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April 26, 2018(Cumberland, RI) – Due to decreasing population, a decline in sacramental practice and structural deficiencies in the church building, Msgr. Jacques Plante, administrator of St. Patrick Parish in Cumberland and pastor of St. Aidan Parish in Cumberland, along with the trustees and the finance council members of both parishes, have requested that St. Patrick Church be closed permanently and merge with St. Aidan Parish in Cumberland. Bishop Thomas J. Tobin gave his approval after consultation with diocesan staff, the Diocesan Consultors and the Council of Priests. The merged parishes will be known as St. Aidan-St. Patrick Parish, effective July 1, 2018. Parishioners of both parishes were informed this past weekend at Masses.
“I am grateful to all who have collaborated so well to bring about this merger,” said Bishop Tobin. “While the parishioners of St. Patrick’s will undoubtedly miss their parish church, it is good to know that their spiritual needs will continue to be met in their new parish home.”
In October of 2017, due to deterioration and leakage in the bell tower, as well as damage to the heating system, worship was moved from St. Patrick Church to St. Aidan Church. Since then, there has been further damage in the walls and ceiling of St. Patrick Church. Estimated repairs of the church building would exceed $1 million dollars.
St. Patrick also faced declining population, and trended from 1450 parish families in 2007 to approximately 700 in 2017. In addition, overall sacramental practice declined, with only five parish weddings from 2015-2017. A total of six students received First Communion in the same timeframe. For the current academic year, St. Patrick Parish has one student in the combined Religious Education program.
The sacramental records of St. Patrick Parish will be stored at the parish office of St. Aidan, Cumberland.
St. Patrick Parish was established in 1861 serving the faithful in the Valley Falls section of Cumberland.
