The Bishop Who Knows His Way Around New Media

That would be Bishop Christopher Coyne, lately of Indianapolis, and now the Bishop-Designate of Burlington, Vermont.

His move has inspired him to update and upgrade his website, “Let us Walk Together” (aka www.bishopcoyne.org), and it’s all-around, pretty great, with a blog, his podcasts his social media activities, which are always full of great spiritual prompts or good humor, and sometimes simply present the bishop talking to us as he’s driving, in a very casual and informal way.

He is a very accessible bishop, one who really connects with people, and he managed to win the affection of the people of Indiana while also committing himself to addressing the hard topics — initiating the conversations that need to begin, in the Catholic church, if we are meant to save souls within the world as it is, rather than waiting for it to become what we’d prefer.

I thought his leave-taking from Indianapolis was beautifully done:

I had no idea what a pork cutlet sandwich was, that fried chicken was considered “health food” in these parts, that dinner with at least four starches was a necessary part of life, or what a fried biscuit with apple butter was. I had no idea how good fresh-picked Indiana corn was or how delicious Hoosier sugar cream pie is and that green beans cooked with bacon were mighty tasty. But I do now. […]
I had no idea how healthy and faith-filled the Catholic community of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis is, how many good works of faith and charity you do everyday, how you not only speak the Catholic faith but live it, and how much hope there is for the future of this Catholic community. But I do now. I do now because of all of you. Thank you.

…I am grateful for all of you – for all that you have done for me, all that you have meant to me, and all that I know you will continue to be for me. While the greatest of final glories is that of the promise of salvation in Jesus Christ, a quote from the poet William Butler Yeats captures for me the earthly joy of knowing you in his words, “Think where man’s glory most begins and ends, and say my glory was I had such friends.”

Coyne is very much an Evangelizer, and his site includes Catholic resources, of course.

I follow Bishop Coyne on Facebook, and also on Twitter. My day is always better for it.