Pope Francis Names Auxiliary Bishop of the Military Services as Auxiliary Bishop of Rockville Centre

WASHINGTON—Pope Francishas transferred Auxiliary Bishop Robert J. Coyle of the Archdiocese for theMilitary Services to the office of auxiliary bishop for the Diocese ofRockville Centre.

The appointment waspublicized in Washington on February 20, 2018, by Archbishop Christophe Pierre,apostolic nuncio to the United States.

Bishop Coyle was born on September23, 1964 in Brooklyn, New York. He received a bachelor ofarts degree in economics from Fordham University in 1986, and he attended theSeminary of the Immaculate Conception in Huntington, New York, earning a masterof divinity degree and master of arts degree in theology in 1991.

He was ordained to thepriesthood for the Diocese of Rockville Centre on May 25, 1991, by Bishop JohnR. McGann at St. Agnes Cathedral.

Bishop Coyle wascommissioned an ensign in the U.S. Navy on June 3, 1988 and served 24.5 yearson Active and Reserve Duty before his retirement from the Naval Reserve onJanuary 1, 2013. As a Navy Reserve Chaplain, Fr. Coyle served as AssociatePastor at St. Dominic Church in Oyster Bay, NY (1991-1996) and St. Patrick'sChurch in Glen Cove, NY (1996-1999). He served as a Navy Reserve Chaplain from 1991-1999,and on Active Duty from 1999-2009. He was assigned to the 3rd Marine Divisionon Okinawa, Japan, from 1999-2000, during which time he was promoted toLieutenant. He deployed to the Middle East (2000-2001) and served in OperationSouthern Watch and Operation Iraqi Freedom (2002-2003). In 2005, he waspromoted to the rank of Commander, U.S. Navy. From 2007 to 2009, he served onthe USS Dwight D. EISENHOWER (CVN69) Aircraft Carrier and deployed to theMiddle East in 2009 for Operation Enduring Freedom. In 2008, he was named byPope Benedict XVI a Chaplain to His Holiness, a recognition that carried thehonorary title of Monsignor.

On February 11, 2013,Pope Benedict XVI named Msgr. Coyle auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese for theMilitary Services. His episcopal ordination took place in the Basilica of theNational Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, DC, on the Feast of Saint Mark,April 25, 2013.

The Diocese of RockvilleCentre, NY, comprises 1,198 square miles. It has a total population of 2,889,841people of which 1,524,639, or 53 percent, are Catholic. Bishop John O.Barres is currently the fifth bishop of Rockville Centre.

---
Keywords: U.S. Conference ofCatholic Bishops, USCCB, Pope Francis, Archbishop ChristophePierre, apostolic nuncio,AuxiliaryBishop Robert Coyle, Archdiocese for the Military Services, Diocese ofRockville Centre