Fire at Our Lady of Victory doesn’t destroy faith life
Nov. 12 was supposed to be a good day for the parishioners of Our Lady of Victory, Sour Lake. It was the day that repairs were to begin to the religious education building that was damaged two months earlier by Hurricane Ike.
Instead, Nov. 12 will be remembered as the day that lightening struck the religious education building, causing a fire that destroyed the building.
Parishioners have been stopping by the parish since the lightening struck. They see the burned out building, smoke still rising from smoldering wood and smelling that smell that can only come from a house fire. They are checking on things at their parish – and finding out that their faith life will continue as usual.
Bishop Curtis Guillory, SVD, took time out while attending the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops fall general assembly to call Father Martin Nelson to check on Our Lady of Victory.
Bishop Guillory said it was tragic for the faith community that their building was hit twice – first by Ike and now by the fire.
“We can be grateful to God that the fire fighters responded immediately,” he said.
At the church, parishioners are trying not to miss a beat.
Wednesday evening confirmation, first Eucharist and RCIA classes took place at their normal times.
Daily Mass was celebrated at the normal time Nov. 13. Morning Bible study also went on as scheduled.
Clay Kuykendall walked over to the religious education building after Mass Nov. 13. He had also been there about 3:20 a.m. Nov. 12, while the firefighters were battling the blaze.
“It’s sad and can be devastating,” he said.
“I see a scorched picture on the wall,” Kuykendall said. “That photo could be of one of my sons.”
He said that even though the fire was sad and interrupted parish life, it wouldn’t stop the parish.
“You just hate to see something happen to your house,” he said.
Ky Moses, a member of the Sour Lake Volunteer Fire Department and a parishioner, stopped by Nov. 13 to check on spots in the building that were still smoldering.
“I went to class in this building,” he said while gazing at the building. “I’ve still got goose bumps from this.”
Moses was one of the firefighters who responded to the call at Our Lady of Victory.
“When we got here, it was already gone,” he said adding that according to an eye witness, as soon as the lightning struck the building went up in flames.
“It makes my heart sink to see that this happened,” he said. “I grew up going to CCD classes here.” His four younger brothers and sisters currently attend religious education classes there.
But even as the parishioners were trying to get back to faith life as usual, others knew it wasn’t as usual and reached out.
Several churches and groups have called to ask what was needed and how they could help. Some of those include the Office of Lifelong Catholic Formation/Education, Our Lady of Sorrows, China, St. Jude Thaddeus and St. Anne, Beaumont. Also, Msgr. Kelly High School, Beaumont, called and offered assistance.
Religious education classes had been moved to the parish hall after the building received water and roof damage from Hurricane Ike. Parish files and computers had also been moved out of the building following the storm.
The nursery part of the building was still being used during the parish activities and many of the supplies for the religious education program were still stored in the building.
More than 100 children and teens are enrolled in the religious education program at Our Lady of Victory.
Total damage figure to the building is not yet available.
