OGDENSBURG -- Bishop Terry R. LaValley says the Ogdensburg Diocese will move forward with a fundraising campaign to be conducted in all parishes, aimed at generating upwards of $15 million over the next four years.

LaValley’s decision is in response to a feasibility study recommendation that the diocese undertake the campaign, with 75 percent of the funds being directed to the needs of local parishes and 25 percent being directed to diocesan needs.

Feasibility Study

In December 2016, the diocese retained Guidance In Giving to undertake the feasibility study.

“Looking at some sort of financial campaign seemed like a natural follow-up to our Living Stones Planning Process,” LaValley said in a prepared statement. “Our plans for making our parishes vibrant led to the question of how we would get the resources to support that vitality. Our plans show the need for more personnel, more training, stronger programs and materials for various programs, and all of these things take resources on the parish level.”

The study measured the level of interest and financial potential for the campaign. It also tested model campaign case statements and determined the impact of the so-called “Living Stones” process on a potential capital campaign. Representatives from Guidance In Giving interviewed all pastors and a representative number of retired priests. Additionally, 50 lay persons were interviewed to give their feedback.

A mail questionnaire was sent to 5,000 Catholic households throughout the diocese. Included in the mailing was a letter from LaValley, a survey form and a return envelope. Nineteen percent of the surveys were completed and returned. These surveys gave “valuable information” about the feasibility of a capital campaign and the feedback was “very positive in favor of a capital campaign,” LaValley said.

“We’re very happy with the consulting process used by Guidance In Giving,” Scott Lalone, director of development for the diocese, said in a prepared statement. “Generally, a ten percent response to a survey is considered to be a good response. We had nearly double that number, which is outstanding. That response and the face to face interviews give us a solid basis upon which decisions can be made.”

Consultations

The decision to conduct a feasibility study follows consultations with the Diocesan Finance Council, Investment Advisory Committee, the Priests’ Council, Diocesan Pastoral Council and the Episcopal Council. All of these bodies recommended that we consider a capital campaign, the diocese said.

“To be successful we had to have the support and dedication of a wide base,” LaValley said in the release. “I wanted input from all our consultative boards before we made any decision on this campaign. The support of our consultative bodies and the responses to the feasibility study told us that we had overwhelming support from our pastors and our faithful.”

“It is a perfect time for a capital campaign,” Fr. Joseph Morgan, rector of St. Mary’s Cathedral and pastor of Notre Dame Church in Ogdensburg, said in a prepared statement. “The planning process made it clear that we need additional personnel, training for our laity, and more materials to maintain the vibrancy of our parishes in the future. The question turned to ‘How are we going to pay for these things?

Our planning was leading us to some sort of financial campaign, so this diocesan-wide campaign is a true gift.”

Next Steps

LaValley has decided to retain Guidance In Giving to provide professional counsel in conducting this capital campaign.

“I was pleased with the professionalism of Guidance In Giving in the conduct of the feasibility study. They were thorough, competent and user-friendly,” LaValley said in the release.

The diocese recently contracted with Guidance In Giving, and the groundwork for the campaign will begin soon. Steve Babcock, executive vice-president of Guidance In Giving, recommends that the diocese begin working on campaign case statements, establishing a clergy advisory committee, a special gifts committee, and work on campaign themes and strategies in order to prepare for the actual campaign in each parish.

Guidance In Giving will meet with every pastor to help them to form a leadership team, developing case statements pointing out the parish needs and the proposed use of the funds, and helping these parishes prepare their campaign materials. It is anticipated that the campaign in the parishes will begin next spring. The parish portion of the campaign will be conducted in three blocks, at times to be determined. It is anticipated that redemption of pledges to the campaign will be conducted over a maximum of four years, the diocese said.

“Training and enabling our laity to undertake their proper role in the parishes is also a priority in all our parishes, so that our priests and deacons can focus on the work that is properly theirs. This campaign will give us the resources we need to do the things that we set out to accomplish through the Envisioning Leadership Process. These goals and priorities came from the grass root level, and it is gratifying to see the wide-spread support for a campaign to raise the resources necessary to accomplish them,” LaValley said.