Lightning hits bell tower in Searles

No fire,

but bell

won't ring

for a while

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

SEARLES -- The silence of this small, idyllic community was broken at about 6 a.m. Monday morning when a lightning bolt struck the bell tower at the Church of Saint John the Baptist.

LIghting hit the brick chimney of the Catholic church, traveled down the tower surrounding the church bell and destroyed a good number of bricks.

There was no fire, but the church bell will not sound before services any time soon. The bell marked 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. each day, years ago.

The strike created an electrical charge strong enough to cause smoke alarms in nearby homes to sound, according to church building committee member Lester Braulick.

He and Laraway Roofing Inc. workers, were busy repairing a punctured roof and assessing building integrity Tuesday afternoon.

The church's electrical and public address system remains intact.

It's not the first time church members had to rally around bad luck. The church burned down about about 70 years ago, apparently due to chimney sparks. It was rebuilt with brick.

Braulick, who farms nearby, said the church and community are very tight-knit and share facilities including the ball park, which is just west of the church.

Baseball and softball games played at the ball park help support the community as much as the parish does, which is a big reason why it continues to survive, Braulick added.

The lighting strike came at a rather busy time for the church. A $229,000 remodeling project is underway. The project includes a handicap accessible elevator, rest rooms, social hall and parking lot.

The church's summer festival will go on as scheduled, 10:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 22. The event will include a ham and chicken dinner with dressing, music, games and a large raffle at 4:30 p.m.

Last Sunday, Sister Beth Ann Dillon was installed as the new pastoral administrator at the church. The Bishop spoke and a co-ed softball game was played at the diamond.

Dillon isn't the only newcomer to town. Sr. Margaret McHugh will soon arrive to work with youth ministries for the New Ulm Diocese.

Both women come to Searles from Rome, Italy via The Daughters of St. Mary of Providence and the Institute On Religious Life in Lake Zurich, Ill. (near Chicago). They studied at different universities in Rome but knew each other.

"I love it here. The people are nice and friendly," Dillon said of Searles.

The Daughters of St. Mary of Providence also inhabit Divine Providence Community Home in Sleepy Eye.

They minister to senior citizens, youth groups, physically and mentally-handicapped children and adults and pastoral work and religious education classes.

The Daughters of St. Mary of Providence are represented in 14 countries around the world. They're also in Canada, Mexico, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Romania, India, the Philippine Islands, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Paraguay.

Dillon welcomed any young women interested in learning more about the Institute on Religious Life to contact her or other Daughters of St. Mary of Providence in Searles or Sleepy Eye.

She added that there is a need throughout the world for more young women to join the calling to God. There is no age limit and widows are eligible. A 70-year-old woman recently entered, according to Dillon.

"We don't look at quantity, we look at quality. We grow on people," Dillon said.