Ending the New Church Project

 

2017 new church rendering

ENDING THE NEW CHURCH PROJECT

As announced at the 2022 State of the Parish meeting on July 30, 2022, the Parish is ending the New Church Project.  Every donor to the 2000 and 2006 “To Build Church” capital campaigns will have an opportunity to either (1) repurpose their donated funds to support the parish’s revised master plan or (2) reclaim their original donation amount.

On August 17, 2022, we mailed a letter to donors to the “To Build Church” capital campaigns describing the reasons for ending the New Church Project.  The letter included a Donor Request Form to be returned to the Parish Office with the donor’s decision to repurpose their donation to support the revised parish master plan or to reclaim their donation(s).   Click here for more information or contact the Parish Office.

Why was the New Church Project canceled?

Construction cost inflation and the unresolved Tribal Cultural Resources challenge have made a new church unrealistic. Based upon our current cost estimate, we will need another $20 million in addition to the funds raised by the “To Build Church” capital campaigns to complete the new church.  This assumes a reduction in the original size of the building and other changes to reduce cost, and it excludes the unknown cost and time to address Tribal Cultural Resources and any additional City requirements.  In addition, we no longer need a larger church because fewer people are attending Sunday Mass.

Is there a plan to build a new church in the future?

No. Instead of building a new church we will renovate our existing church. The church renovation project will include improved accessibility, new restrooms, air conditioning, a permanent, soundproof wall separating church and hall, enclosed entry vestibules, stained glass windows, and other improvements to beautify our worship space.

Our preliminary cost estimate for renovating the church is $2-3 million.  We will know more once building drawings are completed and submitted to the city of Fremont for comment. We hope to begin construction before the end of 2023.

How much was donated to the To Build Church capital campaigns?

Total donations to the To Build Church capital campaigns were $6,995,533.

How will repurposed donations be used?

The first priority for repurposed funds will be renovation of the church. The church renovation will be fully funded before repurposed funds are used for any other projects.

What other projects might be funded with the repurposed monies?

The revised parish master plan includes repairing Ministry House 1, renovating the Carriage House, building a sports field behind the school, and completing a building connection between the Mission and museum. These other projects will be prioritized, and none will begin until funding is available.

Will there be another capital campaign?

There is no current plan for another capital campaign. A future capital campaign may be considered if the amount of repurposed funds and parish savings are insufficient for future projects in the parish master plan.

Some building repairs are needed soon.  How will they be funded?

Repairing the museum building’s foundation is the parish’s highest priority repair project. To Build Church capital campaign funds are not being used for the museum repair or other parish maintenance projects. We are using parish savings and have applied for grants to pay for the museum foundation repair.

Other maintenance projects such as repainting our buildings will be prioritized by the parish facilities team and budgeted as part of annual parish operating budgets or paid for using parish savings.

Moving forward

As we end the New Church Project after 23 years, we first want to thank our parishioners and donors for your prayers, patience, and contributions. We thank those who worked so hard on the Project. While it is a disappointment that we have ended the project, we are moving forward with great excitement, trusting that the Lord will continue to guide us.