The Lord had to be there

A loud boom pierced the morning silence at St. Agnes Church in Baton Rouge as pastor Father Brent Maher sat in his office.

Father Maher’s initial thought was a motorist had failed to negotiate a sharp turn on the nearby elevated expressway and crashed into the houses below.

“I didn’t know what was going on,” Father Maher said.

But when looking outside, he witnessed neighbors frantically pointing at the parish cafeteria and yelling “fire!” 

“I went out and saw what the boom was,” Father Maher said.  “Glass from our windows were all over the streets, pieces and parts everywhere.”

Although the investigation into the April 25 explosion continues, reports indicate the incident was sparked when workers were attempting to repair a waterline that was accidentally damaged earlier. The explosion caused a small fire that was quickly extinguished by the construction foreman.

Workers were three weeks away from completing several projects on the building, which is the parish’s main gathering place and has been shuttered for the past two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Work included installing a new roof, new AC/HVAC units, painting and additional minor jobs.

At least one person was injured, that being a St. Agnes employee who suffered second-degree burns on several parts of his body. The employee, who has a background in construction and has worked at the parish for 25 years, is expected to make a full recovery, Father Maher said.

The employee, who is the parish’s conduit for the parish to the construction company, had been visiting the site several times a day and had just walked into the building at the time of the explosion.

“He saw a flash and turned,” Father Maher said. “He was in the wrong place at the wrong time.” 

At least two to three construction workers were inside the building at the time of the explosion but were not injured. 

Father Maher said he has heard additional reports of injuries to an individual who was reportedly seen walking near the building at the time but that has not been confirmed.

“They are still trying to figure out what happened,” Father Maher said. “All of the fireman agreed there is no reason why any of those men should have walked out of there. It’s a miracle.”

“God took them in his hand and preserved them to some degree in the midst of all of that,” he added. “It was kind of overwhelming, just seeing that and knowing the Lord had to be there, watching out in that regard. I just give thanks and pray, pray, pray for (his employee’s recovery).”

 

“They are still trying to figure out what happened. All of the fireman agreed there is no reason why any of those men should have walked out of there.
It’s a miracle.” 

Father Brent Maher

St. Agnes Church

Father Maher said the adjoining convent housing the Missionaries of Charity convent and shelter for women sustained a few broken windows, although gas was out for several days following the explosion. Despite the outage, the sisters were able to serve lunch to the homeless with the assistance of volunteers who brought cooked food to the shelter.

The church, parish offices and other buildings on the campus were not damaged.

Father Maher is waiting for insurance adjusters to assess the damage, take pictures and finalize reports. He said engineers have visited the site but until the insurance reports are complete, the structural integrity of the building cannot be determined.
 

“Of course, that is the big question,” Father Maher said. “We’re hopeful that the building can be salvaged and just repair all of which is damaged, which is admittedly a large amount. It’s already proven itself to be a strong building.”

Fire officials told Father Maher the glass windows on one side of the building had provided a release valve for the explosion, minimalizing the damage and likely saving the lives of those inside. 

Later on the evening of April 25, Father Maher celebrated the traditional Latin Mass on the feast day of St. Mark and what was also the day the traditional church calendar recognizes the celebration of Rogation Days. An ancient tradition, Rogation is a time to implore the Lord to watch over and protect people from a calamity.

“In times of need you need to cry out to God,” Father Maher said. “I was struck by that.”

Celebrating Mass in the midst of the day’s events, Father Maher said he realized the Lord was saying, “In case you had not forgotten my message, turn to me in need and don’t lean up on yourself in time of needs.”

He preached that message in his homily, even as officials were still on the scene of a calamity that was only hours old.