Bishop Christopher Coyne is leading a synod within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington. For more than a year, he's met with clergy, church officials and lay men and women to discuss low church membership and attracting young people and families to the church.
But the past year has seen other issues arise that continue to shake the Catholic Church and Vermont's Burlington diocese specifically.
The reemergence of stories of abuse and neglect at St. Joseph's Orphanage a generation ago have prompted the church to take action, cooperating with state-led investigations and releasing survivors from non-disclosure agreements they may have previously signed with the church.
And despite the Vatican delaying efforts this month by U.S. bishops to confront sexual abuse within the church, Bishop Coyne reaffirmed his commitment to transparency and accountability on such issues within the Vermont church.
Bishop Coyne joins Vermont Edition to share the progress of the first synod in the diocese in more than 50 years, how he and the church are responding to new revelations from St. Joseph’s Orphanage and other questions facing the Catholic Church in Vermont and across the country.
Broadcast live on Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018 at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.
