He was just about to turn in when he was alerted to the blaze by a ringing burglar alarm, probably activated by smoke. Father Giblin was met by billowing clouds of smoke when he tried to enter through the back of the church at the sacristy. He called the fire department, then woke up the other priests in the rectory, associate pastor, Father Alvin Matthews and Father Walter Halaburda, a chaplain at Atlanta's federal penitentiary. The 150-member congregation at the Shrine mainly consists of elderly people. There are only 30 children in the parish.
Most parishioners have a sentimental rather than a geographic attachment to the church.
These parishioners come to the church from outlying areas because they have roots here. In many cases, their parents were married at the church, they were baptized there and probably married there themselves. To many of these people, part of their lives had been destroyed in the fire. Ruby Davis was one of these people. It was indeed a challenge to restore the Shrine to its present condition.