About Diocese of Ogdensburg
The Diocese of Ogdensburg (Latin: Dioecesis Ogdensburgensis) is a Roman Catholic diocese serving the North Country region of northern New York State, encompassing 12,036 square miles across seven counties and parts of two others. Erected on February 16, 1872 by Pope Pius IX from territory taken from the Diocese of Albany, it is a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of New York with its mother church, St. Mary's Cathedral, located in Ogdensburg. The diocese is currently led by its 14th bishop, Terry R. LaValley, who in 2010 became the first native of the diocese to serve as its bishop in nearly 90 years.
- Bishop
- Terry R. LaValley
- Established
- 1872
- Cathedral
- St. Mary's Cathedral, Ogdensburg (415 Hamilton Street)
- Territory
- St. Lawrence, Jefferson, Lewis, Franklin, Clinton, and Essex counties in their entirety, plus the northern portions of Herkimer and Hamilton counties (above the northern line of the townships of Ohio and Russia); 12,036 square miles.
- Parishes
- 78 parishes and 3 mission parishes comprising 101 worship sites, plus 16 parochial oratories
- Province
- Archdiocese of New York
About the Diocese
The Diocese of Ogdensburg serves the North Country of New York State across 12,036 square miles — one of the largest geographic footprints of any Catholic diocese in the eastern United States. Its territory covers all of Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties together with parts of Herkimer and Hamilton counties. Its chancery offices are located at 622 Washington Street in Ogdensburg, and the diocesan newspaper, North Country Catholic, keeps the faithful informed of diocesan news, parish life, and the bishop's teaching. The diocese describes itself as a community of disciples on mission in the North Country, called to teach, serve, and sanctify.
- Established February 16, 1872 by Pope Pius IX
- Suffragan of the Archdiocese of New York
- Latin (Roman) rite, Conference Region II (NY)
- 12,036 square miles; 78 parishes + 3 mission parishes; 101 worship sites
- Approximately 71,905 Catholics in a regional population of ~395,000
Bishop Terry R. LaValley
Terry Ronald LaValley, the 14th Bishop of Ogdensburg, was born on March 26, 1956 in Plattsburgh and raised in St. Ann's Parish, Mooers Forks, Clinton County. He is the second of six children of Doris LaValley and the late Ronald LaValley, and he served six years in the United States Navy before entering Wadhams Hall Seminary-College in January 1983. He earned a Master of Divinity from Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora, was ordained to the diaconate on February 27, 1988 and to the priesthood on September 24, 1988 by Bishop Stanislaus J. Brzana, and later earned a J.C.L. from St. Paul's University in Ottawa in 1994. Pope Benedict XVI named him the 14th bishop of Ogdensburg on February 23, 2010, and he was ordained and installed at St. Mary's Cathedral on April 30, 2010 with Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan as consecrator. He is the first native of the diocese to serve as its bishop since 1921. His episcopal motto is 'Follow me.'
- Born March 26, 1956 in Plattsburgh; raised in Mooers Forks
- Six-year U.S. Navy veteran
- Ordained priest September 24, 1988 by Bishop Stanislaus J. Brzana
- Appointed 14th bishop of Ogdensburg on February 23, 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI
- Installed April 30, 2010 at St. Mary's Cathedral
- Episcopal motto: 'Follow me'
Cathedral and Worship Sites
St. Mary's Cathedral in Ogdensburg is the mother church of the diocese and the seat of the bishop. The parish traces its origins to 1827, when the first St. Mary's Chapel was dedicated, although Catholic life on the site goes back to 1749 when Father François Picquet celebrated Mass at Fort de La Présentation. The cornerstone of the original cathedral was laid in 1855, and Bishop Wadhams expanded it into a proper cathedral during his tenure. That structure was destroyed by fire on November 25, 1947. The present Gothic Revival cathedral was completed in 1952 and consecrated on October 22 of that year under Bishop Bryan McEntegart. On July 1, 2017, St. Mary's Cathedral and Notre Dame Church were canonically joined to form St. Mary's Cathedral Parish, with Fr. Joseph A. Morgan as Rector.
- St. Mary's Cathedral, 415 Hamilton Street, Ogdensburg, NY 13669
- Telephone: 315-393-3930
- Notre Dame Church worship site: 415 Hamilton Street; parish mailing address: 125 Ford Avenue
- Gothic Revival style, completed 1952
Parishes and Deaneries
The diocese is organized into deaneries that group parishes by geography across its vast North Country territory. Under Bishop Brzana's leadership, the diocese began planning in 1987 for the contraction that would come with fewer priests, and the Living Stones Planning Committee was created in 2014 to develop strategies for strengthening parish vibrancy, activating greater lay leadership, and assessing demographics across parish clusters. As a result, major consolidations have been ordered across Clinton County and elsewhere; the Plattsburgh parishes of St. John the Baptist, St. Peter's, and Our Lady of Victory are being merged into one congregation. The diocese currently lists 78 parishes and 3 mission parishes comprising 101 worship sites and 16 parochial oratories. Worship sites include Notre Dame Church in Ogdensburg, which was canonically joined with St. Mary's Cathedral in 2017.
- Living Stones Planning Committee, est. 2014
- 78 parishes + 3 mission parishes; 101 worship sites; 16 parochial oratories
- Consolidations underway in Plattsburgh and across Clinton County
Faith Formation, Schools, and Seminarians
Catholic education has been a cornerstone of the diocese since Bishop Wadhams established 17 Catholic schools during his tenure. The diocese currently operates 2 Catholic high schools and 7 Catholic elementary schools, with some institutions facing potential liability under the Child Victims Act. The Bishop's Fund Appeal specifically supports seminarian education, lay minister formation, and deacon training — vital ministries given that the diocese has just 49 active diocesan priests serving its 101 worship sites. Faith formation is also supported through 753 commissioned lay ministers and 96 permanent deacons, reflecting the collaborative model of ministry that has taken root across the North Country.
- 2 Catholic high schools
- 7 Catholic elementary schools
- 49 active diocesan priests, 9 religious, 5 from other dioceses, 37 retired/disabled
- 96 permanent deacons and 1 transitional deacon
- 753 commissioned lay ministers
- 2 priests of the Archdiocese for Military Services serve as Fort Drum chaplains
Catholic Charities and Outreach
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Ogdensburg, now in its 107th year, is a separately incorporated apostolic agency that provides vital human services regardless of religious affiliation. With regional offices in Malone, Ogdensburg, Plattsburgh, Tupper Lake, Watertown, and Port Henry, it serves Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties as well as parts of Hamilton and Herkimer. Its services include case management, emergency food supplies, baby items, donated clothing and household goods, informal counseling, and the regional Enhanced Multidisciplinary Team (E-EMDT) for elder-abuse intervention. In partnership with AmeriCorps Seniors, the agency operates the Retired Senior Volunteer Program in Essex and Franklin Counties and the Foster Grandparent Program based in Tupper Lake. The Seaway House Club in Ogdensburg follows the Fountain House Model of psychosocial rehabilitation. Catholic Charities is legally separate from the diocese and continues operations during the Chapter 11 reorganization; Father Scott R. Seymour, pastor of St. André Bessette Parish in Malone, became executive director in January 2024.
- Six regional offices: Malone, Ogdensburg, Plattsburgh, Tupper Lake, Watertown, Port Henry
- Regional E-EMDT hub for elder abuse intervention
- Foster Grandparent Program (Tupper Lake); RSVP in Essex and Franklin Counties
- Seaway House Club psychosocial rehabilitation (Ogdensburg)
- Father Scott R. Seymour, executive director
Reorganization and Chapter 11 Filing
On July 17, 2023, Bishop LaValley authorized the filing of a Chapter 11 reorganization case in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of New York, in Utica in response to 124 pending Child Victims Act lawsuits alleging childhood sexual abuse dating from the 1940s through the 1990s. The diocese had previously settled 38 claims through the 2018 Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program (IRCP) and 14 additional claims outside that program. Bishop LaValley stated that reorganization was undertaken to treat all claimants equitably while continuing the diocese's mission of preaching the Gospel and serving those in need. Catholic Charities, as a separately incorporated entity, is not directly affected; parishes may be asked to contribute funds to resolve claims; and the diocese has pledged that no claims alleging abuse in the last 20 years have been filed, reflecting what it describes as significant progress under its safe-environment policies. The diocese's operations continue, and the goal is to emerge as a stronger organization focused on discipleship and mission.
- Chapter 11 filed July 17, 2023 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Utica
- 124 pending Child Victims Act lawsuits (1940s–1990s allegations)
- 38 IRCP settlements in 2018 plus 14 additional pre-bankruptcy settlements
- Bishop LaValley continues to lead during reorganization
- Sister Jennifer Votraw, SSJ, Chancellor and communications contact
History and Former Bishops
Since its 1872 erection, the diocese has been led by 14 bishops, beginning with Edgar Philip Prindle Wadhams, a former Vicar General of Albany who built the institutional foundations of the new see in less than 20 years. His successors — Gabriels, Conroy, Monaghan, McEntegart, Kellenberg, Navagh, Smith, Donnellan, Brzana, Loverde, Barbarito, and Cunningham — each left their mark, from the Catholic Summer School at Cliff Haven and the Gabriels Sanitarium to Mater Dei College and the parish reorganization planning that began in 1987. Bishop McEntegart rose to become Archbishop ad personam; Bishop Kellenberg became the first Bishop of Rockville Centre; Bishop Donnellan became Archbishop of Atlanta; and several others were promoted to other dioceses. Bishop LaValley in 2010 became the first native of the diocese to serve as its ordinary since Bishop Gabriels.
- 14 bishops since 1872
- Bishop Brzana served 25 years (1968-1994) — the longest tenure
- Multiple bishops promoted: McEntegart (Archbishop ad personam), Kellenberg (Rockville Centre), Donnellan (Atlanta), Loverde (Arlington), Barbarito (Palm Beach), Cunningham (Syracuse)
- Bishop LaValley is the first diocesan native to serve as ordinary since 1921
Communications and News
The diocesan newspaper, the North Country Catholic, is the principal communication channel for the diocese, carrying the bishop's teaching, news from parishes and ministries, feature reporting on Catholic life in the region, and updates on the Chapter 11 reorganization. It is published by the diocese and available at northcountrycatholic.org. The diocese also maintains a website at rcdony.org where visitors can find Mass times, parish directories, faith-formation resources, information on sacraments, school listings, and the Bishop's Fund Appeal. The communications director is Sister Jennifer Votraw, SSJ, who also serves as Chancellor and is the primary media contact ([email protected]).
- North Country Catholic newspaper (northcountrycatholic.org)
- Diocesan website: rcdony.org
- Sister Jennifer Votraw, SSJ — Chancellor and Communications Director
- Parish livestream Masses available from St. Mary's Cathedral on 92.7 FM (WQTK)
Getting Involved
Catholics of the diocese are invited to participate through the Bishop's Fund Appeal, which underwrites seminarian education, Camp Guggenheim, the Good Samaritan Fund, lay-ministry training, and other essential ministries. The diocese also welcomes men discerning a call to the permanent diaconate, women and men interested in commissioned lay ministry, and volunteers for Catholic Charities programs. Parishioners are encouraged to remain engaged during the Chapter 11 reorganization through weekly parish giving, which supports both local parish life and the diocesan ministries that sustain it.
- Bishop's Fund Appeal supports seminarians, Camp Guggenheim, Good Samaritan Fund
- Commissioned Lay Minister formation (753 currently active)
- Permanent diaconate program (96 permanent deacons currently serving)
- Volunteer opportunities through Catholic Charities regional offices
