The Rev. Dr. J. Bryan Hehir, the first Catholic leader of the Harvard Divinity School (HDS), announced June 13 that he will leave his position at Harvard in December.

He has been tapped to serve as president and C.E.O. of Catholic Charities USA, the largest private network of social service organizations in the United States.

“This is a time in the history of our nation and of our world when institutions that study religion—and, of course, religious institutions—can play a vital role in serving the human family,” Hehir said in a press release.

Hehir was traveling this week and unavailable for comment.

Catholic Charities chose Hehir in part because of his academic focus on international affairs and conflict resolution.

Hehir was chosen after a year-long search by Catholic Charities. Larry Blankenship, president of the board of directors of Catholic Charities USA said he could not remember whether Hehir approached the committee or whether he was suggested to them.

“He is recognized nationally as someone who has lived his life and has been committed to those who are less fortunate,” Blankenship said. “He is extremely intelligent, a good leader and a good advocate for those in need.”

A search committee chose Hehir out of a pool of more than eighty applicants.

Outoging University President Neil L. Rudenstine said that working at Catholic Charities USA would allow Hehir to use “all his many gifts,...in order to serve literally millions of people who live in poverty and need across the United States.”

According to Professor David Little of the Divinity School, Hehir’s departure is a “terrific blow” to the Christianity and Culture department at HDS, and especially to the study of international conflict at the Divinity School, with which Little is also involved.

According to Little, “that’s not the only thing that he’s done, integrating the divinity school into public life. But that’s one thing he’s done very effectively.”

In December 1998, Hehir was appointed interim leader of HDS, officially accepting the position after a short search.

He accepted on the condition that he not break his pastoral commitments as a Catholic priest and that he continue his volunteer work at Catholic Relief Services.

However, because of his commitments to the Catholic Diocese, Hehir could not accept the title of “Dean,” instead he chose the title “Chair of the Executive Committee of the Faculty of Divinity.” Nonetheless, HDS staff and faculty called him “Dean” as a cordial nickname.

He inherited the school’s leadership during an especially tumultuous time for the school, after then-Dean Ronald F. Thiemann was removed from his post because of pornography found on his office computer.

—Staff Writer Joshua J Forman can be reached at jforman@fas.harvard.edu