Friday evening, May 1st, 1970, was the occasion of the first Mass in the present church building. This was two years and thirty days after the original church was destroyed by fire!
In March of 2018, Fr. Bob revisited an article from the past, written by Fr. Don Wegscheider, describing the community’s recovery from the 1968 Easter Monday fire: st-matts.org/touched-by-a-fiery-spirit-fr-bob-reflection
More photos and recollections of church fire here:
st-matts.org/blazing-forward-thanks
st-matts.org/blazing-forward-50th-anniversary-of-1968-church-fire-april-28-29-2018
Denise Heininger Moore says
I remember this day very well. I went through school there and attended church everyday. I loved the inside and the choir loft. Many funerals I sang at and everyday morning mass as I attended the school. Many memories.
We heard the fire engines and someone said they thought it was church… I ran all the way down and cried as I watched the smoke and flames. It was heartbreaking.
Richard Schletty says
Thank you, Denise, for your recollections of that fateful day. Since then, we have endeavored to transform fateful to faith-filled!