Christ has entrusted the Church with the stewardship of temporal goods to provide for divine worship, to carry out the mission to spread the Gospel, to care for the poor, and to provide for the support of clergy and lay ministers. Canon law requires the diocesan bishop to carefully supervise the administration of all goods which belong to the diocese and all public juridical persons, including parishes, entrusted to his authority and to regulate the administration of ecclesiastical goods through the issuance of special instruction (CIC, c. 1276§ 1 & 2). The bishop has asked the Diocesan Building Commission to vet certain projects, and has delegated authority to approve certain smaller projects.
Starting a new construction project can be daunting, but our office is here to help and to guide you through the process. Please view the dropdown items below for a brief overview of what you can expect from the process, then fill out the form below (keep scrolling!) whenever you are ready.
The steps below offer a quick, informal overview of the process, designed for ease of use. For more complete information, see the Parish Administrative Manual (PAM), PDF pages 32ff (Construction and Real Estate Policies) and 225ff (Capital Renovations and Construction)
Pastors and parochial administrators have some authority, but any of the following actions require written permission from the bishop or his delegate:
The easiest way to do this is to fill out the form at the bottom of this page. This form will need to be completed regardless of the scope and expense of your project and asks all the starter questions. Alternatively, email Paul Lang and Damian Lenshek: [email protected] and [email protected]. Or call Damian at 608-821-3055. Generally, what the DBC needs to know starts with:
We encourage pastors to review the Construction Project Application Form with their pastoral council, finance council, third party consultants, and/or Construction Project Managers before submission. With the pastor's permission, a delegate may fill out the form.
The DBC will have follow-up questions. The extent of these follow-up questions depends on the size and complexity of your project.
The DBC will help shepherd your project through the approval process. For larger projects, this may involve your parish team presenting to the Commission in person, or gaining approvals from various diocesan entities.
Types of permission offered: There are two main permissions needed for larger projects: fundraising and construction. These are typically issued at different times. Once you have fundraising permission, you may sign a contract with a fundraising consultant. Construction permission is not granted until you have 50% cash in hand and 100% pledged. Do not sign any construction contracts until you have written permission to begin construction.
Your plan involves a loan? Please read this.
Volunteer Hold Harmless Form
Before a volunteer begins any work on parish property, they must complete this form.
Certificate of Insurance
Before begining work, contactors must supply the parish a Certificate of Insurance listing the parish, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Madison, Inc., and Bishop Donald Hying as additional insureds.