Michael Richard Cote

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For the American businessman with a similar name, see Michael R. Cote.
His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Michael Richard Côté
Bishop of Norwich
ChurchRoman Catholic
ArchdioceseHartford
DioceseNorwich
AppointedMarch 11, 2003
InstalledMay 11, 2003
PredecessorDaniel Anthony Hart
Orders
OrdinationJune 25, 1975
by Pope Paul VI
ConsecrationJuly 27, 1995
by Joseph John Gerry, Robert Edward Mulvee, and Raymond Leo Burke
Personal details
Born (1949-06-19) June 19, 1949 (age 72)
Sanford, Maine
Previous post(s)Auxiliary Bishop of Portland
Titular Bishop of Cebarades
MottoABOVE ALL CHARITY
Styles of
Michael Richard Côté
Coat of arms of Michael Richard Cote.svg
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleBishop

Michael Richard Côté (born June 19, 1949) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, serving as the Bishop of the Diocese of Norwich in Connecticut and parts of New York since 2003. He previously served as auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Portland in Maine from 1995 to 2003

Biography[]

Early life[]

Michael Cote was born in Sanford, Maine. He first attended Our Lady of Lourdes Seminary in Cassadaga, New York, then went to Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts. Cote later graduated from St. Mary's Seminary College in Baltimore, Maryland with a Bachelor of Philosophy degree. Cote then went to Rome study at the Pontifical Gregorian University, receiving a Master of Theology degree in 1975.[1]

Priesthood[]

Cote was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Portland by Pope Paul VI on June 25, 1975, in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.[1] After returning to Maine, he served the next three years as parochial vicar at two parishes; Saints Athanasius and John in Rumford, Maine and Holy Rosary in Caribou, Maine. Cote entered the Catholic University of America School of Canon Law in Washington, D.C. in 1979, receiving his Licentiate of Canon Law in 1981.[1]

Following his return from Catholic University in 1981, Cote was appointed adjutant judicial vicar of the Diocesan Tribunal in Portland. From 1984-1987 he served as a member of the Diocesan Pastoral Council.[1] In 1989, Cote returned to Washington to serve as secretary of the Nunciature of the Holy See. After five years with the Nunciature, Cote was appointed pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Auburn, Maine. In 1994, he became a member and then the chairman of the Council of Priests for the diocese. That same year, Cote was named to the College of Consultors.[1]

Auxiliary Bishop of Portland[]

On May 9, 1995, Cote was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Portland and Titular Bishop of Cebarades by Pope John Paul II. He received his episcopal consecration on July 27, 1995 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland from Bishop Joseph Gerry, with Bishop Robert Mulvee and Cardinal Raymond Burke serving as co-consecrators.[1] As an auxiliary bishop, Cote's primary ministry was to the parishes in Northern Maine.

Bishop of Norwich[]

John Paul II appointed Cote as the fifth Bishop of Norwich on March 11, 2003. He was installed on May 14, 2003.

In 2004, Cote became embroiled in a dispute with Justinian B. Rweyemamu, the parochial vicar at St. Bernard Parish in Rockville, Connecticut. Rweyemamu claimed that Cote had denied him a promotion because he is black. Because Rweyemamu filed a complaint with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Cote allegedly removed him from his parish and his chaplain job in retaliation. In response, Cote said he removed Rweyemamu due to his refusal to answers any questions about Bugurka Orphans and Community Economic Development, his private charity in Tanzania, and the content of some of his homilies. In Spring 2005, Cote unsuccessfully sued to evict Rweyemamu from a church rectory. In August 2005, Cote ordered him to move to a convent in Sprague, Connecticut and live in isolation.[2]

On April 3, 2010, Cote announced his opposition to a bill in the Connecticut General Assembly that would remove the statute of limitations for sexual abuse crimes. A letter signed by the state's Catholic bishops said that this bill would cause tremendous damage to Catholic institutions and missions.[3]

On December 14, 2010, Cote announced that the diocese charity, Haitian Ministries for the Diocese of Norwich, was being replaced by a new organization, Diocese of Norwich Outreach to Haiti, Inc. Cote mentioned that the diocese was slowly distributing $430,892 collected from parishioners in January that year to prevent waste and misappropriation.[4]

On February 10, 2019, Cote released a list of 43 clerics from the diocese with substantial allegations of abuse against them. Of the 43 clerics, 33 were deceased and the remainder were not performing ministry.[5] Cote announced on July 16, 2021 that the diocese was declaring Chapter 11 bankruptcy to facilitate settlement of sexual abuse lawsuits. Over 60 lawsuits were filed by former residents of Mount Saint John School in Deep River, Connecticut, a former church residential school for troubled boys.[6]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Most Rev. Michael R. Cote, D.D. | Diocese of Portland". portlanddiocese.org. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  2. ^ Breen, Tom. "Exile: Bishop orders Vernon priest to live in isolation at convent". Journal Inquirer. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  3. ^ CNA. "Connecticut bishops warn against statute of limitations bill". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  4. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-07-01. Retrieved 2010-12-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. ^ "Bishop lists names of 43 priests who faced abuse allegations". Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  6. ^ CNA. "Diocese files for bankruptcy amid abuse lawsuits". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved 2022-01-06.

External links[]

Episcopal succession[]

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Bishop of Norwich
2003–present 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by
–
 Auxiliary Bishop of Portland
1995–2003 		Succeeded by
–
Retrieved from ""