Michael Richard Cote

Michael Richard Côté (born June 19, 1949) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church serving as the fifth and current Bishop of Norwich.

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
Sanford, Maine
Previous postAuxiliary Bishop of Portland
Titular Bishop of Cebarades
MottoABOVE ALL CHARITY
Styles of
Michael Richard Côté
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleBishop

Biography

Early life and education

Michael Cote was born in Sanford, Maine, and attended Our Lady of Lourdes Seminary in Cassadaga, New York. He then studied at Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts, and St. Mary's Seminary College in Baltimore, Maryland, where he received a B.A. in Philosophy. He received an M.A. in Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome in 1975.

Ordination and ministry

Cote was ordained a priest by Pope Paul VI on June 25, 1975, in St. Peter's Basilica. Upon his return to the Diocese of Portland, he served as a parochial vicar at Sts. Athanasius and John Parish in Rumford and at Holy Rosary Parish in Caribou from 1975 to 1978. From 1979 to 1981, he studied at the Catholic University of America School of Canon Law in Washington, D.C., where he received a Licentiate of Canon Law.

Following his return from Catholic University in 1981, Cote was appointed adjutant judicial vicar of the Diocesan Tribunal. He served as secretary of the Nunciature of the Holy See in Washington, D.C., from 1989 to 1994, and pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Auburn from 1994 to 1995.

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 the following July 27 from Bishop Joseph Gerry, O.S.B., with Bishops Robert Mulvee and Raymond Burke serving as co-consecrators.

As an auxiliary bishop, his primary ministry was to the parishes in the northern part of Maine.

Bishop of Norwich

Cote was later named Bishop of Norwich, Connecticut, on March 11, 2003, being installed on the following May 14. As Bishop, he serves as the spiritual leader of 228,520 Catholics in Eastern Connecticut. A bill to abolish the statutes of limitations to help the victims of sexual abuse claim compensation (House Bill 5473) was opposed by the bishops of Connecticut, Bishop Henry J. Mansell, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford, Bishop William E. Lori, Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport, and Bishop Michael R. Cote, Roman Catholic Diocese of Norwich.[8][9] Addressing the priests, the public and the parishes' members,[10][11][12] they wrote:[13]

This bill would put all Church institutions, including your parish, at risk. (...)

Bishop Closes Haitian Ministries

As the Hartford Courant newspaper reported, the Bishop collected more than $300,000 on behalf of his charity, Haitian Ministries for the Diocese of Norwich. None of the money was received by the charity, and in December 2010 the Bishop closed down the charity, firing its executive director and creating a new charity on behalf of Haiti.[1]

See also

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-07-01. Retrieved 2010-12-19.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

Episcopal succession
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
Daniel Anthony Hart		 Bishop of Norwich
2003–present		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by
–		 Auxiliary Bishop of Portland
1995–2003		 Succeeded by
–
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