Western Vicariate

Cumberland-area parishes currently have two funerals for every baptism. One third of registered parishioners are age 60 or older. The city’s population has declined from 30,000 in 1979 to 20,859 today, while the number of priests serving the five parishes has plummeted from 13 to four – the result of a clergy shortage.

“There’s a wonderful spirit of cooperation and a great sense of ownership at St. Louis,” Monsignor Luca said. “We’ve been very blessed, and our parishioners have been a blessing to others.”

In an assembly line that would make Henry Ford proud, dozens of volunteers from St. Peter in Hancock transformed their parish hall into an apple dumpling factory Sept. 12-14 – filling the air with the delightfully dense aroma of sweet cinnamon and fresh-baked apples that attracted visitors from near and far.

“People want their churches to lift their spirits,” Monsignor Luca said. “This church does that.”