 He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Sale at All Hallows College on 22 June 1958, by Archbishop James Skinner CIM of St John's, Newfoundland, Canada and arrived in Sale three months later; he served in the parishes of Bairnsdale, Sale, Traralgon, Omeo, Iona and Yallourn prior to being appointed the first parish priest of Churchill.In 1987, Coffey was appointed Rector of Corpus Christi Seminary, Clayton.On 8 April 1989, Pope John Paul II appointed Coffey as the seventh Bishop of Sale.