Backing education, evangelization

Catholic Community Foundation delivers 72 grants

By Andrew Junker | Oct. 15, 2009 | The Catholic Sun

The Catholic Community Foundation hosted its annual grants reception at the Diocesan Pastoral Center Oct. 6.

The luncheon saw the foundation hand out hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of grants to Catholic schools, evangelization efforts and groups that work for the poor.

“The foundation’s mission is to carry on the work of Christ by fostering philanthropy,” explained Maureen Adams, chairman of the foundation’s grants committee. “Funding important charitable works within our diocese is one of the many ways we continue to work tirelessly in support of this mission.”

In all, the foundation gave 72 grants to Catholic schools, Christian formation programs and other charitable organizations. The grants totaled $428,000.

Over the years, the foundation has awarded nearly $4.2 million through its competitive grants program.

During the luncheon, Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted praised the Catholic Community Foundation for its philanthropic efforts in the diocese.

“This grants program is one of the most important ways the foundation is able to support a diverse range of ministry needs in our diocese,” he said. “These sizable grants are made possible thanks to the sound investment of donations which are administered by the volunteers of the Catholic Community Foundation.”

This year, 32 Catholic schools were awarded a total of $255,000 for tuition assistance for needy students. That’s an increase of nearly $30,000 over last year’s grants.

Grants totaling more than $37,000 were awarded to a host of Christian formation programs across the diocese. Fr. Rob Clements, rector of Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral, presented these grants — one of which went to Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in downtown Phoenix.

“This parish has Sunday Mass attendance of over 6,000 Hispanic Catholics,” Fr. Clements said. “The grant will help subsidize Kino tuition for four Hispanic lay ministers to attend the two-year program.”

St. Matthew Parish accepted a check for family-centric formation programs; St. Louis the King parish in Glendale will use its grant to purchase catechist formation DVDs; and St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Wickenburg received funds for its teen formation program.

Among the groups receiving 12 communications grants was the Bioethics Defense Fund, “an educational organization and the premier ‘go to’ legal team for litigating and educating on the three areas of bioethics — human cloning and embryonic stem cell research, abortion and women’s health, and end-of-life issues,” Adams said.

Life Teen, the Office of Natural Family Planning and Radio Family Rosary were also among the recipients. Radio Family Rosary will use their grant to help inaugurate a daily Spanish broadcast of the program.

The foundation also gave $38,000 worth of Work Among the Poor grants, a $12,000 increase over last year.

Catholic Charities Community Services, Paz de Cristo, Maggie’s Place, St. Joseph the Worker and Our Lady of the Lake Soup Kitchen in Lake Havasu received money for their work with the needy.

“The theme for this year’s luncheon is ‘Partners in Community — Working Hand in Hand,’” Adams said. “As you look around the room, it is evidenced by all of us gathered together here today. We are one community and can all do our best by working together.”