The explosion and fire occurred at the church rectory at 3 p.m. on Saturday, according to the Archdiocese of San Antonio’s Facebook post. Father Jimmy Drennan, pastor of St. Margaret Mary Church, had left the residence — located about 5 minutes from the parish — just moments before the incident to prepare for the vigil Mass at the church.
When Father Jimmy returned to the scene, the interior of the structure was engulfed in flames. A neighbor had reported the fire to authorities. Father Jimmy was found safe, and no injuries were reported from the fire. No other homes in the neighborhood were damaged.
Damages to the church rectory were “significant,” the Archdiocese of San Antonio stated, adding that the insurance will assess the damages. The fire is still under investigation. MySA reached out to the San Antonio Fire Department for more information.
“Father Jimmy Drennan, pastor of St. Margaret Mary Church, is unharmed and expressing his gratitude to San Antonio first responders — police, fire, and Emergency Medical Services (EMS),” the Archdiocese of San Antonio wrote in its post.
Father Jimmy plans to celebrate the 8 a.m., 10 a.m. and noon Masses at St. Margaret Mary on Sunday. The Archdiocese of San Antonio wrote, “He reiterates his thanks to emergency personnel. He himself was an officer with the San Antonio Police Department prior to entering the seminary.”