Policies

Naming Policy 
Archdiocese of Oklahoma City 
(Recommended by Presbyteral Council and Adopted by Archbishop November 28, 2023)

Scope
Across the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, construction of new buildings, renovation projects, and celebrations of historic milestones are among the opportunities to honor individuals or groups for their contributions.   Decisions on whether to bestow naming opportunities for a person, family or organization should be made only after careful deliberation and must adhere to the policies in effect. This Naming Policy applies to the naming of all permanent physical facilities and permanently established organizations of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City including parishes, schools and other Catholic ministries owned or sponsored by the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.

Reason for Policy
This policy is established to provide for a consistent, orderly, coordinated, and informed practice of naming facilities and organizations in parishes, schools and other Catholic ministries owned or sponsored by the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.  It is intended to ensure appropriate recognition in the tradition of the Church, including the opportunity to honor and recognize benefactors, volunteers, and others. Careful consideration must be given to associating any individual or family name with the reputation of the Church. Therefore, this policy is designed to ensure proper vetting and consultation before making such decisions.

Policy Statement
Authority for the naming of organizations and facilities within the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City rests with the Archbishop of Oklahoma City. Prior to accepting any gift or agreement on naming, the proposed naming must be reviewed by the Secretariat for Stewardship & Development, or an equivalent within associated entities operating under the guidance of the Archbishop of Oklahoma City, in writing, and explicit and written permission from the archbishop must be obtained.

Clergy and Religious 
I.    No parish, school or archdiocesan building or other facility may be named for any living cleric or religious.
II.    Facilities may be named for a deceased cleric or religious five (5) years after their respective death and with the written permission of the archbishop.
III.    Facilities currently named after any cleric whose name is currently or becomes listed on the List of Priests with Substantiated Allegations of Abuse of a Minor should have the listed name removed as soon as possible and, in a manner pursuant to the prudence of the pastor or local authority. 

Lay Benefactors and Volunteers 
IV.    Benefactor naming recognizes substantial financial or volunteer contributions by living or deceased laity in support of a parish, school or other ministry in accordance with applicable archdiocesan policies.
V.    Before any naming by an individual, a background check and vetting process should be undertaken to ensure the individual is not associated with a known public scandal.
VI.    In determining the appropriateness of naming as benefactor recognition, the following factors may be considered, the present value of any and all gifts to the ministry from the donor to be honored, and, in particular, of the gift (if any) that motivates the naming; the appropriateness of associating the donor's name with the Church; and the donor's other contributions to the Church, including volunteer activities, awards, and assistance with other projects.
VII.    In no case will a gift recognition naming be approved by the archbishop before execution of a written gift agreement.
VIII.    A benefactor may ask the parish, school or ministry to name a facility or organization for an individual other than the benefactor, or the benefactor’s immediate family, provided that the proposed individual exhibits the personal qualities described above, the individual's permission is obtained as required, if living, and the individual is not otherwise disqualified from naming.
IX.    Facilities may be named in honor of, or in memory of, a lay person or family. When naming a facility, the primary name should be religious, with the donor’s name secondary. For example: “St. Theresa of Calcutta Library, In Memory of John Doe Family.”
X.    Before any plan for naming opportunities is adopted or commitment is made with a proposed honoree or donor, proposals to name or designate any diocesan facility or item must be submitted for review to the Secretariat for Stewardship & Development, or equivalent, in writing, along with supporting explanation.
XI.    The naming of facilities in a parish, school or archdiocesan facility for a lay person or family shall require the written consent of the archbishop.
XII.    Facilities currently named after any person who is later identified with Substantiated Allegations of Abuse of a Minor should have the listed name removed as soon as possible in a manner pursuant to the prudence of the pastor.

Considerations

• For purposes of this naming policy, the term “facilities” is to be defined broadly to include, among other things, physical buildings or subsets of those buildings (i.e. wings, rooms, atriums); religious, athletic, academic or fellowship rooms and spaces whether located indoors or outside; athletic fields; and stained-glass windows, liturgical art and furnishing.
• A memorandum of understanding between the naming honoree and the parish, school or other archdiocesan ministry is required. This document should outline the Catholic values of the organization, the purpose of the gift and general circumstances that could result in the naming rights being revoked.
• A “name” gift will normally cover a significant portion of a major project’s cost or of the sub-element. The ideal gift would cover at least 1/3rd % of the project cost.
• Naming opportunities for smaller projects such as fountains, gardens, liturgical art and decor, and the like would typically require a gift to cover the full cost of the project and an additional sum contributed to a permanent endowment to cover ongoing maintenance or to support the overall project cost.
• A “name” gift may come from a group of individuals, such as alumni from a Catholic school contributing to a building extension that honors a former teacher or principal. In these cases, it is important that as gifts are solicited, donors know their gift will be used for the purpose of funding the naming opportunity.
• Careful and thoughtful review of all possible naming opportunities should occur as part of the planning process for the project. When evaluating the naming of a building or room, considerations should include more than the donor’s generosity, including:
  • Did the person serve in a capacity that will allow the larger community to easily make a connection to the facility bearing his or her name? 
  • How might the larger community respond to the person’s name being affixed to the room or building? 
  • Should the donor’s name remain on the room or building in perpetuity? 

Facilities named prior to implementation of the Naming Policy which are not in adherence with this policy are grandfathered in and should be addressed in consultation with the donor and under the prudence of the pastor or local authority. For questions regarding this policy or how to structure naming opportunities for your parish, school or ministry, please contact the Secretariat for Stewardship & Development or equivalent.