St. Paul the Apostle Church in Calumet was formed in 1966 as the result of the merger of four national churches.  Parish traditions, activities and active lay ministries have united the people into one harmonious community.

Founding.  Until 1966, separate entities existed for the French people of Calumet at St. Anne’s Church, the Croatians at St. John the Baptist, Slovenians and later the Polish at St. Joseph’s and the Italians at St. Mary’s.  It was Bishop Thomas L. Noa who recommended the people of these struggling parishes come together into one viable unit.  Low parish membership and economic constraints were among the reasons for the suggested merger.

Parish Life.  The historic St. Joseph building was chosen for the new St. Paul the Apostle Parish’s house of worship.  The structure was constructed in 1908 and named a Michigan Historic Site in 1987.  The original organ dedicated in St. Joseph Church on May 31, 1908 is still in use at St. Paul’s today.

Parishioners struggled with the closure of their separate churches, but Father Aloysius Hasenberg, pastor from 1966 to 1968 and Father Ephraem Sitko, assistant pastor, are said to have been instrumental in easing the unification process.

A Fall Festival started in 1975 allowed each of the ethnic groups represented in the parish to have booths displaying their best wares.  The festival, along with a bingo fund-raiser, has continued for more than 25 years.  Summer picnics and regular coffee and doughnut socials after Sunday Mass are among additional fellowship activities at St. Paul’s.  Many people also participate in lay church ministries.  In 1988 the people of the parish sewed 185 stoles for priests of the diocese and vestments for the bishop—a project they take great pride in.  In 1990 the parish produced a pictorial directory of its membership.

St. Paul parishioners continued supporting the Sacred Heart Central Grade School.  From 1957 when the central school opened, through its closure in 1982, the people of all of the Calumet parishes made the parochial education possible.

Pastors. 

Fathers:

Aloysius Hasenberg, 1966-1968;

John McArdle, 1968-1975;

Donald Shiroda, 1975-1980;

Wayne Marcotte, 1980-1991;

David Jenner, 1991;

Cyprian Berens, OFM, 1991-2001;

Sebastian Ettolil, MCBS, 2001-2006; and

Abraham Mupparathara, MCBS, 2006 -

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