Michael Levenson
10/10/2005

NEWTON - Parishioners linked hands outside Our Lady Help of Christians Church yesterday and demanded the return of their ousted pastor, the Rev. Walter H. Cuenin, moments after their new pastor criticized the way the removal was handled and pledged to find out how and why it happened.

"Reinstate Walter! Exonerate Walter!" parishioners chanted outside the church on Washington Street, after they had packed inside to hear the Rev. Christopher J. Coyne, a former spokesman for the archdiocese, celebrate Mass and deliver his first homily as the parish's new priest.

"My only agenda, my only plan, is to serve this faith community and, in time, to belong here," Coyne told parishioners during his homily.

But many parishioners, still fuming over Cuenin's removal, said that would not be easy for Coyne.

"We want to collaborate with anybody that will work with us to keep our parish strong, but we have to move forward on a basis of justice," said parishioner Margaret Roylance after chanting for Cuenin's return. "We welcome [Coyne] as a priest, although the process by which he was sent to us and the process by which Father Cuenin was removed was unacceptable and unjust and we can't move forward on that basis."

The archdiocese says Cuenin was asked to resign last month, after 12 years as Our Lady's pastor, for accepting a $500 monthly stipend for the performance of baptisms, weddings, and funerals, and for driving a leased Honda Accord he had shared with visiting priests. Both benefits violate archdiocesan policy, church officials said.

But many parishioners at the church believe Cuenin was removed for his embrace of divorced Catholics and gays and lesbians, his emphasis on finding prominent roles for women, his critique of the church hierarchy's handling of sexual abuse, and his activism in calling for the resignation of Cardinal Bernard F. Law.

"Many want further explanation of what has happened and why," said Coyne, who was Law's spokesman, during the homily. "I promise to work with the parish pastoral council, the parish, and you to try and get an accurate explanation, as much as can be possible."

Coyne sparked loud and sustained applause and some parishioners rose in their pews when he said of Cuenin's removal, "Much was handled poorly." After parishioners quieted down, Coyne said, "I hear you loud and clear."

Before Mass, Coyne, tall and affable and dressed in green vestments, stood in the church's foyer and greeted parishioners. Many politely shook his hand and said hello. A few gave him hugs.

One man held Coyne's hand in his and told him the archdiocese was tearing apart the church's fabric. Coyne told the man he would listen and learn and gain his trust through his actions.

"My interest is this community," Coyne said. "I am a man of my word."

Our Lady's Friends, a nonprofit group that was started after Cuenin's removal, organized the protest. About 200 parishioners held hands and formed a circle around the church. Members said they planned to meet Wednesday to weigh their next move, though they said they would repeat the demonstration after every Sunday Mass and until the archdiocese reinstates Cuenin.

"We want him reinstated, because the way he was removed was dishonest and they besmirched his name," parishioner Joan Scully Metz said after Mass. "And we don't intend to stop until that happens."

Many parishioners, even those who said they were very angry with the archdiocese, said they harbored no ill will toward Coyne.

"It's not really about Father Coyne," said parishioner Brendan Hannigan. "It's about Father Cuenin.

"You can't just have a grave injustice and think everybody's going to forget about it. You just can't leave a friend away and just forget him. It's just not fair," he said. "So I don't think anything Father Coyne can do will alleviate what people here feel, which is that this was an injustice that was handled poorly."