, a Bachelors degree in Divinity and a Masters degree in Theology. In 1981, Bishop Malone earned a Doctorate in Theology (Th.D.) at Boston University and a Licentiate in Sacred Theology (S.T.L.) at Weston Jesuit School of Theology, Cambridge in 1990.
Bishop Malone was ordained a priest at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross on May 20th, 1972 by then-Archbishop Humberto Medeiros and was assigned to St. Patrick Parish, Stoneham as Associate Pastor. In 1974, he was named to the faculty of St. Clement High School, Somerville; two years later he joined the faculty and served as chaplain at Xaverian High School, Westwood. He was appointed to the faculty of his alma mater, St. John Seminary College in 1979 where he taught religious and theological studies. He also served as registrar and academic dean during his tenure. During those same years, he was a part-time chaplain at Wellesley (Wellesley, MA) and Regis (Weston, MA) Colleges and taught at Emmanuel College, Boston. In 1990, the Bishop was assigned to the Harvard-Radcliffe Catholic Student Center as chaplain at St. Paul Parish. He accepted the position of Director of the Office of Religious Education for the Archdiocese in 1993; two years later he was named Secretary for Education, the cabinet position which oversees all the educational activities of the Archdiocese. In March of 2000, he was ordained Titular Bishop of Aptuca and appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Boston, South Region.
The 11th Bishop of Portland has produced and hosted television programs for Boston Catholic Television; has been the archdiocesan liaison with the local Jewish community; and has lectured nationally on Catholic education.
Bishop Malone has one sister, Harriet Malone, who teaches art at St. John’s Prep., Danvers, MA.
