Recently the Sun Journal carried a story about potential safety issues at the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul (June 9). What readers may not have noticed was local journalism working at its finest and another reason to robustly support local journalism. Without the Sun Journal, people could pray in that gorgeous building never realizing the risk they were kneeling in.

Kudos to Fire Chief Dave Stockdale for his quick and decisive response. Church officials now must make the place safer. His department and the newspaper staff will never know how many lives they have saved with their attention. Only God knows that.

Fire is not the only Damoclean sword ready to drop into Lewiston’s icon. From my visits there, I have noticed that the interior walls continue to deteriorate and the roof still leaks.

Lewiston has a choice to make and time is running out. Plans must be made to fix the Basilica or take it down and replace it with condos. On that, the people of the parish must hold those clerical feet to the fire.

Let’s save God’s spectacular home on Ayer’s Hill.

Alice Bisson-Barnes, San Bruno, California