ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — A fire destroyed part of Rockford’s oldest Catholic church, but that will not stop worshipping from happening this weekend.
St. James Catholic Church, 428 N. 2nd St., will hold a 4 p.m. mass this Saturday in the Beauvais Center behind the church. A suspected lightning strike hit the building’s roof on Monday. The bolt, along with efforts to put out the fire, caused an estimated $3 million in damage.
No one was inside of the church when the lightning hit, but three firefighters were hurt while battling the blaze. They are expected to be okay.