Latin Mass parish in Nevada destroyed by wildfire

CNA Staff, Sep 11, 2024 / 17:25 pm (CNA).

A rampant wildfire on Saturday destroyed The Holy Spirit Catholic Mission in Washoe Valley, Nevada, which held the only Latin Mass in northern Nevada.

Several other homes and structures in the area along U.S. Highway 395 New Washoe were destroyed by the Davis Fire, according to local news reports.

The church, built in 1978, was completely destroyed, along with the tabernacle and almost all of the church’s official documents, though a statue of Mary survived, along with other sacred objects.

Bishop Daniel Mueggenborg of Reno offered his encouragement and support following the fire in a Sept. 8 pastoral letter. Mueggenborg said that he rushed to the mission on Saturday night when he heard that it had been destroyed, as did many parishioners, “in the hopes of recovering the Blessed Sacrament.”

While first responders prevented access into Washoe Valley due to the dangers of the ongoing fires, he and other community members returned the following morning.

“Nothing could have prepared us for what we saw when we arrived at the mission,” he wrote. “We were saddened beyond words at the smoldering debris that was once the house of God.”

“As an immediate sign of hope, we saw the undamaged statue of the Blessed Mother standing in watchful attention over the site of the former mission chapel,” Mueggenborg continued. “The Blessed Mother is particularly close to her adopted children in Christ when they suffer affliction and distress.”

Mueggenborg said that the situation developed “so quickly that none of us could have anticipated the magnitude of the devastation which would result.”

The bishop explained that he and some volunteers arrived in the hopes of recovering the Blessed Sacrament but found that the tabernacle had been completely destroyed.

“The heat was so intense that it actually fused metallic pieces together,” he said. “As such, nothing remained of the Blessed Sacrament.”

“Upon arriving at the site, we were all saddened and couldn’t believe when we saw that the entire building had collapsed and there was still smoke on the ground,” Father Arlon Vergara, pastor of the parish, said in a letter shared with CNA. “But what caught my attention was the statue of Mary, with no damage and still immaculately white, standing as if protecting the holy ground.”

The Church also lost its sacramental records, which are necessary for people who seek further sacraments in the Church such as confirmation or marriage. The diocese is working on reconstructing the records and requesting local Catholics to submit any copies of baptism, confirmation, or marriage certificates that they have.

“This unfortunate event taught us a lesson to ensure that our buildings and important documents are more secured,” Vergara said of the records, which had been stored in a safe. “Perhaps all our parishes can adapt to technology of moving our records to digital records. This process can protect our records during extreme and difficult circumstances.”

The parish was also able to salvage a monstrance, two chalices, and a dry seal mark of the mission as well as a holy water container, holy oil container, and some small sacred medals.

“I believe that we can get through all this,” Vergara said. “The structure has been destroyed, but the Church, which is the people, is alive and steadfast in faith and resilient in times of trials and difficulties.”

“We will move forward and will continue to minister to our flock with dedication and commitment to walk with them,” he said.

The parish will celebrate Mass at Bishop Manogue High School for the near future at the invitation of the recently appointed superintendent of Catholic schools for the diocese, Brother Christopher Hall. The high school’s chapel will host the congregation for Sunday worship. The bishop expressed his hope that this “will help your community to preserve its unity as you plan your future.”