Diocese Awards more than $180,000 in Grants

Grants totaling $182,298 from the investment income generated by Legacy of Faith, the Endowment Foundation of the Diocese of Marquette, have been distributed across the Upper Peninsula. (The entire listed is posted below.)

Adult faith formation programs in local parishes, the Catholic schools in the diocese and Catholic Social Services of the U.P. are the main beneficiaries of the Legacy of Faith grants awarded and distributed for 2010-2011.

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 Bishop Alexander Sample placed an emphasis on forming adults in their faith and awarded $17,182 in grants to parishes throughout the U.P., a vicariate (region) and a Catholic school.

Jeff Stevens, the Finance Council President at St. Francis of Assisi Mission in Dollar Bay, was grateful to be awarded the grant for a Bible study program. “We were happy to receive it to help fund the first adult faith formation program in our parish that I can remember…. We believe that we have something to offer as a parish and the positive reinforcement of this grant is most appreciated.”

The Ishpeming Faith Formation Center used its Legacy of Faith grant to purchase the next program in the Scripture series it has been conducting.

“By offering ongoing opportunities for adults to continue their formation in the faith throughout their lives, we are enabling parishioners to more effectively hand down the faith to future generations,” explained Angela Johnson, Administrator of Faith Formation and Pastoral Services for St. John the Evangelist and St. Joseph Parishes. “We are also helping to equip them to enter more deeply into the celebration of the liturgy and become more active in the life of the parish and more vibrant disciples in their everyday lives.”

Legacy of Faith distributed $103,842 in grants to the nine Catholic schools in the diocese, with each school receiving an $11,538 unrestricted grant. The schools are also reaping the benefits of a $15,000 grant for marketing efforts administered through the Diocesan Office of Catholic Schools.

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 $23,770 grant to help its branch offices provide counseling assistance to clients who do not have insurance to pay for services. Catholic Social Services offices are located in Marquette, Escanaba and Iron Mountain.

Bishop Sample also approved five grants totaling $17,004 out of the Catholic Action Fund for ministry programs or projects with no regular source of funding.

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.

2010-2011 Approved & Distributed Legacy of Faith Grants

St. Mary Rockland Vicariate (Gogebic & Ontonagon Counties)

All Saints Catholic Academy, Ironwood, Unrestricted: $11,538

Our Lady of Peace, Ironwood, Bible Study: $1,000

St. Mary Norway Vicariate (Iron & Dickinson Counties)

Bishop Baraga Catholic School, Iron Mountain, Unrestricted: $11,538

Holy Spirit School, Norway, Unrestricted: $11,538

St. Mary, Norway, Youth Rally: $2,000

St. Mary, Norway, RCIA materials for Norway and St. Barbara, Vulcan: $ 372

St. Agnes, Iron River, Bible Study for St. Agnes and St. Cecilia, Caspian: $2,150

St. John Neumann Vicariate (Menominee County)

Menominee Catholic Central School, Unrestricted: $11,538

Precious Blood, Stephenson, Bible Study : $450

Resurrection, Menominee, Formation for Tri-Parish Faith Formation Director: $1,668

Resurrection, Menominee, Bible Study and Parish Mission for Menominee & Stephenson: $1,230

The Most Holy Name of Jesus Vicariate (Baraga, Houghton & Keweenaw Counties)

Sacred Heart School, L’Anse, Unrestricted: $11,538

St. Albert the Great, Houghton, Bible Study for St. Albert and St. Anne, Chassell: $832

Resurrection, Hancock, Bible Study: $775

St. Francis of Assisi, Dollar Bay, Bible Study: $200

St. Ignatius, Houghton, Bible Study for St. Ignatius and Holy Family, South Range: $1,200

Sacred Heart, L’Anse, Bible Study for L’Anse, Baraga and Assinins parishes: $1,380

St. Peter Cathedral Vicariate (Marquette & Alger Counties)

Fr. Marquette Catholic School, Marquette, Unrestricted: $11,538

Fr. Marquette Catholic School, Marquette, Bible Study: $400

St. Anthony, Gwinn, Bible Study: $330

St. Peter Cathedral, Marquette, Bible Study: $510

St. John the Evangelist, Ishpeming, Bible Study for St. John and St. Joseph, Ishpeming: $330

St. Christopher, Marquette, Bible Study: $400

Diocesan Ministry Personnel Dept., Parishioners’ Attendance at Tekakwitha Conference: $1,736

St. Joseph & St. Patrick Vicariate (Delta & Schoolcraft Counties)

Holy Name Catholic School, Escanaba, Unrestricted: $11,538

St. Francis de Sales School, Manistique, Unrestricted: $11,538

St. Anne, Escanaba, Vicariate-wide Parish Mission: $1,000

St. Joseph, Perkins, Lenten Mission for Perkins, Rapid River and Trenary parishes: $1,255

St. Thomas, Escanaba, Catholics Returning Home for St. Thomas, St. Joseph & St. Patrick, Escanaba and St. Anthony of Padua, Wells: $600

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Bark River, Bible Study: $300

St. John the Baptist, Garden, Bible Study for Garden, Cooks and Nahma parishes: $300

St. Joseph & St. Patrick Vicariate, Joys in Virtue Speaker: $1,500

St. Joseph & St. Patrick Escanaba, Bible Study for St. Joseph & St. Patrick, St. Thomas the Apostle and Holy Name School, Escanaba and St. Anthony of Padua, Wells: $519

Holy Name of Mary Vicariate (Luce, Chippewa & Mackinac Counties)

St. Mary School, Sault Ste. Marie, Unrestricted: $11,538

St. Gregory, Newberry, Television Set for Bible Study: $749

Diocesan-wide Grants

Catholic Social Services of the U.P., Annual Distribution, Counseling for Those in Need: $23,770

Diocesan Office of Catholic Schools, Catholic Schools Marketing: $15,000

Diocesan Office of Faith Formation, Adult Faith Formation: $5,500

Diocesan Office of Communications, World Youth Day Video Documentary: $11,000

TOTAL APPROVED & DISTRIBUTED $182,298