Fire strikes SSPX chapel in New Zealand

Public venues seem inaccessible during the holidays. When we've tried to call community centres and schools for renting a hall, we just get told to try again at the end of the summer holidays.

Our current venue is the refectory attached to a small cinema (cinema holds about 60). The refectory would have room to seat 54, but one part is used up for the altar, so we try to get about 80 people in wherever we can. The refectory tables are attached to the wall, and so unmovable, so we just need to work around them.

There is another bit of bad news as well. Although the contents of the church were insured, the building itself was not. It is unclear at the moment why it was not, but it seems certain that it was because the insurance company refused to do so (since the other two buildings on the property are both insured).... so it is an outright loss for us.

There were some tentative plans for a new church once we had raised sufficient funds to start. We were probably 3-5 years away from that.

Having to face the possibility of not being able to come up with such funds, we are trying to consider other options as well. Do we build another temporary structure (but so lose part of our capital) or do we rent until we have funds (but this would be quite a blow to a parish that has had its own church for years), or do we start on what we originally had planned even if funds are lacking now?

help by making a donation > Please indicate it is for: Auckland, New Zealand

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND
1-11-2013

Fr. Robert MacPherson - stationed in the Australia-New Zealand District - sent in this report about a fire that occurred on the evening of Tuesday, January 1, at the SSPX's chapel of the Immaculate Heart of Mary & St. John Fisher in Avondale (near Auckland), New Zealand.

Unhappily a fire broke out in our church in Auckland. The damage, as you can see is extensive. The building is now unusable, as is most of the things that were in it. Vestments, statues, etc. The caretaker had just replenished the oil in the sanctuary lamp about a half hour or forty minutes before the neighbors saw flames and called the fire department, so it seems likely that that was the cause.

The flames certainly started from the altar, though how the sanctuary lamp could have fallen is not clear. As the firemen couldn't find anyone in the unit where the priests stay (and the house of the caretaker is somewhat removed from the church), they broke down the door to get in. They likewise needed to smash all the windows to let the smoke out.

The smoke and fire damage extended all the way back to the other end of the church, which is why we've lost everything (so I'm told) from the sacristy as well.

Luckily, the tabernacle was still intact, and safely removed from the church. Fr Lavin was on holiday in the area and so was able to remove the blessed sacrament. He has since consumed the hosts. He said they tasted like smoke.

We did have plans to eventually build a new church, but this will certainly push forward our plans. In the meantime, it looks like we will need to find a hall to take care of our 80+ faithful.

Union of prayers.

Fr. Robert MacPherson

click for more images and info >