2008 Woodie Awards
Church fire still affecting members
Maddisun Fowler
Issue date: 3/29/07 Section: News
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"The fire started in the mezzanine area at the back of the church," said Deacon John Peters of St. Mary's. "There was a light socket with a light bulb left lying on the cushion of an upholstered chair. At this time it is unknown how the light got turned on."
Mass has been moved temporarily to the St. Mary's gym. "The gym had some water and smoke damage, but the wood floor was removed and everything else was cleaned up," Peters said. "Chairs were moved in and carpet runners put down in the isle. Several items from the burned church were salvaged and moved into the gym. These items include the Easter candle stand, a stained glass window and Mary's statue."
Jacob Marquez, a radio-TV broadcast production major, has attended St. Mary's since March 2005.
"I was sad at first, but then I said that everything was going to be OK," Marquez said "We are the church as a whole. The structure burned down, but that is just the building, not the church. The church is the community as a whole." Martinez still attends Mass on a regular basis at St. Mary's.
"This has taught me that situations will come up that you will have to adapt and you grow from these situations and make your faith stronger. I think that St. Mary's is a strong-knit faith community. At first everyone was sad about it, but then everyone realized it was going to be OK because it enriched our faith."
"At this point we are waiting to settle with the insurance company, but new plans are being worked on and drawn up," Peters said.
"Monsignor Harold Waldow wants to have a new sanctuary built and ready to move into in a year and a half. The new sanctuary will be built in the same location as the burned sanctuary after all the debris is moved off. The new sanctuary will be turned a different direction and will be larger. The bells were salvaged out of the old church and are being reconditioned, so they will go into the new church."
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