Possible Plans B, C, D

Although there are several pathways that the new St. Teresa’s facility could end up following, there is one certainty: we are going to build something on the land swapped with UNK. According to the agreements signed with the university, St. Teresa’s has to depart the current facilities no later than December 2029, when the old houses will be demolished. 

Plan A for St. Teresa’s new facility is to secure $32 million in pledges, collections, and financing, begin construction in February 2028, and move into the new facility in July 2029.  

That said, the design is such that there are a myriad of ways to build just part of it, if needed. A most likely Plan B would depend on how much is raised and by when. One scenario would be to build both wings and the lobby but not the chapel. In this case we could use the parish hall wing for worship. If fundraising badly stalled for some reason, another scenario would be to just build the parish hall wing. 

In the absolute worst case scenario, we have already raised enough money to build a very simple metal-sided building on the north edge of the land site and move into that while we continue to raise money for the intended facility.

In fact, there are a lot of possible options. We do not like to talk about them because we believe that faithful in western Nebraska will step up and complete this important project for the diocese and the future of faith across the state. For reference, Kearney alone has more than 2,000 households with more than a million dollars of investable assets. The accumulated wealth across the rest of the diocese could build this new facility multiple times over.

A century ago the diocese built the cathedral in Grand Island, the center of worship and unity in the diocese. Now, 100 years later, the diocese is working to invest in what will be the heart of the church in years to come: its future priests and young faithful. Why should we be working for anything less?