Terry R. LaValley

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His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Terry Ronald LaValley
Bishop of Ogdensburg
ChurchCatholic Church
ArchdioceseNew York
DioceseOgdensburg
SeeSt. Mary's Cathedral
AppointedFebruary 23, 2010
InstalledApril 30, 2010
PredecessorRobert Joseph Cunningham
Orders
OrdinationSeptember 24, 1988
by Stanislaus Joseph Brzana
ConsecrationApril 30, 2010
by Timothy M. Dolan, Paul Loverde, and Robert Joseph Cunningham
Personal details
Born (1956-03-26) March 26, 1956 (age 65)
Plattsburgh, New York, U.S.
MottoFOLLOW ME
Styles of
Terry Ronald LaValley
Coat of arms of Terry Ronald LaValley.svg
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleBishop

Terry Ronald LaValley (born March 26, 1956) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the current Bishop of Ogdensburg in Ogdensburg, New York.

As bishop, LaValley serves 150,000 Catholics in New York's North Country.[1] He is the first native of the Ogdensburg Diocese to serve as its bishop since the appointment of Joseph H. Conroy in 1921.[1]

Biography[]

Early life and education[]

The second of six children, was born in Plattsburgh, New York, to Ronald and Doris LaValley.[2] He was raised in St. Ann's Parish and received his early education at Mooers Central School in Mooers, New York.[3] LaValley graduated from Northeastern Clinton Central High School in Champlain, New York.[4] He attended the State University of New York at Albany for two years. In 1977. LaValley enlisted in the United States Navy, serving there until 1983.[4] In 1980, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from SUNY Albany.[2]

In 1983, LaValley entered Wadhams Hall Seminary College in Ogdensburg, earning a Certificate of Studies in Philosophy the following year.[2] He continued his studies at Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora, New York.[2] He received a Master of Divinity degree from Christ the King in 1988.[4] LaValley was ordained to the diaconate on February 27, 1988.[5]

Ordination and ministry[]

LaValley was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Stanislaus J. Brzana on September 24, 1988.[5] His first assignment was as a curate at the Church of the Sacred Heart in Massena, New York.[3] During his time at Sacred Heart, he also served as associate secretary of the diocesan marriage tribunal and a member of the Presbyteral Council.[2] LaValley completed his graduate studies at St. Paul's University in Ottawa, Ontario, where he earned a Doctor of Canon Law degree in 1994.[4]

Upon his return to New York, LaValley was named administrator of both St. Peter's Church in Hammond, New York and St. Patrick's Mission Church in Rossie, New York, as well as adjutant judicial vicar.[2]

In 1996, LaValley became episcopal vicar for diocesan services and chancellor of the Diocese of Ogdensburg.[4] In addition to these responsibilities, he was appointed pastor of St. Raphael Church in Heuvelton, New York (1998) and administrator of St. James Church in Gouverneur, New York (1999).[2] He returned to St. Raphael's in 2000, and became rector of St. Mary's Cathedral in 2003.[2]

In 2004, LaValley was relieved of his duties as episcopal vicar and chancellor, and named the Bishop Robert J. Cunningham's delegate to implement and oversee compliance with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.[2] On May 28, 2009, he was elected the apostolic administrator of the diocese by the College of Consultors, following installation of Bishop Cunningham as Bishop of Syracuse.[4]

Bishop of Ogdensburg, New York[]

On February 23, 2010, LaValley was appointed the fourteenth Bishop of Ogdensburg by Pope Benedict XVI.[5] His episcopal consecration and installation took place at St. Mary's Cathedral on April 30, 2010.[5]

In May 2018, LaValley expressed his opposition to the New York Child Victims Act, which created a one-year window for adults to sue for sexual abuse crimes. Before the law was finally passed, LaValley started a compensation program for sexual abuse victims within the diocese. In an interview, LaValley made this comment about the scandal: [6]

"The Church screwed up big time and people have been hurt immeasurably. How many times can I say I'm sorry for all that happened? What else can I do, I don't know."[6]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Palmo, Rocco (February 23, 2010). "North Countries, High Hats". Whispers in the Loggia.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Bishop Biography". Roman Catholic Diocese of Ogdensburg.
  3. ^ a b Van Valkenburg, Andrea (February 23, 2010). "Local man named bishop of Ogdensburg". Press-Republican.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Pope Names Bishops for Scranton, Pennsylvania; Ogdensburg, New York". United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. February 23, 2010.
  5. ^ a b c d "Bishop Terry R. LaValley". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.
  6. ^ a b Mann, Brian; Ogensburg, in; NY. "In career defined by the priest abuse scandal, Bishop LaValley seeks a path forward". NCPR. Retrieved September 12, 2021.

External links[]

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
Robert Joseph Cunningham
 Bishop of Ogdensburg
2010–present 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Retrieved from ""