Dec 24, 2007 10:47 pm US/Central
Chicago Heights Church Set To Rebuild After Fire
San Rocco Parish Suffers Severe Fire, But Parishioners Vow To Bring Church Back
CHICAGO HEIGHTS (CBS) ―
From the outside, San Rocco Parish in Chicago Heights looks like a picture perfect for Christmas.
But the inside tells a different story – a fire almost gutted the building Sunday morning.
As CBS 2's Pamela Jones reports, even the white keys on the San Rocco Parish organ are dusted in soot. The pews, statues – everything was charred in the fire. It's what parishioners opened the church doors to Sunday morning.
They believe stormy weather led to a power surge that sparked flames at an electric cord that was connected to some Christmas trees in a corner.
"Apparently, the little cord couldn't take it, and set the carpet on fire," said Fr. Michael Gilligan, the rector of San Rocco Parish.
Flames were so hot the 100-year-old statue of San Rocco, the church's patron saint, reportedly exploded. It flung pieces of the statue against the ceiling and was the only statue destroyed.
"We always look for symbolism," parishioner August Anzelmo said. "And we believe that San Rocco sacrificed himself to save the rest of the church."
San Rocco Parish was started in 1906 as a mission serving the Italian community.
"This is disaster number three," parishioner Angelo Ciambrone said. "First in 1967 in August, we had a tornado. It ripped off the roof of the church."
Then in 1991, there was a decision to take the church out of the community, and now this. Their community has pulled them through it all.
"Jesus says you do not know the day nor the hour," Fr. Gilligan said. "And you never know what's coming."
But their faith prevails in the midst of destruction.
"We're going to rebuild, redecorate," Ciambrone said.
Amazingly parishioners say many of the items inside here just need a good washing. And it'll take about two to three months to rebuild. Church officials believe insurance will cover most of their loss.
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