The
controversial spokesman for the Boston archdiocese during the sex-abuse
scandal has been promoted to auxiliary bishop in Indianapolis, the
Catholic Church announced yesterday.
The Rev. Christopher J. Coyne, 52, was spokesman from 2002-2005,
during the height of the scandal and during hotly debated church
closings.
In 2005, he replaced a popular Newton priest at Our Lady of Help of
Christians, serving only six months before the uproar over his
appointment among parishioners caused him to seek reassignment.
Since 2006, he has served as pastor of St. Margaret Mary in Westwood.
At a press conference yesterday in Indianapolis, Coyne said the
controversies taught him the “need to listen to what is being said with
an open heart and an open mind.”
“I need to learn how to be a bishop, a good bishop for the faithful
and the clergy of this great archdiocese,” he said. “I pledge myself
today to the service of God’s people here in (the archdiocese) and I
hope over time to become a true son of Indiana.”
Cardinal Bernard F. Law resigned in 2002 after court papers revealed
his role in covering up the widespread sex abuse within the Boston
archdiocese.
Abuse survivors groups said the pope’s appointment sent the wrong message to priests about how to handle sex-abuse cases.
“There are literally tens of thousands of priests in America who . . .
could have gotten this promotion. Almost never in this institution are
those who ignored or concealed child sex crimes punished in any way,”
said David Clohessy, executive director of the Survivors Network of
Those Abused by Priests.
“When people say, ‘Why is this stuff still going on? Why have things
not changed?’ That’s the simple answer — because there are no
consequences for ignoring or concealing sex crimes.”
Archdiocese of Indianapolis spokesman Greg Otolski said that response didn’t “make any sense.”
“He was asked to take on the role of spokesman and from what I’ve
seen, he did it with a lot of grace and without spinning anything,”
Otolski said. “I just don’t think that carries any water.”
Coyne is the first auxiliary bishop to be appointed to the Indianapolis archdiocese since 1933.
A spokesman for Indianapolis Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein said the
archbishop met Coyne for the first time Thursday and that the Boston
priest would be helping with the day-to-day management of the
archdiocese.
In the last three years, the 72-year-old Buechlein has
suffered a string of health problems, including a diagnosis of Hodgkin’s
Lymphoma.
Retired Marian University professor Jim Divita said Coyne’s
connection to the sex- abuse scandal was not yet a focus in
Indianapolis, but some were still questioning the appointment.
“I think the reaction here is more along the lines of why our present
vicar general (Msgr. Joseph F. Schaedel) was not made auxiliary
bishop,” retired Marian University professor Jim Divita said.
“The vicar
general has done all of the things that your man from Boston will be
doing and he has 16 years of doing it.”
Coyne will be installed in a ceremony March 2.
Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley praised the appointment in a statement,
saying Buechlein was “blessed” to have Coyne as his aide.
Through a
spokesman, he declined to comment further.
SIC: BH/USA