Terry Ronald LaValley (born March 26, 1956) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He has been serving as the bishop of the

Diocese of Ogdensburg The Diocese of Ogdensburg ( la, Dioecesis Ogdensburgensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in New York. It was founded on February 15, 1872. It comprises the entirety of Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jeff ...

Northern New York The North Country (french: Pays du Nord) is the northernmost region of the U.S. state of New York, bordered by Lake Champlain to the east, the Adirondack Mountains and the Upper Capital District to the south, the Mohawk Valley region to the south ...

since 2010. He is the first native of the Diocese of Ogdensburg to serve as its bishop since 1921.

Biography

Early life and education

The second of six children,Terry LaValley was born on March 26, 1956, in Plattsburgh,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, to Ronald and Doris LaValley. He was raised in St. Ann's Parish and received his early education at Mooers Central School in

Mooers, New York Mooers is a town in Clinton County, New York, United States. The population was 3,592 at the 2010 census. The town is named after Benjamin Mooers, an early settler. The town forms part of the northern border of Clinton County and is northwest ...

. LaValley graduated from Northeastern Clinton Central High School in Champlain, New York. LaValley attended the State University of New York at Albany (SUNY Albany) for two years. In 1977. LaValley enlisted in the United States Navy, serving there until 1983. In 1980, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from SUNY Albany. In 1983, LaValley entered Wadhams Hall Seminary College in Ogdensburg, New York, earning a Certificate of Studies in Philosophy the following year. He continued his studies at Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora, New York. He received a

Master of Divinity For graduate-level theological institutions, the Master of Divinity (MDiv, ''magister divinitatis'' in Latin) is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America. It is the most common academic degree in seminaries and divi ...

degree from Christ the King in 1988.

Ordination and ministry

LaValley was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Ogdensburg by Bishop Stanislaus J. Brzana on September 24, 1988 at St. Mary's Cathedral in Ogdensburg. After his 1988 ordination, the diocese assigned him as a

curate A curate () is a person who is invested with the ''care'' or ''cure'' (''cura'') ''of souls'' of a parish. In this sense, "curate" means a parish priest; but in English-speaking countries the term ''curate'' is commonly used to describe clergy w ...

at Sacred Heart Parish in Massena, New York. During his time at Sacred Heart, he also served as associate secretary of the diocesan marriage tribunal and a member of the presbyteral council. LaValley completed his graduate studies at St. Paul's University in Ottawa, Ontario, where he earned a

Doctor of Canon Law Doctor of Canon Law ( la, Juris Canonici Doctor, JCD) is the doctoral-level terminal degree in the studies of canon law of the Roman Catholic Church. It can also be an honorary degree awarded by Anglican colleges. It may also be abbreviated ICD ...

degree in 1994. Upon his return to New York, LaValley was named administrator of both St. Peter's Parish in Hammond, New York and St. Patrick's Mission Parish in Rossie, New York, as well as adjutant

judicial vicar In the Roman Catholic Church, a judicial vicar or episcopal official ( la, links=no, officialis) is an officer of the diocese who has ordinary power to judge cases in the diocesan ecclesiastical court. Although the diocesan bishop can reserv ...

for the diocese. In 1996, LaValley became Vicar general, episcopal vicar for diocesan services and Chancellor (ecclesiastical), chancellor of the diocese. In addition to these responsibilities, he was appointed pastor of St. Raphael Parish in Heuvelton, New York (1998) and administrator of St. James Parish in Gouverneur (village), New York, Gouverneur, New York (1999). He returned to St. Raphael's in 2000, and became Rector (ecclesiastical), rector of St. Mary's Cathedral Parish in 2003. In 2004, LaValley was relieved of his duties as episcopal vicar and chancellor, and named as Bishop Robert Joseph Cunningham, Robert J. Cunningham's delegate to implement and oversee compliance with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. On May 28, 2009, LaValley was elected the apostolic administrator of the diocese by the College of Consultors, college of consultors, following Cunningham's installation as bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse, Diocese of Syracuse.

Bishop of Ogdensburg, New York

On February 23, 2010, LaValley was appointed as the fourteenth bishop of Ogdensburg by Pope Benedict XVI. His Bishop (Catholic Church), episcopal consecration by Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan took place at St. Mary's Cathedral on April 30, 2010, with Bishops Paul Loverde, and Robert Joseph Cunningham, Robert Cunningham acting as co-consecrators. 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:

"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."

References

External links