[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 189 (Tuesday, December 6, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S6971]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                      Welcoming the Guest Chaplain

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, we have so many things going on in 
Washington these days, with just about everything from budgetary 
matters to wrapping up this session of the Congress.
  I was delighted today to take a step back and, in my role as 
President pro tempore, introduce today's visiting Chaplain. I am always 
pleased to introduce the Chaplain, usually Dr. Barry Black, sometimes 
visiting ones, but this one is special.
  He is the bishop of Burlington, which, really, the diocese covers all 
the State of Vermont. His name is Christopher Coyne. He knows our part 
of New England. He was born in Woburn, MA, and graduated from the 
University of Massachusetts with a B.A. in business, St. John's 
Seminary in Boston as a Master of Divinity, ordained a priest in June 
1989, but then has fulfilled significant roles, both in the diocese 
where he originated and with the Vatican in Rome. And I will talk more 
about that at another time.
  But he was elected chairman of the Committee of Communications of the 
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. And when the bishops met, the 
voice you often heard was Bishop Coyne because of his credibility, his 
honesty, and the fact that he would give very direct answers.
  And then Pope Francis named him bishop of the Diocese of Burlington, 
and he was installed in that January 29, 2015, and brought a new, 
really, wave of enthusiasm into the Catholic diocese in Vermont. He 
made it a point to go around the State meeting with people.
  I would tell a personal story. I was at an event in Burlington on 
Veterans Day. I was going to be speaking there. And a jogger came up 
and tapped me on the shoulder. It was the bishop. He was out doing his 
morning run and walk. But it is something that is interrupted all the 
time because he will stop and talk with everybody, and they want to 
talk with him.
  He is the kind of bishop every diocese should have: approachable, 
honest, good for the community. He has reached out to the Jewish 
community, the Protestant community. It has brought enthusiasm on both 
sides.
  I see our distinguished majority leader on the floor who has been 
working hard the last few days on too many things, but I know he will 
get us through it, and I will do my part on the appropriations.
  Mr. Leader, I just wanted to say a word about our distinguished 
visiting Chaplain Bishop Coyne, taking advantage of the privileges of 
the floor, sitting over there, and I will yield the floor and yield to 
you.