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Archdiocese Large Capital Planning Policies and Thresholds

Photo by Michael Alexander, The Georgia Bulletin

Archdiocesan Policy for Parishes and other Diocesan Institutions Planning Large Capital Improvements and/or Real Estate Acquisitions

The following criteria establish the upper limits of capital improvement work that Pastors are authorized to perform without the Archbishop’s written approval and signature of contract documents. This value limit for capital improvements also defines the separation between “Small Capital Improvements” and “Large Capital Improvements”.

1. If the annual offertory income of the parish exceeds $750,000, the upper limit is $15,000
2. If the annual offertory income of the parish is between $500,000 and $750,000, the upper limit is $10,000
3. If the annual offertory income of the parish is below $500,000, the upper limit is $5,000.

These policies are meant to help Pastors and other Diocesan Authorized Administrators through the process of implementing facility designs, budgets, and construction management for real estate development programs.

For Projects Falling Below Threshold (Small Capital Improvements)

The Capital Maintenance Inspection Questionnaire and CCSI contacts can help provide insight in identifying small capital improvements and major maintenance projects. Please be especially cautious in dealing with legal and liability issues of volunteers doing facility work without meeting proper codes and licensing.

For Projects Falling Above Threshold (Large Capital Improvements)

The steps for undertaking a Large Capital Improvement are provided at this link: Large Capital Process Overview.

The document which describes the policies, forms and process for Capital Projects is meant to be used after the Archbishop’s Conceptual Approval has been received.

Regarding Ownership of Parishes:

According to the Code of Canon Law, the Catholic Church can, under the terms of an innate right, acquire, preserve, manage and transfer ownership of temporal goods, independently of civil capacity, for the continuation of its objectives. These objectives are mainly: to organize the public worship, to get the honest subsistence of the clergy and other ministers and to achieve works of the sacred apostolate and charity, especially towards the poor (can.1254)

The canon 1276 of the Code explains, as far as the temporal affairs of the diocese are concerned, that the Bishop has the responsibility to supervise carefully the administration of funds and other temporal goods of diocese. The Bishop is the administrator, supervisor, and guardian of all ecclesiastical properties (can. 1276).