CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (OSV News) -- Hundreds celebrated Mass inside the parish community center of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Casa Grande over the Oct. 19-20 weekend despite a fire closing its parish church indefinitely.
Early in the morning Oct. 18 flames ignited inside the decades-old church. The Casa Grande Fire Department said it took more than an hour and the help of five other agencies to extinguish the flames. Fire Chief Dave Kean said there was significant damage to the inside of the main worship area.
According to the chief, early investigations indicate the fire started in the area near the west side of the building near the electronic and music area. Kean said the fire "significantly burned the south/choir pew area. The main worship area was also damaged by heavy smoke and some fire."
No one was injured during the fire, and the investigation is in its preliminary stages with the help of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, or the ATF.
"We have no reason to believe that foul play was involved, but due to the high dollar loss and the fact that it is a place of worship, they are assisting us," Kean said.
More than 6,000 people are registered as St. Anthony of Padua parishioners. Father Ariel Lustan, the pastor, said all weekend Masses were well attended beginning with the Saturday evening vigil Oct. 19, "I thought I was going to have to uplift the community, but they are the ones giving me inspiring thoughts and words," he told New Outlook, the news outlet of the Tucson Diocese.
Father Lustan said the destruction will not interrupt liturgical services. "We will have Masses, baptisms, funerals and weddings in the parish community center. We are also blessed to have the Divine Mercy Chapel as an option."
The existing parish church was built in 1960, though the first structure has existed for nearly 100 years. "It's a brick structure with steel frames. Someone told me that if they can rebuild the Cathedral of Notre Dame then we can rebuild this church and I think it's a noble goal," Father Lustan said.
Parishioners turned out in droves over the weekend, assuring Father Lustan they would begin to identify leaders who could spearhead restoration efforts. In the meantime, the pastor said he is grateful that the parish church has a community center. "I told parishioners that we are blessed to have this center for the last 10 years," he said. "The Lord prepared us for this event. We can continue without interruptions."
Tucson Bishop Edward J. Weisenburger reassured the community that the parish church is more than a building.
"A characteristic true to Catholicism is that our houses of worship are not simply places where we pray," he said in an Oct. 21 statement. "Rather, they are imbued with holiness by the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, the waters of baptism, consecrated vessels for worship, and the grace that flows from the celebration of the Sacraments. The damage to the parish church is a wound that strikes deeply to the soul."
Bishop Weisenburger thanked the community for its prayers and support while encouraging faith and trust in God.
"We must allow the grace of God to heal us, to make us strong, and to unite us in fulfilling His will," he said. "The truth is that the beloved parish church was not built on a foundation of concrete, steel, and bricks. It was built upon a foundation of faith, hope, and love,And from that foundation arose a magnificent dwelling for God.
"Brothers and Sisters, let us be encouraged by the example of the generations before us. For we WILL do as they did, and once again build a structure to God's glory -- a structure that will be beautiful, functional, and a witness to our faith, our hope, and our love today."
