Carrara wears collar at Mass, and police and fire emergencies

  If you need to track down the Rev. Chris Carrara, try the Diocese of Ogdensburg offices on weekdays. Or perhaps he is celebrating a weekend Mass in Morristown, Hammond or Rossie. Or maybe you can catch him on his day off – Monday – working on a fire truck at the Morristown Volunteer Fire and Rescue Squad.

   If that isn’t a bulging plate, Carrara takes on even more responsibility as chaplain to the Ogdensburg Police Department and St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office. When first responders face difficult challenges with fires, crimes or accidents, Carrara consoles victims, supports  families or lends a sympathetic ear to public safety officers. When a crisis happens, Carrara engages anyone in his role as chaplain.

  “Call it a ministry of presence,’’ Carrara said when he sat still for an interview.

  “First of all, I do not proselytize,’’ he said. “My evangelizing, which is reaching out to others, is very gentle. It’s not the first thing they know about me. It usually happens during ride-alongs with police and sheriff, or at the scene of an ambulance.’’

   His training for this role began in high school when he became a junior firefighter on Long Island. He continued his education at Paul Smith’s College, living in overflow housing at St. John’s of the Wilderness rectory in Lake Clear, N.Y.

  That’s where he observed the good works of Father Jimmy Flynn and met his first roommate, Kevin McEwan, now pastor of Holy Cross Church in Plattsburgh.

  “Just seeing the example of Fr. Flynn and the place of the priest in the community, that made me aware,’’ Carrara said.

   After three years in the hospitality industry in Connecticut and Long Island, Carrara felt something was missing – “God and God’s will.’’ So he began one year of theological studies at Wadhams Hall, then continued at Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora, a suburb of Buffalo. He was ordained in 1994 by Bishop Stanislaus Brzana.

   In his first assignment at Holy Family in Watertown, he met acting Jefferson County Sheriff Jim Lafferty, who offered a chaplain’s role.

   “I said, ‘Sure, I’d love to.’ He is the reason I am a chaplain. He is the reason why Jefferson, Franklin, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties have chaplains.’’

  Carrara said it’s difficult to define success in his role. He has been honored to deliver prayers at the state police graduations in Albany. He has celebrated Blue Masses to pray for first responders. Perhaps a sheriff’s lieutenant will invite him to coffee – “The guys have been asking about you.’’ At times, he is called to nursing homes to administer Anointing of the Sick to a father or a mother of a first responder or baptize a family member. When officers need support, Carrara fulfills his role. That’s a success.

    “The success story can be a terrible situation,’’ Carrara recalled as his voice lowered and nearly cracked. “They call you to do their burials.’’

  Then he recounted the fatal shooting of state trooper Joel Davis, 36, the first to respond to a domestic disturbance eight years ago in Theresa. Trooper Davis was ambushed as he approached the front door by Fort Drum infantryman Justin Walters, whose wife was found dead inside. Another woman was shot too.

    Walters eventually was sentenced to life in prison. Davis died within hours at a local hospital, leaving behind a wife and three children.

   “Success would be when you’re standing shoulder to shoulder with (officers) and the body is being brought out of the emergency room,’’ Carrara said.

  “You are there for the men and the next day you get a call – we need help with the funeral. Can you come?’’

 “You sit with the family, plan the funeral, lead the funeral – that’s a success story, but it’s a terrible situation.’’

    “You serve the people who protect and serve the people.’’

    Carrara works holidays too. On July Fourth, you would have found him leading the parade down Morristown’s Main Street. He also completed the lettering for the restored fire truck, a byproduct of auto restoration lessons he learned from his father.

   Tuesday found him back at the Chancery Office where he is director of vocations, director of seminarians and vicar for clergy. You might catch him there. He sits at a desk.

       Morristown native Jim Holleran is a retired teacher and sports editor from Rochester. Reach him at jimholleran29@gmail.com or view past columns under “Reflections of River Rat’’ at https://hollerangetsitwrite.com/blog/