GREEN BAY — Numerous Catholic sites around the Green Bay Diocese sustained minor damage following a wind storm — later determined to include six tornadoes — in the early morning hours of Aug. 7.
All Masses and scheduled services were cancelled at St. Mary Church in Stark, where a stained glass window was blown out and the cross atop the steeple was knocked down. In addition, close to 40 tombstones were damaged. The church will remain closed until a structural engineer can determine its soundness.
The Bridge-Between Retreat Center in Denmark sustained damage due to fallen trees. A woodshed was destroyed by fallen trees and debris scattered throughout the retreat center property.
Fallen trees were also reported at St. Paul Church in Combined Locks, Holy Spirit Church in Kimberly, St. Patrick Cemetery in Snyderville, St. Mary Church Cemetery in Greenville and St. Nicholas Cemetery in Freedom.
Power outages due to fallen electrical wires were also reported at numerous churches around the Fox Cities, including Appleton, and in communities in Outagamie, Brown and Manitowoc counties.
According to diocesan records, insurance claims have been filed for the following facilities as of Aug. 13:
- Holy Spirit, Kimberly site
- St. Clare, Greenleaf site
- St. Joseph Middle School, Appleton
- St. Pius X, Appleton
- St. Isidore the Farmer, Tisch Mills (Denmark)
- St. Mary, Glenmore/Stark (De Pere)
- St. Mary, Greenville
- St. Nicholas, Freedom
- St. Paul, Combined Locks
- St. Peter and Paul, Hortonville
- St. Augustine, Kossuth (Francis Creek)
St. Edward Parish in Mackville — a rural community north of Appleton where two of the six tornadoes originated, according to the weather service — reported no damage to its church or school.
