Diocese in midst of building boom

There are explosions all over the Albany Diocese from a building boom in parishes, schools and institutions that are physically growing at a rate not seen in 40 years:

* Eight Catholic schools completed additions or renovations over the summer,

* Christian Brothers Academy in Albany is building a new school,

* 10 parishes are in the midst of building or renovation projects, and

* Catholic hospitals and nursing homes also have expansion projects in the works.

"The Fifties were the last time we've seen anything of this nature," said John J. Feeney, chancellor of finance for the Diocese.

Why the boom

The reasons for the building boom are varied, according to Bishop Howard J. Hubbard. Suburban sprawl can explain the parish building projects, he said, while a stabilized Catholic school system accounts for school building projects.

The building is "a sign of strength and vitality of parishes, schools and social service agencies," the Bishop said. "It shows the love of the Lord and the deep faith people have. It's so encouraging to see the enthusiasm and the zeal of the people."

Parish growth has been constant over the past 20 years. In fact, according to the Bishop, every suburban parish in Albany and southern Saratoga counties has built an addition during the past ten years due to "the demographic shift to suburbs and rural communities."

Room to grow

However, the need for additional space in Catholic schools is not related to suburban sprawl since many of the schools are located in cities, Bishop Hubbard said. Rather, the need for renovations and additions stems from the stability of the Catholic schools in the Diocese.

"I'm particularly happy about the turn-around in our schools," he stated. "There has been consistent [enrollment] growth through the decade of the '90s."

The Catholic school system of the Diocese is now at a point where it can be maintained, he said, adding: "We've pared the system to a place where we could sustain it for the future. It was painful to have gone through."

Pain and gain

The current enrollment growth and building trends "show the wisdom of the decision" to reduce the number of schools or consolidate them, Bishop Hubbard said.

That painful period of closures and consolidations created a lack of confidence in the school system, he admitted, but the decline in the number of religious available to staff schools and the shift in population from cities to the suburbs necessitated the moves. This "crisis of confidence" is now over, he noted, pointing out that there have been no school closures in the past five years.

"There is a renewed appreciation for the value of Catholic schools," Bishop Hubbard said, an appreciation that stems from the high academic standards, parental involvement, moral and spiritual values, and discipline in the schools.

A sign of that appreciation is that many of the schools are now filled to capacity, necessitating the renovations and expansions currently underway.

New needs

Another factor in the need for school renovations, according to Mr. Feeney, has been time. "It's been 25 to 30 years since they've had major things" done to them, he said.

Education has also changed during that time. When many of the schools were built, computers were a fantasy; now, they are a necessary part of education. As a result, many of the renovation projects include updating buildings to allow for technology.

The school building projects also "attest to the quality of education people are seeking for their sons and daughters," he said.

Parishes building

Similarly, Mr. Feeney believes that the increase in parish-related building projects speaks of the needs of today's Catholics. He noted that many parish projects include the addition of multi-purpose space for community use.

"The church used to be strictly worship space," he said. "Now it is used for community activities. The church has gone beyond being a place of worship. It's a community center, a meeting space. People in parishes are seeking out ways to meet with each other."

While the building and renovation projects are allowing parishes and schools to better meet their needs, there is another benefit to the projects, according to Mr. Feeney. The money spent on these projects has a significant impact on the local economy.

For example, the eight school renovation projects totaled $6.9 million. Catholic-related construction projects in the city of Albany over the past four years totaled more than $110 million.

"The numbers are staggering," said the chancellor. "A lot of people are shocked to see the numbers."

(09-25-97)