SW News:

In Canada, a historic Catholic church has been damaged beyond repair in what police say is an act of arson. It was on Monday, May 22, that the 121-year-old St Bernard Church in Grouard, Alta, Northern Alberta, was gutted. 

According to officials, although the walls of the wooden church are still standing, it is not possible to salvage the rest of the structure which has been swallowed by the fire. The blaze also destroyed the 100-year-old artwork in the sanctuary of the church, which has been a gathering place for local Catholics all these years. The settlement, which is about 400 km northwest of Edmonton is home to around 160 residents and it is situated on the border of the Kapaweno First Nation. 

Vicar of the parish Fr Bernard Akum said on Tuesday that everything was gutted although he tried to salvage a few things such as the tabernacle, some vestments, books and crucifixes. Fire crews from Big Lakes County had to battle for six hours to douse the blaze, said Chief Jason Cottingham on Tuesday. During the battle to bring the blaze under control, the firefighters ran out of water and they had to bring water from Lesser Slave Lake. According to Cottingham, the height of the church ceiling meant that the firefighters had to tackle the fire from above first before entering the charred structure. 

The Royal Canadian Mountain Police have launched an investigation into the suspected act of arson and they have arrested two people in connection with the incident. They have been charged with break-and-enter to commit theft. The fire at St Bernard’s is the latest in the series of acts of arson against churches and Church institutions in Alberta in recent years. 

Meanwhile, Archbishop Gerard Pettipas of Grouard said in a statement on Tuesday that the church was irreparably destroyed and it was a sad moment for many people who entertain “fond memories of this church. Frequent Masses, baptisms, funerals, confirmations, and confessions took place between these walls, which are now charred and rendered as rubbish.”