January 30, 2009
Celebrating Catholic schools and the legacy that has been created
Father Ken Steckler, pastor of St. Matthew Church, Mount Vernon, blesses the playground at the parish school. Click for a larger version.
Each year, Catholics have the opportunity to celebrate Catholic Schools Week and the importance that Catholic schools have played in our lives.
The theme this year, Catholic Schools Celebrate Service, reminded us of the countless hours of service that others have provided through the years. Over 7,500 students are currently attending Catholic elementary or high school within the Diocese of Evansville.
Many people in our community have ensured that our faith will be passed on to future generations through Catholic education. These current students are being afforded the same opportunity for Catholic education that so many of us have received. It is a legacy that we can all celebrate for our community.
COMMENTARY
By LINDA COX (Catholic Foundation of Southwestern Indiana, Inc.)
When we reflect on our own Catholic education, we must remember all of those from our community who had the foresight to secure the future of Catholic schools within the diocese. Every year, permanent gifts continue to be set aside to provide scholarships, assist with a specific school program, help fund a teacher’s salary or to provide operational support for a school. These endowed gifts provide annual income to over 300 entities within the Diocese of Evansville. Each year, a distribution is made available to each endowment holder to fund the specific areas that each donor has requested. These endowments are named for families, loved ones, teachers or in the general name of the schools.
During 2008, over $270,000 was made available in distributions to support 57 elementary school endowments and 46 high school endowments within the Diocese of Evansville. An additional nine endowments support religious and adult education, as well as other educational institutions in our community. According to Donna Halverson, interim director of Catholic schools, “I am most impressed that people through these endowments have committed to the future of Catholic education in our diocese. Through their generosity, the ongoing needs of our schools will be met now and for future generations to come.”
Two examples of specific endowments at elementary schools are allowing many students to attend Catholic School who may not have been able to do so without this financial assistance. In 2006, St. Matthew, Mount Vernon, was the recipient of an endowment to provide financial assistance for students attending St. Matthew School. This year 11 full and partial scholarships were given to students to assist with the tuition from the Dorothy Loew Endowment. Nearly 10 percent of the students are benefiting from this endowment which is truly a gift from God.
Holy Rosary School in Evansville received a bequest during 2003 that made a significant difference for students at their school. The gift was added to their school endowment and provides financial assistance to students attending Holy Rosary School. This year alone, 38 students received monies to offset the cost of tuition.
The endowments that have been established at the primary and secondary schools are for various uses and for some very specific programs, such as the library, cafeteria or Boy Scout activities. One endowment, established by the St. John the Baptist PTSA in Newburgh, was created to ensure that the PTSA will be able to assist St. John School. Each year, they add gifts to the endowment so that it will continue to make an impact at the school. The same is true for other supporting organizations like: Memorial Friends and Alumni; Mater Dei Friends and Alumni; the Catholic Education Foundation, and Holy Family (Jasper) Education Foundation. Their intent is to make sure that the schools will have continued financial support.
Following this week, as we celebrated Catholic Schools across America, let us take time to thank all of those who have come before us to ensure that Catholic education remains available. These gifts are a great way to make sure that everyone in our Catholic community has the same opportunity to attend Catholic school as many of us have had in our lives. We now have the opportunity to leave this legacy to others by continuing the tradition of establishing permanent gifts.
For more information on endowments at your parish or Catholic high school, please visit the website at www.catholicfoundationswin.org or contact the Catholic Foundation office at (812) 424-5536. New endowments may be established for a minimum gift of $5,000 and gifts of any amount at any time may be added to existing endowments. Every gift is an example of our commitment to the future of Catholic education.