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	Priest Abuse Survivors Group Pans Pope Naming Ex-Aide to Cardinal Law an Indy Auxiliary Bishop The Republic January 14, 2011 http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/2220e896c5b2438e93d650a40ef7cd25/IN-REL--Indianapolis_Archdiocese/ INDIANAPOLIS — Pope Benedict XVI named a former aide to disgraced Cardinal Bernard Law of the Archdiocese of Boston as auxiliary bishop of Indianapolis on Friday, making him the heir apparent to the ailing, aging archbishop of Indiana's largest Roman Catholic diocese. The director of a group representing people who had suffered sexual abuse by priests immediately labeled the appointment of Rev. Christopher Coyne "irresponsible and callous." The 52-year-old Coyne was Law's spokesman in 2002, when the sexual abuse scandal erupted in the Boston diocese. Law resigned months after a judge unsealed court records in January 2002 that showed he had allowed priests with confirmed histories of molesting children to continue working in parishes. Coyne will be the first auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis in nearly 77 years and the presumed successor to Archbishop Daniel Buechlein, a native of Jasper who will turn 73 in April and has battled cancer of the lymph system. Church rules require bishops to submit their resignations to the pope when they turn 75, although they often serve beyond that age. Coyne has served as a priest in the Archdiocese of Boston for nearly 25 years, Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston said in a statement Friday. He currently is pastor of a parish in Westwood, Mass. "Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein is indeed blessed to receive one of Boston's finest priests," O'Malley said. However, as Law's primary spokesman at the height of the clergy sex abuse scandal, Coyne became a symbol of the crisis that rocked the Roman Catholic church. David Clohessy, executive director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, condemned Coyne's impending elevation to bishop. "It's irresponsible and callous for the Pope to promote one of disgraced Cardinal Bernard Law's top aides to be a bishop. It's thumbing your nose at the hundreds of men, women, and children who were sexually assaulted by Catholic clergy in Boston and Indianapolis," Clohessy said. Coyne, appearing at a news conference with Buechlein, said the challenges he faced as spokesman for the Archdiocese of Boston taught him the "need to listen to what is being said with an open heart and an open mind." Buechlein acknowledged his "health issues in recent years" had "curtailed some of my activities." "I'm looking forward to the energy he will bring to helping us carry out our mission," Buechlein said. Coyne is due to be ordained bishop March 2 in Indianapolis. He will be the first auxiliary bishop of the 226,000-member Archdiocese of Indianapolis since Joseph Ritter, a future cardinal from New Albany was installed as auxiliary bishop in 1933. Ritter became bishop of Indianapolis on March 24, 1934, and was named archbishop 10 years later. The appointment is the latest in a series of moves at the top of Indiana's five Roman Catholic dioceses. Evansville diocese Bishop Gerald Gettelfinger offered his resignation to the pope after he turned 75 on Oct. 20. Fort Wayne Bishop Kevin Rhoades was installed a year ago, and Bishop Timothy Doherty took over the Lafayette Diocese last summer. Gary Bishop Dale Melczek recently turned 72.
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