He is a former pastor at Our Lady of Victory in Barnstable, near Boston, Massachusetts where many of the Kennedys worshipped and where Kennedy’s funeral mass was held.
He was placed on leave from “active priestly ministry” in 2019 after adult parishioners of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Seekonk complained he was communicating inappropriately.
The diocese statement said he had been deprived of ministry “because of conduct inconsistent with standards of ministerial behavior and in direct violation of the Code of Conduct for priests.”
Hession was closely identified with the Kennedy family. He stated in his homily in 2009 in words directed at the Kennedy family.