BRUSSELS — Historic Immaculate Conception (St. Mary) Church at 111 East Main St. in Brussels was destroyed by a fire that began Christmas Eve night, bringing great sadness to a town that has always cherished the nearly 150-year-old building. Point Fire Protection District Chief Don Seiferman said investigators believe the fire was started because of an electrical problem.

The church is part of Calhoun County's Blessed Trinity Parish, with Father Don Roberts as its pastor. Father Roberts is also pastor of Calhoun County's other parish, St. Francis of Assisi.

Sarah Kinder was at the church to play the organ at the 6:30 Christmas Eve Mass. "Things began happening a little bit before Mass, when there seemed to be a problem with a light fixture in the church balcony," she said. "Later, during Mass we sensed the problem (again) and one of the choir members, who is a volunteer fireman, shot a fire extinguisher into the fixture and the light broke."

About 15 7- to 12-year-old members of a youth choir were in the balcony with Kinder. "We determined that it wasn't safe to be in the balcony ... so we completed a quiet evacuation," she said. "We were able to have Communion and finish Mass."

After Mass some parishioners, including Kinder, chose to stay in the church to assist in checking out and securing the building. "There was no evidence (of fire) in the attic at that time. I happened to be the last person who walked through the doors and turned off the lights."

About two hours later, a passer-by noticed smoke coming from the building and called the fire department. "It didn't appear to be a big deal at first," Seiferman said in an article that ran Dec. 26 on the www.stltoday.com news site. "I don't even think they sounded the alarm. Looked like we had a small fire going then, all at once, the whole attic was on fire."

In total, eight fire departments came to fight the blaze, Kinder said, adding that the tabernacle, consecrated hosts, statues and refurbished candles were saved. At one point, emergency personnel from Carrollton waited at the Hardin Bridge because it was lifted as a barge passed.

As pastor for virtually all of Calhoun County, Father Roberts carried on, despite the fire. He came to check on the building but celebrated midnight Mass at St. Joseph Church at Meppen and several Christmas morning Masses at churches throughout the county.

Bishop Thomas John Paprocki heard about the disaster and spoke about it during his homily at Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception's midnight Mass in Springfield. "Closer to home, just this evening, St. Mary Church in Brussels burned down after Mass. No one was hurt, thank God, but the loss of this sacred edifice in our diocese will be devastating to the people of this parish," he said. "Let us remember them in our prayers, knowing that Christ's birth is especially meaningful for those who suffer and long for his coming."

The fire burned throughout the night and into Christmas day, Kinder said, noting that the spire of the church tower fell at 2:30 a.m.

Seiferman said only the building's four walls and a few pews in the rear of the church are still standing. Seiferman also sits on the Brussels historic preservation board and said former residents and people from around the area return to the city during the summer for picnics at the church, which is located in the heart of Brussels' historic district.

Charles Burch, who sits on the parish finance council, said the church is at the center of life in Brussels. "This has changed our Christmas, that's for sure. We lost an awful lot of history," said Burch, noting that St. Mary School (at 105 East Main St.) is supported by the parish. "This is not just a building, this is our community ... and we have to put it back."

On the morning of Dec. 26, as volunteers continued to help with the clean-up, fire fighters were once again called as a few small spots of fire erupted. Bishop Paprocki and diocesan insurance personnel were scheduled to visit the site on Dec. 27.

"This is major blow to this little town here," Seiferman said. "Other than a tornado flattening the town, this is as bad as it can get for us."

Kinder said she won't ever forget how that last Mass ended on Christmas Eve 2011. "Father finished the Mass and gave the final blessing. By that time we had evacuated the balcony so there was no music. So, Father led a verse of Silent Night as he processed out of church."

Of course, later the fire worsened. "It wasn't a real silent night after that," Kinder said. "It was anything but silent, that's for sure."