Four pastors in Northampton County and one pastor in Berks County started new parish endowment funds with the Catholic Foundation of Eastern Pennsylvania during the past fiscal year. A total of six funds were created to support parish programs and activities, special programs, liturgical programs and fixtures, maintenance and capital improvements.
Parishes creating parish funds include:
- Immaculate Conception BVM, Douglassville
- Assumption BVM, Bethlehem
- St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Pen Argyl
- Sacred Heart, Bethlehem
- St. Anne, Bethlehem
Why Create New Parish Funds With the Catholic Foundation?
In addition to a general parish endowment fund, Sacred Heart Parish in Bethlehem created a separate building fund to provide support for current and future building programs/projects, maintenance, and capital improvements at the parish.
As a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, independent from the Diocese of Allentown, the Catholic Foundation will manage the long-term assets. It also will work with the five parishes to market and grow all the endowment funds with particular focus on planned giving such as gifts in a will, and IRA, insurance and investment beneficiary programs.
“The Catholic Foundation helps us focus on the long-term,” said Rev. Anthony Mongiello, pastor of St. Anne Catholic Church, Bethlehem. “Healthy endowment funds will make a tremendous difference for the future of our parish.”
