Year-end giving opportunities

Catholic Foundation of Oklahoma

The Catholic Foundation of Oklahoma, established in 1965, is the steward of endowments and charitable funds that provide resources to parishes, schools and other ministries of the Catholic Church in central and western Oklahoma. All the endowments at the Catholic Foundation stem from a desire by faithful Catholics to strengthen the Church for generations to come. Information about existing CFO endowments is available online at cfook.org/endowments. One way to create an endowment and establish a Catholic legacy is through a gift in your will or trust. For assistance with this, call Owen Canfield at (405) 709-2897 or e-mail [email protected].


New Catholic Foundation Endowments

Two new endowments created at the Catholic Foundation this year include the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City Endowment and the Catholic Foundation of Oklahoma Endowment. The former will provide annual distributions to support the ministry of the Church in the archdiocese. The other will provide grants to parishes, schools and other Catholic organizations for ministry operations, facility improvements, equipment purposes or other activities that advance the Church in the archdiocese. Gifts may be made to cfook.org/archokcendowment or cfook.org/cfoendowment.

Another new endowment is the Archbishop Eusebius J. Beltran Endowment, which supports Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Camp. The camp’s opening in 2000 was one of the signature projects of Beltran’s tenure as
archbishop.

The endowment was created through a gift from Deacon Tom Goldsworthy and his wife, Sandy. The endowment will support the physical infrastructure, operation and ministry at Camp OLOG. Gifts may be made to cfook.org/beltranendowment.


Seminarian Education Appeal

The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City has many men in seminary discerning a call to the priesthood. These seminarians will one day be ordained to the priesthood as the result of the encouragement and financial support of the faithful. It costs roughly $50,000 per year to educate each seminarian. The Seminarian Education Appeal helps to defray those costs for the young men and their families. People are encouraged to join the Living Faith Society by making a monthly gift. Members of the Living Faith Society receive regular updates about the seminarians and a subscription to the Living Faith devotional. Gifts to the Seminarian Education Appeal may be made online at archokc.org/seminarianfund.


Sooner Catholic Communications Appeal
 
“The Sooner Catholic” is mailed bi-weekly to more than 50,000 Catholic homes and churches. It is free in print and online, helping accomplish the mission to “Go Make Disciples.” Support of the Sooner Catholic Communications Appeal makes the newspaper available to those who may not be able to give. These include elderly parishioners on fixed incomes, prisoners and the unemployed. Gifts to this appeal also help support other evangelization tools such as social media platforms, Oklahoma Catholic Radio and the archdiocesan website (archokc.org).
The archdiocese works every day to reach Catholics and those of other faiths. Continued financial support of the Sooner Catholic Communications Appeal helps the archdiocese spread the Good News. Gifts may be made online at archokc.org/scappeal.


Catholic Charities Appeal

The Corporal Works of Mercy serve as the cornerstone for the annual appeal of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Catholic Charities provided services to thousands during the past year. It did so by:
Feeding the Hungry – It distributed 200-350 snack packs per month to those in need. Giving Drink to the Thirsty – The lobby of Catholic Charities includes a water station where clients can fill their own canisters, and it provided bottled water to about 40 people per day. Visit the Imprisoned – Several staff members and church leaders visited prisoners regularly. The agency also offers counseling to those “imprisoned” by mental illness and addiction. Visit the Sick – Catholic Charities partnered with SSM Health and Cardinal Community House to provide temporary shelter for recently discharged patients who are homeless. Bury the Dead – The agency has gifted burial plots for those without financial means. Give Alms to the Poor – Catholic Charities provides clothing, furniture, household items and other goods to families in need, along with legal aid and rent and utility assistance after natural disasters. Shelter the Homeless – The agency housed an average of two women per week at the Sanctuary Women’s Development Center and helped many others to find a place to live. Gifts to this year’s appeal may be made at catholiccharitiesok.org/donate.


Oklahoma Catholic Radio
 
With 12 stations across the state, Oklahoma Catholic Radio spreads the Gospel through high-quality programs produced locally and nationally. Local programs include “The Catholic Man Show” with Adam Minihan and David Niles, “Make Straight the Way” with Deacon Larry Sousa and “Living Catholic” with Father Don Wolf. The popular EWTN programs “Called to Communion with Dr. David Anders” and “Catholic Answers Live” are among the syndicated offerings. The growth of Oklahoma Catholic Radio through the years has been made possible through gifts to its annual appeal. One way to provide support is to join the Keeper of the Airwaves by making a monthly gift of $48 – or $4 for each station. Gifts of any size may be made at okcr.org/give or by calling (405) 255-7348.


Catholic Schools Support

Nearly 5,000 students attend the 16 Catholic grade schools and three Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Two funds at the Catholic Foundation of Oklahoma help with this important ministry. One is the Saint Katharine Drexel Fund, which provides grants to financially struggling parishes with a school. The goal of the Drexel Fund is to ensure that all students, regardless of financial ability, have access to a Catholic school. High-quality administrators are vital to Catholic schools. The Saint John Baptist de La Salle Fund provides leadership formation opportunities for teachers and principals in the archdiocese. The goal is to elevate the professional capacity of future Catholic school leaders. Gifts to these funds may be made at cfook.org/drexel and cfook.org/delasalle.


Sister BJ’s Pantry

Sister Barbara Joseph Foley, a Carmelite sister of Saint Therese of the Infant Jesus, founded Sister BJ’s Pantry in 2006. Since that time, the pantry has ministered to thousands of homeless in Oklahoma City. The pantry provides food and drink to its visitors, along with companionship. The pantry’s Saint Joseph Clothing Ministry makes clothing available to those who need it.

In conjunction with the Order of Malta, the pantry offers a Coats for the Homeless program that provides specially designed coats each year. The pantry also offers a clinic that provides basic foot care. “Our mission,” Sister Barbara Joseph said, “is that of being an immediate but effective service to the homeless in all their needs, material and spiritual, until they can find some others who can help them in a better and more lasting way.” Gifts may be made at srbjpantry.org.


Gospel of Life Disciples

This ministry embraces the corporal and spiritual works of mercy by caring for homeless, ailing elders, free of charge. The mission of the Gospel of Life Disciples is “to treasure people who are rich in years and accompany them with life-affirming care.” Gospel of Life Dwellings are sustained entirely through charitable contributions. The ministry is led by Sister Maria Faulkner of the Trinity. “Gospel of Life Dwellings are not facilities, nor are they nursing homes,” she said. “They are little domestic churches, in the sense of the early Christians, where life is shared as a pilgrim journey, eating together and praying together, in the mutuality of daily life.” Sister Maria notes that the residents live much longer than many might expect because they are surrounded by love.Financial gifts may be made at gospeloflifedisciples.org.


Center of Family Love

The Center of Family Love has been caring for intellectually and physically disabled adults since its founding by the Knights of Columbus in 1981. Through the years, CFL has added a greenhouse, a geriatric nursing center, two intermediate care residential buildings and a gift shop. Today, Center of Family Love has 130 residents, or “angels.” Executive Director Debbie Espinosa said CFL is guided by five values – teamwork, respect, integrity, compassion and kindness. “By implementing those values in the care we provide, and committing ourselves to serving God, we are answering the call to serve those in need,” she said. Gifts may be made at centeroffamilylove.org.