After surpassing $100 million in assets in 2021, the Catholic Community Foundation reached $120 million in investment funds at the start of 2022.
The foundation announced its milestone during its 2022 annual meeting Feb. 23 virtually hosted from the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Baltimore.
The foundation uses the funds to help sustain essential ministries and organizations within the Archdiocese of Baltimore. It supports 526 endowments, of which 194 go to parishes, 230 to education, 30 to clergy, 29 to cemeteries and 43 to ministry and outreach.
Established in 1998 by Cardinal William Keeler, the CCF relies on philanthropic participation and the financial acumen of its board of trustees and the members of various CCF committees encompassing investment, audit and finance, distribution and strategic marketing.
Archbishop William E. Lori, foundation chairman, thanked donors, the board of trustees and staff for their contribution on building a strong foundation and for achieving a milestone which he said will provide vital legacy support for years to come.
“This blessed achievement is a true testament to the unyielding dedication and generosity of those who support the church and its mission,” he said. “These men and women have put their faith into action to ensure a robust future for this community of faith.”
Bernadette Maldonado, chief advancement officer for the Archdiocese of Baltimore and executive director of the CCF, said growing the foundation to its current “considerable size” over the course of its still-young, 24-year history “signals confidence in the foundation’s mission and in the board’s role as primary fiduciary.”
John Balch, president of the board of trustees, said Catholics across the region have given freely of their time, talent and treasure.
“Their countless contributions have positioned us well for continued growth,” he said.
St. Anthony’s Place is an outreach center established at Our Lady of the Mountains in Cumberland, which benefits from the Balch Family Endowment to not only maintain food pantries but to assist people with rent, children’s clothing and even the purchase of eyeglasses.
Cumberland was once a large, thriving industrial city, but in recent decades, employment opportunities have drastically declined, leaving many of its residents hungry, especially children and the elderly.
Teresa Files, executive assistant to the pastor at Our Lady of the Mountains, said the grant is a great blessing, allowing the ministry to help more people than it otherwise could.
Similarly, Sacred Heart in Glyndon is one of several parishes that received funds during the pandemic, which helped with payroll, ministries and utility expenses.
Father Gerard Francik, pastor of Sacred Heart, said it was because of the CCF that the parish was able to remain stable and keep outreach ministries going and even expanded.
Because of the restriction of Masses during Holy Week, the parish decided to spend Easter Sunday in outreach to the community, distributing 440 cartons of food to people who lost their jobs, many of their own parishioners.
Father Patrick Carrion, pastor of St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic Community in Ijamsville and director of cemeteries for the archdiocese, noted that endowment funds impact ministries throughout the archdiocese across time. They also have an effect on donors.
“Donors have the privilege to recognize those things in their life that gave them passion and are able to fund those passions, knowing that those passions will still be lived out,” he said. “As you consider what passions you have in your own life, consider caring for those in the future, funding your own passions now, and for decades to come.”
Grant distributions increased from $3.2 million in the fiscal year of 2020 to $3.5 million in the fiscal year of 2021.
The webcast was moderated by news anchor Jeff Salkin. The Cardinal Shehan School Choir, directed by Kenyatta Hardison, performed “You Raised Me Up.”
Email Priscila González de Doran at pdoran@CatholicReview.org
To view the webcast, click here:
https://ccfmdvirtualevent.com/?bblinkid=258315747&bbemailid=38254027&bbejrid=-2026456056
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