The Peru Gazette

Bordeau’s New and Used Furniture in Beekmantown was devastated by fire about 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 13, 2020. Here’s what it looked like this afternoon. The store is located on Route 22 a few hundred yards south of the Beekmantown Central School.

Msgr. Denis Duprey just prior to the Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020, morning Mass.

By John T. Ryan 

Peru – When Rev. Alan Shnob announced his retirement parishioners of St. Augustine’s Church expected to be linked with St. Margaret’s Parish in Wilmington, Holy Name Parish in Au Sable Forks, and the Catholic Community of Keeseville. Plans were in place for one pastor to preside over all the parishes. Instead, Bishop Terry LaValley asked Msgr. Denis Duprey, the recently retired pastor of St. Peter’s Church in Plattsburgh, to come to St. Augustine’s for one year as parish administrator. Msgr. Duprey jokingly describes this parish administrator position as “a half-way house out of full ministry.” He pointed out that a retired priest has many opportunities for part-time service commenting, ”My goal is to be of service to people and to help bring more joy to my own life.” 

Few St. Augustine’s parishioners would agree that Msgr. Duprey’s first 100 days in Peru looks like a half-way house out of full ministry. Once an aspiring journalist, he has taken ownership of the weekly parish bulletin, highlighting photos of the most important parish happenings, especially youth activities. Appreciating technology, he has brought the parish’s Facebook page to life. He makes a point to speak to the weekday volunteers working at the soup kitchen, St. Vincent’s and Roger’s House and is attentive to parish organizations.

People also look forward to Msgr. Duprey’s brief, relevant, often humorous homilies. He credits a high school teacher for his speaking abilities. “During my senior year at Mooers High School, it became known that I was interested in becoming a priest. My English teacher, Mrs. Payne, encouraged me to sign up for an oratorical contest. She said, ‘If you’re going to be a priest, you’re going to have to give a sermon.’ I thought, ‘O my, do I want to get into this?’ ” With Mrs. Payne’s help, he won that contest and developed a sense of confidence in his speaking abilities.  

Msgr. Duprey’s homilies may be brief, but preparation is a six-day process beginning on Monday when he reads the weekend scriptures. He organizes his thoughts on Wednesday, but he doesn’t complete the homily until Saturday. His homilies are never more than one-page long. He recalls his seminary instructor saying, “I like to go by Jesus. Do you realize that the Our Father and the Ten Commandments each fit onto one page? Certainly what you have to say is not more important.” 

Msgr. Duprey is enjoying his time at St. Augustine’s. He said, “This is a very vibrant, very friendly parish. People have been very supportive. With COVID, we didn’t have the opportunity for a welcoming reception. We can’t stand outside the church greeting people. We can’t see people. You don’t know who they are. Still, connections are being made. I know many people who went to church a lot, especially the elderly I haven’t seen. I don’t know their names. I don’t know their faces. I do know one thing. They’ve given a good part of their lives to the church. Not just going to Mass, but working at the Applefest, being religious education teachers and working in other capacities.”

Lower church attendance didn’t begin with the pandemic. It started at least a half-century ago. Msgr. Duprey commented, “Pope Benedict used to say, ‘We’re going to have a smaller but more vibrant church.’ People cite many causes such as the church is too strict; the church is too liberal; the priests don’t do enough outreach. I believe the fundamental problem is like what happened in France following the French Revolution. We have a highly secularized society in which we live, and that includes us. God is not at the center. Our school systems are very good, but at one time (before the 1962-63 Supreme Court decisions), religion was highly respected and supported in the schools. Students were encouraged to go to released time religious education. My teachers, many of whom were not Catholics, were the most generous supporters of my vocation. And it’s not just our schools, but our media, our music. Stores are open on Sunday mornings. We’re into consumerism.”

Is it possible to turn this around? He said, “I think it has to do with all Christians. We have to make sure our faith is as vibrant as possible. I recently spoke to a young man who will leave home to attend college. I said to him, ‘Make sure you go to church. You’re going to be with a group of guys who do not go to church, but there will be at least one or two boys who will go if you ask them to go. If you go, they’ll go.’ ” 

The people of St. Augustine’s were hopeful that linkage with the Wilmington, Au Sable Forks, and Keeseville churches would be successful. Nevertheless, most are undoubtedly grateful to Bishop LaValley for assigning Msgr. Duprey to their parish. He brings humor, leadership, and living faith to the parish community. He’s achieving his goal of being of service to people, and hopefully, he has brought joy to his own life. 

Editor’s Note: I am a St. Augustine’s parishioner and don’t claim to be objective in writing this article. 

Source: Hotel and Golden Corral owners accused of misusing COVID-19 funds

Here are today’s Clinton County COVID-19 case updates. One additional lab-confirmed positive case reported today. Currently 12 active cases of COVID-19 in Clinton County.

Bordeau’s Furniture building at approximately 6:30 p.m. The blaze eventually caused the roof of the building to collapse, according to firefighters.Source: Crews battle fire at northern New York furniture store

Source: Columbus committee couldn’t agree on fate of Syracuse statue, left choice to Walsh – syracuse.com

52 students, teachers staff told to quarantine after potential exposure

Source: Dozens must quarantine after Averill Park student tests positive for COVID-19

Source: State lifts restrictions on indoor nursing home visits – VTDigger

Source: St. Peter’s patient information may have been stolen

Source: Bringing a Plattsburgh hero to life | Sun Community News PLATTSBURGH | A local artist returns home to paint a memorial for one of Plattsburgh’s own heroes.

Source: Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the Risks of Holiday Travel – The Atlantic

OCTOBER 15, 2020 @ 6:00 PM 

1. Call Meeting To Order

2. Pledge of Allegiance

3. Roll Call

4. MOTION/DISCUSSION: To Accept reports from all Departments: (Water/Sewer/Valcour; Highway; Town Clerk; Dog Control; Youth Department; Code/Zoning; Supervisor’s Report; Court; Website; JCEO; and Banking Reports)

5. MOTION: Approval of Minutes for the Town Board Regular Meeting of September 26, 2020.

6. Community Input

8. DISCUSSION/MOTION: Set Sewer Workshop Date for October 26.
9. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:  Approval to Put the Sewer Trunk Line Project Out for Rebid.
10. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION: Approval of Auctions International Contract.

10. DISCUSSION/MOTION: Set Date for Emergency Health Plan Workshop.

11. DISCUSSION: Sewer Project Update.

12. DISCUSSION: Other Business.

13. DISCUSSION: Public Comments on Agenda Items Only.

14. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION: Pay Bills

15. DISCUSSION/MOTION: Adjourn to Executive Session.

16. DISCUSSION/MOTION: Return from Executive Session.

MOTION:     Adjourn

**In an effort to help stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, this Town Board Meeting will not be open to the public.  The minutes will be available online as soon as they are approved at the following Board Meeting of October 26, 2020.  Thank you your understanding in this matter and stay safe!

Source: City & State Coronavirus Update

Source: Health officials investigating 12 COVID-19 cases linked to Montpelier hockey leagues

Source: Bold new ride at Van Ho | News, Sports, Jobs – Adirondack Daily Enterprise

Source: Some CNY school districts end maskless classrooms after coronavirus cases; others don’t – syracuse.com

Source: Andrew Cuomo and daughters on life during the pandemic – CBS News

Source: Allegiant Air cancels all Ogdensburg flights in October | St. Lawrence County | nny360.com

Source: Sidebar: The man who popularized the Adirondacks | Local History | nny360.com