Archbishop Richard G. Henning announced March 13 that he has appointed Father Christopher K. O'Connor as rector of the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. Father O'Connor succeeds Msgr. Kevin O'Leary, who has served 18 years as rector and will be granted senior priest status. Father O'Connor will assume pastoral leadership of the cathedral in late June 2026.

"I am grateful to Father Chris that he has accepted this new assignment with great optimism and a vibrant commitment to serving the Cathedral community," said the archbishop. ''This May, Father Chris will celebrate his 28th anniversary as a priest. He will bring with him to the cathedral extensive pastoral parish experience and a desire to serve the people of God regardless of their station in life. I look forward to supporting his efforts during this time of increased participation by Catholics across the archdiocese."

Father O'Connor said, "I am honored by the appointment of Archbishop Henning to serve at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. It is my hope and prayer to simply continue the excellent pastoral care that Msgr. O'Leary provided to parishioners and visitors alike. I pray that the cathedral continues to shine as a beacon of hope and light for all who wish to encounter Christ."

In thanking Msgr. O'Leary for his many years of pastoral service to the cathedral community, Archbishop Henning said, "For these past 18 years, Msgr. O'Leary has overseen its hugely successful restoration. This will preserve its presence as both the mother church of the archdiocese but also as a permanent home in the South End of Boston. Under his leadership, the cathedral has become a beacon of hope in the community providing a pastoral home to Catholics and a place that serves the neediest and people from every walk of life."

The archbishop also noted that "in assuming senior priest status, Msgr. O'Leary will continue to offer priestly ministry with generosity and faithfulness."

Father O'Connor was ordained to the priesthood in May of 1998. His parish assignments have included St. Mary Parish in Chelmsford and St. John the Evangelist Parish and Holy Rosary Parish in Winthrop, which were later merged to become St. Michael the Archangel Parish. Since 2020, he has also served as chaplain for Logan Airport's Chapel of Our Lady of the Airways.

He has served as an adjunct professor at St. John's Seminary Theological Institute, Pope St. John XXIII Seminary, and the Archdiocese of Boston and Providence's Formation Program for the Diaconate. He previously served as vice rector of St. John's Seminary. Father O'Connor is a weekly chaplain to Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity in Dorchester, and a monthly visitor to both the Women's Correctional Institute in Framingham and the Men's Correctional Institute at Norfolk.