Aug. 28, 2024

By Father William Muench
NCC columnist

Last week, I attended the funeral of Leeward Lucia. He is the father of Bishop Lucia, the Bishop of Syracuse. I have known and been a friend of Bishop Lucia, since he was a priest of our diocese, the Diocese of Ogdensburg. His father, Mr. Lucia, lived his life and raised his family in Altona, in Clinton County. His funeral was at Holy Angel’s Church in Altona.

As you know, I now live in Syracuse. Several priests from the Diocese of Syracuse traveled up to Altona to be with Bishop Lucia and his family. I found a ride to the funeral with the pastor of the parish where I live and help, Father John Manno. This journey to Mr. Lucia’s funeral became for me an enjoyable trip over a large part of the Diocese of Ogdensburg. We rode over roads and through places where I was active as a priest for many years. It was rather a nostalgic tour of important places in my past.

Let me tell you a little about the trip. Rather early on a Monday morning, we headed north to Watertown. Then on to Gouverneur. I had a chance to tell many stories about the place; St. James Parish in Gouverneur was my first assignment after my ordination as a priest. I remember that my pastor then was Father Joseph Bailey. I still have friends there.

Next, we passed through Dekalb Junction. I spent weeks there the summer before my last year in the seminary. I remember those days spent with Father George Wittaker, who had a profound influence on my vocation. Then on to Canton and to Potsdam, and on to Malone. I knew the route well and had many stories for each place. I pointed out all the churches and the restaurants – all the good places I used to stop at. Then we turned east and passed through those northern parishes as we traveled on to Altona.

There were many Ogdensburg priests were there who had come to be with Bishop Lucia and his family. So, I had a great opportunity to see many priest friends – many that I had worked with but hadn’t seen in quite a while. So, this was an added gift for this journey to be at Mr. Lucia’s funeral. There were several younger priests there that I could meet and visit with.

Bishop LaValley was there also. He was the homilist at the Mass. He had grown up near here in Mooers Forks. I must tell you that when I meet a priest in Syracuse, he is fascinated that Bishop Lucia and Bishop LaValley were raised in families that were only a short distance from each other in Clinton County in the Diocese of Ogdensburg.
Bishop LaValley spoke of Mr. Lucia’s life of dedication to his family and to his Catholic parish. He was a faith-filled person; he brought his Catholic family to his children, to his son, who became a bishop. I remembered well so many dedicated individuals in the parishes of this North Country.

I continue to be so appreciative of that day I wandered through my diocese. I so enjoyed remembering the many places which were an important part of my life as a priest of this diocese. There are many other towns and places that were a part of my life in the North Country that I have not visited in a long time. I must find an excuse to travel there – even to just drive through. So, I thank God for filling up that day with such a pleasant journey though a place that I grew to love. And the final blessing was that we had to travel on back home, again going though that same route.