Archdiocese suspends capital campaign, OKs some parish fundraising

The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has suspended a $160 million capital campaign and given some parishes the go-ahead to fundraise instead.

The archdiocese had put a decision about its capital campaign on hold last fall amid growing concern over clergy sex abuse.

In a letter to pastors and parish administrators Thursday, the archdiocese said a small number of parishes with significant debt would move ahead in what was once hoped to be a wider capital campaign effort. Money raised beyond what parishes need to retire their debt will be subject to an archdiocese assessment, the letter says.

Individual parishes had been asked not to undertake fundraising in anticipation of a broader campaign, which is no longer happening, Archdiocese spokesman Jim Accurso said Friday.

The archdiocese's capital campaign was intended to support struggling parishes, schools and the priest's pension fund. The archdiocese's last capital campaign was in 2000.