• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Capuchin Franciscan Father Louis Petruha died March 31 following an extended illness. He was 80 years old.

Cumberland priest dies at 80

April 9, 2019
By Emily Rosenthal Alster
Filed Under: Local News, News, Obituaries, Western Vicariate

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Capuchin Franciscan Father Louis Petruha, who served in Cumberland parishes in the 1970s and in recent years, died March 31 following an extended illness. He was 80 years old.

In the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Father Petruha served as an instructor at the Capuchin Novitiate in Annapolis (1966-67), as associate pastor at Ss. Peter and Paul in Cumberland, which is now part of Our Lady of the Mountains (1972-75), and again at Our Lady of the Mountains (2015 until recent months, when medical issues intervened).

“Father Louis had a wonderful, outgoing personality,” Capuchin Franciscan Father Gregory Chervenak, pastor of Our Lady of the Mountains, said in an email to the Catholic Review. “His warm smile and down-to-earth nature were infectious. … He would engage everyone with a smile and a question, and the conversation would take off from there.”

A Pittsburgh native, Father Petruha attended the parish school at St. Mary of the Assumptions in the city’s Station Heights neighborhood. He then entered St. Fidelis College and Seminary in Herman, Pa., in 1953. He entered the Capuchin novitiate at the end of his sophomore year.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from St. Fidelis College. He professed his final vows while studying theology at Capuchin College in Washington, D.C., in 1963, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1965. Father Petruha earned his master’s degree in religious education from Capuchin College the following year.

Father Petruha kept his education updated by attending courses, workshops, pilgrimages, tours and mission trips throughout his life, even after completing his formal education.

“Father Louis was constantly learning, whether listening to Bishop Barron’s presentations, taking courses online from Harvard and Yale or reading spiritual books – he always wanted to learn more,” Father Chervenak wrote. “His knowledge, ministerial experience and life experiences made him wise, and an insightful spiritual director and counselor. He had a way of reaching into people with the Holy Spirit and leading them forward.”

Father Chervenak said Father Petruha loved, studied and prayed with the Sacred Scriptures. To share his love with the parish, he offered multiple eight-week series on the Gospels and the New Testament books.

“He was well loved and respected as a great teacher,” Father Chervenak said.

A funeral Mass was offered at St. Augustine Church in Lawrenceville, Pa.,  April 6.

 

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

Emily Rosenthal Alster

Click here to view all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Prince of Peace merges with St. Francis de Sales in Harford County

  • Construction underway on new north addition to St. Joseph’s Nursing Home 

  • Archbishop Wenski leads Knights on Bikes to pray rosary at Alligator Alcatraz

  • Archdiocese of Baltimore offers resources for parishes to assist migrants

  • Radio Interview: Youth ministry changing with the times

| Latest Local News |

Archdiocese of Baltimore offers resources for parishes to assist migrants

Third annual gun buyback scheduled for Aug. 9

Driver arrested after crashing into entrance of Esperanza Center

Construction underway on new north addition to St. Joseph’s Nursing Home 

Prince of Peace merges with St. Francis de Sales in Harford County

| Latest World News |

Poland’s ‘living memorial’ to St. John Paul II marks 25 years of transforming lives

Catholic ‘American Ninja Warrior’ fights world hunger, one obstacle at a time

Parishes need to launch ‘revolution of care’ for the elderly, pope says

Broglio: Church teaching obligates the faithful to support pastoral care of migrants

Ireland’s abortion rates rise 62 percent over 5 years; Catholic advocates call it ‘a tragedy’

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Poland’s ‘living memorial’ to St. John Paul II marks 25 years of transforming lives
  • Our faith is not afraid of questions
  • Catholic ‘American Ninja Warrior’ fights world hunger, one obstacle at a time
  • Parishes need to launch ‘revolution of care’ for the elderly, pope says
  • Broglio: Church teaching obligates the faithful to support pastoral care of migrants
  • Archdiocese of Baltimore offers resources for parishes to assist migrants
  • Third annual gun buyback scheduled for Aug. 9
  • Ireland’s abortion rates rise 62 percent over 5 years; Catholic advocates call it ‘a tragedy’
  • Miami archbishop presses for pastoral visitation at Alligator Alcatraz

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en