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Bishop Shawn McKnight wrote, "it is with a heavy heart that I share a bolt of lightning struck the bell tower of St. John the Evangelist early yesterday morning, and the church burned to the ground."
The parish Facebook said, on August 1st, "shortly after 4am in the morning, the chapel was struck by lightning and caught fire. Fire departments were dispatched but unfortunately when they arrived there was nothing they could do to save it. Due to the heat from the fire, there is also melted siding on the community center."
Bishop McKnight continued, "Built in 1883, the chapel community of St. John in St. Vincent DePaul Parish has a long standing, faith-filled history in Bahner, Missourio, USA. On Sunday, September 22, 2019, I celebrated Mass for the newly formed St. Vincent DePaul parish. The three faith communities of Sacred Heart, St. Patrick and St. John the Evangelist came together to unite as one parish. By joining the parishes together, the members of the Catholic Church in Pettis County belong to a wider group of parishioners for the benefit of all. Now, more than ever, the support of this community is needed to carry each other through this challenging chapter.
The flames may have consumed the physical structure, but they cannot destroy the spirit and resilience that have defined the chapel community of St. John in St. Vincent DePaul Paul Parish for years. We must remember that a church is not just a physical building; it is the people who gather within its walls.
Randy Kirby
Bishop McKnight continued, "Built in 1883, the chapel community of St. John in St. Vincent DePaul Parish has a long standing, faith-filled history in Bahner, Missourio, USA. On Sunday, September 22, 2019, I celebrated Mass for the newly formed St. Vincent DePaul parish. The three faith communities of Sacred Heart, St. Patrick and St. John the Evangelist came together to unite as one parish. By joining the parishes together, the members of the Catholic Church in Pettis County belong to a wider group of parishioners for the benefit of all. Now, more than ever, the support of this community is needed to carry each other through this challenging chapter.
The flames may have consumed the physical structure, but they cannot destroy the spirit and resilience that have defined the chapel community of St. John in St. Vincent DePaul Paul Parish for years. We must remember that a church is not just a physical building; it is the people who gather within its walls.
Randy Kirby
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