Ogdensburg, NY, Mar 08, 2012 — Church officials in Ogdensburg say Roman Catholic parishes across the North Country will lose roughly a third of their priests over the next decade.

The Diocese has expanded efforts to recruit new seminarians willing to serve as priests. But the rapid decline is forcing big changes in the way Catholic churches operate.

Brian Mann spoke recently with Bishop Terry LaValley and has this update.  Go to full article

Champlain, NY, Feb 28, 2011 — The Plattsburgh Press-Republican is reporting that another of the region's Catholic schools may be forced to close. St. Mary's Academy in the town of Champlain is facing $80,000 in debts and declining enrollments. Brian Mann has details.  Go to full article

Ogdensburg, NY, Feb 23, 2010 — TEXT ONLY:
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Ogdensburg has a new bishop-elect.
The Rev. Terry LaValley is currently administrator of the Diocese.
In a press release from the Dioces this morning, the Vatican announced that Pope Benedict XVI has appointed him to serve as the local diocese's 14th bishop.
He succeeds the Rev. Robert J. Cunningham, Bishop of Syracuse.

LaValley is a native of Mooers Forks, NY and has spent his career serving parishes throughout the region. He attended Wadhams Hall Seminary in Ogdensburg, and later studied at Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora and St. Paul's University in Ottawa, Ontario.
He first served St. Peter's Church in Hammond and St. Patrick's Church in Rossie.
In January 1998, the bishop-elect was named pastor of St. Raphael's Church in Heuvelton. In June 1999, he became administrator of St. James Church in Gouverneur while continuing to serve in his as chancellor of the diocese.
LaValley has served as administrator of the Ogdensburg Diocese since last May. He'll continue as administrator until his ordination and installation as bishop at St. Mary's Cathedral in Ogdensburg.
No date has been set.  Go to full article

Apr 28, 2009 — A growing number of Americans see same-sex marriage as a civil right. But for the Roman Catholic Church, legalization of gay marriage represents another erosion of traditional marriage. In the eyes of the Church, the institution of marriage has already been battered by high divorce rates and by more children being born out of wedlock. Brian Mann spoke in-depth with Sister Jennifer Votraw. She's chancellor and director of communications for the Diocese of Ogdensburg.  Go to full article

Jan 11, 2006 — A group of religious investors led by a Roman Catholic nun says General Electric spent more than $120 million trying to block the clean up of toxic PCBs. GE disclosed the figures after years of pressure from activist shareholders. As Brian Mann reports, critics say the money should have been spent cleaning up the Hudson River and other polluted sites.  Go to full article

Oct 07, 2004 — A Saratoga county man is suing two former priests and the Roman Catholic diocese of Albany for alleged sexual abuse. The case was filed on Tuesday. 41-year-old Michael Mooney claims he was molested in the early seventies and hopes to win three million dollars in compensation. As Brian Mann reports, one of the priests worked as a minister at the Glens Falls hospital in the 1990s after receiving counseling for alleged sexual misconduct.  Go to full article

Jan 08, 2004 — None of the eight Roman Catholic priests removed from office over the last two years will face criminal prosecution. Officials with the Diocese of Ogdensburg say the statute of limitations for child sex crimes makes it impossible to punish offenders. As Brian Mann reports, St. Lawrence county's district attorney says he wants church officials to provide more information about the cases.  Go to full article

Jan 31, 2003 — The Diocese of Ogdensburg will pay a total of 180 thousand dollars to four women, who accused a Roman Catholic Priest of sexually abusing them as children. The settlement follows a 17 million dollar lawsuit filed against the Diocese last year. Brian Mann has details.  Go to full article

Aug 08, 2002 — The Roman Catholic Church has been a powerful force in the North Country since the region was settled by whites hundreds of years ago. But the once-firm fabric of community parishes is under increasing strain. A shortage of priests has forced the Diocese of Ogdensburg to close churches, and move priests to serve more congregations. The process has continued through the summer and fall. Currently, one in four parishes in the North Country lacks a resident pastor. As Brian Mann reports, the crisis began long before the current sex-abuse scandals, and it's changing the work of the local churches.  Go to full article