Endowment and Operating Expenses for the Education of Seminarians: $5,500,000

Just as the cost of all education has risen dramatically in recent times, so too has the cost of seminary formation. For those seminarians in the English as a Second Language program, Pre-Theology program and Major Seminary, the diocese funds the entire cost. Undergraduate seminarians receive some financial assistance from both the diocese and Gonzaga University. The remaining tuition and expenses are the responsibility of the seminarian.

There are currently 19 men in various stages of the formation process. For undergraduate seminarians attending Gonzaga, the cost to the diocese is $5,200 per seminarian. For those in Pre-Theology, E.S.L., or Major Seminary, the cost to the diocese is approximately $25,000 per seminarian. With an average of twenty men in seminary formation each year, the collective cost to the diocese is about $500,000. This figure represents a significant portion of the annual diocesan budget.

Endowment: $4,500,000

Currently, priestly formation is funded on a yearly basis as part of the Annual Catholic Appeal.

Long term budgeting is extremely difficult, as the yearly budget can't be determined until well after the Annual Catholic Appeal is completed. As men enter and leave the program, expenses for the program can change by as much as $70,000 in six months

A major restructuring of how the diocese funds the education of seminarians will benefit our entire faith community. Fiscal stewardship and financial responsibility dictate the expansion of the endowment for priestly formation. This offers the Catholic Church in Eastern Washington a sound financial plan for future growth.

This campaign will add $4,500,000 to the existing endowment for the education of our seminarians. This infusion of capital will provide strong support for this endowment. The proceeds from the endowment will fund a significant portion of the annual funds needed to cover the costs of educating our seminarians for years to come. Although this additional investment will not fully endow the needs of our seminarians it will fund a substantial portion of the costs. It is anticipated that through varied future fundraising the endowment will become fully funded.

Operating expenses: $1,000,000

The Endowment for the Education of Seminarians will take several years to become fully funded. During the interim it is essential that we maintain a funding source that insures the continued support of our seminarians. As part of this effort $1,000,000 will be set aside to help defer the expenses of the program until such time as the endowment can fully fund these needs.

Construction of a new Bishop White Seminary: $3,000,000

While the program at Bishop White Seminary is strong, the physical plant is aging. Two of the seminary buildings are approximately 100 years old and the interiors are clearly showing their age. The "new" construction dates to the 1950's and consists of cinder block walls, flat roofs and single pane windows. The plumbing and wiring throughout the buildings are in need of serious attention.

One half of our seminarians living at Bishop White Seminary have their rooms in the basement. These rooms often have a damp smell and limited natural light. Moreover, the layout of the interior space does not provide adequate separation between living quarters and public spaces. This presents a real problem since the seminary building has multiple uses including diocesan meetings, university events, and the deacon formation program. In short, the current structure fails to provide an adequate living and educational environment.

Under the direction of Bishop Skylstad, a study was conducted to investigate the possibility of renovating the existing structures to make them more adequately meet the needs of our seminary program. Bringing the buildings up to current code and standards is cost prohibitive. Because we use the facility as "dormitory type" living quarters, renovating or remodeling the buildings require adhering to more stringent requirements of the building code than if we were to use it as strictly office space. The condition of the structure requires that the current facility be replaced with a new one. Replacing the seminary building is simply more cost effective than renovating the old building. In addition, even with a renovated building, we would still be faced with a layout and living quarters that are not conducive to priestly formation.

The new Bishop White Seminary will have multiple uses. It will not only serve as housing for our seminarians, but will also serve as a centralized location for diocesan meetings, summer programs, and the expansion of the deacon formation program.

The new facility will create the separation necessary between living quarters and public space which will include office space, a chapel, conference room and dining room. The residence section of the building will be able to house three priests, two guest rooms, and 15-20 seminarians.

This campaign will raise $3,000,000 to cover the costs of replacing the current buildings of Bishop White Seminary. Ground will be broken in May 2005, with the dedication of the facility slated for 2006. This will mark the fiftieth anniversary of Bishop White Seminary.

2004 Annual Catholic Appeal: $1,500,000

Good Stewards live with the enduring conviction that all that they have and all that they are comes from God. Life, love, parents, home and job are part of God's bounty.

Each year, the Catholic Church in Eastern Washington provides the funding for a variety of ministries, programs and services to thousands throughout Eastern Washington through the Annual Catholic Appeal. These funds, raised throughout our Diocese in each and every parish and mission, show the strength of our support for our communities with generous parishioners funding the broader mission of the Church. Since we will be embarking on this capital campaign in 2004, the decision has been made to incorporate the 2004 Annual Catholic Appeal into this campaign, with the return of the Appeal slated for 2005.

Funding priestly education is the largest portion of the budget for the Annual Catholic Appeal. With the increase to the seminarian endowment this portion will be substantially reduced. This will enable our diocesan church to fund many other programs, ministries and services throughout Eastern Washington.

This campaign will raise $1,500,000 for the 2004 Annual Catholic Appeal.