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Building Plans
The following information is the latest parish wide information given atTown Hall Meeting #4 on August 18, 2010. It was published in the August 27th bulletin. The parish continues to make great progress on the goals of: (1) financial stability and (2) facilities improvement, thanks to the guidance of our elected Parish Council and the fiscal disciplines put in place by our Finance Council. The infomation is provided in the FAQ format (Frequently Asked Questions) which hopefully makes the information more readable and understandable.
Does the campus plan encompass the needs of all parishioners?
Yes, our campus plan came about from a series of town hall meetings held by the previous two pastors and finalized at the April 15th 2009 meeting, which many refer to as the famous “4 Hour Meeting”. From this meeting, the architect developed a nine page document called Programming Requirements. This identified the dream list and their corresponding square footage requirements. The five categories were prioritized by the group into phases by order of need. The group ordered the phasing as follows: Parish Church, Parish Education Facility, Community Outreach, Rectory and possible Convent.
Is there a process that St. Catherine’s must follow to accomplish its goals?
Yes, the process is guided by the Diocese of Raleigh’s Planning and Construction Manual, which is available at: http://www.dioceseofraleigh.org/docs/for_parishes/planning_construction_manual.pdf
How can I stay informed about the progress we are making?
The Diocesan requires 12 steps in its process. We have completed Steps 1-5. To keep you informed we have provided a button on the St. Catherine’s website. You can click completed steps and read a synopsis at:
How much does the project cost?
Until we reach Step 10 - Bidding and Negotiations, any projections of cost can only be estimates. One can only make estimates in the early stages by using a calculation based on square footage and their historical costs. For example, Phase 1 for Worship, also includes significant future costs associated with the Phase 2 for Education like the grading of future foundations of the education facilities, fields and expanded parking areas. Anytime a multiple phased approach is used, it is more efficient and cost effective to plan the 1st phase well because it can reduce costs for the subsequent phases.
How are we doing with our parish debt and parish savings?
The parish has improved its financial position dramatically over the last three years, thanks to the continuing generosity of parishioners and the wise decision-making by those who serve on the Parish Finance Council. In 2007, the parish was laboring under $1.14M of interest bearing debt and we had no savings for emergencies. In three short years, we have paid off all of our interest bearing debt and we have $157K in savings for emergencies, like a roof problem or major plant expense. The only debt we still carry is $87K which is 0% interest. That loan came from a 2003 gift that our parish made to get Our Lady of the Rosary started in Louisburg. Because this loan is 0% interest, there is no incentive to pay it off early because doing so would only deplete savings.
What did the Quiet Phase produce?
The purpose of the quiet phase was to enter into prayer as a parish and to move the hearts of some early benefactors who might be able to get us started. It was a time of spiritual preparation and was started on December 8th, 2009 and ran until August 15th, 2010. The dates of the campaign were intentional and followed the earthly life of the Blessed Mother, from her Immaculate Conception until her Assumption, During this quiet phase we continued our monthly debt reduction campaign which used the pink envelopes and then switched to blue envelopes for our building campaign. In addition, a letter was sent inviting people to Town Hall Meeting #4 and asking for a final push to the Quiet Campaign. During the campaign, we received both large and small gifts from 631 families. With the combination of a generous anonymous pledge and building fund collections, the Quiet Phase reached a total of $3M. This is an exciting start and puts us at approximately 30% of our goal. Imagine what we can do together through prayer and sacrifice?
What is next?
The next step (#6) in the diocesan process is the signing of an architect’s contract. This action requires more attention to the “open asks” from the quiet phase while doing the planning for our pledge drive.
When would construction start and how long will it last?
The start of construction depends on many factors, the most significant being the approval processes of the Diocese of Raleigh and the Town of Wake Forest. The normal cycle for the timing of construction would be close to 20 months. This estimate is affected by weather and the pricing and availability of materials.
What can I do to help and what is my responsibility?
Please begin asking God for his assistance in your prayers. Our effort to enhance the worship of God by building a new church makes the devil jealous and it is important to remember that prayer is our best refuge and defense. Each family can begin to plan financially so that they can make the best sacrificial gift possible when the time comes to pull together. It will take everyone’s sacrifice, no matter how small because each person’s participation is important in the building up of the family of God.