A May 6 fire burned down the Roman Catholic Church in the remote Northern Manitoba First Nation of God’s Lake Narrows.
The fire totally destroyed the building, said Beverly James, the church’s caretaker.
James told CTV News Winnipeg that she was woken up around 5:30 a.m on the morning of the fire by a call informing her that the building was ablaze.
“It’s a total loss,” she told CTV. “Nothing got saved. The fire spread very quickly.”
The church was about 60 years old, said James, who served as its caretaker for about 20 years. About 10 to 15 God’s Lake Narrows First Nation residents attended the church for regular Sunday services.
God’s Lake Narrows Chief Hubert Watt told CTV no injuries resulted from the fire, which he said was a blow to some of its congregants he had spoken to.
“People have been going there for years and years,” Watt said, adding that he would be asking the Archdiocese of Keewatin-Le Pas about whether it plans to rebuild. The archdiocese told CTV it was aware of the fire but hadn’t yet discussed if the church would be rebuilt.
“I’m feeling part of my spirit died when the church engulfed in flames,” said James. “I feel like I won’t be able to go on any more right now. I’m still mourning. I’m trying to pick myself up.”
Watt said RCMP were investigating the fire but that he hadn’t received any updates on the investigation.
James told the Thompson Citizen in an email that she had heard that the cause may have been electrical but that she suspects it could have been arson, in part because the building and wiring were in good shape. She said some people might be glad the church burned down because of the role the Roman Catholic Church played in Canada’s residential school system but that she was not among them.
“What a huge loss,” James wrote.
