Former parishioners say Bishop Coyne will excel in his new episcopal ministry

Bishop-designate Christopher J. Coyne smiles at family members and friends from the Archdiocese of Boston as he processes up the aisle on March 2 at St. John the Evangelist Church in Indianapolis for his episcopal ordination Mass. Walking behind Bishop Coyne is Cyrus Sethna of St. Margaret Mary Parish in Westwood, Mass., who—along with his twin brother, Reggie—assisted as an altar server during the liturgy. (Photo by Mary Ann Wyand)

By Mike Krokos

You could hear the emotion in Mary Jo Hood’s voice as she struggled to share what Bishop Christopher J. Coyne meant to her and other members of St. Margaret Mary Parish in Westwood, Mass.

“I am just going to miss him terribly. He has been a wonderful friend to all of us at St. Margaret Mary Parish,” said Hood, who has been a member of the suburban Boston parish for 45 years.

“He has a way of including everyone, and making each one of us feel so welcome and important,” added Hood, who was among the group of several dozen people from the Archdiocese of Boston that traveled to Indiana to witness Bishop Coyne’s ordination as an auxiliary bishop on March 2 at St. John the Evangelist Church in Indianapolis.

“He’s a beautiful man, a beautiful priest.”

Hood was not alone in those sentiments.

Karlene Duffy, the parish’s director of religious education and youth ministry, said that Bishop Coyne arrived at their parish in 2006, “and lifted our parish out of a lot of hurt.”

As their pastor, then-Father Coyne connected with elementary, middle school and high school-age youths at the parish, Duffy said.

“He allowed them to do what they do—to be themselves, but to know that he was there,” she said. “He taught [too]. Not a lot of priests come over to teach CCD and fill in for absent teachers. He really related [to them].”

Margaret Rustrian, who serves as an extraordinary minister of holy Communion and lector at St. Margaret Mary Parish, said Bishop Coyne mobilized people like her to get more involved in lay ministries.

“I had never been a eucharistic minister before, and he inspired me to get involved more deeply in my faith and faith life,” she said.

Ken Foscaldo, a member of St. Margaret Mary Parish for 42 years, said that he felt his former pastor was destined to be ordained a bishop.

“I think he has a lot of gifts. I was just moved by the liturgy and the response,” he said of the March 2 Mass. “When you’re used to being in your home parish—as good as it is—you’re not used to hearing a resounding response. I have grandchildren, and I would love them to have that experience [and] understand what faith is and what believing is. And you got that sense by this liturgy today.”

Like several other former parishioners, Foscaldo fought back tears as he reflected on Bishop Coyne’s ordination.

“He’s going to do great things,” he said.

“I hope he can do for this archdiocese what he’s done for our parish,” Foscaldo continued. “He’s a very focused, logical person. He’s very sensitive to people. People will be first in his priority.”

Mary Sethna’s two teenage sons, Reggie and Cyrus, assisted at the ordination Mass at the request of Bishop Coyne.

“I had tears in my eyes because it was just a very moving experience to have them help him,” she said.

Sethna, too, said Bishop Coyne will excel in his new ministry as a bishop.

“His own words at the end—to live in service and to be a model of the priesthood—was what it was all about. That’s who Father [Coyne] is at his very best. He’s an example of the living sacrament … to everyone he knows.”

(Reporter Sean Gallagher contributed to this story.) †