Bishop Terry R. LaValley has announced that Msgr. John R. Murphy, who has served as Moderator of the Curia and Episcopal Vicar for Pastoral Services since 1994, will be relieved of those diocesan responsibilities to assume full time parish ministry.

Since June 2011, Msgr. Murphy has served as administrator at Church of the Visitation in Norfolk and St. Raymond’s in Raymond while continuing his work for the diocesan offices.

Father Kevin O’Brien, current pastor in Brownville and Dexter, will succeed Msgr. Murphy as Moderator of the Curia and Episcopal Vicar for Pastoral Services.

The work of the Moderator of the Curia of the Diocese of Ogdensburg includes:
• General coordination and direction of the various diocesan offices
• Day to day supervision of the order of the house in the various offices
• Specific personnel functions for the diocesan central offices
•Special projects:  Quinquennial Report, Bureau of Indian Missions Grant application, etc.
•Representing the Diocesan Bishop in the conduct of day-to-day matters with the department, office, and program heads assigned to the Moderator for supervision

The appointments will become effective when other pastoral assignments take effect in June.

Msgr. Murphy
Msgr. Murphy, a native of Saranac Lake was born Oct. 4, 1947. He studied for the priesthood at Wadhams Hall and the Gregorian University in Rome before his ordination July 2, 1973 in Rome by Bishop James Hickey.
Father Murphy’s first assignment was as assistant pastor of St. John’s in Plattsburgh and head of the religion department at St. John’s Central School. In 1976, he was named assistant chancellor of the diocese and assistant pastor in Canton. 

He returned to Rome in 1978 and earned a degree in moral theology from Academia Alfonsiana. He later earned a master’s degree in church administration from Catholic University in Washington. Upon his return to the diocese, Father Murphy was named vice-chancellor and pastor in Morristown. He served the diocese as chancellor from 1982 to March 1990. He was also pastor in Madrid from 1988 until his appointment as pastor of St. Mary’s in Potsdam from 1990 to 1994. In 1992, he was named a monsignor by Pope John Pope Paul II.  He also served the diocese as dean of St. Lawrence Deanery. In 1994, Msgr Murphy was named Moderator of the Curia and Episcopal Vicar for Pastoral Services. He  served as administrator in Canton for a short time in 2002 and was named pastor in Heuvelton and Lisbon in 2003 before becoming full-time Moderator of the Curia later that year.

Father O’Brien
Father O’Brien, pastor in Brownville and Dexter, since 2003, has previously served as  pastor of St. John’s in Plattsburgh from 1999 to 2003 and as pastor in Carthage, Natural Bridge and Deferiet from  1997 to 1991.
He was born May 10, 1955 in Ogdensburg and grew up in Norwich, NY.  He studied for the priesthood at Wadhams Hall and the North American College at Rome and was ordained Sept. 5, 1981 by Bishop Stanislaus J. Brzana.  Father O’Brien later earned a law degree from the University of Buffalo.

His pastoral assignments have included appointments as parochial vicar at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Sacred Heart in Massena, St. Patrick’s in Watertown, in Alexandria Bay and Brownville and Dexter and St. Mary’s in Potsdam.
Father O’Brien also served the diocese as associate director of the diocesan mission office and as a philosophy professor at Wadhams Hall Seminary College.

Moderator of the Curia
In his new position, Father O’Brien will have the following responsibilities:
• Supervision of all hiring for diocesan central offices in consultation with the Chancellor; supervision of any due process procedure as needed; overseeing the development of personnel policies, employee evaluations, pay scale revisions
• Responsibility for elements of order in our offices such as the maintenance of hours of work
• Service as Bishop’s liaison with the Diocesan Staff, the Diocesan Pastoral Council, and the Diocesan Ecumenical Commission
•Membership, Diocesan Planning Committee
• Development of agendas for meetings of the Episcopal Council
• Development of annual goals for the assigned offices; monitoring of progress toward goals and mentoring toward fulfillment; acceptance and review of annual reports from the departments, offices, and programs assigned to the Moderator
• Resolution of routine questions developed by department, office, and program heads assigned to the Moderator
• Response ad hoc to issues and emergencies by assignment of Bishop, or in response to requests from department and office heads
• Responding to inquiries and complaints that are of a “pastoral” nature, usually by referral from  Bishop
• Conducting routinely through specific meetings and regular conversations collaboration with and supervision of the Diocesan Fiscal Office; overseeing that work including giving direction and offering insights as appropriate
• Serving as senior staff member of the Diocesan Finance Council; serving as a member of the Diocesan Investment Advisory Committee
• Membership, together with the Chancellor and Diocesan Fiscal Officer on the Deposit and Loan Advisory Committee; oversight of the Deposit and Loan Fund; approval on behalf of the Diocesan Bishop of all new loans to be issued by the Fund
• Preparation of Parish Spiritual Report forms, including the scheduling of the Deans’ visits; reception of these reports as they are returned to the diocese
• Preparation of Parish Budget forms; distribution to parishes; review of budgets received by the diocese
• Preparation and distribution of Parish Financial Report forms; communication with pastors regarding analysis of annual financial reports, developed in collaboration with the Diocesan Fiscal Office
• Liaison with Diocesan Attorney; formulating and monitoring the position of the diocese in lawsuits brought against it
• Developing the annual budget for the Bishop’s Good Samaritan Fund; reviewing its periodic financial reports; serving as the primary person to facilitate specific gifts and grants from the fund on behalf of the Bishop
• Overseeing the coordination of diocesan mailings, done with the assistance of the Diocesan Receptionist
• Monitoring and follow-up regarding Wills naming the diocese, its parishes and institutions
• Overseeing preparation for the annual Harvest Mass
• Review of Parish Pastoral Council Constitutions
• Appointment of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
• Overall responsibility for planning and implementing maintenance of our four buildings supervision of Maintenance Director for the diocesan offices