Laverne surely doing God's work

Lou Laverne is a man of few words who has a hard time being understood when he speaks.

Having had Parkinson's Disease for the past 15 years, the member of Immaculate Conception parish in Glenville has found it more and more difficult to enunciate, one symptom of the progressive disease he has learned to live with.

Nevertheless, Mr. Laverne volunteers with Residents Encounter Christ (REC), a program sponsored by the Diocese of Albany that is conducted in state prisons.

Making a difference

Mr. Laverne said that living with Parkinson's has been frustrating, particularly in his ministry with REC because "it is hard to talk to people."

Still, he joins with other men who go into Mt. McGregor Prison to minister to inmates. He presents a talk and interacts with them.

"They love him because he gives them inspiration," said his wife, Carm. "They wait for him to come. Lou doesn't have to say anything when he's there. Just the fact that he is present inspires these men."

'God's work'

Mr. Laverne sees it another way: "Being there helps me to forget my handicap. When I am there, I am doing God's work. I know they are waiting for me to give them courage. I tell them that the Lord loves them, and they can continue to do a good job, right where they are. I tell them to stay close to God."

He added that he gets more out of serving the prisoners than he gives them. "They inspire me," he said.

Depression

In 1988, Mr. Laverne, then 58, was diagnosed with the incurable disease, a diagnosis that he feels "ended my career with GE" after 33 years.

"When they discovered he had Parkinson's, they gave him an unsatisfactory evaluation and put him out on disability retirement," his wife said, adding that he was very bitter about it. "We both felt that they forced him out."

The couple was devastated, and Mr. Laverne said he was very depressed for a while.

Renewal

"Then our son Doug invited Lou to attend a Cursillo weekend with him. That seemed to change his outlook on everything," Mrs. Laverne noted.

Attending the Cursillo introduced Mr. Laverne to men involved with REC. He was invited to attend a meeting and eventually decided to join the group. That was 11 years ago.

"When he was first diagnosed," Mrs. Laverne said, "we talked about what the rest of our life was going to be like. We both agreed that we would not let this disability destroy our lives. Lou knows he has a disability. He doesn't like it, but he has accepted it. He realizes that this is his life, and it isn't going to change."

Including God

Each day, as they have done for the 44 years of their marriage, the couple prays together. They both have a special devotion to St. Jude.

She said that praying with her husband gives her the strength she needs to meet each day's challenges.

As for him, he said, "God allows me to [still] love others. I'm not going to give in. I'll keep going as long as I can."

("When we're at home, Lou spends a lot of time sitting in his lift chair in the living room," Mrs. Laverne said. "Lou loves to read and play Scrabble. He wins every time! He is very determined that Parkinson's will not keep him from doing what he wants to do. He is very stubborn that way.")

(11/20/03) [[In-content Ad]]