May 17, 2017

Ogdensburg - At the meeting of the Committee on Assignments with Bishop Terry R. LaValley May 11 the following changes were confirmed:

• Msgr. Lawrence M. Deno will be retiring as pastor of St. James Church in Cadyville. 

• Father Scott R. Seymour, pastor of The Roman Catholic Community of St. Alexander and St. Joseph has also been named pastor of St. James Church in Cadyville.   This change will take effect June 30.

• Father Christopher J. Looby, administrator of St. Mary’s Church in Evans Mills with missions at St. Joseph’s Church in Philadelphia and St. Theresa of Avila Church in Theresa has been named pastor of these churches effective immediately. 

• Deacon Michael J. Jablonski, who will be ordained to the priesthood on May 27, 2017, will be assigned as Parochial Vicar to the Church of Sacred Heart and St. Lawrence and to St. Mary’s and St. Joseph’s Church in Massena effective June 21.

A tribute to Msgr. Deno and an introduction to Father Jablonski will be published in upcoming issues of the North Country Catholic.

Profiles of the new pastors follow:

Father Seymour
Father Seymour, who has served as pastor in Morrisonville and Treadwells Mill since 2010 takes on additional responsibilities as pastor in Cadyville

A native of West Chazy, Father Seymour was born Sept. 9, 1970. He graduated from Wadhams Hall Seminary-College and Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora before his ordination May 29, 1999 by Bishop Paul S. Loverde.

Father Seymour¹s first assignment was a parochial vicar at Notre Dame in Malone. In 2002 he became parochial vicar at St. Mary¹s Cathedral in Ogdensburg, a position he held 2005 when he was appointed administrator St. Philip of Jesus Church in Willsboro and St. Joseph’s in Essex. In April 2006 he became pastor in Willsboro and Essex, a position he held until 2009 when he was named administrator in Morrisonville and Treadwell Mills for one year until becoming pastor.

Father Seymour has been active in ministry with the Catholic Daughters of America serving as a chaplain for local courts and is a past New York State chaplain.

An accomplished musician, Father Seymour has directed choirs for major diocese events including the INSPIRE vocation summit held in Lake Placid in September.

Father Looby
Father Looby, new pastor in Evans Mills, has served as administrator for the parish with its missions in Theresa and Philadelphia since June, 2015.

Born July 26, 1970, he grew up in Harrisville and studied for the priesthood at Wadhams Hall and St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore.

Father Looby was ordained May 12, 2001, by Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito.

Father Looby has served as parochial vicar at St. Peter’s in Plattsburgh, Holy Family, Watertown; and St. Peter’s, Lowville. In June, 2009, he was named administrator in Brushton and North Bangor and, one year later, pastor of the parishes until his 2015 appointment in Evans Mills, Theresa and Philadelphia.

Father Looby was raised in a family filled with religious vocations – his father Deacon Philip Looby, uncle Father John Looby and aunts Grey Nun Sister Mary Looby and Carmelite Sister Ellen Looby.