commuNity
tvc.dsj.org | December 13, 2016
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On a Firm Foundation: End-of-year Giving with Catholic Ministries in Mind
By Mary Quilici Aumack
Executive Director
The Catholic Community Foundation
The strongest emotion that accompanies faith is
that of gratitude. We are grateful for the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. We are grateful for
our personal relationship with God, and the joy with
which that fills our lives. We want to share this joy
and gratitude with others, reaching out to help our
neighbors.
In the season of Advent, this desire to BE the body
of Christ in our community informs our plans for
end-of-year charitable giving. I encourage you to do
that planning in the context of the ministries that form
you, and those that represent you in our community.
Central to our faith journey is our worship community, our parish. We all support our parishes on
a regular basis. Here are some things to consider
before year end:
• Ask your pastor if there is a need that you can
fill as your “Christmas present” to the parish.
It could be for him, or for a project he feels is
important.
• Make a memorial gift to your parish, honoring
someone dear to you.
• Start an endowment for your parish. This is a
beautiful, lasting way to help ensure financial
strength for generations to come.
• If your parish already has an endowment,
make a Christmas gift to that fund.
NOTE: This year we have a $1M match program
for parish endowments. We will match every parish
up to $20,000.
Remember a religious order that influenced you
growing up. The sisters have many ongoing projects,
all of which are worthy and could use ongoing support. If you don’t know where to get good information,
let us know and we can help.
Learn more about the programs at Catholic Charities. Visit their website: Catholiccharitiesscc.org. This
is OUR charity, ministering on behalf of all of us. They
have programs for youth, families, newly arrived,
seniors, etc. Something is sure to inspire you.
Support a seminarian. This can be in the form
of monetary support, or perhaps just a thoughtful
Christmas gift. If you need specific ideas, contact Fr.
Joe Kim at the diocese.
Consider a Christmas contribution to a Catholic
school, perhaps the high school you attended, or
the parish school that nurtured your children or
grandchildren. This can be in the form of a current
contribution, or the establishment of an endowment.
Make a gift to our tuition assistance endowment.
Look into the social programs of Santa Clara University. The students and faculty collaborate in many
ways to walk with their neighbors and be a strong
partner in social justice.
Here’s how the Foundation can partner with you as
you consider these opportunities to enhance Catholic
ministry in