New Church Corporation for St. Catharines Diocese

Summary#

This private bill would create a new legal body for the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Catharines. It makes the Bishop’s office a “corporation sole,” which means the office itself (not the individual person) owns church property and can keep doing so when a new bishop takes over.

Key changes:

• Forms a new corporation called “The Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Catharines in Ontario.”
• Moves (vests) all church property within the set diocesan area into the new corporation, including property now held in the Bishop’s name or in older diocesan corporations for Toronto, Hamilton, or Kingston that still own property in this area.
• Keeps all existing gifts and restrictions (trusts) on property in place.
• Says current contracts and debts tied to that property carry over to the new corporation.
• Lets the corporation buy, sell, lease, or mortgage property and borrow money; the Bishop signs documents for the corporation.
• Ensures smooth handover of powers during a vacancy or if the Bishop is unable to serve.

What it means for you#

• Parishioners and donors

  • No change to Mass, sacraments, parish life, or ministries.
  • Gifts or bequests you made to the Bishop or to older diocesan corporations for Toronto, Hamilton, or Kingston that relate to this area will still go to the St. Catharines diocesan corporation as intended.
  • If you donate with conditions (a “trust”), those conditions still apply.

• Parish leaders and volunteers

  • Property titles and records will be updated to the new diocesan corporation name, which can make sales, purchases, or loans simpler.
  • Day‑to‑day operations at parishes should not change.
  • The Bishop, or an administrator during a vacancy, can sign on behalf of the corporation.

• Church employees and contractors

  • Work arrangements and pay are not changed by this bill.
  • Contracts linked to church property remain valid and now bind the new diocesan corporation.
  • Vendors and builders may find a clearer single legal counterparty for agreements.

• Homeowners and neighbors near church properties

  • No change to zoning, land use rules, or neighborhood services.
  • Only the name on the land title changes; how sites are used is not changed by this bill.

• Local governments

  • Property ownership records may be updated to the new corporate name.
  • Tax‑exempt status for places of worship is not altered by this bill.

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

Proponents' View#

• Provides clear, modern ownership of church property, reducing confusion from older corporate names and past boundary changes.
• Ensures continuity: property and contracts stay with the office of the Bishop even when leadership changes.
• Protects donor intent by keeping trusts and restrictions on gifts in place.
• Simplifies real estate and financing for repairs, parish moves, or new projects by creating one legal owner that can borrow, mortgage, and sign documents.
• Aligns St. Catharines with how many other dioceses are set up in law.

Opponents' View#

• Concentrates a lot of legal and financial power in one office, which may raise concerns about checks and balances.
• The power to borrow and mortgage could put church property at risk if debts are not managed well.
• Private bills get limited public attention; some may prefer more open consultation on changes to church property structures.
• Parish donors may worry about local control, even though the bill says existing trusts and conditions continue.