By Katie Vasquez
As smoke and flames went through St Catherine of Genoa church, firefighters were on scene within minutes.
But they were only able to do their job because visiting South African priest, Father Adrien Ntwa was doing his.
“I came in the church to change the linen, but while I was inside the church, then i started smelling the smoke inside the sacristy like something was burning,” said Ntwa.
He was alone in the rectory Friday night as workers were trying to repair a sagging roof in the parish garage.
“I went to check with them. What happened? Can they smell the same thing that I’m smelling, that is where they pointed on the top of the roof of the church that ‘Father the smoke is coming from the church.”
Father Adrien called 9-1-1 immediately and left the building, making sure to grab the essentials on his way out.
“I took that precaution of removing item that are necessary for us, which are important for us in the first place was, in my mind, the blessed sacrament,”
No one was injured and the damage was minor. The official cause of the fire is still being investigated.As the parish is working to pick up the pieces, Bishop Robert Brennan visited them on Sunday to pray with the East Flatbush community.
In a statement on the mass, Bishop Brennan said:
“We shared sorrow at the damage caused by the fire but, at the same time, a great deal of gratitude and hope, focusing on the presence of the Lord among us. The parishioners showed tremendous gratitude to Father Adrien Ntwa, who is there for the summer, for noticing the smoke and calling the fire department, to the FDNY and NYPD for the quick and effective response, and to all those who are assisting in the clean-up and repair.”
While the parish may be praising Father Adrien as a hero, he says there was only one person saving people that day.
“We recognize that it was not god, we wouldn’t have that presence of going to the church and changing the linen of the church. So when they say father, thank you, because we are present, I say, thank God because he allowed me to go in the church at that time.”
For now St Catherine of Genoa is celebrating mass in the basement of their former school. They hope to be able to schedule masses inside the church by the end of the week.