6/16/2025

Fr. Ken Schnipke, C.PP.S.
Christ Our Light Family of Parishes

To keep updated on future progress – St. John the Baptist Church Fire Updates

PictureOn Thursday, June 12th , members of the St. John Parish Council and Finance Committee met with representatives of the Archdiocese and FIRST ONSITE to learn what’s happening since the fire and next steps. The representatives from the Archdiocese included Tom Jennings, CFO and Bill Mally, Risk Management and from FIRST ONSITE Dave Gunter, Jr., Operations Manager. Following are some of the questions and answers discussed.

What’s happening at St. John’s Church? There does not seem to be a lot of activity.
There has been limited access due to safety concerns and the ongoing fire investigation for origin and cause by multiple insurance companies, adjusters, fire investigators, etc. It is important for each party to do their due diligence investigating origin and cause, clearly understanding the terms of the policies and respecting the roles and responsibilities of each party. These concerted efforts and coordination are aimed at the best coverage and settlement for St. John the Baptist Church and avoiding
costly litigation and/or delays that could otherwise arise in the future.

We are hopeful that fire investigators will allow further access the week of June 16th , but it is likely access will still be limited. For example, they may allow access from the main entrance on SR 119 up to the sanctuary steps. They may also require additional sifting of debris that may reveal additional evidence. While these steps delay recovery efforts, they are important for ensuring the best settlement and avoiding litigation and/or costly delays in the future.

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What is the condition of St. John Church?
While the fire was devastating, the integrity of the walls and remaining structure seems intact. It will take months to clear the debris, shore up walls where necessary and fully assess the structural integrity of the walls and remaining structure. It is too early to know what may be saved and reused.

What has been retrieved from St. John Church?
All three bells were retrieved by cranes the day after the fire and several columns were removed from the interior due to safety concerns of them falling and causing additional damage. There have been a number of smaller items retrieved from the church including vestments, sacred vessels, relics, holy oils, the sanctuary lamp, the advent candle stand, smaller statues and paintings. 		Picture
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​The tabernacle has not yet been located. It is buried under debris from the old high altar, ceiling and roof and is located in the sanctuary which is a focal area for the fire investigation. FIRST ONSITE is fully aware of the sacredness of the tabernacle, in particular the Blessed Sacrament within, and will locate and retrieve as soon as possible, but we also need to be careful not to interfere in the fire investigation that otherwise could lead to costly litigation and/or delays in the future.

What are the next steps for St. John Church?
Once access is allowed, FIRST ONSITE will have teams retrieving and preserving sacred items, securing and shoring up the remaining structure and further assessing what may be usable in the future.

What will St. John Church look like in the future?
Initially, it is too early to know until further assessments take place. There are multiple scenarios that could happen from what we know at this time. The church could be rebuilt as it was. Parts of the church could be reused with new parts built on. The remaining structure could be raised and a new church built. The viability of each of these options may change as insurance settlement is determined and as the integrity of the remaining structure is assessed.

Who will decide what St. John the Baptist Church will be in the future?
Ultimately, the parishioners of St. John the Baptist will decide the future of St. John the Baptist Church. However, we will need to rely on structural engineers, architects and others to tell us what is possible. We will need to follow Archdiocesan liturgical and building requirements as well as the financial means to do what is proposed. A St. John Building Committee, the Parish Council and Finance Committee, along with Archdiocesan personnel, will help lead efforts discerning and deciding next steps.

Why is the Archdiocese coordinating fundraising efforts and will the money come back to St. John’s Church?
St. John the Baptist has been receiving inquiries from around the Archdiocese and the US asking how they can help financially. In conversation with the Archdiocese, the Archbishop approved an Archdiocesan wide special voluntary collection for St. John Church to be held between now and July 13, 2025. This would be similar to collections held for other disasters such as tornados, hurricanes, etc. In addition, the Archdiocesan Stewardship office has set up an online giving platform and will assist with gift processing. Providing these services is a blessing to St. John’s and alleviates additional work for our local staff. All proceeds received will come back to St. John Church.

​What is the Archdiocese doing to help St. John’s Church?
Both Archbishops Casey and Schnurr have been very intentional in their concern and prayers for St. John the Baptist with regular updates and full support. Fr. Jason Williams, Chancellor, Tom Jennings, CFO, Bill Mally, Risk Management, Joe Mangan, Property Management, Matt Reinkemeyer, Stewardship, Mike Schafer, Communications, Jennifer Schack, Media Relations and several other Archdiocesan staff have been actively involved on behalf of St. John’s, providing resources, management and coordination efforts. They are helping us do so much more than we could ever do on our own. Parishioners sometimes wonder why we are connected to the larger Archdiocesan Church and why we pay an assessment. It’s times like these that we see more clearly what it means to be “Church,” and all the resources available to us through the Archdiocese.

Who is FIRST ONSITE and what do they do?
FIRST ONSITE is a leading property restoration and reconstruction provider serving North America. They specialize in emergency mitigation, restoration, and reconstruction to repair property damage and minimize downtime. With expansive resources and experience in water damage restoration, fire damage restoration, mold remediation and storm damage restoration, they ensure property is quickly and efficiently restored. The Archdiocese has been working with the local FIRST ONSITE team from Carlisle, OH for several years, including recent restoration work at St. Christopher in Vandalia and Holy Angels in Sidney. The local firm was a family business that became part of the national FIRST ONSITE team. That means they understand family and community which is so important in our area, and work with local vendors as much as possible and they have access to national resources such as bringing in the cranes and trades people so quickly to retrieve the bells.

​What is happening with the rectory next door?
The rectory sustained some minor smoke damage, heat damage breaking a window, melting siding and damaging the roof. The basement was also flooded due to an electrical conduit between the church and rectory that allowed the water from the church basement to flow into the rectory basement. The basement has already been gutted and is drying out. The smoke and other damage will be mitigated and repaired in the coming weeks. The roof and some siding will need to be replaced. Fr. Matt and Fr. Alt have moved to St. Augustine, Minster temporarily. Their return will depend on when the rectory is restored and the church walls are secured. This could take 3 to 6 months.

What’s the long view?
This will be a long and complicated process, but we are confident that we have the right people in place to helps us. Within 3 to 4 months, we hope to have viable options for what St. John Church can be in the future and then as a parish discern and decide the best path forward. The whole process could take several years, so we need to be patient, work with the professionals and trust in the Holy Spirit to lead us.-