BENWOOD, W.Va. — After fire devastated St. John’s Catholic Church, officials with the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston pledge to raze the destroyed building and construct a new one.
“There are different things we have to look at when we make our pastoral plan and Benwood is in our pastoral plan,” pledged Bryan Minor, spokesperson for the Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, on Friday’s MetroNews “Talkline.”
“It’s not going to be as tall. It won’t be as spacious, of course, as the church that’s there now, but there will be a church (with) we’re hoping anywhere between 150 to 200 seats. It will again be a church in the center of that community in Benwood.”
The decision to rebuild came after engineering reports showed the remaining church structure was rendered unstable by the fire.
There are still questions, though, about the future of the rectory and the SS. James & John School located next door. According to Minor, both sustained some damage in the fire and there could be more during the church demolition.
“All utility services for that school were housed and centered in the church,” Minor said. “You couldn’t open that school today even if there was no smoke or water damage.”
Minor estimated students would return to class by next Wednesday at an alternate location, the former St. Francis Xavier School in Moundsville.
Church services will be held at St. James Parish in McMechen, the sister church for St. John’s, during the rebuild.
Though investigators have classified the cause of the St. John fire as undetermined, arson or other foul play have been ruled out.