On June 1st, former St. John the Baptist Pastor, Fr. James Coyne (Fr. Jim) celebrated the 50th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. Fr. Jim is loved by so many people that the church had to open overflow parking to accommodate everyone who came to honor him and his vocation.
Greeting friends before Mass
The celebration of the Mass. The church was full!
After Mass, the lively reception included musicians who wanted to share their gift of music with Fr. Jim and all gathered.
The Knights of Columbus cooked and served hundreds of hamburgers and hot dogs. Dozens of volunteers contributed salads, desserts, and their time to help make the day run smoothly.
Fr. Jim spent the afternoon surrounded by friends and family, all taking turns to offer their good wishes and gifts in honor of the occasion.
While he served many people and parishes during these past 50 years of priesthood, St. John the Baptist will always be ready to welcome Fr. Jim home in this community.
Thanks, and photographer credit goes to Malcolm Chang, who provided all the photos of the day!