The committee set up to oversee fundraising for the rebuilding of Sacred Heart Church is now establishing the construction costs before beginning the activities.

Early in October, Head of the Catholic Diocese of Guyana Bishop Francis Alleyne announced the formation of the fundraising committee for the building of the new Sacred Heart Church and the development of the site at Main Street, Georgetown, the Catholic Standard had reported.

The site is to house the parish church for the Sacred Heart Parish Community together with a multi-purpose diocesan building and a small presbytery/caretaker’s dwelling.

Stabroek News understands that the church’s membership is in the process of planning its usual Christmas activities and continues to utilize the Ursuline Chapel in Church Street in the meantime.

After the fire on December 25, 2004 a site development committee was established and tasked with coming up with a design for the new building, among other undertakings, after insistence by some church members and others in the catholic community.

Electric bulbs in the crib set up to recreate the scene of the birth of Jesus Christ had sparked fire, which caught onto combustible material and within minutes the entire church building and presbytery were gutted during the Christmas morning mass.

It was around 8:50 in the morning, and about 60 worshippers, mostly elderly, were in the church at the time.

Other buildings levelled by the fire were the Kirpalani bond and a customs brokerage to the north of the building which housed the Sacred Heart primary school.

Twenty vehicles in the neighbouring King Solomon Shipping premises compound to the south of the school were also wiped out and the building was scorched.

The building which housed the then Universal Airlines and other businesses to the north of the church were also scorched.

Records from the church and school were also completely destroyed in the flames.