DAYTON, Ohio – This Sunday, parishioners from St. John the Baptist Church in Maria Stein attended mass at the Precious Blood Church in Chickasaw.
The church community was invited to a nearby church following a massive fire that severely damaged the 135-year-old structure on Thursday evening.
Ted and Sarah Burgmen, who live near St. John’s, told 2 NEWS about the dramatic change in their lives.
“It’s like our world changed,” Sarah said. “We thought of all the baptisms, first communions, weddings, and funerals that had taken place there. Over 135 years is a long history of things that cannot be replaced.
The two discussed how the community is looking forward.
“People will rebuild that church,” Ted declared. “The building’s gone, but the people aren’t.”
“The building is a building, but the church is our community,” Sarah told me.
The two churches have been closed previously. When St. John’s was being repainted, Precious Blood invited them to their parish for four months.
“Everyone works together,” Ted explained. “This is one great big community here.”
Dr. James “Jim” Schwieterman spoke with 2 NEWS as he inspected the fence outside St. John.
“This is my community,” Schwieterman stated. “All of the sacraments for me, my mother, my grandparents, and my great grandparents began at St. John’s Church. They say, “You try to make the unreal real, so you come out here to process your loss.”
He continued, discussing rebuilding.
“I was asked, ‘Do you think they’ll rebuild? I said I knew they would. It’s not an if, but a when. The local community, Catholic and non-Catholic alike, banded together. “It’s who we are and what we stand for.”
