And the last year in the life of the parish gives truth to the pastor’s words. It was just one year ago, in the early morning of Aug. 8, when heavy thunderstorms rolled through the Rockford area. After a particularly loud crack of thunder reported by a neighbor at about 5:30 a.m., later at about 7 a.m. a passerby reported smelling smoke coming from the 136 year-old church building.

 

Father Sarmiento and others preparing for Mass that day, were able to save important religious items from the altar while fire crews arrived to battle the blaze caused by lightning. 

 

Since the heartbreak of that day, the parish has looked to their patron saint for the strength and resolve to  move on to the next chapter. Committees were formed, experts were gathered, plans were made to respect the past and prepare for the future.  The rebuilding from the fire damage continues so St. James Parish can look forward to more anniversaries for generations to come. Work on the repairs and renovations is estimated to take at least two years. 

 

“During this time, we need to transform ourselves too… a saint is a friend for us. St. James is our patron, our friend,” Father Sarmiento said and advised the parish to pray to St. James for his help and continued friendship and to be grateful to God for St. James.

 

Just before the anniversary Mass, Father Sarmiento told The Observer that the final portion of the new roof on the Church was completed. So, the anniversary Mass celebration was a way to move on from the suffering and into the joy under the guidance of their patron St. James.

 

Parishioners along with former pastor Father David Beauvais and occasional helper at the parish Msgr. Michael Tierney gathered to celebrate with beautiful music provided by the bell choir and the Burmese choir.  The parish also celebrated its journey to physical renewal by refurburshing a chalice which was given as a gift to the parish in 1909 by Mrs. Mary Cudahy in memory of her husband James.  

 

After the Mass and before the dismissal, the parish announced its Man of the Year and its Lifetime Achievement Award. Dave Cash, a parishioner at St. James for 60 years, received the Man of the Year award while Jay Pick was recognized for a long list of service to the parish and diocese and given a plaque for Lifetime Achievement. (Pick has been a longtime lector for the weekly diocesan TV Mass broadcast on WREX-Channel 13)

 

Father David Beauvais, for whom the parish fellowship hall is named and where Mass has been celebrated for the past year, spoke briefly about the celebration. 

 

“I say to myself, how blessed I have been to begin my ministry here at St. James in 1962 and to end it as pastor in 2006. There were a lot of things in between but I got off to a good start with the people of St. James and a good ending at St. James as well. And I am grateful for that.” Father Beauvais said the most important part of the history of a parish is “the quality of the community. The strength of any parish is the community that surrounds the pastor and all of the people and the good work they do.” Therefore, Father Beauvais’s anniversary advice to the parish was “stick together” even in times of disagreement. “We are all united in Christ,” he said. 

 

After Mass, parishioners mingled to admire and photograph the refurbished chalice and move to the gymnasium to share refreshments.