Historic Kansas Catholic Church Fire, Beloit, Kansas, USA
On Sunday afternoon, June 27, 2021, a young lady from St. John’s high school school felt called to visit the Blessed Sacrament. As she opened the door, she was hit by a wall of smoke looking for an escape. She called for help, but a lot of damage was already done.
A fire was started in the upstairs library just outside the choir loft. The fire engulfed the library, and was searching the stairs as a pathway to oxygen when it was extinguished. Smoke and soot covered every surface in the church. The Fire Marshall believes that if the fire had continued for another twenty minutes, our irreplaceable stained glass would have exploded.
We do not yet know the extent of the damage. It will be revealed as repair and restoration begins. Insurance will cover a lot of the damages, but we also know that there will be areas where that coverage will fall short of the needs to fully restore the church's beauty.
We are the people who fill the pews of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Beloit, Kansas. This beloved church was originally built by many of our Great (Great) Grandparents in 1874, and completed to the current structure in 1904, which leaves a legacy of generational love and sacrifice as a gift for our parish community. Additionally, many have been drawn to the St. John’s family out of a longing for the culture of life that springs forth from Beloit.
We love St. John’s and hope to give the gift of its legacy and longevity back to the people who love it most. For complete repairs and restoration, our current goal is $200,000. Being completely honest, it’s too early to know how far this money will go. We will learn more of the total cost as we begin the process. With that said, the funds generated here will be donated to St. John the Baptist Catholic Church for the purpose of paying deductibles, copayments, and unforeseen costs. We want to do St. John’s justice and take care of the church that has given us more than we could ever return.
Parish Website: stjohnsbeloit.org
St. John's on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/St-Johns-Catholic-Church-Beloit-KS-406686929433199