On Easter Sunday, a fire broke out in the early morning at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Chapel, which had recently been restored. It is a miracle that the house of worship could withstand the fire, threatening to destroy the entire church.
Early Morning Blaze
A report from the Catholic News Agency stated that Father Greg Markey, head chaplain at Thomas Aquinas College's New England campus, was struck by a wall of black smoke as he opened the sacristy door for Easter Sunday's early eucharistic adoration. He didn't waste any time and got to action right away.
Markey dashed for the fire extinguisher and tried his best to put out the fire, yet, the flames continued to flare in the over 100-year-old wooden church, which had recently undergone a renovation that cost more than $1 million in 2022.
He contacted the Northfield Fire Department. While waiting for them to come, he rushed to get another fire extinguisher and used that one before returning to his original position. The flames were extinguished shortly after the arrival of the firefighters. However, the sacristy had been destroyed. In addition, the smoke caused significant damage to the church.
The priest added that it is not entirely evident whether or not the garments, some of which contain metal and gold threads, horse hair, and stuffing, can be restored. The amount of damage caused by the blaze has not yet been determined.
Moreover, Markey believes God kept the church standing despite heavy damage. "You could have lost the whole church very easily," a firefighter told Markey after extinguishing the fire. 'Someone watched over you," the officer added.
Marky noted that God was in charge of everything. Things might have turned out differently if the priest had not gone there so quickly. Therefore, each one of them feels very grateful. It is reportedly a great blessing that they did not lose the entire church in the fire.
As per the National Catholic Register, in 1971, Thomas Aquinas College established a campus in Santa Paula, California. 2019 marked the year that the college expanded by opening a campus in New England. Between the two sites, there are a total of 439 students enrolled in the undergraduate program. However, despite its stated mission of "renewing what is best in the Western intellectual heritage and conducting liberal education under the guiding light of the Catholic faith," neither the government nor the Catholic Church provides financial support for the college.
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Possible Cause of Fire
According to Catholic Masses, at this time, the Holy Eucharist is being held on campus at a different location than usual. Markey is convinced that the inappropriate disposal of incense during the Easter Vigil Mass the night before was the cause of the fire.
He speculated that one of the more recent altar servers may have thrown away the incense, foil, and charcoal instead of letting it cool overnight in the thurible as instructed. The incense will be burned in a thurible, a particular type of vessel, during the liturgy.
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