June 13, 2012 Due to the pastoral needs of the diocese, Bishop Terry R. LaValley has confirmed a number of clergy changes which will be taking place in the near future. • Msgr. Peter R. Riani will be retiring as pastor of St. Elizabeth’s Church in Elizabethtown and St. Philip Neri Church in Westport effective September 19, 2012. Msgr. Riani will be taking up residence at The Roman Catholic Community of St. Alexander and St. Joseph in Morrisonville. • Father Howard J. Venette, a former priest of the diocese, will be returning to Ogdensburg. Since June of 2004 Father Venette has been associated with the Society of St. Peter, a traditional Latin Rite Society in communion with Rome. Upon his return to the diocese, Father Venette will be named temporary administrator of St. Mary’s Church in Waddington and St. John the Baptist Church in Madrid effective July 4, 2012. • Father James W. Seymour, Vicar for Clergy and pastor of St. Raphael’s Church in Heuvelton and Ss Philip & James Church in Lisbon, will be named pastor of the Roman Catholic Community of Morristown, Hammond and Rossie effective June 27. 2012. Father Seymour will continue as Vicar for Clergy. • Father Kevin J. O’Brien, pastor of The Roman Catholic Community of Brownville and Dexter and St. Andrew’s Church in Sackets Harbor, and originally announced to be pastor of the Roman Catholic Community of Morristown Hammond and Rossie, instead will be named pastor of St. Raphael’s Church in Heuvelton and Ss Philip and James Church in Lisbon. Father O’Brien has also been appointed as Moderator of the Curia and Episcopal Vicar for Pastoral Services. Effective date for these changes is June 27, 2012. • Msgr. Harry K. Snow, Judicial Vicar of the Diocese and pastor of St. Andrew’s Church in Norwood, will be named pastor of St. Mary’s Church in Waddington and St. John the Baptist Church in Madrid effective September 19, 2012. Msgr. Snow will continue as Judicial Vicar. • Msgr. John R. Murphy, who is leaving his appointed position as Moderator of the Curia and Episcopal Vicar for Pastoral Services and is currently administrator of Church of the Visitation in Norfolk and St. Raymond’s Church in Raymondville, will be named pastor of Norfolk and Raymondville and also pastor of St. Andrew’s Church in Norwood effective September 19, 2012. • Father Francis J. Flynn, pastor of The Catholic Community of Constable, Westville and Trout River, will be named pastor of St. Elizabeth’s Church in Elizabethtown and St. Philip Neri Church in Westport effective September 19, 2012. • Father Philip T. Allen, administrator of St. Mary’s Church in Indian Lake and the mission of St. Paul’s Church in Blue Mountain Lake, has been named pastor of these churches effective immediately. Profiles of the priests follow: Msgr. Lawler He was first appointed vicar general in 1994 by Bishop Paul S. Loverde to succeed the late Msgr. David W. Stinebrickner when Msgr. Stinebrickner retired. He was reappointed vicar general when Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito became bishop and was then again reappointed by Bishop Robert J. Cunningham and Bishop Terry R. LaValley. The vicar general is charge of the diocese in the absence of the Bishop. On two separate occasions, when Bishop Loverde was named by the Pope to Arlington, VA. Diocese and Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito was named to the West Palm Beach Diocese, the Diocesan Board of Consultors appointed Msgr. Lawler as the administrator of the Ogdensburg Diocese until a new Bishop was named by the pope. He was named assistant secretary in 1956, director of the Watertown Catholic Charities office in 1957 and executive secretary in 1959. Msgr. Lawler continued to direct Catholic Charities until 1986 when he was named pastor in Brownville and Dexter. Msgr. Lawler also served as an assistant pastor at Holy Family in Watertown from 1957 to 1959. In 1989, he was appointed chairman of the Diocesan Planning Committee, and pastor in Canton in 1995. In 1967, he was named Chaplain of His Holiness with the title of Monsignor. He was also honored in 1986 with diocesan Caritas Award, given annually to an individual who exemplifies a spirit of love and charity. In 1977, Bishop Brzana recommend to Pope Paul VI that Msgr. Lawler be named a Prelate of Honor. Msgr. Lawler was named a Protonotary Apostolic June 17, 1995, by Pope John Paul 11 and received the special papal honor in October of 1995. This is the highest honor that can be given to a monsignor. Msgr. Riani A native of Keeseville, Msgr. Riani spent many years of his priesthood at Wadhams Hall Seminary College including 12 years as rector-president, from 1974 to 1982. He also served as a theology professor, dean of students, director of student activities, academic dean and vice-president of the diocesan seminary. Msgr. Riani was born in Keeseville Aug. 16, 1929, and studied at Wadhams Hall and St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore. He was ordained May 21, 1955, by Bishop Walter P. Kellenberg. He continued studies after ordination, receiving a doctorate in theology at the Pontifical Angelicum University in Rome, Italy in 1960. He also served the diocese as an associate editor of the North Country Catholic, an instructor in the permanent deacon program, a member of the Formation for Ministries board and as director of seminarians. Msgr. Snow He was born May 6, 1951 and studied for the priesthood at Wadhams hall and Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora. He was ordained to the priesthood April 30, 1977, by Bishop Stanislas J. Brzana. Msgr. Snow’s pastoral assignments include appointments as assistant pastor in Brasher Falls, Lowville and St. Mary’s Cathedral in Ogdensburg. In 1980, he was named secretary of the Diocesan Marriage Tribunal and Chaplain of Mater Dei College. He has also served as chaplain at the Ogdensburg Correctional Facility. In 1983, Msgr. Snow began graduate studies in canon law receiving a master’s degree from St. Paul’s University in Ottawa. In 1985, he was named Associate Judicial Vicar and Judicial Vicar in 1988. Msgr. Snow served as rector of St. Mary’s Cathedral from 1997 until he was name administrator of St. Andrew’s in Norwood in 2003. He became pastor in Norwood in 2004 while serving as dean of St. Lawrence Deanery from 2003 to 2006. Msgr. Snow also served as a pastor in Morristown and Brier Hill. He was named a Prelate of Honor with the title monsignor in 1995. Msgr. Murphy Father Murphy’s first assignment was as assistant pastor of St. John’s in Plattsburgh and head of the religion department at St. John’s Central School. In 1976, he was named assistant chancellor of the diocese and assistant pastor in Canton. He returned to Rome in 1978 and earned a degree in moral theology from Academia Alfonsiana. He later earned a master’s degree in church administration from Catholic University in Washington. Upon his return to the diocese in 1982, Father Murphy was named vice-chancellor and administrator in Morristown and Brier Hill. Later that year, he was named chancellor for the diocese and pastor of Morristown and Brier Hill. He served the diocese as chancellor from 1982 to March 1990. He was also pastor in Madrid from 1988 until his appointment as pastor of St. Mary’s in Potsdam from 1990 to 1994. In 1992, he was named a monsignor by Pope John Pope Paul II. He also served the diocese as dean of St. Lawrence Deanery. In 1994, Msgr Murphy was named Moderator of the Curia and Episcopal Vicar for Pastoral Services. He served as administrator in Canton for a short time in 2002 and was named pastor in Heuvelton and Lisbon in 2003 before becoming full-time Moderator of the Curia later that year. In 2011, he was named administrator of the Church of the Visitation in Norfolk and St. Raymond’s Church in Raymondville, where he will become pastor this month with additional responsibilities as pastor in Norwood in September. Father O’Brien Previously, Father O’Brien served as pastor of St. John’s in Plattsburgh from 1999 to 2003 and as pastor in Carthage, Natural Bridge and Deferiet from 1997 to 1991. He was born May 10, 1955 in Ogdensburg and grew up in Norwich, NY He studied for the priesthood at Wadhams Hall and the North American College at Rome and was ordained Sept. 5, 1981 by Bishop Stanislaus J. Brzana. Father O’Brien later earned a law degree from the University of Buffalo. His early pastoral assignments included appointments as parochial vicar at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Sacred Heart in Massena, St. Patrick’s in Watertown, in Alexandria Bay and Brownville and Dexter and St. Mary’s in Potsdam. Father Seymour A native of Ogdensburg, Father Seymour was born Oct. 19, 1953. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Plattsburgh State and worked as a teacher before beginning seminary studies. He completed a year of pre-theologate studies at Wadhams Hall before entering Christ the King Seminary where he earned a master’s in divinity degree. Father Seymour was ordained Oct. 10, 1987, by Bishop Stanislaus J. Brzana. His first assignment was as a parochial vicar at St. John’s in Plattsburgh. He later served as a parochial vicar at Holy Family in Watertown before spending eight years as a missionary in the Ogdensburg Peruvian Apostolate’s mission in Mollendo, Peru, beginning in 1990. There he served as pastor of St. Martin de Porras Church. Upon his return in 1998, he was named parochial vicar in Carthage, Deferiet and Natural Bridge. In 2000, Father Seymour spent a sabbatical year at St. Paul’s University in Ottawa while providing pastoral services as a parochial vicar at St. John’s in Plattsburgh during the summer. He also served as an administrator in Hogansburg and then in AuSable Forks and Black Brook before being named pastor in Champlain in 2001. Father Allen At the time of his retirement, he had been pastor in AuSable Forks and Black Brook from 2001 with additional responsibilities as pastor in Wilmington from 2006. Father Allen was born Nov. 4, 1933 in Peru and studied for the priesthood at Wadhams Hall and St. Bernard’s Seminary in Rochester before his ordination May 16, 1959, by Bishop James J. Navagh. He served as assistant pastor at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Ogdensburg, St. Bernard’s in Saranac Lake, St. Peter’s in Lowville and Holy Name in AuSable Forks. He was a temporary administrator in Chazy for three months in 1971 before being named pastor in Heuvelton. He was also pastor in Lake Placid, rector at St. Mary’s Cathedral, and pastor at Redford. Father Allen has served the diocese in the Marriage Tribunal as secretary, officials and presiding judge. He also directed the Pre-Cana program in the Ogdensburg area. Father Flynn A native of Massena, he was born Nov. 1, 1944. He studied for the priesthood at St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers and at the North American College at Rome. Father Flynn was ordained in December of 1969 at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. In 1970, he received an STL degree from the Gregorian University in Rome. Father Flynn left the diocese in 1984 to work with the Maryknoll order for two years. Upon his return, he was assigned to North Bangor where he served as pastor until 1995 when he was assigned as parochial vicar at St. Augustine's in Peru. For several months in 1996 he took part in a sabbatical program in Jerusalem. Upon his return in June 1996, he was named pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Campus Parish in Potsdam. In 1999, he was named pastor in Bloomingdale and Gabriels where he continued in campus ministry at Paul Smiths College and served as a part-time prison chaplain at Camp Gabriels until moving to Constable in 2002. Father Venette He began his studies for the priesthood at Wadhams Hall where he was active in music ministry as house organistand student music director. He continued his education at the North American College at Rome and was ordained July 21, 1984 by Bishop Brzana at St. Patrick’s in Chateaugay. Father Venette served as parochial vicar at Sacred Heart in Massena, St. Mary’s in Potsdam, St. John’s in Plattsburgh, Notre Dame in Malone, and Our Lady of Victory in Plattsburgh. In 1994, he was named pastor in Harrisville and associate director of the deacon formation program. He served the diocese as director of the permanent deacon formation program from 1995 to 2001. In 1997, he became pastor in Colton and, in 2003, administrator in Brushton . From June of 2004 to July, 2012, Father Venette was associated with the Society of St. Peter, a traditional Latin Rite Society in communion with Rome. While a member of the Society Father Venette has worked in seminary formation and has served in a number of parishes. His most recent assignment has been at St. Francis de Sales Church in Mableton, Georgia. |
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Msgr. Lawler, who is retiring as pastor of St. Mary’s Church, Waddington, and St. John the Baptist Church, Madrid, has served as vicar general of the diocese under four bishops.
Msgr. Peter R. Riani, who will be retiring in September, has served as pastor in Elizabethtown and in Westport since June 1999,
Msgr. Harry K. Snow, who will become pastor in Waddington and Madrid Sept. 19, in addition to his responsibilities as Judicial Vicar, is a native of Norfolk. 
Msgr. John R. Murphy, who is leaving his administrative positions in the diocese for full-time parish work, is a native of Saranac Lake, born Oct. 4, 1987. He studied for the priesthood at Wadhams Hall and the Gregorian University in Rome before his ordination July 2, 1973 in Rome by Bishop James Hickey.
Father Kevin J. O’Brien, who will begin work as moderator of the curia and Episcopal vicar of pastoral services June 27, has also been named pastor in Heuvelton and Lisbon. He will complete service as pastor of The Roman Catholic Community of Brownville and Dexter and St. Andrew’s Church in Sackets Harbor, a position he has held since 2003.
Father James W. Seymour, new pastor for the Roman Catholic Community of Morristown, Hammond and Rossie has served as Episcopal Vicar for Clergy, a position he will continue to hold, since 2005. He has also served as pastor of St. Raphael’s Church in Heuvelton, pastor/priest moderator of Sts. Philip & James Church in Lisbon, and part-time chaplain at Riverview Correctional Facility since 2005.
Father Philip T. Allen who will become pastor of St. Mary’s Church in Indian Lake and the mission of St. Paul’s Church in Blue Mountain Lake, has been administrator of these churches for the past year. Although, he officially retired in 2009, Father Allen served as temporary administrator in Evans Mills, Philadelphia and Theresa as Well as in Port Leyden and Lyons Falls before moving to Indian Lake.
Father Francis J. Flynn, who has served pastor of the Catholic Community of Constable, Westville and Trout River since 2002, will become pastor in Elizabethtown and Westport in September.
Father Howard J. Venette, new temporary administrator in Waddington and Madrid, was born Jan. 14, 1958 in Chateaugay. 