In the early morning hours of May 1, a massive fire ravaged St. William Catholic Church in Cashion, Ariz., near Avondale.  The church, which serves 1,000 families, the parish hall, classrooms and foodbank were destroyed beyond repair.  The foodbank, led by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, served over 25 families in need on a weekly basis.

While the official cause of the fire is still being determined, an outpouring of calls from people wanting to help the community rebuild have been flooding into the parish and the Diocese of Phoenix.  While the St. William Parish was fully insured, funds raised will assist the staff and community to address unknown expenses and needs which are not covered by insurance.

St. William Mission began back in the late 1960s and was elevated to parish status on August 7, 1973.  Due to increasing numbers, the parish outgrew its church building.  A Southern Baptist Church (111^th Ave. and Third Street) was purchased on Sept. 8, 1981.  After needed renovations, the church was dedicated in 1982.

To accommodate the parishioners at St. William due to the fire, three additional Masses are going to be added to the Sunday schedule at nearby Santa Maria de Guadalupe Mission at 6807 W. Lower Buckeye in Phoenix.  Masses will be held this Sunday at 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 1:30 p.m.