James J. LeBar - Early Career

Early Career

Father LeBar was ordained in 1962. He was assigned as chaplain to Hudson Valley Psychiatric Center in 1982 and served until his retirement there in 2005. Previously he was a parochial vicar at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Poughkeepsie, 1980–1982; St. Stanislaus, Pleasant Valley, 1979–1980; St. Catherine Laboure, Lake Katrine, 1973–1979 and 1965–1967; St. Joseph’s, Kingston, 1967–1973; St. Gregory Barbarigo, Garnerville, 1967; and St. John the Evangelist, White Plains, 1962–1965. He served briefly as administrator of St. Colman’s, East Kingston, and Holy Name of Jesus, Kingston. He taught religion at John A. Coleman Catholic High School, 1966–1970. In the 1970s LeBar was asked to become part of the Office of Communications of the Archdiocese of New York which at the time was dealing with the rise of groups they called "cults" and occult activity. In 1976 he was one of the priest advisors who supported the National Catholic Committee on Scouting's attendance with a Scout Service Corps at the 41st International Eucharistic Congress in Philadelphia and attended that event. He performed his first exorcisms in 1988 and 1989. In 1989 he also published his book, entitled Cults, Sects, and the New Age. He has counseled many former "cult members" and is a frequent speaker on this subject.