Prince Albert RCMP are characterizing the fire that destroyed Sts. Peter and Paul Church in the the Claytonville district of the rural municipality of Garden River, Sask., late Feb. 21 as “suspicious.”

But others within the community have no doubt on what is to blame for the church's destruction.

Ryan Scragg, the reeve of Garden River, told local media that the fire, which locals first noticed at 10:30 p.m., was “100-per-cent” arson.

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“There’s no power out there. There’s no natural cause that could have done it … no lightning in February,” said Scragg.

Volunteer firefighters arrived on the scene at 11:30 p.m. when it was clear that no part of the church was salvageable.

“To think that someone would indiscriminately destroy this piece of our heritage is beyond frustrating,” said Scragg. “Whether you had a personal connection to the church or simply appreciated it as part of our landscape, its loss is deeply felt. If anyone has information about what happened, I encourage you to come forward.”

Prince Albert Bishop Stephen Hero reacted to the fire and shed light on the decommissioned house of worship’s heritage value in a statement to The Catholic Register.

“The Roman Catholic Diocese of Prince Albert was saddened to learn about the burning of the Sts. Peter and Paul Church at Claytonville,” wrote Hero. “The parish began as a mission to the people of Polish descent in the area. The Church building was constructed in 1918 to minister to local residents. 

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“Services diminished in the early 1970’s,” continued Hero. “The church was decommissioned on June 29, 2018, the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. The church building was sold in 2019 to a group of local residents. It is always unfortunate when events like this take place. Our condolences go out to those who have lost this significant piece of their heritage.” 

The blog Prairie Past, which specializes in photographing and documenting abandoned sites throughout Saskatchewan, wrote about how the Polish parishioners would fete the June 29 feast day of St. Peter and St. Paul.

“They had a procession outside and around the church,” stated the Prairie Past. “The celebration included banners, music, singing, flowers and the blessed sacrament. They would decorate an outdoor altar and after Mass, they would have a picnic and play games. It was a celebration that was anticipated for weeks.”

During the parish’s heyday before the 1970s, this church would routinely host socials, picnics, plays, carolling and a fowl supper. Local ladies would clean the interior of the building while the men took care of the outdoor work.

Prairie Past wrote that the development of better cars and roads paved the parish’s pathway to inactivity. People in the area began opting to travel 25 minutes southwest to attend Mass in Prince Albert. For a time, the people in the area committed to holding an annual celebration a year after regular services ceased.  

Even though it had long been inactive, locals revered Sts. Peter and Paul because it represented a visual link to the community's settler origins. 

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If it is proven to be arson, it will be the latest in more than 100 attacks on Christian places of worship, mostly Catholic churches, since the May 2021 reports of unmarked graves being discovered at the former Kamloops Residential School in B.C. (No graves have been discovered there or at any other residential schools). The Canadian Civil Rights League of Canada has been documenting incidents of vandalism at Canadian churches and posting them to its Church Attacks Database. 

Anyone with information about the fire is asked to call Saskatchewan RCMP at 310-RCMP, their local police service or to inform Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or saskcrimestoppers.com.