December 22, 2014 was a special day for Bishop Christopher J. Coyne. Pope Francis has chosen Coyne, the Bishop of Indianapolis, to be the new bishop of Burlington, Vermont. The Vatican made the formal announcement last Monday.
The Burlington Dioceses have approximately 117,000 Catholics, almost 20 percent of the population.
Bishop Coyne expressed his happiness over the Pope's appointment as well as his commitment to do a good job spreading the Good News.
The Bishop said in a speech to the people of Burlington, "I come to you ready to commit myself completely to the work of announcing the good news of Jesus Christ: He who is 'the way, the truth, and the life.'"
He proceeded to express his gratitude to the clergy and laity of Indianapolis.
Bishop Coyne had good words to say about the archdiocese, calling it "a vibrant and growing family, a place where people truly live their faith and are fiercely proud to bear the name Catholic."
The Bishop pointed out that the state of the parishes is of utmost importance. He said he plans to focus on improving parish life in Indianapolis.
"A healthy parish is a busy place: busy about social outreach, busy about worship, busy about education, but most especially, busy about announcing Jesus and His work – the 'Good News' that heals our brokenness."
Bishop Coyne was born in Woburn, Massachusetts. He has a bachelor's degree from UMass Lowell as well as a master's of divinity from St. John's Seminary in Brighton. The Bishop completed a doctorate in liturgy from the Pontifical Liturgical Institute in Rome.
Bishop Coyne's installation is scheduled for January next year.