Monsignor John McDermott has been appointed by Pope Francis to become the 11th Bishop of Burlington, replacing former Bishop Christopher Coyne, who was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Hartford, Connecticut, last October, together with Archbishop Leonard Blair.
On May 1, Pope Francis accepted Blair’s resignation from the Office of Archbishop of Hartford, according to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, leaving Coyne as his successor as archbishop of Hartford.
McDermott, who has deep roots in Vermont, was elected diocesan administrator of the Diocese of Burlington in October 2023, before being named the next bishop. McDermott’s ordination and installation as bishop will take place at 1 p.m. on Monday, July 15, at St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Burlington.
McDermott has held many posts in Catholic Church in Vermont
Originally ordained into the priesthood on June 3, 1989, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Burlington, McDermott began his ministry as parochial vicar at St. Augustine Parish in Montpelier. The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception closed in December 2018 and is slated for demolition.
McDermott also served as parochial vicar at St. Mark Parish in Burlington, when he was also chaplain at Rice Memorial Catholic High School. His next assignment was as administrator and then pastor of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Middlebury, and St. Bernadette Parish, in Bridport. He was Catholic Chaplain to Middlebury College from 1996 to 2001.
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Serving in many more posts, including as pastor of parishes in Underhill and Cambridge, McDermott was named Chancellor of the Diocese in 2005 and then as Moderator of the Curia from 2006-2009, assisting Bishop Coyne in running the diocese, while continuing as Chancellor.
In addition to his diocesan duties, McDermott served as pastor of Christ the King-St. Anthony Parish in Burlington from 2015 to 2021, and since 2021 has also served as the director of The Catholic Center at the University of Vermont.
Contact Dan D’Ambrosio at 660-1841 or ddambrosi@gannett.com. Follow him on X @DanDambrosioVT.
