Adult faith formation programs in local Catholic parishes, the Catholic schools in the Diocese of Marquette and Catholic Social Services of the U.P. are the main beneficiaries of the Legacy of Faith grants awarded and distributed for 2013-2014.
The grants come from the investment income generated by Legacy of Faith, the Endowment Foundation of the Diocese of Marquette.
Diocesan Administrator Reverend Francis Dobrzenski approved the distribution of $168,227 in grants, following recommendations from the Legacy of Faith Board of Directors.
In accordance with the endowment guidelines, half of the grant funds are available for Catholic schools, 30% for parish faith formation, 10% for Catholic Social Services of the U.P. and 10% for the Catholic Action Fund, the bishop’s discretionary fund to support new and emerging programs and ministries.
This year the focus of faith formation grants was on three specific pastoral priorities that were identified by the previous Bishop of Marquette, Alexander K. Sample, in his October 1, 2012 pastoral letter entitled, “We Wish to See Jesus.” Parishes were invited to submit grant applications for programs associated with 1) Prayer, 2) The Sunday Eucharist, and 3) Listening to the Word.
Resurrection Parish in Menominee received a grant to train new teachers for a program called “Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.” The parish had been running the program for several years, and it had proven effective in training children to participate fully in the liturgy. However, due to several of the teachers moving out of the area, the parish fell short of trained catechists. With the grant funds, three new teachers were trained in this specialized method, and they, in turn, are now instructing 18 kindergarten students at the local Catholic school, plus 12 more students in the parish faith formation program. “During the Catholic school sessions, there is a cycle of eighth grade students who act as assistants, and they are learning how to teach according to this method,” said Reverend Ryan Ford, associate pastor, who was one of three new teachers trained.
In prior years, Legacy of Faith provided grants to develop and implement new curriculum as part of a long-range plan to improve catechesis throughout the diocese. “The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program has proven to be a creative and fruitful means for us to meet the diocesan standards of curriculum,” commented Ford.
Legacy of Faith distributed $98,812 in grants to the nine Catholic schools in the diocese, with each school receiving a $10,979 unrestricted grant. The schools are also reaping the benefits of a $1,400 grant for a testing program that is assessing, for the third year in a row, how well the faith formation curriculum is being taught in the schools. For an accurate picture of the effectiveness of the curriculum, the test needs to be administered for five consecutive years.
The diocesan schools are: Holy Name Catholic School in Escanaba, Bishop Baraga Catholic School in Iron Mountain, All Saints Catholic Academy in Ironwood, Sacred Heart School in L’Anse, St. Francis de Sales School in Manistique, Father Marquette Catholic School in Marquette, Menominee Catholic Central School in Menominee, Holy Spirit School in Norway, and St. Mary School in Sault Ste. Marie.
Catholic Social Services of the U.P. received a $19,762 grant to help its branch offices provide counseling assistance to clients who do not have insurance to pay for services. The agency estimates that the Legacy of Faith grant received last year helped over 40 families receive at least five sessions each of counseling services that they could not otherwise afford. Catholic Social Services offices are located in Marquette, Escanaba and Iron Mountain.
New this year to the grant program is a $250 grant to the home parish of Catholic Service Award recipients for faith formation. The Legacy of Faith board of directors recommended the grant award as a means of further recognizing and honoring recipients. The Catholic Service Award is an annual program of Legacy of Faith that recognizes lifetime dedication and service to the Catholic Church. Nominations for the award are due by May 1 of each year.
Legacy of Faith is the campaign to build a permanent endowment for the Diocese of Marquette for the purpose of preserving and fostering the Catholic faith for future generations.
For further information about grants or donations to Legacy of Faith, contact Terri Gadzinski at 906/227-9108 or tgadzinski@dioceseofmarquette.org.
as of Nov 1, 2013
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