The Diocese of Alexandria is sad to report that St. John Chapel in Columbia, Louisiana, was burglarized, vandalized and intentionally set on fire during either the late evening hours of Thursday, March 26, or the early morning of Friday, March 27.
At the time of the incident, no parishioners were present in the church, and no injuries have been reported.
Initial assessments indicate that portions of the church were desecrated in the incident. Local authorities have confirmed that suspects have been identified and arrested in connection with the crime.
Alexandria Bishop Robert Marshall, Father Robert Johnson, pastoral administrator, and concerned parishioners were onsite this morning cooperating with civil authorities to assess the extent of the damage.
Until further notice, Masses will be celebrated at 11:30 a.m. every Sunday at the Winters Clinic, 421 Main Street, Columbia, LA, until further notice. We are grateful that a weekly Mass will continue to be celebrated without interruption as St. John Chapel is the only Catholic church within Caldwell Parish.
“It is deeply unfortunate that this has occurred at any time,” said Bishop Robert Marshall, “but especially as we prepare to enter the most sacred season of Holy Week and Easter.”
The Diocese of Alexandria expresses its sincere gratitude to the first responders for their swift and professional efforts in addressing the fire and securing the site.
A special fund, “Restoration- St. John Chapel, Columbia” has been established to assist with repair and recovery efforts and is available through the Diocese of Alexandria website (https://freedonationkiosk.com:9011/doa/donation/new).
The original St. John Chapel was built in 1954 in downtown Columbia. It burned down on Christmas Eve in 1988. St. John’s was then relocated to 7900 Hwy. 165 in Columbia and was dedicated on June 17, 1990.
The faithful are asked to keep the St. John Chapel community in their prayers during this difficult time. For continued updates and information, please visit the Diocese of Alexandria website.
For further inquiries, please contact the Diocese of Alexandria Public Relations Officer, Deacon Richard Mitchell, at: dcnrmitchell@diocesealex.org.
