September, 2023
Dear Friends and Supporters of the Rebuilding Our Church Campaign,
We are happy to let you know that action is happening in areas supported by the campaign. Here is the latest news:
Cathedral Renewal Update
A Regina company, International Construction Management (ICM) has been chosen to complete work on the first two cathedral work packages: Barrier-free Accessibility and South Stair Replacement. Since costs for this work have come in higher than estimated, the project team has taken time to find scope reductions that will reduce costs in order to get as close to budget as possible.
Work on the cathedral will begin soon, and is expected to continue until the end of June, 2024. We’d again like to thank SEPW, our team at Teresa Drew Project Management, and our volunteer working group of: Ray Plosker, Rob Chapple, Tim Lux, Matthew Dipple, and Bob Faris for all their effort and dedication.
Opportunity to Reacquire Former Church Land
Sadly, due to the irreparability of Holy Rosary School, the Regina Catholic School Division (RCSD) has determined that the building will need to be demolished after the 2023-24 school year. The parcel of land adjacent to the cathedral, where the school and Catholic Education Centre currently sit, historically belonged to the church before it was transferred to the RCSD in 1914. The archdiocese has negotiated a Letter of Intent to reacquire this land as a site for the Pastoral Centre in the future, and is working with the RCSD on obtaining the various approvals needed to move forward.
Archdiocese Healing Response
This summer and fall, projects from four First Nations will have been supported by Archdiocesan Healing Response funds via the CCCB’s Indigenous Reconciliation Fund: the Ochapowace/Chacachas Youth/Elder Gathering, Cote Culture Camp, Ocean Man Pow Wow (focusing on Survivors of Residential Schools and the Keeseekoose Truth Telling Gathering.
Although not featured in the following article, Archbishop Don spoke at the Keeseekoose Truth Telling Gathering on September 16: https://globalnews.ca/news/9967246/truth-telling-gathering-held-in-regina-recalling-residential-school-trauma/
As the Rebuilding Our Church Cabinet Committee, we would like to offer you as donors our heartfelt thanks for your friendship and support of this important work. Your generosity is making a big difference for our church, in so many ways.
Your Campaign Team
Archbishop Don Bolen, Lisa Polk, Michelle Sanche, John Dipple, Mo Bundon, Samy McCarthy, Ron Kruzeniski, Garth Herbert and James Lipoth
P.S. Feel free to contact us if you have questions or comments: [email protected]
P.P.S. You can find past updates here: https://rebuildingourchurch.ca/blog/2021/02/27/campaign-news-and-updates