May 12, 2021 After prayerful consideration and consultation with the Priests’ Personnel Board, Bishop Terry R. LaValley has announced the following appointments, effective June 16 unless otherwise noted: • Father Scott A. Belina, administrator of the Catholic Community of St. Peter and St. Mary and St. Hedwig in Lowville is appointed pastor of those parishes. • Deacon Matthew Conger upon his priestly ordination, will serve as parochial vicar at Church of the Holy Family, St. Anthony’s, and St. Patrick’s Church in Watertown. • Msgr. Dennis J. Duprey, administrator of St. Augustine’s in Peru, will retire. Monsignor will remain the Dean of Clinton Deanery and will remain in residence in his retirement. • Father J. Michael Gaffney, pastor of The Roman Catholic Community of Brownville and Dexter and St. Andrew’s Church in Sackets Harbor will retire. • Father Joseph W. Giroux completes his Canon Law degree at St. Paul’s University and is appointed pastor of The Roman Catholic Church of St. Mary in Potsdam and St. Patrick’s Church in Colton. Father Joseph Giroux will also serve the Tribunal and Office of Canonical Affairs. • Father Michael J. Jablonski, parochial vicar at St. André Bessette Roman Catholic Parish in Malone, is appointed pastor of St. Joseph’s Church in Dannemora and Church of the Assumption in Redford. • Father Dominic Duc Nguyen, parochial vicar at St. Mary’s Church in Champlain and St. Patrick’s Church in Rouses Point, completes his time in the Diocese of Ogdensburg and returns to the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. • Father Jude Nnadibuagha, parochial vicar at the Catholic Community of St. Peter and St. Mary and St. Hedwig in Lowville is appointed parochial vicar at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Ogdensburg. • Deacon John Ojuok upon his priestly ordination will serve as parochial vicar at Holy Cross Parish in Plattsburgh. • Father Herman Pongantung, MSC, parochial vicar at Church of the Holy Family, St. Anthony’s Church and St. Patrick’s Church in Watertown, completes his time in the Diocese of Ogdensburg and will join the Missionary of the Sacred Heart Community in Center Valley, Pennsylvania in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown. • Father Donald A. Robinson, pastor of St. James Minor Church in Carthage and St. Mary’s Church in Copenhagen is appointed pastor of The Roman Catholic Community of Brownville and Dexter and St. Andrew’s Church in Sackets Harbor. • Father Stephen Rocker, pastor of The Roman Catholic Church of St. Mary in Potsdam and St. Patrick’s Church in Colton, is appointed administrator of St. Bernard’s and St. Edmund’s Parish in Ellenburg Center. • Father Scott Seymour, pastor of the Roman Catholic Community of St. Alexander and St. Joseph in Morrisonville and St. James Church in Cadyville is also appointed pastor of St. Augustine’s Church in Peru. • Deacon Fernando Solomon upon his priestly ordination will serve as parochial vicar at St. André Bessette Roman Catholic Parish in Malone. • Father Todd E. Thibault, pastor of St. Bernard’s and St. Edmund’s Parish in Ellenburg Center, is appointed pastor of St. James Minor Church in Carthage and St. Mary’s Church in Copenhagen. • Father Justin Thomas, HGN, parochial vicar at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Ogdensburg, is appointed pastor of St. Elizabeth’s Church in Elizabethtown, St. Philip Neri Church in Westport and The Catholic Community of St. Philip of Jesus and St. Joseph in Willsboro. • Father Howard J. Venette, pastor of St. Elizabeth’s Church in Elizabethtown, St. Philip Neri Church in Westport and The Catholic Community of St. Philip of Jesus and St. Joseph in Willsboro, awaits notification on his appointment as Chaplain of Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora. (effective TBA). Father Venette will reside in the rectory in Dannemora. • Father Eduardo Pesigan, parochial vicar at Holy Cross Parish in Plattsburgh, completes his time in the Diocese of Ogdensburg and returns to the Archdiocese of Caceres in the Philippines. This is effective June 7. St. Anthony’s, and St. Patrick’s Church in Watertown since that time. Father Scott A. Belina Father Belina was raised in Watertown. He was ordained May 25, 2013. Deacon Matthew Conger Msgr. Dennis J. Duprey He has served as assistant pastor in Malone and Ogdensburg and as administrator in Hammond and Rossie. Father J. Michael Gaffney Originally from Watertown, Father Gaffney, 73, was ordained May 5, 1973 by Bishop Stanislaus J. Brzana. Father Joseph W. Giroux Originally from Plattsburgh, Father Giroux, 46, was ordained Aug. 12, 2000. Father Michael J. Jablonski Father Dominic Duc Nguyen Born in Saigon, Vietnam, he immigrated to the United States in 1983 and was ordained May 30, 2009 in the Diocese of Kansans City-Saint Joseph. Father Jude Nnadibuagha Deacon John Ojuok Father Herman Pongantung, MSC He professed first vows on Jan. 9, 1986 and was ordained on Jan. 9, 1993. Father Donald A. Robinson Father Robinson served as an associate pastor at St. Peter’s in Lowville, Notre Dame in Malone and St. Anthony’s in Watertown. He was also a teacher at Immaculate Heart Central School in Watertown, a member of the Wadhams Hall Seminary faculty and later vice-president of the seminary college, diocesan director of seminarians and vocations director. Father Robinson, 70, was ordained May 3, 1980. Father Stephen T. Rocker He served as an administrator in Newcomb and Long Lake for a short time in 2003. He also served in that role in Hammond and Rossie. He served as assistant pastor in Watertown and Clayton. Father Rocker also served as a missionary with the Ogdensburg Peruvian Apostolate. Father Rocker also served as the chair of the Philosophy Department at Wadhams Hall Seminary College. He has also served as a prison chaplain in Ogdesnburg. Father Rocker, 67, was ordained Sept. 1, 1979 at his home parish of St. Martin’s in Port Leyden. Father Scott R. Seymour Originally from West Chazy, Father Seymour, 50, was ordained May 29, 1999. An accomplished musician, Father Seymour has directed choirs for major diocese events including the INSPIRE vocation summit held in Lake Placid in September. Deacon Fernando Solomon Deacon Solomon earned his bachelor’s degree in philosophy and master’s degree in divinity in the Philippines. For a period of time, he worked in ministry to the deaf and in prison ministry. He is fluent in several languages including English, Tagalog, Spanish and American Sign Language. He is scheduled to be ordained to the priesthood on May 29. Father Todd E. Thibault Prior to those assignments, he served as parochial vicar at St. Mary’s in Canton. Father Justin Thomas, HGN Father Howard J. Venette He previously served as the associate director and later director of deacon formation. Father Eduardo C. Pesigan III |