When lightning destroyed the Legionary priests’ home in Cumming, Georgia, just north of Atlanta, the community lost nearly all their material possessions, but gained an overwhelming witness to God’s providence and the strength of the relationships that sustain their mission. Now, they’ve broken ground on a new home where they can continue their mission of serving Christ, the Church, and the Atlanta community for many years to come.
On February 16, 2025, in the very early hours of the morning, the main Legionary house in Cumming, Georgia, was struck by lightning during a severe storm, and despite the prompt and dedicated efforts of the Forsyth County Fire Department, the house was quickly engulfed in flames and burned down completely.
Thankfully, no one was injured in the fire, and all four of the Legionaries who were in the house or in the carriage house nearby at the time made it out safely. They were also able to rescue the Blessed Sacrament from the chapel before it burned down.
What Do You Do When Your House Burns Down?
Legionary Superior for the Cumming community, Fr. Bruce Wren, LC, wrote about the fire and the subsequent overwhelming support that the priests received in a Substack article, “What Just Might Happen When Your House Burns Down.” In the piece, Fr. Bruce reflected on his experience of losing nearly all of his material possessions, including journals and family mementos, his personal library, and his Compostela, the pilgrim’s certificate certifying that he walked over 400 miles on the Camino de Santiago back in 2014. Despite these physical losses, Fr. Bruce recognized, especially as a priest who has taken a vow of poverty, the “ephemerality of material things.”
“For us priests, the fact that we lost nearly everything we owned was strangely relatively unimportant to us,”
wrote Fr. Bruce. In fact, the priests who were away at retreats or meetings, including Fr. Bruce himself, did not immediately rush back to the house, but stayed on to finish the work they had been sent to do. Even the priest who was inside the house when the fire began was intent on making it to the 8 a.m. Mass he was scheduled to celebrate just a few hours later, albeit in borrowed clothing.
What was important to the Legionary priests was the support they received from their neighbors and the Regnum Christi community; immediately after the fire that destroyed their home, and for the days, weeks, and months that followed, the LC community in Atlanta has experienced an outpouring of generosity of prayers, kindness, and financial support. From the neighbors who took them in on the morning of the fire and fed them coffee and breakfast, to the RC Atlanta community who opened their homes to those needing a place to stay, to those who provided immediate necessities lost in the fire, and those who made donations to help cover upfront expenses like cleanup, demolition, and deductibles.
What was the first grace we all received, or at least I know I received? The grace of realizing, in a very tangible way, that in the end material things are not what are important in my life. But what is important are people, or even more precisely, relationships. The outpouring of offers of prayers, concern, and real help—both material and personal—meant much more than whatever I had lost. I already knew it abstractly, but what I experienced was that as long as one had God and people as friends, the loss of material things, even my beloved library, didn’t matter that much. Genuine relationships make a man wealthy, not money or material things.
Kurt Oppermann serves as the regional director of development for the Legionaries of Christ, and he, too, was struck by the quick response from members of the Regnum Christi family, parishioners, friends, and supporters, who offered temporary housing, meals, clothing, and financial help.
“A difficult and lonely event became a clear sign that our priests are surrounded by people who care for them.”
This includes the parishioners of Kurt’s own parish, Holy Spirit Church in Atlanta, which is connected to Holy Spirit Preparatory School where the Legionaries serve as chaplains and often help with Masses. The pastor, Fr. Luke Ballman, sent an email to the entire parish to explain what had happened, and the parish rallied around the LC community with generous support.
God’s providence was clear throughout the days and weeks following the fire. Housing the Legionary community was difficult because of its size and unique needs as a religious community, but a local Regnum Christi member offered her entire home to the priests, moving in with one of her children temporarily. The house came with exactly what the priests needed: It even had a chapel which had never been used!
The greater challenge came when it was time to move from the immediate needs and emergency response to the long-term work of rebuilding. This required many decisions about planning, fundraising, insurance, design, and construction.
“During the process, we tried to keep our focus on the mission. The goal was not only to replace a building. It was to rebuild a home where the Legionary priests could live together, pray together, welcome others, and serve the apostolates entrusted to them in Atlanta.”
Breaking Ground on a New Home
On June 18, 2026, the RC Atlanta community celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Legionary home. Approximately 70 people gathered to mark this important milestone, including Legionary priests, Consecrated Women of Regnum Christi, lay RC members, and many friends and supporters from the surrounding community. And because St. Brendan’s Catholic Church in Cumming is served by the Legionaries of Christ, there were many parishioners, who have come to know and love the priests personally through the parish, at the celebration. Also in attendance were a group of Missionaries of Charity Sisters, who came in support of the Legionary community.
The ceremony included a blessing of the building site, and guests were invited to bury Miraculous Medals around the property as a physical sign of asking for Mary’s intercession in the blessing of the future home.
This five-bedroom main residence will accommodate the full-time priests and provide a welcoming space for guests. There are currently eight Legionary priests who are part of the Cumming community, which includes a smaller building near the main house. Four Regnum Christi Mission Corps missionaries will be living with a family nearby and will share in the mission of the community.
The new home will support both community life and mission. It will give living space to the priests who serve St. Brendan the Navigator Catholic Church, Pinecrest Academy, ECYD, Regnum Christi Atlanta, retreats, and other apostolates in the region. It will also offer guest space to visiting priests and missionaries.
Although insurance covered a portion of the rebuilding cost, it did not cover the full expense of constructing a new home. The Legionary community continues its campaign to raise the remaining funds needed to complete this important project that will allow their mission to flourish.
To Make a Gift
Our Legionary priests devote their lives to serving others. They celebrate the sacraments, accompany families through life's joys and sorrows, form our youth, lead retreats, preach the Gospel, and faithfully pray for all of us each day. Rebuilding their home is one small way we can care for those who have dedicated their lives to caring for us. Every gift—large or small, one-time or recurring—brings us one step closer to welcoming our priests home.
To make a gift, please visit legionariesofchristgiving.org/lc-cumming-house-fire.