Sept. 28, 2022 On Sept. 16, Bishop Terry R. LaValley served as grand marshall in the parade included in the Peru Applefest. Sponsored by St. Augustine’s Church, the event included a parade, live music, apple fritters, food and venders. As part of the festivities, the Town of Peru presented Bishop LaValley with the following letter, signed by Town Supervisor Brandy McDonald. Dear Bishop LaValley, Peru's Catholics have been part of our community since the early 1800s when a small group of Irish immigrants settled on the Patent Road. In 1841, a local property owner named James McGinty deeded property for the construction of St. Patrick's Church for the princely sum of $1.00. Gradually, our Catholic population grew. Between 1960 and its closing in 2007, St Augustine's School educated thousands of Peru's children. In 1982, Bishop Stanislaus Brzana blessed today's church. Today, the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Shop, Roger's House and St. Augustine's Soup Kitchen assist hundreds of families. In addition, the Knights of Columbus and Catholic Daughters serve their parish community and the St. Augustine's Parish Center is a valued community meeting and voting place. Most importantly, Peru enjoys the beautiful cooperative spirit between St. Augustine's members of other faiths and our entire community. The Applefest is an example of that cooperation. I hope you enjoy your September 17th visit to Peru, and once again, congratulations on the 150th Anniversary of the Diocese of Ogdensburg.
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