WelCom February/March 2025
St Patrick’s Catholic Church was one of four Masterton churches damaged in suspicious fires in the early hours of Saturday morning, 22 February. The four churches hit were the Anglican Church of the Epiphany, St Patrick’s Catholic Church, Masterton Baptist Church and Equippers Church Masterton. Three other churches also appear to have been targeted.
St Patrick’s Catholic Church has praised the efforts of a local police officer who happened to be driving past, saw their building was ‘red hot’, and managed to dampen the flames with an outside hose until firefighters arrived. The damage to some of them has been described as ‘significant’, with police now investigating and standing guard at the buildings.