Dear Parishioners and Friends,
As we welcome Archbishop Christopher J. Coyne to the Archdiocese of Hartford on Monday, October 9, I would like to share with you some information about him.
Born on June 17, 1958, in Woburn, Massachusetts, he attended public schools in Woburn, graduating from Woburn Memorial High School in 1976. In 1980, he received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from University of Massachusetts in Lowell. For two years after graduation, he worked as a bartender, and in 1986, he graduated with a Master of Divinity degree from St. John’s Seminary in Boston. According to his biography, Archbishop Coyne is a lifelong Patriots, Celtics and Bruins fan, a (Maine) beach bum and an avid skier and golfer.
On June 7, 1986, Archbishop Coyne was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Boston. In 1992, he earned his Licentiate in Sacred Theology and in 1994 his Doctor of Sacred Liturgy degree from the Pontifical Liturgical Institute in Rome. He was Professor of Sacred Liturgy and Homiletics at St. John’s Seminary, Brighton from 1994 to 2003, and adjunct professor from 2003 to 2006. He also served in several parishes in the Boston area as a parochial vicar or pastor.
In 2002, he became secretary for communications and archdiocesan spokesman in the middle of the sex abuse scandal in the archdiocese. Although he has been criticized in the media because of this, by all accounts he handled the difficult and painful situation with sensitivity and great empathy for the victims.
In March, 2011 he was ordained an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, Indiana and served there until he became Bishop of Burlington, Vermont in January, 2015. On June 26, 2023, Pope Francis named him Coadjutor Archbishop of Hartford. As such, he will serve alongside Archbishop Blair until the latter reaches the age of 75 next April. At that time, Archbishop Coyne will automatically become Archbishop of Hartford.
Everyone is welcome to attend the Mass of Welcome on Monday, October 9 at 2:00 PM at St. Joseph Cathedral on Farmington Avenue. Parking will be available in the Aetna Parking Garage on Sigourney Street. A public reception will be held after the Mass in the Aetna Auditorium across the street from the cathedral. I hope St. Patrick-St. Anthony parish will be well represented!
I’d like to thank everyone who was involved in last weekend’s events, including the Blessing of Animals and the celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the Clare Gallery on Saturday, as well as the Parish Picnic on Sunday on a beautiful sunny day (except for all the bees who crashed the party!). All of the events were wonderful opportunities for us to get together and enjoy one another’s company as well as some delicious food and drink!
Please don’t forget to send in your photos for our Parish Christmas Tree in the church. I am looking forward to filling the tree with all your lovely, smiling faces! Email a digital file to tshreenan@gmail. com or bring a photo to the parish office where it will be scanned. Please include the names of the individuals in the photo.
Blessings on your week ahead!
Fr. Tim Shreenan, O.F.M.Pastor
