Further churches have been destroyed in recent raids but fortunately the damage has not been so widespread as before. Nevertheless, one building was completely destroyed and Mass has to he said in another part of the district.
Damage was also caused to church property in the North-East, and a number of casualties occurred among the Catholic population. At one town a church was destroyed, the roof collapsing and destroying the interimfurnishings and ornamentations. The parish priest and curates succeeded in removing the Blessed Sacrament before the fire gained a hold, and later assisted in fighting the flames. When the fire was brought under control it was found that two side chapels had escaped and were available for use. Immediate arrangements were made for Easter Sunday, two Masses being said in adjacent schools and two in the infants' schools. Baptisms were transferred to the infants' school. The church was considered by many to be the finest in the diocese. The boys' club was also completely destroyed.
MANY CATHOLIC CASUALTIES
In another town incendiary bombs fell an the principal church but they were quickly dealt with and damage was slight.
High explosive bombs caused superficial damage to a church in another town which had not previously suffered from air raids. In yet another town, where the parish priest of the principal church died during the raid, it is feared that a large proportion of the casualties are Catholic.
A Liverpool convent and chapel were severely damaged during a recent air raid. The nuns who were sheltering in the cellar escaped injury and have now been evacuated to a convent some distance from Liverpool. The Catholic Female Orphanage sustained damage when a number of incendiary bombs were dropped