January 20, 2020 - Reported [here]. Deacon Bill Bancroft posted a message on the church’s Facebook which he prefaced with the words, “For those who do not believe in miracles...”

Less than two days after a fire caused major damage to their place of worship, parishioners of Hubbard’s St. Patrick’s Church gathered to pray, as one of their members is reporting what he believes is a miracle.

The congregation celebrated 8:30 a.m. Mass on Wednesday inside the parish social hall, since the church was too badly damaged by smoke when the fire broke out late Monday.

Related coverage: Picture shows charred interior of St. Patrick's Church.

Bancroft writes that as church members began removing sacred items from the church for safekeeping, he noticed that the glass was cracked on a large portrait of Jesus known as the Divine Mercy.

According to Bancroft, the volunteers opted not to move the painting, fearing the glass would crack and injure someone. Bancroft said he and a fellow deacon took cell phone pictures of the damaged glass.

Several hours later, Bancroft says he spotted Fr. Michael Swierz carrying the picture into the parish Center. There was no longer a crack in the glass, writes Bancroft.

“I looked at the picture and asked him where the crack in the glass was,” writes Bancroft. “He gave me a funny look. I told him we tried to bring the picture to the parish center before but left it because of the cracked glass. I pulled out my phone and went to show him the cracked glass...no photo.”

Deacon writes that the picture was not only gone from his phone but also gone from the phone of his fellow deacon as well. Bancroft says a third deacon had also seen the damaged glass.

“Saint Patrick Parish was fractured from this tragedy, but the healing has already begun!” write s Bancroft. “Just another small miracle story of many in the past 24 hours. The hair on the back of my neck is still raised...Jesus, I trust in you!”

The parish is making plans to rebuild the church as investigators look for the cause of the fire.