In the wake of the resignation of the two most recent pastors of Our Lady Help of Christians parish in Newton, Mass., (Frs. Walter Cuenin and Chris Coyne) it seems that divisions are being exposed in the congregation. The reporter doesn’t come right out and say it, but based on email I’ve received from people there it breaks down along the lines of those who were in the parish before Cuenin and those who came after he showed up.
Speaking in generalities here, the pre-Cuenin types think the Cuenin crowd worked to “run out” Coyne and even some of those who didn’t think Cuenin should have left, think Coyne was treated badly.
“Father Walter [Cuenin] was really mistreated,” said parishioner Roberta Whalen. “But I don’t think he was mistreated half as badly as Father Chris was.”
“Most people agree that Father Cuenin didn’t get a fair shake, but two wrongs don’t make a right,” said parishioner Lisa DeFelice.
Of course, the Cuenin crowd begs to differ.
Coyne was a slap in the face
