BY KATHI STEARNS

Staff Writer

DUNWOODY--An electrical fire which started during the celebration of the 5 p.m. Vigil Mass Oct. 4 at All Saints Church injured no one in the congregation, but the extent of damage is still being evaluated.

The pastor, Msgr. R. Donald Kiernan, said that a lector informed him of smoke coming from a light fixture during Mass while the congregation was singing the Gloria.

Msgr. Kiernan immediately asked the members of the congregation to empty the church row by row and proceed to the gymnasium where the celebration of Mass was continued.

"One of the eucharistic ministers picked up the tabernacle, and we emptied the church in less than one minute," he said. "I was very pleased with the quick response of our parishioners. No one panicked, everything was very orderly, and each of the parishioners fully cooperated with the instructions that were given."

Msgr. Kiernan said that the DeKalb County Fire Department's quick response contained the fire in the roof of the church.

"They were absolutely magnificent," he said. "The firemen and police officers were not only concerned about extinguishing the fire; they also had a deep respect for the things that were important to us as a Catholic church. For example, in the middle of everything the police removed the vestments from the church and some of the items from the sanctuary. Everyone should be very proud of and thankful for their efforts on our behalf."

Msgr. Kiernan said firefighters took to the roof with axes and water hoses and for approximately 30 minutes battled smoke and flames.

"They tried to get at it from one general area in an effort to prevent more extensive damage," he said. "We don't think we had much water damage which is also a blessing."

A wedding scheduled at the church for 7 p.m. that evening was instead celebrated in the gymnasium.

"When the bride saw what was happening she made the best of it and had her photograph taken in front of the fire engines with some of the firefighters," he said. "She had such a good sense of humor about everything."

All Sunday Masses Oct. 5 were held in the gymnasium as insurance and fire restoration experts examined the church facility. The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation and no preliminary figures for damages have been released. No date has as yet been established for when the All Saints community will return to the church for the celebration of Mass.