Pope Leo names Boston bishop to lead Albany diocese

Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation of Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger, 77, from the pastoral governance of the Diocese of Albany and has appointed Bishop Mark O’Connell as his successor.

The Holy See Bulletin announcement, issued on 20 October 2025, confirms the transition of leadership in the New York state diocese.

Bishop O’Connell, 61, currently serves as an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Boston and has held the posts of vicar general and moderator of the curia since December 2022. A canon lawyer by training, he was ordained in 1990, holds a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, and has long served in the judicial and administrative structures of the Church in Boston.

Born in Toronto to American parents and returning to the United States at age twelve, he studied English and philosophy at Boston College before entering the priesthood. Upon his return from Rome in 2002, he joined the canonical affairs staff of the Boston archdiocese and from 2007 to 2018 served as judicial vicar.

His appointment marks a new chapter for the roughly 300,000 Catholics of the Albany diocese, an area under pressure from “a financial and maintenance crisis” which earlier this year prompted Bishop Scharfenberger to announce a planning initiative that could lead to the closure of up to one-third of its 126 parishes.

Bishop Scharfenberger has led the diocese since 2014, and his departure comes at a moment of considerable challenge for the local Church. His successor steps into this context with a background steeped in canonical affairs, seminary teaching and even radio ministry. From 2011 to 2014 O’Connell co-hosted a daily Catholic radio programme in Boston.

The Diocese of Albany dates back to 1847 and has navigated over the decades the complex task of maintaining its network of parishes in both urban and rural contexts. The current crisis of closures and consolidation echoes past periods of restructuring within the American Catholic Church as demographics shift and resources are stretched.

The appointment of a bishop versed in canon law may signal a move towards stronger structural oversight and perhaps a renewed focus on governance.

For the Albany faithful, the formal installation of Bishop O’Connell, scheduled for 5 December, will begin a period of transition in leadership.

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