Woman began yelling in the middle Mass of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
The B.C. Catholic
ABBOTSFORD
St. Ann’s is under repair after fire charred the sacristy and smoke damaged the church and rectory.
“It’s bad, but it’s not that bad,” said pastor Father Hien Nguyen.
“The church is only damaged by the smell of it and the ash,” though the sacristy, where the fire began during Friday Mass June 3, was destroyed.
Father Nguyen had been celebrating the Mass of the Sacred Heart of Jesus when a woman began yelling in the middle of prayers.
“I stopped the Mass and looked down and then I realized she was trying to say: ‘Father! Fire!'”
Parishioners rushed to pull fire alarms and evacuate. Some tried to put the fire out with an extinguisher, but without success. Several Abbotsford fire trucks quickly responded and put out the flames.
“The fire department said it started from the table where we place our unused candles, and our charcoal box, our incense, and so on,” said Father Nguyen, who took the ciborium containing the Body of Christ and finished Mass in the parking lot.
“Our sacristy is so small. If just a spark goes off, a fire would catch on the vestments next to it.”
Every vestment and cassock stored in the sacristy was destroyed, along with the processional cross and other items.
“There was a wall of orange flame,” said parishioner Jody Garneau.
She said about 60 people usually turn up for daily Mass. The day after the fire, she went to the church to find Father Nguyen and a large group of people preparing for Mass in the school gymnasium.
“We lost all these pieces and yet we were together and we had Mass, and that was the important part.”
Father Nguyen celebrated the Sunday Masses in the gym using borrowed items. He said he hoped to be back in the church for Sunday Mass June 12.
“God is good,” he said, grateful the fire had been contained in the sacristy. He is optimistic repairs will be done in about three weeks.
