June 22, 2016 In conjunction with previously announced changes in priest assignments, Bishop LaValley has madethree additional pastoral changes to take effect on June 29. • Father Howard J. Venette, pastor of St. Mary’s Church in Potsdam and St. Patrick’s Church in Colton, along with St. Paul’s Oratory in South Colton, has been named pastor of St. Bartholomew’s Church in Old Forge and St. Anthony of Padua Parish of Inlet and Raquette Lake. • Father Stephen Rocker, pastor of St. James Church in Gouverneur, St. Hubert’s Church in Star Lake, and Sacred Heart Church in Edwards, has been named pastor of St. Mary’s Church in Potsdam, St. Patrick’s Church in Colton, along with St. Paul’s Oratory in South Colton. •Father Shane M. Lynch, pastor of St. Bartholomew’s Church in Old Forge and St. Anthony of Padua Parish of Inlet and Raquette Lake, has been named pastor of St. James Church in Gouverneur, St. Hubert’s Church in Star Lake, and Sacred Heart Church in Edwards. Profiles of the new pastors follow: Father Howard J. Venette Father Venette was born Jan. 14, 1958 in Chateaugay and began his studies for the priesthood at Wadhams Hall. 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. He 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. He served the diocese as director of the permanent deacon formation program from 1995 to 2001. Father Venette left the diocese to join the Fraternity of St. Peter, a traditional Latin Rite Society in communion with Rome in June of 2004. In June 2009 he was excardinated from the Diocese of Ogdensburg and incardinated into the Society. Father Venette returned to Ogdensburg in July of 2012 and served as temporary administrator in Waddington and Madrid before becoming administrator of the Catholic Community of Constable, Westville and Trout River. Father Stephen Rocker The priest has served as assistant pastor at Holy Family in Watertown and in Clayton. In 1982, he was named a faculty member at Wadhams Hall Seminary-College, a position he held until the seminary’s closing in 2002. He chaired the philosophy department. Father Rocker also served as an administrator in Hammond and Rossie from 1990-1992 and part time chaplain at the Ogdensburg Correctional Facility from 1997 to 2002. In addition he was an administrator for a short time in Canton in 1996 and in Newcomb and Long Lake in 2003.
Father Lynch was born Sept. 21, 1971 in Watertown and is a 1990 graduate of Immaculate Heart Central School. He graduated from Wadhams Hall Seminary-College and St. John’s Seminary School of Theology in Boston. Father Lynch also completed a spirituality year program sponsored by St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Allentown, Pa. He was ordained by Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito May 12, 2001.
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