Alfred Clifton Hughes

This article is about the Roman Catholic prelate. For other people, see Alfred Hughes (disambiguation).

His Excellency, The Most Reverend Alfred Clifton Hughes
Archbishop Emeritus of New Orleans
Archbishop Hughes greets parishioners at St. Louis Cathedral after the first services in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina.
Archdiocese	New Orleans
Appointed	February 16, 2001
Installed	January 3, 2002
Retired	June 12, 2009
Predecessor	Francis Bible Schulte
Successor	Gregory Michael Aymond
Previous posts	Bishop of Baton Rouge (1993–2002) Auxiliary Bishop of Boston and Titular Bishop of Maximiana in Byzacena (1981–1993)
Orders
Ordination	December 15, 1957 by  Martin John O’Connor
Consecration	September 14, 1981 by  Humberto Sousa Medeiros, Thomas Vose Daily, and John Michael D'Arcy
Personal details
Born	(1932-12-02) December 2, 1932 (age 92) West Roxbury, Massachusetts, US
Education	St. John's Seminary College Pontifical Gregorian University
Motto	For you, God’s own love

Styles of Alfred Clifton Hughes
Reference style	His Excellency The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Archbishop

Ordination history of Alfred Clifton Hughes
History Episcopal consecration Consecrated by Humberto Sousa Medeiros Date September 4, 1981
Episcopal succession Bishops consecrated by Alfred Clifton Hughes as principal consecrator Roger Morin February 11, 2003 Ronald Paul Herzog November 4, 2004 Shelton Joseph Fabre December 13, 2006 Glen John Provost April 23, 2007 Michael Duca May 19, 2008

Alfred Clifton Hughes, KCHS (born December 2, 1932) is a retired American prelate of the Catholic Church who served as archbishop of New Orleans in Louisiana from 2002 to 2009.

Hughes previously served as bishop of Baton Rouge in Louisiana from 1993 to 2002 and as an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Boston in Massachusetts from 1981 to 1993

Biography

Early life

Alfred Hughes was born on December 2, 1932, in West Roxbury, Massachusetts, as the third of the four children of Alfred and Ellen (née Hennessey) Hughes; he has two older sisters, Dorothy Callahan and Marie Morgan, and a younger brother, a Jesuit priest named Kenneth. Deciding to become a priest, Alfred Hughes entered St. John's Seminary College in Boston, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy in 1954. He then furthered his studies in Rome at the Pontifical Gregorian University. ^{[1] [2]}

Priesthood

Hughes was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Martin John O’Connor for the Archdiocese of Boston in Rome on December 15, 1957. ^[3] After her ordination, the archdiocese assigned Hughes to pastoral work in parishes before sending him back to the Gregorian in 1959. He obtained a obtain a doctorate in spiritual theology in 1961. Upon his return to the United States, he became a professor, as well as spiritual director and lecturer, at St. John's Seminary in 1962. ^{[1] [2]}

Auxiliary Bishop of Boston

On July 21, 1981, Hughes was appointed auxiliary bishop of Boston and titular bishop of Maximiana in Byzacena by Pope John Paul II. He received his episcopal consecration on September 14, 1981, from Cardinal Humberto Medeiros, with Bishops Thomas Daily and John D'Arcy serving as co-consecrators. ^[3] Hughes served as rector of St. John's Seminary from 1981 to 1986. Cardinal Bernard Francis Law named Hughes as his vicar general and vicar of administration in 1990. ^{[1] [2]}

Bishop of Baton Rouge

Hughes was named bishop of Baton Rouge by John Paul II on September 7, 1993; he was installed on November 7, 1993. ^{[1] [2]}

Archbishop Alfred Hughes (far right) with (right to left) New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, President George W. Bush, and Louisiana Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu (2007)

Coadjutor Archbishop and Archbishop of New Orleans

On February 16, 2001, Hughes was appointed by John Paul II as coadjutor archbishop of New Orleans, serving under Archbishop Francis Schulte. He visited 90 of the archdiocese’s 142 parishes when he arrived there to become more familiar with the people. ^[2]

Hughes automatically succeeded Schulte as archbishop of New Orleans upon the latter’s retirement on January 3, 2002. ^[2] His tenure was marked by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. In response to people questioning God during the hurricane’s aftermath, Hughes also said,

“People can either turn inward on themselves and lose hope, or they turn upward to God and outward to other people. Our faith teaches us to do the latter, to really believe that God is present and is asking us to be partners with him in the recovery and restoration”. ^[4]

Hughes implemented a controversial post-Katrina church consolidation program that reduced the number of parishes in the diocese form 142 to 108. The hurrican drove away nearly a quarter of its former membership and left it with nearly $300 million in physical damage. ^[5]

Questions were raised concerning Hughes's handling of sexual abuse cases by the clergy, in both Boston and New Orleans. For this, he apologized and said, “Our action or inaction failed to protect the innocents among us, the children. I ask for forgiveness." ^[6]

Hughes placed an emphasis on evangelization as a major theme of his tenure. He also sat on serveral committees of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, including the one overseeing the oversees the use of the catechism.

In April 2009, Hughes a group of American bishops criticizing the University of Notre Dame's decision to award US President Barack Obama an honorary doctorate at graduation exercises that Spring. ^[7] The reasons Include Obama's support for abortion rights for women and other issues viewed as incompatible with Catholic teachings.

That same month, Hughes refused to attend commencement exercises at Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans because Xavier was awarding an honorary degree to author Donna Brazile, a supporter of abortion rights. ^[8]

Resignation and legacy

On June 12, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI accepted Hughes' resignation as archbishop of New Orleans. He was succeeded by Gregory Aymond. Hughes continued to serve as apostolic administrator until August 20, 2009. ^[9]

See also

• Catholic Church hierarchy
• Catholic Church in the United States
• Historical list of the Catholic bishops of the United States
• List of Catholic bishops of the United States
• Lists of patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops

References

1. "Our Bishops". Roman Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
2. "Bishops of Archdiocese | St Louis Cathedral". www.stlouiscathedral.org. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
3. "Archbishop Alfred Clifton Hughes [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
4. USA Today. A Katrina survivor stands fast in her faith 2006
5. Bruce, Nolan (2009-06-13). "New archbishop vows to 'reconcile' with those hurt by parish closures, but says he won't 'second guess' Hughes". Times-Picayune. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
6. "Catholic Bishops and Sex Abuse". www.bishop-accountability.org. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
7. Nolan, Bruce (2009-04-03). "N.O. Archbishop criticizes Notre Dame for inviting Obama to speak at commencement". Times-Picayune. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
8. "Hughes snubs Xavier graduation ceremony - NOLA.com". 2009-09-09. Archived from the original on 2009-09-09. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
9. "Archbishop Alfred Clifton Hughes [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2023-11-08.

External links

• Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans Official Site

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Francis B. Schulte	Grand Prior Southeastern Lieutenancy of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre 2002–2009	Succeeded by Gregory Aymond
Preceded by Francis B. Schulte	Archbishop of New Orleans 2002–2009	Succeeded by Gregory Aymond
Preceded by Stanley Joseph Ott	Bishop of Baton Rouge 1993–2001	Succeeded by Robert William Muench
Preceded by -	Auxiliary Bishop of Boston 1981–1993	Succeeded by -