Archbishop Coyne farewell events
A Solemn Mass of Farewell was celebrated Sept. 24 as Archbishop Christopher Coyne said farewell at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Burlington.
Before Mass, the Congolese, Vietnamese, and Shemeza choirs performed, and at the end of Mass George Commo gave a farewell speech on behalf of the cathedral parish, offering thanks to Archbishop Coyne, who was the 10th bishop of the Diocese of Burlington and will leave in October to serve as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Hartford, Connecticut.
In Archbishop Coyne’s homily, he reflected on his eight years leading the Diocese of Burlington, including priests and deacons he ordained, visiting parishes and schools throughout the state, convening a synod and creating new evangelization efforts, and the creation of the Vermont Catholic Community Foundation. Archbishop Coyne’s full homily can be watched here:
After the Mass, a reception took place at the DoubleTree Hilton in South Burlington. More than 200 people from throughout the Diocese came to wish Archbishop Coyne farewell. Hearty hors d’oeuvres were served and farewell remarks were given by Msgr. John McDermott and Archbishop Coyne. The Rice Memorial High School Choir directed by Kevin Ginter performed.