Richard Cornell first entered religious life as a member of the Christian Brothers, and he worked as a teacher and administrator for many years in the Catholic schools run by the Order. In 1999, he he was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Boston after completing his formation at Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary in Weston, MA. After working in other parishes, Father Cornell accepted his assignment as pastor of St. Cecilia's in 2007