November 5, 2025

By Darcy Fargo
Editor

Far from his home in Haiti, seminarian Ladouceur Flarissaint, currently serving in a pastoral year in the Catholic Community of St. Peter, St. Mary and St. Hedwig in Lowville, Glenfield and Houseville, says God has been leading him on a journey that doesn’t look now as he initially thought it would.

“I cannot talk about coming to Ogdensburg without talking about my journey,” he said. I was in Iowa at a seminary belonging to the Society of the Divine Word, a religious order. They educate young men from around the world – there were about 22 nationalities at the seminary.”

Flarissaint said he arrived in the United States during the pandemic in 2020 and immediately began coursework in English as a Second Language. After studying English for over a year, he began working on a bachelor’s degree in philosophy with a minor in interculturality, a degree he completed prior to his arrival in the Diocese of Ogdensburg.

While he enjoyed his time with the Society of the Divine Word, Flarissaint said he increasingly felt God calling him in a different direction.

“I felt more intrigued by the lifestyle of a diocesan priest,” he said. “I began to try to see if I could find a diocese in the U.S. Contacting friends and talking to my spiritual director and formators, I was able to talk to a seminarian, Michelet Boncoeur, now a deacon here. He put me in contact with (Vicar for Clergy and director of Seminarians) Father Chris Carrara.”

Flarissaint had to obtain permission from the Society of the Divine Word before he could apply to study as a seminarian for the Diocese of Ogdensburg. He was granted permission, applied and was accepted.

“So far, I can say the Holy Spirit worked that way to get me here,” he said. “I think the community here needed me. I sing every morning for Mass. Some Saturdays and Sundays, there was no music in church. Whenever there is no music, I step in, pick a couple songs and sing with the people. The people here are happy to have me with them, and I’m happy to be with them. It’s a nice community – people are so welcoming and friendly.”

Flarissaint said it was his family’s faith and example that set him on that journey that eventually led to our diocese.

“I’m the fourth of eight children – six boys and two girls,” he said. “I grew up in a Catholic family and received education in Catholic school. I learned the value of hard work and deepened my faith, and I began to discern my vocation to the priesthood. Growing up, I was surrounded by family, friends and good community. At around age 11, I was inspired while serving alongside the priest as an altar server.”

Flarissaint said his mother was a strong witness to the faith.

“My mom always encourages us to pray and to sit together saying the rosary and praying the Our Father,” he said. “She wanted us to pray.”

Flarissaint’s path to the seminary wasn’t linear, though.

“I developed a deep love of learning,” he said. “After high school, I spent countless hours reading and discovering the world through books. That led me to attend journalism school. I later worked at a radio station in a parish and educated listeners about the Catholic faith. We did question and answer sessions with a priest. All those experiences gave me more time to discern whether I was called to become a priest or not, whether to enter a seminary or continue a career in journalism.”

He was later introduced to the Society of the Divine Word, and his experience with the community convinced him to pursue God’s call.

Flarissaint said his time in Lowville, Glenfield and Houseville has fostered his vocation.

“I am here with Father Sony (Pulickal, pastor), and he’s a very humble man, and I learn a lot from him,” he said. “I’m ready to learn more and more from him. Really seeing the diocesan priestly lifestyle, I feel it’s there I want to be. I’m taking this as a year of discernment and learning.”

While he said he sometimes misses his family and home in Haiti, Flarissaint said he’s blessed to be in the North Country.

“Since I’ve been here a while, I get used to being away from family,” he said. “Even for priests from here, everyone would like to be with their families, but that’s not always possible. Sometimes, like when I see I’m the only dark-skinned person, I wonder if this is where God wants me to be. But then I think it’s for all of us to see his wonder, see his creation, see people who are different. And I don’t see much difficulty. People are good to me, and I’m trying my best to be good to them.”

He also said the North Country feels very similar to his first home in the United States, Iowa.

“Just driving around places is still the same,” Flarissaint said. “There are corn fields all around Iowa, and there are corn fields all around Lowville. Both places have a lot of corn and cows.

When he’s not experiencing the North Country, serving at a Mass or reading, Flarissaint said he enjoys kicking around a football – a soccer ball in the U.S. He’d love to have more opportunities to participate in the sport.

“Here, I don’t really get a chance,” he said. “So I’ve been dedicating myself to reading.”

Flarissaint offered the following advice to individuals discerning their vocations.

“Based on my own experience with discerning the priesthood, I can say that if a man is thinking about this vocation, he needs to take time to listen deeply to God in prayer and be honest with himself about his desires, fears and motivations,” he said. “I understand that the priesthood is not about being perfect, but about being willing to serve with love and sacrifice, following the example of Christ. If you feel called by God to serve the Church as a priest, talk to a trusted priest or spiritual director who can guide you. Do not rush, because discernment takes time, and it is all your desires and God’s plan.”