Silver anniversary for Catholic Foundation of Utah

IC photo by Marie Mischel

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Armando Lujan, president of the Catholic Foundation of Utah’s Board of Trustees, speaks during the annual donor appreciation event at the bishop’s residence. IC photo/Armando Lujan, president of the Catholic Foundation of Utah’s Board

SALT LAKE CITY — During the past 25 years, a foundation for the financial future of the Catholic Church in Utah has been laid down through permanent endowments that benefit everything from specific parishes to student scholarships to charity care at Christus St. Joseph Villa. Anyone can give any amount to existing charities, but family named endowments begin at $10,000, with no upper limit.

“The people who gave from their want, we need to honor them. It’s not just how much you give but it’s the quality of your gift and the sacrifice that you’re making for the good of the Church,” said the Most Rev. John C. Wester, bishop of Salt Lake City, at the annual donation appreciation event for Catholic Foundation of Utah donors Sept. 28 – 29 at his residence.

However, major gifts form the backbone of the effort, he added. “Without that foundation, as beautiful as the widow’s mite is, it wouldn’t be enough … to complete the project,” Bishop Wester said. “We need that foundation.”

Even with the economic hard times many are facing, several endowments were established in the past year, said Jennifer Carroll, executive director of the Catholic Foundation of Utah. Among those is one in memory of Msgr. James T. Kenny and his brother, Francis W. Kenny, for the benefit of the Diocesan Priests Mutual Benefit Society, which supplements the retirement of local priests.

Many of the endowments in the Catholic Foundation of Utah portfolio are permanently restricted, meaning that the entire donation remains intact; only interest earned by the endowment is given to the beneficiary. The portfolio is professionally managed. A 19-member board of directors meets annually to determine distributions.

The board of directors’ theme for the dinner was stewardship, which dovetails with the diocese’s 2011 initiative that’s already beginning, Bishop Wester said. Even the location of the dinner, the bishop’s residence, fit the theme, he pointed out. “These walls – this very beautiful place – is a symbol of stewardship, of a family who decided to give a lot of their gifts and to return it to the Lord by making this gift to our diocese,” he said.

He urged those at the event to take a prayerful look at what they’re called to do, and acknowledged that it’s a personal decision. “The key is to be prayerful about it, to thank God for what we have, and to make that decision and support this diocese,” he said.

Even though the past few years have been difficult, “we still can say, ‘But we’ve been given a lot and we have a lot to be grateful for,’” the bishop said. “I think it’s important for us to recognize the importance of giving back to God and certainly through his Church, the visible presence of God in our world. It’s an important way of expressing our gratitude.”