In January 2022, a group of parishioners was convened to develop a Strategic Plan for Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church under the leadership of Father Jason Barone. The Strategic Planning Committee sought to identify ways in which to reinvigorate the parish, spiritually and socially. The committee determined that the biggest obstacle to doing so was the state of the church’s current facilities. Building a new church would not only address the need to improve the worship space, but also would be a powerful way to generate a greater sense of community at OLM. 
 

The church built in 1950 has served the OLM parish well for almost three-quarters of a century, but it has become outdated and inadequate today. Consider these facts:

We believe the family of Our Lady of the Mountains deserves better.

We feel the need is urgent and the time is right for this campaign. Church finances are healthy and well-managed. Attendance at weekly Mass has remained stable, even during the pandemic. The Diocese of Charlotte has voiced support for our building plan, and members of our congregation have expressed a desire to move forward with needed improvements. These and other factors tell us the conditions are right.
 

The parish hired Kucia Consulting to conduct a feasibility study to examine the readiness and attitudes of a cross-section of the parish toward engaging in a capital campaign. The Diocese of Charlotte’s Development Office also participated in the study. Interviews, an online survey, and a parish-wide focus group took place in March, April, and May. After analyzing its findings, Kucia reported that the parish was supportive of pursuing a capital campaign to raise funds for the new church. The Development Office concurred with Kucia’s conclusion that a campaign could be successful at Our Lady of the Mountains.

Yes, by a moderate amount. Seating capacity for Sunday Mass is not an issue for Our Lady of the Mountains, so a church that can accommodate up to approximately 300 worshippers is planned. That capacity should meet our needs well into the future. More beneficially, however, the new configuration will provide a unifying worship space for celebrating Mass and the sacraments.

Our hope is that the current church structure can be used during construction. Some modification may be needed, such as removing the office wing adjacent to the parking lot, to allow space for the construction. Discussions with the contractor and city officials are underway to determine what is possible. A decision will be announced well before construction begins, allowing time for us to make arrangements for a temporary worship space, if necessary.

As it will no longer be needed, the church will be removed at an appropriate time. The “Building a Beacon of Catholic Faith” campaign does not include construction of a new parish hall, so we may attempt to continue using the current space downstairs until a parish hall can be built. Discussions with the contractor will be necessary to determine the feasibility of doing so. We hope to build a parish hall, plus an office facility, in a future capital campaign.

Initial estimates are that we could build a basic church structure for approximately $5 million. We hope to build more than a “basic” church, however. In this campaign we are hoping to generate between $7.5 million and $10 million, allowing us to build an extraordinary temple for God that truly reflects His glory and is an inspiration in our community and beyond. Ultimately, the generosity of the people of Our Lady of the Mountains will determine what we are able to build, and how quickly.

When the Diocese of Charlotte’s Development Office and Kucia Consulting conducted the feasibility study, they determined that the congregation of Our Lady of the Mountains, though small, has both financial capacity and a robust history of giving. That fills us with optimism that we will, indeed, be able to secure the investments needed to replace our outdated and inadequate worship space with a new church.

The initial phase of the campaign, to determine if it was feasible, began in the Spring of 2022. It resulted in a favorable outlook for a successful campaign. A new phase to engage all parishioners was launched in July, and will continue until at least the Fall, or later if necessary. Pledges will continue to be accepted, however, for several months beyond the official campaign.
 

Most pledges will be fulfilled over three years preferably. In some individual cases, a different timeline may be considered, but for the purposes of acquiring the needed funds in a timely fashion, the expectation is that pledges be satisfied within the three-year window. Pledges, while not legally binding, are considered a good-faith commitment to the capital campaign. 

There are a number of ways in which pledges can be fulfilled. They are outlined in the “Ways of Giving” document included in the printed campaign materials. It also is available on the OLM website (olmountains.org) or by calling the church (828-526-2418).

For now, our focus is on what God would do through us as we share the vision of building a new church. It is impossible to determine our future course of action until our parish responds with commitments. We certainly would rejoice to have the church paid for in the three-year period of this capital campaign! If some amount of debt is anticipated after the campaign concludes, we will weigh all options and present further recommendations to the parish. 

We remain optimistic that we will raise the needed funds and ask all parishioners to prayerfully determine the contribution they can make toward helping us build “a beacon of Catholic faith” for God’s glory.

Will the church’s baroque design fit in with the character of Highlands?

We believe the deeply Catholic baroque architecture not only will fit in, but also will enhance the aesthetic beauty of Highlands! It will complement well the architecture of other local churches that have remained true to their own architectural traditions. Baroque design is not seen repeatedly today due to potentially higher costs, but it is growing in popularity. Based on our demographics, Our Lady of the Mountains has the unique opportunity to invest in a once-in-a-lifetime project that will be a structure of beauty and inspiration in our community for generations to come.

How likely is it that Father Barone will remain at Our Lady of the Mountains until the new church is completed?

Father Barone has expressed his desire to remain with Our Lady of the Mountains for the next decade! That certainly is our hope, but the decision is the Bishop’s, of course. While there are no guarantees, we are reassured in knowing that the Diocese of Charlotte typically does not relocate a priest who is in the midst of a major project such as a capital campaign. Father’s recent appointment as pastor at our sister church of St. Jude’s offers us further reassurance of stable leadership here. St. Jude’s was elevated to a parish on its 50th Anniversary. After initial dialogue with the diocese we have reason to hope OLM also will be elevated to a parish upon completion of our new church. That gives us further confidence Father Barone will be with us for the foreseeable future. In addition, Father has confirmed that he will do all he can to ensure that one of our home-grown graduates of St. Joseph’s Seminary succeeds him when the time comes.

What is the timeline for building the new church? How long will the construction take?

It is impossible to provide a specific timeline until our fundraising campaign is complete and we know the construction budget within which we must work. In general terms, however, we believe the capital campaign will take four-to-six months. The design phase, leading to detailed construction plans, authorizations, and permits, should be completed three-to-six months later. Our hope is that construction could begin in 2023 and be completed in the summer of 2024. It’s an ambitious schedule! We are on a pilgrimage, of sorts, and will need to pray daily for guidance and patience until we reach our destination… the consecration of our beautiful new church!