The following article appeared in the Carbondale Free Press on August 5, 1899 and creates more questions than answers since the church was only thought to be a mission until a church was built in 1927.

“During the electric storm last Saturday evening, the Catholic Church at Marion was struck and set on fire by lightning. The fire was extinguished before it gained much headway, but the interior of the church was badly damaged by the lightning”

(Source: Carbondale Free Press, Aug. 5, 1899; posted by Sam Lattuca 9/14/2018)