Millsboro priest to celebrate 45th anniversary of ordination at May 16 mass

The Rev. Robert E. Coine, pastor of St. Michael the Archangel and Mary Mother of Peace Parish, will celebrate the 45th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood at the 11 a.m. mass, Sunday, May 16, at Mary Mother of Peace Church, 30839 Mount Joy Road, Millsboro. He was ordained May 15, 1976.

In April 2016, Coine was named pastor of St. Michael the Archangel and Mary Mother of Peace Parish by Bishop W. Francis Malooly. Prior to coming to St. Michael/Mary Mother of Peace, Coine served as pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Easton, Md., for 16 years until his retirement in 2014. He moved from Easton to Rehoboth, where he assisted local parishes with priestly duties until he was asked to return to active ministry as administrator of the Georgetown-Millsboro parish in 2015.

During his tenure at this parish, Coine has overseen the renovation of both churches, as well as repairs and upgrades to most of the facilities. He has made great progress in unifying the fast-growing, diverse populations of St. Michael the Archangel, having a largely Hispanic demographic, and Mary Mother of Peace, which consists primarily of English-speaking parishioners.

“Priest’s lives must be supported like anybody else’s, but who are those people for us? They are the parishioners. They are our family,” Coine said. “It’s not without its bumps and hurdles, but it has been a good journey.”