Special to the HERALD
(From the issue of 12/16/04)

Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde hosted the annual gathering of all pastors, administrators and other priests Dec. 14 at St. Joseph’s Parish Center in Herndon.

Oblate Father Mark Mealey, president of the Rooted in Faith-Forward in Hope (RIF~FIH) Board, Inc., and Moderator of the Curia for the Diocese of Arlington, updated pastors on plans to address needs for additional diocesan secondary schools. Two new high schools are planned through seed money from RIF-FIH pledges.

"We remain committed to building two Catholic high schools to meet the growing demand for Catholic secondary education," Father Mealey said.

In order to maintain this commitment, he announced that the diocese has expanded the scope of a comprehensive study that will determine its final plans for the construction of two Catholic high schools. The study, which initially focused exclusively on Prince William County, now also focuses on Loudoun County. The study will help ensure that the diocese expands its Catholic education ministry intelligently and with optimal cost-effectiveness, said Father Mealey.

The study, which is to be completed by June of 2005, will ensure that the schools are located within ready access of the greatest number of students, and that the total costs of both projects are managed effectively.

The need to manage costs is especially significant given the exponential increase in construction costs within the construction industry in much of Northern Virginia. In 2001, the Prince William and Loudoun Counties schools were each estimated to cost $25 million to build; today, the total costs for these projects are $42 million and $37 million, respectively.

The original campaign funding plans for the two new diocesan high schools included $12.5 million for each high school with construction costs to be financed and paid through tuition over the years to come.

Until the study is completed and a final plan determined, the diocese will not move forward with the construction of either high school. In addition, depending on the study’s findings, the diocese may reconsider the previously announced locations and construction schedules of both schools.

Planning for these new schools included an allowance for increases in costs due to inflation, but Dr. Timothy McNiff, Superintendent of Schools, said that "no one could have anticipated some of the huge increases in construction material costs that have taken place in our regional economy when we started our planning over four years ago."

In the past year, the wholesale price of steel products has increased 46.5 percent; plywood prices nationwide increased about 22 percent from August 2003 to August 2004, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Construction labor costs have also increased significantly in northern Virginia, where a construction boom has impacted public school and corporate projects.

"It is terribly important to me that I be a good and faithful steward, committed and prudent," Bishop Loverde said. "I want very much to see all of our projects go forward in a way that serves all of us well. I am grateful for the support we have received to date from our parishioners and know their ongoing generosity and prayers will be of great assistance as we work to achieve all the projects that we started in the capital campaign."

The diocese has seen rapid growth over the last 10 years and ranks third of the nation’s 195 dioceses in actual increase of the number of Catholics and first in the number and size of construction projects.

Robert Mueller, director of the diocesan Stewardship and Development Office announced that the Rooted in Faith – Forward in Hope capital campaign pledge redemption continues to be on schedule, hitting $50 million in redeemed pledges this past week. This represents 44 percent of the total $115 million pledged.

Additionally, Chief Financial Officer William Kirst outlined the following steps taken by the diocese thus far during the temporary postponement of both parish and diocesan construction projects (since October, 2004) to ensure that all such projects are managed effectively:

"These efforts are enabling us to put the people and systems in place to ensure that projects are delivered in scope, on time and on budget, thereby maximizing the benefit of our resources for all parishes," said Kirst. "Good financial stewardship will ensure that all parishes have the essential resources by which to worship, educate and serve."

A thorough review of all planned projects to evaluate future cost requirements and project schedules has also been underway. In addition, the diocese has created an ad hoc committee consisting of the six local deans to clarify the criteria used to determine the priority order of all parish construction projects. These criteria include important pastoral, financial and chronological considerations.

The local deans – who represent sections of the diocese made up of several parishes and other ecclesiastical institutions – are Fathers Robert J. Rippy, John C. Cregan, William P. Saunders, Leo J. Zonneveld, Robert C. Cilinski, and Donald C. Greenhalgh.

Based on these criteria, as well as the cost and schedule review, the diocese will prioritize all capital projects with the expectation that they will be completed over the next three to five years. Some of the projects are expected to be approved to begin construction early in 2005.

The new Office of Planning, Construction and Facilities is currently managing more than $80 million in active parish projects, exceeding the $14 million average in recent years. Future parish capital projects total almost $100 million; currently planned diocesan Rooted in Faith – Forward in Hope projects will exceed $70 million. All combined, current and planned parish and diocesan projects total over $250 million in projected costs.

Compounding the challenges associated with such a large portfolio of projects is the fact that Northern Virginia is among the fastest growing areas of the country, which has fueled an extraordinary increase in construction costs. On average over 12,000 Catholics are joining the diocese each year with some parishes experiencing over 30 new families a month, or 300 families per year.

The Rooted in Faith – Forward in Hope, Inc. Board of Directors, an independent entity, oversees the property, affairs and business of the corporation, and makes recommendations on the disbursement and allocation of funds. Separate from the capital campaign, the Bishop’s Lenten Appeal (BLA) is the diocese’s annual giving campaign which meets the program and ministry needs of the diocese. Further information is available online at www.arlingtondiocse.org.