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Bishop Coyne’s Biography

Curriculum Vitae: Bishop Christopher James Coyne, 10th bishop of Burlington

Personal

Bishop Coyne is an uncle to 11 nieces and nephews. Through the gift of his extended family, he’s additionally blessed with the love and goodness of many aunts, uncles and cousins. 

A product of public education in his hometown, Bishop Coyne graduated from Woburn High School in 1976, while working through both high school and college as a dishwasher, sporting goods salesman, lifeguard and musician. After college he worked full time as a bartender for two years before entering the seminary.

Bishop Coyne is a lifelong Patriots, Celtics and Bruins fan, a (Maine) beach bum and an avid skier and golfer.

Ministry as Bishop

  • Titular bishop of Mopta and auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis (January 2011-December 2014)
  • Apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis (September 2011 – December 2012)
  • Vicar general of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis (March 2011 – December 2014)
  • Bishop for the southern region of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis (October 2014 – December 2014)

National Offices (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops)

  • Chairman of USCCB Communications (elected November 2014; term 2015-18)
  • Member of USCCB Evangelization and Catechesis Committee (2012-2017)
  • Member of USCCB Committee on Divine Worship (2017- )

Ministry as Priest

  • Ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Boston (June 1986)
  • Parochial vicar, St. Mary of the Hills, Milton, Massachusetts (1986-1989)
  • Professor of Sacred Liturgy and Homiletics, St. John’s Seminary, Brighton (1994-2003); adjunct faculty (2003-2006)
  • Director of the Office of Worship, Archdiocese of Boston (2000-2002)
  • Secretary for communications/principal spokesman, Archdiocese of Boston (2002-2005)
  • Pastor, Our Lady Help of Christians, Newton, Massachusetts (2005)
  • Pastor, St. Margaret Mary Parish, Westwood, Massachusetts (2006-2011)

Education

  • Attended Woburn public schools; graduated from Woburn High School, 1976
  • Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the University of Lowell (1980)
  • Master of Divinity, St. John’s Seminary, Boston (1986)
  • Licentiate (1992) and Doctorate (1994) in Sacred Liturgy; Pontifical Athenaeum of Sant’Anselmo, Rome

Awards

  • Nominated for a regional Emmy award (2002) for 13-part television series,“Sacred Space” (aired on CatholicTV)
  • Winner of both a judged Telly and People’s Telly Award for the internet series “Everything You Wanted to Know About Catholic Liturgy” (2014)
Follow Bishop Coyne on Facebook and Twitter @bishopcoyne.