PARISHIONERS CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR THEIR KASKASKIA ISLAND CHURCH

KASKASKIA, Ill. -- If Ben Picou and his fellow parishioners have their way, their old, flood-damaged church would be restored and Mass would continue to be celebrated.

If the Roman Catholic Diocese of Belleville, Ill., won't help them, they are willing to do it themselves.

While many consider the Church of Immaculate Conception to have historical value, Illinois' preservation agency can do little more than watch from the sidelines.

Bishop Wilton Gregory conducted Mass in the church last Saturday, telling parishioners and interested Kaskaskia Island residents that the diocese will cease to hold regular services there at the end of August.

He said the small size of the congregation, the flood damage and the diocese's limited number of priests were factors in the decision.

But he also indicated he would be willing to consider some middle ground.

A delegation of six of the parishioners plans to meet with the bishop Saturday to suggest three possible options.

Picou said one proposal is that the diocese provide a priest for the church 50 percent of the time, with the parishioners taking on the responsibility of obtaining a priest or priests for the other half of the time.

A second option calls for the parishioners to obtain the priests and the diocese to restore the church. A third alternative calls for the diocese to turn over the church and church funds to the parishioners.

Picou said Wednesday that approval of the diocese is needed before anything can be done.

He said parishioners still hope to preserve their church, both as a place of worship and a historic building.

The building on the Mississippi River island was heavily damaged by last summer's flooding. "The main thing we want to work on is getting windows in the building before winter."

Kaskaskia Island has a rich history. The parish was founded in 1675 by a French Jesuit priest who ministered to the Indians and early white settlers.

The current church dates back to 1843. As a result of repeated floods, it was moved brick by brick and rebuilt at its present site in the center of the island.

David Blanchette, a spokesman for the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency in Springfield, said the church isn't on the National Register of Historic Places.

He said that such a designation, however, wouldn't protect the building, unless federal or state money is involved.

Blanchette said the diocese legally could raze the church. The historic preservation agency has no power to intervene in this case.

"That is not to say that we don't care. We, of course, care about every historic property in the state of Illinois."

Blanchette said that even if the diocese were willing, the state agency would be reluctant to take over control of the church unless money was provided for both restoration and maintenance of the building.

The preservation agency financially isn't in a position to take on new historic sites, he said. The agency already relies on visitor donations to help maintain some of Illinois' historic sites.