October 7, 2026

By Darcy Fargo
Editor

“There are long days, tiring days but every night so far being in a parish, being a priest, I’m satisfied as I’m putting my head on my pillow that I did my best to bring people to Christ,” said Father Tyler M. Fitzgerald, parochial vicar at Holy Cross Parish in Plattsburgh and the youngest priest of the diocese. “It’s a nourishing feeling. I’m only 26, and I know I haven’t lived that much, but four months in, this is the happiest I’ve been in my entire life.”

Father Fitzgerald was ordained by Bishop Terry R. LaValley on May 30 at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Ogdensburg.

“It’s going very well,” Father Fitzgerald said of his priesthood so far. “I can’t believe this week will be four months ordained, and I’m wrapping up three full months in the parish. I’ve gone through a baptism of fire of sorts already. I’ve done a lot, seen a lot, heard a lot. I’m not sure there are any sins I haven’t heard in the confessional – though no murder.”

Being in the confessional and administering the sacraments has been one of the greatest joys of his priesthood so far, he said.

“Being the youngest priest in the diocese, the spread of ages of people who come to confession and open their hearts and look to me as father and ask for help and advice crying, it’s humbling,” he said. “I’m reminded every time it happens that they’re not coming for me. They may seek me out for my natural gifts – being easy going and quiet – but they’re coming for Jesus, and that’s the most perfect thing I can offer them.”

Father Fitzgerald said it’s been exciting to see how his “personality interacts with the sacraments.”

“I’ve had others comment that I’ve been comfortable celebrating Mass from my first Mass onward,” he said. “It’s a great consolation I received before ordination. I knew this was the life I was created for.”

Father Fitzgerald recalled taking a call and going to a person who was at home dying, anointing the person and giving an apostolic pardon for the first time.

“That person died the next day,” he said. “I was talking to a priest friend, and he asked, ‘how did it feel helping to get a soul to heaven?’”

Originally from Madrid in St. Lawrence County, Father Fitzgerald says he’s grateful to be serving in Plattsburgh, since he had only one previous experience serving on the eastern side of the diocese.

“It really is a whole new world out here,” he said. “Before last summer, when I was in Champlain and Rouses Point, I had been to Plattsburgh maybe four or five times. Now I’m ministering to people who’ve never heard of Madrid…It’s amazing what two hours in the North Country can give you, like exploring Vermont. I went to Burlington for the first time, and it was my first time taking the ferry. And there are so many towns I’ve never been to and parishes I’ve never seen. It’s nice exploring the Champlain Valley in fall colors.”

Being in the new area has afforded Father Fitzgerald opportunities for growth.

“I’ve enjoyed soaking up the history here,” he said. “I’ve had opportunities to use both Spanish and French a number of times. I celebrated Mass in Spanish. They needed coverage for the monthly Spanish Mass. I don’t speak Spanish well, but I attempted it. It was alright. People appreciated the effort. I’ve heard confessions in French and did a funeral service in French.”

After spending nearly his entire life to this point on academic schedule, Father Fitzgerald said he is enjoying living in a parish and getting to know the people there.

“There are wonderful, wonderful people here,” he said. “They’re so gracious. You can tell they love their priests. I love alliteration, so after daily Mass, I’ll tell people to have a magnificent Monday, a terrific Tuesday or a wonderful Wednesday. I had a parishioner approach me after Mass and give me a packet of alliterations. People bring tomatoes and cucumbers from their gardens. A family had me over for dinner and a cup of coffee. It’s wonderful to be loved as a priest and be received by your people.”

He’s also looking forward to experiencing aspects of parish life for the first time as a priest.

“For the past eight years, I’ve been in seminary during Advent and Lent,” Father Fitzgerald said. “In the seminary, you don’t have things like penance services. There aren’t extra Masses on the schedule. I’m excited to see how we do things in the four worship sites here – the customs of each place. I’m looking forward to just living a liturgical year in a parish.”

He’s also grateful to his pastor, Father Kevin D. McEwan, who has been a helpful teacher.

“Father Kevin has taught me a lot so far,” Father Fitzgerald said. “For example, writing a contract for something to get fixed. When something comes across his desk, he calls Father Doug (Schirmer, another parochial vicar at Holy Cross Parish) and me in, and we have a teaching moment. Everyone in the office is helpful.”

And he looks forward to continuing to serve the people of God here in the diocese.

“People are looking for Christ, and I get to try my best to show him to them,” he said.