July 29, 2026

Bishop Terry R. LaValley has accepted the request of Father Arthur J. LaBaff to retire as sacramental minister and supervising priest of St. Mary’s Church in Clayton and The Catholic Community of Alexandria in Alexandria Bay. Father LaBaff will remain in residence in the Clayton rectory.

Bishop LaValley has appointed Father Donald A. Robinson to the above aforementioned positions.

Bishop LaValley is grateful for the dedicated priestly witness and ministry of both Father LaBaff and Father Robinson during their “retirement” years.

Please keep both fathers and the parish communities they serve in your prayers.

FATHER ARTHUR J. LABAFF
Father LaBaff, 87, retired from his position as pastor of The Catholic Community of Alexandria and St. Mary’s Church in Clayton in July of 2021 but continued serving as sacramental minister and supervising priest after his retirement.

Father LaBaff has served St. Mary’s in Clayton since 2009.

A native of Massena, he studied for the priesthood at Wadhams Hall Seminary-College and Christ the King Seminary in Olean before his ordination May 28, 1966, by Bishop Thomas A. Donnellan.

Father Labaff’s first assignment was as assistant pastor at Our Lady of Victory in Plattsburgh. He also served as assistant pastor at Notre Dame in Malone and St. Mary’s in Ogdensburg and was pastor in Morristown, Lisbon, and Chateaugay with its mission in Brainardsville.

From 1983 to 1997, he was pastor at Notre Dame Church in Malone and then served as pastor of St. Patrick’s in Watertown from 1997 until his current assignment in Clayton.

Father LaBaff also served the diocese as youth director from 1971 to 1977, overseeing the department as Guggenheim summer camp program began in 1972. Also in 1972, Father LaBaff was named assistant chancellor and director of the Bishop’s Fund, a role he held until 1977 when he was named chairman of the Bishop’s Fund Committee. He has also served as a diocesan consultor, member of the Council of Priests and member of the Priests Personal Committee.

FATHER DONALD A. ROBINSON
Originally from Watertown, Father Robinson, 75, completed a bachelor’s degree in social sciences and elementary education at SUNY Oswego and was completing a master’s degree in reading education when he began studies for the priesthood.

He attended both Wadhams Hall and Christ the King (Diocese of Buffalo) seminaries. He was ordained in St. Mary’s Cathedral on May 30, 1980, by Bishop Stanislaus J. Brzana.

After beginning his priesthood with a temporary assignment as parochial vicar at St. Peter’s Church in Lowville, Father Robinson served as a parochial vicar at Notre Dame Church in Malone.

Father Robinson then served as an instructor at Immaculate Heart Central in Watertown while serving as parochial vicar at St. Anthony’s Church in Watertown. He also served on the faculty at Wadhams Hall and as diocesan Vocations director, director of seminarians.

In 1998, he was named pastor of St. Mary’s Church in Champlain, a role he held until 2001, when he became pastor of St. Anthony’s Church in Watertown. In 2009, he was given additional duties as administrator of St. Patrick’s Church in Watertown. He was later named pastor of that church, as well.

From 2015-21, Father Robinson served as pastor at St. James Minor Church in Carthage and St. Mary’s Church in Copenhagen.

He served as pastor of The Roman Catholic Community of Brownville and Dexter and St. Andrew’s Church in Sackets Harbor until his retirement in 2025. He will continue serving as dean of the Jefferson-Lewis Deanery.

He continues to serve as dean of the Jefferson-Lewis Deanery.