Construction continues at Hubbard's St. Patrick's Church 2 years after fire

It's a beloved church to thousands of Catholic parishioners in the Valley.
This week marks the 2 year anniversary since a fire destroyed the interior of St. Patrick Church in Hubbard on January 18, 2021. As the restoration process continues, 21 News caught up with Father Michael Swierz about the remaining timeline of the project.
"As much that's been done, there's still a lot more to do," Fr. Swierz told 21 News.
Hubbard's St. Patrick's Church continues to host Mass and church events in the parish center.
"It makes our congregation feel a lot better to see work being done and so many different trades come in and out that are working on the church," Swierz explained.
Many areas have been completely re-designed to get the church back in working order. Swierz said granite, flooring, and pews still need to be added inside the church.
From insurance complications to supply chain issues, the church was originally supposed to open back up by the end of 2022.
"Like I tell our congregation over and over, we're learning patience and it all happens for a reason," Swierz said, cheerfully. "It'll get done."
As crews are nearing the finish line with the final roof panels expected to go in this week, Father Swierz reflected on the uncertainty of the past 2 years.
"The day after the fire I thought, 'Well, now what do we do?' But it's our congregation and the love that people have for the church. We just didn't need this beautiful structure. We do, but we were still able to worship."
The fire was deemed a disaster that brought the St. Patrick's community closer together.
"The lesson that we all learned was much greater than any fundraiser or anything like that," Swierz added. "It's knowing in the worst of times, we all pull together and God walks with us."
Father Swierz believes construction should be completed sometime later in 2023. "This is going to mean so much when we get to come back in," Swierz said. "We saw the building suffer and it's just like watching someone that we love. We are putting this back together and being back under one roof will be the greatest gift we receive."
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