Following the May 29th fire at St. John the Baptist Church, access to the interior of the church was limited due to safety concerns and the scope of the fire investigation. At the conclusion of the onsite fire investigation, FIRST ONSITE was given access June 23rd to remove debris from the church.
After removing several large, charred timbers in the apse of the church, the tabernacle was located on June 25th. The tabernacle had fallen toward the north, behind the former high altar and was not previously visible. The tabernacle was upside down, with the bottom collapsed inside and the ciborium with the Blessed Sacrament still sealed inside by the lid. The tabernacle was moved to the rectory garage as we explore if it can be restored.
The lid of the ciborium was pried open revealing a charred and congealed mass of the Blessed Sacrament. While still the Real Presence, it was no longer recognizable as the Blessed Sacrament. There were also thin flakes of gold plating mixed with the Blessed Sacrament making it unsafe to consume. Pictures documenting the Blessed Sacrament were forwarded to Rev. Jason Williams, Chancellor, Rev. Ryan Ruiz, Director of Liturgy, Mount St. Mary’s Seminary and Archbishop Schnurr visited St. John’s June 26th. After consultation and with due reverence and respect for the Blessed Sacrament, the proper method of disposal is to place it in water to dissolve and pour in the sacrarium which is “special sink used for the reverent disposal of sacred substances. This sink has a cover, a basin, and a special pipe and drain that empty directly into the earth, rather than into the sewer system” (USCCB, Built of Living Stones, 236). The sacrarium is used for the regular purifying of sacred vessels. The Blessed Sacrament and other contents that may have been in the ciborium from the St. John Church fire were placed in water and dissolved into tiny particles which were properly poured into the sacrarium. If unable to be dissolved, the Blessed Sacrament would have been burned or buried.
The lid of the ciborium was pried open revealing a charred and congealed mass of the Blessed Sacrament. While still the Real Presence, it was no longer recognizable as the Blessed Sacrament. There were also thin flakes of gold plating mixed with the Blessed Sacrament making it unsafe to consume. Pictures documenting the Blessed Sacrament were forwarded to Rev. Jason Williams, Chancellor, Rev. Ryan Ruiz, Director of Liturgy, Mount St. Mary’s Seminary and Archbishop Schnurr visited St. John’s June 26th. After consultation and with due reverence and respect for the Blessed Sacrament, the proper method of disposal is to place it in water to dissolve and pour in the sacrarium which is “special sink used for the reverent disposal of sacred substances. This sink has a cover, a basin, and a special pipe and drain that empty directly into the earth, rather than into the sewer system” (USCCB, Built of Living Stones, 236). The sacrarium is used for the regular purifying of sacred vessels. The Blessed Sacrament and other contents that may have been in the ciborium from the St. John Church fire were placed in water and dissolved into tiny particles which were properly poured into the sacrarium. If unable to be dissolved, the Blessed Sacrament would have been burned or buried.
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