|
Questions and
Comments
Concerning
the Financing of ICCS |
| |
|
These questions
and statements came from a general parish meeting on April
3rd. About 150 people were present. We broke
into small groups and each shared what he or she wanted to
say to the Finance Council and to the School. Afterwards, a
member of each group came forward and shared some issues
from its group. Below are the questions and my (Fr. Tim
Thompson) responses (to the best of my knowledge.) I did
not respond to simple statements. |
|
Printable Version, pdf format |
| |
|
1 |
As for the ICC school, on ICC Property, used
for ICC functions- what is the access of those facilities
for St. Mark Parish?
|
| |
Fr. Tim:
St.
Mark’s can use the property but with the same access that
other groups have. Space is under great demands at ICC
(Immaculate Conception Church) and not much space is
available. |
| |
|
| |
Elaine Shad: The use of the ICC School facility is governed by a Shared Use Agreement
that was last revised on June 30, 2004. The unsigned
agreement was drafted by a joint committee which had
representatives from St. Mark, ICC Parish, and ICC School.
At this time there is no provision for access of the
facility by St. Mark Parish; however the Shared Use
Agreement is subject to revision at any time when requested
by any of the three parties above. |
| |
|
|
2 |
Can we
have some background on how St. Marks has gotten involved
with ICC Church?
|
| |
Fr. Tim:
St. Mark’s began as a mission
of ICC. It was established as a separate parish in 1995. |
| |
|
| |
Elaine
Shad:
The first mention of this seems to be an Action
Plan, Vision and Mission Statement documents drafted on
January 5, 1995. This Action Plan is available for review.
The last
statement of the Vision and Mission Statement, page 4 of
Action Plan, references St. Mark Parish along with ICC
Parish: “Finally, we believe that the school will function
best as part of a preK-12 Catholic school system which
merges the talents, facilities, and resources of the
parents, the Immaculate Conception and St. Mark parishes,
and the diocese of Ft. Worth to meet the needs of the
students.”
--Under
“Role of the Pastor” in the Action Plan Page 2:
“The
Immaculate Conception (IC) pastor’s most important role is
to provide the spiritual leadership for the IC school
community.”…
“At such
time as St. Mark becomes a separate parish, the pastors of
Immaculate Conception and St. Mark will participate in the
roles described above.”
--Under
“School Administration” in the Action Plan Page 3:
“The
first IC School Board will be appointed by Fr. Schilken,
pastor of Immaculate Conception and St. Mark Churches in
late January of 1995….the board will consist of the
following representatives: 4 parishioners from Immaculate
Conception; 3 parishioners from St. Mark; 1 Denton community
leader; one non-Catholic.
--Under
“Facilities” (Referencing initially the location at 1212
Bolivar Street)
“The
Immaculate Conception parish will donate the use of their
parish center for the school. …..The parish of Immaculate
Conception and St. Mark would share in the cost of the
utilities and depreciation of the building.”
In the
document, “Following God….Becoming Leaders” a case statement
for Immaculate Conception Catholic School last revised
7/7/1997, the following statement is made under Management:
“Further, Immaculate Conception School is a part of the
education ministry of Immaculate Conception Church and St.
Mark Church.”
Various
expansion plans for ICC School were discussed beginning in
1997. A Joint Steering Committee worked on a proposal to
present to the Diocesan Pastoral Finance Committee of the
Catholic Diocese of Ft. Worth. In a letter dated December
20, 2000, from Rev. Robert W. Wilson, then Chancellor of the
Diocese of Ft. Worth to Rev. Charles B. King, IC Parish
Pastor; Rev. Eugene Sweeney, St. Mark Pastor; and Mrs.
Elaine Schad, ICC School Principal:
“I am
happy to inform you that Bishop Delaney has concurred with
the recommendations of the Pastoral Finance Committee that
Immaculate Conception School be allowed to start the
building process…” |
| |
|
|
3 |
Why
didn’t Father Gene tell the parish about signing the note? |
| |
|
| |
Fr.
Tim: Not
clear if he did not or if it was not said. In fact, I (Fr.
Tim) am not sure he signed a note, only an agreement that if
the school were to close that the property would be sold and
the debt split between the two parishes. |
|
|
|
|
4 |
Can
the school not get a loan, outside financing? Would the
diocese consider refinancing? |
| |
|
| |
Fr.
Tim: The
parishes/schools borrow money from the Diocese which gives a
good rate. Mr. Peter Flynn has said that if we could find a
better deal, the Diocese would consider that. |
|
|
|
|
5 |
What
is the big fundraiser for the school and how much does it
bring in? |
| |
|
| |
Fr. Tim:
The School
Auction is the biggest fundraiser and brings in about $90,
000 a year. This takes all year to plan.
|
|
|
|
|
6 |
How
many of the 276 students are full paying students? |
| |
|
| |
Fr.
Tim: The
school will give that answer to the Finance Councils after
it has put a number together. I don’t know that one. |
|
|
|
|
7 |
Is the $4200 for Catholic students? How much
is non catholic tuition? |
| |
|
| |
Fr. Tim:
One Catholic student
pays $4200 per year, 2 children a bit less and so on.
Non-catholic pay a higher tuition, about $5,000. |
| |
|
|
8 |
Is
there a number that ICC wants from St. Marks to keep them
solvent? And how will this affect us getting a new church?
Where will that money come from? |
| |
|
| |
Fr. Tim:
The need for funding is not
from ICC parish but the school which is paying the entire
debt on the school. The exact number is being studied.
Will this affect the new church? In as much as it will
require more money from the parish, it will affect all that
we do. |
| |
|
|
9 |
What is our debt at ICCS, St. Mark’s part? |
| |
|
| |
Fr. Tim:
There is no debt separated for
St. Mark, ICC or ICCS. The entire debt is $2.1 million
dollars. |
| |
|
|
10 |
What
can we rationally afford? |
| |
|
| |
Fr. Tim:
Answer: The Finance Council is
studying that. |
| |
|
|
11 |
St.
Mark should make ICS a priority on the financial budget as
opposed to other ministries. |
| |
|
|
12 |
Both
Pastors need to appeal to the Bishop. |
| |
|
|
13 |
Need audit by the diocese. |
| |
|
|
14 |
Two
members from each parish finance council should be on school
board to have a say in the direction of finances.
|
| |
|
| |
Fr. Tim:
The pastors sit on the Board
and can bring the finances to their respective councils.
|
| |
|
|
15 |
What
are the two parishes and the Diocese doing financially to
support the school? |
| |
|
| |
Fr. Tim:
The
parishes give about $250 dollars for each family from its
parish. |
| |
|
|
16 |
How do
you anticipate or expect enrollment growth with no high
school? |
| |
|
| |
Fr. Tim:
A high school would be a good
thing but is not planned at this time. |
| |
|
|
17 |
Are
there any major campaigns or endowments? |
| |
|
| |
Fr. Tim:
There is some scholarship
money from endowments. |
| |
|
|
18 |
Rename the school Denton Catholic Academy. |
| |
|
|
19 |
Is St.
Marks financially supporting the school, where does this
money come from? |
| |
|
| |
Fr. Tim:
We support
(see above.) the money comes from the Sunday collection |
| |
|
|
20 |
Why is
our portion of the debt not showing up on the balance
statement? |
| |
|
| |
Fr. Tim:
There is
no loan outstanding that has St. Mark’s name on it, though
the letter of agreement implies that we are responsible for
it under certain conditions. |
| |
|
|
21 |
What will happen to land for the church? |
| |
|
| |
Fr. Tim:
This has no impact on the
land for a new parish site. |
| |
|
| |
|
|
Additional Comments and answers are found in the
Printable Version, pdf format |
