Who is the Steering Committee? 
The current Steering Committee for the Church Build Renewal project consists of the following:

Matt Fardig -  Steering Cmte Chair
Fr. Sergio Ovando Pastor
Deacon Phil Flowers
Jeanette Thatcher               
Jessica Perez - Business Manager
Marc Poirier - Fundraisng Cmte Chair

Do we have to raise 100% of funds, or can we get a loan for part of the needed monies?

We have to raise all the money. Diocesan regulations do not allow any borrowing.

Is St. Catherine responsible for 100% of the costs, or we will get any assistance from the diocese? 

Our parish is responsible for all the costs of our Church Building Renewal project. The Diocese of San Jose to which we belong does not have a source of funds other than the parishes.

How much money do we need to have in the bank, before we can start construction?  

We need to have 80% of the costs of our Church Building Renewal in the bank before construction starts.

It is discouraging to see a Conceptual Design of $12M, when the Feasibility Study says we can raise only $6M. Why have a $6M capital campaign, if the costs of the renovations are $12M?   

$12M is the estimate for Church Building Renewal based on one conceptual design that meets our renovation goals. There are other possible designs that can meet our goals. Two of the goals (beautification and capacity+) in particular are very flexible. They can be specified at different levels, resulting in major variations in a cost estimate.

I am not convinced we need increased capacity. I am convinced we need to correct/improve the acoustics, bathrooms, some cosmetic issues and the immersion baptismal font. We paid for a professional Feasibility Study that told us $6M is reasonable. Why are we still looking at $12M renderings?

The renderings for the Conceptual Design were done before the Feasibility Study, so that they could be part of the discussion during that study.  The Steering Committee wanted to show to show the result of the Conceptual Design as well as the Feasibility Study. We are now at the next logical step: deciding how we should proceed in light of the information received.

Go big, or go home… Raise the necessary money to build what we want, or do nothing at all. 

This comment addresses the same issue of design flexibility as a previous question. We are confident that we can minimally meet our Renovation Goals with a $6M budget. Of course with more money we could do even more.

What is the timeframe and benchmarks for decision on alternatives? Is the goal $6M or $12M?

The Steering Committee has asked parishioners to meet on January 18, 2018 to give their thoughts. The Steering Committee will give its recommendation at that time. After that the decision will go to the pastor and the bishop. A timeline of benchmarks will be developed.

Would it be possible for the architects to present a rendering of what we can get for $6M?

Yes. We can extend their contract to re-do the Conceptual Design with some “high-price” items removed.   

Is the $12M estimate for current construction costs, or future costs?

Escalation and contingency have been built into the estimate. And it will be one of the major tasks of the Steering Committee during construction to monitor costs so that we do not exceed our budget. A major source of “cost creep” is design change. It is the intention of the Steering Committee to allow design change (after the final design is approved) only when needed to keep costs within budget.

Are there contingencies built into the estimate? 

The answer to a previous question addresses this question. It can also be added that the final budget will be set with the contractor based on the Final Design.

Is there any money in the current reserves for the project?

There has been money reserved for the startup of our Church Building Renewal project. We have been spending that money on the architects (who did the conceptual design) and the fund-raising company (who did the feasibility study).

How many years would the campaign be? 

We will ask people to pay their pledge to our Church Building Renewal in a manner appropriate to the individual. For most people, a three-year payment plan will be best. This plan would meet the parish’s need to finish construction according to the proposed schedule.

What is the cost of the tower? Can it be added later?

In the Conceptual Design (presented on Dec 14, 2017) there was a tower depicted and cost-estimated ($294,000). This was part of the total cost approximated at $12M. The architects considered the tower to be part of the “base project” as they said.  

Is it possible to slant the seating of the church so that tall people in the front do not block the view of others?

The Conceptual Design (presented on Dec 14, 2017) has a level floor for the church. Since the capacity of the church in this design is not significantly increased, the current viewing capability of the church was considered the norm.

Will new technologies within the renovated church save money on operating expenses? 

There has not been a detailed study done of changes in operating costs for a renovated church building. But improvement in operating cost will be a consideration in the Final Design that is created after sufficient money has been raised for the project.

Will green technology be a major part of the renovation, i.e. solar panels, etc.? 

The level of detail that includes green technology has not been designed yet. But it will be taken into account in the Final Design phase.

What is the capacity of the current church? 

The Fire Marshall has set 570 seats as the capacity of the current church. In addition to special liturgical events, like Easter, Christmas, first Communions, and Confirmation, the 10:30 and 12:15 Masses on Sundays frequently approach or exceed the capacity.

What does a $6M or a $9M option look like? Can’t we sacrifice some items, like capacity+, in order to save money?

We certainly can change the Conceptual Design and reduce or even withdraw goals. Capacity+ has been questioned from the beginning of our consideration as a parish about the church building. There are those who believe that we must increase the current capacity of the church because of the growth in Morgan Hill. There are others who oppose any increase in capacity because they think that the Catholic church-attending population in Morgan Hill is not likely to change in the foreseeable future or that some other solution should be looked for, such as a second parish in Morgan Hill.

Where is the extra seating going to be? 

In the Conceptual Design (presented on Dec 14, 2017) there were two major structural additions envisioned for the church building: one on the west end (facing Peak Avenue) and one on the east end. Extra seating (239 seats) would come from both additions. Moving the sanctuary back a bit into the eastern addition would give a few pews there. The majority of the new seating would come in the western addition. It should be remembered that this is only a conceptual design and the one that has the price tag of $12M.

What percent of parishioners go to daily mass?

Approximately 2700 people attend Sunday Mass on a given weekend (7 Masses from Saturday night through Sunday night). Approximately 60 people attend “daily mass,” namely 8:15am mass Monday through Saturday. This calculates to 2%.

Will we build a small chapel?

If “small chapel” refers to a separate building or even a small area of the regular church building that can be separated from the rest, the answer is no. None of the Renovation Goals includes such a small chapel. But in one of the conceptual designs the Eucharistic tabernacle is set apart in an area which, while remaining highly visible to the whole community, could be made more intimate for smaller groupings of people. During the Final Design phase consideration to needs of this sort can be given by the parish design team.

If we cannot collect enough money in our regular weekly offerings to make our monthly budget, how can we afford to renew the church building?

It is true that recent weekly collections have not always met our budget targets. One of the hopes of the Church Building Renewal project is to inspire a greater sense of

I noticed in the Feasibility Study that there were many people (54% of those interviewed in person) “unsure” about raising $12M in a capital campaign. Do you think this is significant?

Yes, the company that conducted the Feasibility Study thinks that the parish is not prepared to raise $12M for the Church Building Renewal project.  

Would the In-Pew results have been different if the parishioners knew the details of the Conceptual Design, or how much money was necessary? 

CCS, the company that conducted our Feasibility Study, tells us that the nature of the questions asked in-pew were not related to design or cost. Rather those questions were about needs for renovation and about ability of the individual to donate.

I am concerned about the low attendance at these parish meetings about Church Building Renewal. How can be done about this?

It is certainly true that there has been low attendance at the Church Build Renewal parish meetings we have been holding for the last two years. An attendance of considerably less than a 100 people represents a small portion of the nearly 3000 people who attend our weekend Masses. It is also true that there can be many reasons for non-attendance, such as work and children considerations. But it must be remembered that the Feasibility Study stated a fund-raising goal of $6M based on 97+ people donating to the campaign. The Steering Committee, therefore, would like to suggest that those who have been attending our meetings invite at least 5 of their friends to future meetings.

The Feasibility Study shows a large number of people need more information in order to decide whether to give a donation to the Church Building Renewal project. How can we meet this need and in particular show them pictures/renderings? Are we planning to do presentations at Sunday Mass?

The details of the Fund-raising campaign have yet to be worked out. Certainly when they are, it will include providing enough information to our parishioners to enable them to decide in favor of donating to the Church Building Renewal project.

I have suggestions how to raise money for the Church Building Renewal project. How can I make these suggestions?

Please contact the chair of the Fund-raising subcommittee, Marc Poirier.

Can we get copies of the presentation materials?

Please go to the web-site:/giving-churchrenewal