1. A New Church At What Cost ?

2. Barb Maclean – First SOCA Chair
Ends vs Means
“Is it your intention to drag me, kicking and screaming, into your new church”.
Barb Maclean – First SOCA Chair
“The end cannot justify the means, for the simple and obvious reason that the means employed determine the nature of the ends produced”.
Aldous Huxley

3. Case Statement For New Church - 2007

4. Breakdown of Estimated Costs of New Church In 2007
Land Cost (10 acres) – $4.5 million
Architectural, Fundraising, Management Costs - $2 million
Construction Costs - $13.5 million
Total cost to build a new church in $20 million
Value of 3 Churches - $3 million
Current Bldg fund - $1.8 million
Fundraising Goal - $15.2 million

5. Estimated Timelines Construction was to begin February, 2010
Church Was to Open March 2012

6. Table of Suggested Contributions
A three year financial commitment over and above existing donations was requested

7. Today’s Situation – The Cone of Silence
NO comprehensive outline of costs
NO fundraising goal and how that will be reached
NO clarity regarding what parishioners are expected to contribute
NO clear breakdown regarding monies raised to date
NO clarity as to what will be included (or excluded) once the church is ready to open

8. Our Case On the Financial Realities of Building A New Church

9. Assumptions on Financial Position
Current Building Fund Savings $4,700,000
Sale of three churches $2,000,000
(amount and timing is a large variable)
Regular donations from parishioners now $850,000
(excluding other revenues)

10. Assumptions on Cost Original estimate (2010) $21,000,000
Cost of new church
Original estimate (2010) $21,000,000
5% increase in construction index $110,000
Accommodation for clergy $500,000
TOTAL $21,610,000
Whether completed in whole or over time the cost is the same
Diocesan rules state that ½ cost of new church ($10,000,000) must be raised before construction can begin

11. Construction in 2018 Less cash $4,700,000
Cost of new Church $21,600,000
Less cash $4,700,000
Less Sale of Churches (??) $2,000,000
Funds Required by mortgage $14,900,000
4% mortgage over 15 years Monthly payments $1,320,000 annually

12. Parishioner Implications
Normal contributions $850,000
Mortgage payment $1,320,000
Total Required annually $2,170,000

13. Parishioner Implications cont’d
All parishioners must increase their donations to 2 ½ times current levels for 15 years
Parishioners giving $10 per week must contribute $25 per week
Parishioners giving $25 per week must contribute $63 per week
Parishioners giving $100 per week must contribute $250 per week

14. Options/Mitigating Factors
If interest rates drop or increase
Pay for church over 25 years
Build cheaper or smaller church
Sell existing churches for more than $2,000,000
Diocese pays interest (almost $600,000 if built in 2018)
Diocese provides loan with no/low payments
Significant benefactor(s)
Special fundraisers of significance

15. What Is Included In $21 Million Cost?
Land cost ? – Diocese purchased 53 acres for $2.7 million in 2015
Land preparation ?
Bell Tower ?
Full Parking lot ?
Columbarium ?
Cost to remove and install stained glass windows from existing churches ?
Aerial view of new church site

16. What Costs Will Be Deferred ?
Cost of the Land ?
½ Parking Lot ?
Columbarium ?
Will All Saints face a “House Rich, Cash Poor” scenario ?
All costs will need to be paid – Now or Later
Proposed design of new church by Ferrari, Westwood Babits

17. What Else Will We Lose If We Build A New Church ?

18. Loss of History Loss of our Catholic roots in Lethbridge
St. Patrick’s Church dates back to in Lethbridge and 1913 at its present location.
St. Patrick’s is a direct link to our City’s past and to those who built this community.
City supports maintaining St. Patrick’s as an active parish and historical site.

19. Loss of Neighborhood
Three existing churches with no mortgages serving the North, Central and Southern parts of our City.
Accessible to the areas they serve
Our identity and sense of belongingness as Catholics is directly connected to these buildings which our ancestors built with sacrifice and love.

20. Roman Catholic Churches in Lethbridge

21. Loss of Facility Existing Churches 3 churches centrally located
10 meeting rooms of different sizes and locations
3 smaller church halls of different capacity
Little to no cost for parking
New All Saints Church
1 Church facility in SE outskirts
4 rooms (2 of these rooms can be divided)
1 large hall for large gatherings
Maintenance costs to clean and repair large parking area.

22. What Have We Lost Already ?
Our unity as a Catholic parish community.
The ability to practice our faith within our home parish.
Family and social cohesiveness as this dispute has caused relationships to fray and fracture.
Loss of time, talent and money as parishioners move to other Catholic churches
The loss of our religion as some leave to join another denomination or abandon their religion entirely.

23. In Summary
Parishioners have no say in the decision to build a new church, but are expected to bear all costs. Are we not then entitled to a full and honest accounting of what it will cost individually and collectively?
Is the plan to build a new church financially viable? Many other parishes in the Diocese are struggling financially even with no mortgage burden.
What will be the financial impact on other programs the parish supports (i.e. Youth Ministry; Refugees; Forward In Faith)
Could we LOSE OUR CHURCH if fund raising goals are not met?