The Catholic Community Foundation of Southwest Florida is proud to announce a new endowment fund that was established by members of the Notre Dame Naples Club in honor of Father Thomas Glackin. The Fr. Thomas J. Glackin Memorial Scholarship Fund was established to provide need-based tuition assistance to financially needy Catholic students at St. John Neumann Catholic High School in Naples, Florida. The Club is asking all those interested in honoring Father Glackin to contribute to the Memorial Fund as a way to remember him.
Father Glackin served as the Chaplain of the Notre Dame Naples Club for more than 20 years. In addition to being an avid Notre Dame fan, Father Tom was a force behind the establishment of both St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Naples and St. Agnes Catholic Church in Naples.
You can also contact the Catholic Community Foundation by phone at 941-441-1124, by email at Morse@dioceseofvenice.org, or by mail at 1000 Pinebrook Rd., Venice, FL 34285
November 1-7, 2020 is National Vocation Awareness Week, when the entire U.S. Church is focusing on vocations – specifically on encouraging young Catholics to seriously consider the priesthood and religious life.
The Church needs more priests and sisters and each of us has a role to play by talking to our children and grandchildren. “What do you want to be when you grow up?” In healthy, normal conversations about the future, we need to encourage boys and girls in our families to remain genuinely open to a vocation in the Church.
Invite young people. When we see teens and young adults in our parishes, encourage them! Do not be afraid to say, “I think you’d make a great priest/sister if God were calling you!” Even if they are not called, it is a compliment to their faith – one they will never forget.
Aside from our decision to follow Jesus, our vocation is life’s most important decision. Whether we are called to serve God through the priesthood, religious life, marriage, or single life, we must act when the time comes. Move in the direction your heart tells you, confident that God will never send you where his grace cannot sustain you.
Currently, the Diocese of Venice is training and supporting 16 seminarians to be the priests and pastors of tomorrow and annually spends more than $1.1 Million to cover the costs related to Vocations and Clergy Formation. To help address this expense, the Timothy Fund was created with the Catholic Community Foundation of Southwest Florida. The fund is named after St. Paul’s disciple who eventually became the first Bishop of Ephesus.
The Timothy Fund is an endowed fund that is designed to last in perpetuity by investing the principal and using the earnings to make annual distributions to the Diocese of Venice is support of seminarian education. The fund is a perpetual gift to the people of the Diocese for the future of our Church.
You already know the joy that comes from sharing with the less fortunate. Think about the joy that will be yours when you know you have created a legacy that will provide priests to the Diocese forever. You will share in the blessings of all the lives they touch because you made it possible.
If you, or someone you know, are discerning your vocation to the priesthood or religious life, please
contact the Diocese of Venice Office of Vocations. Please also consider these three tips from Vianney Vocations for figuring out your call:
Find good information. Dig into the books, websites, and videos that present a clear Catholic view.
Seek Guidance. Get help from a priest, deacon, or sister you trust. Do not discern alone.
Pray Consistently. Seek the sacraments and pray daily to know God’s plan for you. Be patient and give it time. In His will is your peace.
If you are interested in learning more about supporting the future of our Church through the Timothy Fund, or establishing your own named fund, please contact Michael Morse at 941-441-1124 or by email at Morse@dioceseofvenice.org.
On April 9, 2018, the very first Donor Advised Fund (DAF) with the Catholic Community Foundation of Southwest Florida was established by Janine Marrone. Since that time, $731,250 in grants from the DAF has been distributed to numerous Catholic entities within the Diocese of Venice in Florida as well as to multiple pro-life organizations and Catholic causes throughout the United States.
The idea of a Donor Advised Fund was not new to Mrs. Marrone. In fact, she already had a DAF at another community foundation that had been serving her well. What interested Mrs. Marrone the most however, was the Faith-based aspect of the Catholic Community Foundation (CCF).
As a person deeply rooted in her Catholic Faith, Mrs. Marrone was very attracted to the fact that the CCF will only support organizations whose missions and purposes are in alignment with the teachings of the Catholic Church. In addition, donor funds are invested in accordance with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Guidelines for Socially Responsible Investments.
Mrs. Marrone looks at her Donor Advised Fund with the Catholic Community Foundation as her “Catholic charitable checkbook” and uses it to make all her faith-based charitable gifts. When she deposits money, or appreciated assets, into her DAF, she receives an immediate tax deduction. She then decides over time where she wants her gifts to go. It can be used right away or used over a period of weeks, months, or even years. Mrs. Marrone can even choose to invest her DAF in the CCF’s investment pool and have it grow tax-free until she is ready to use it.
Faith-filled donors like Mrs. Marrone make it possible for the Catholic Church to serve as the hands and feet of Christ by providing resources to countless individuals and families, by saving lives, by educating our youth, and by sharing the Gospel with all of God’s people.
If you are interested in learning more about establishing your Catholic Legacy through a Donor Advised Fund, Endowment Fund, Bequest or other type of gift through the Catholic Community Foundation, please contact Michael Morse at 941-441-1124 or by email at Morse@dioceseofvenice.org.
Catholic Community Foundation of Southwest Florida has partnered with the Diocese of Venice Parishes and local estate planning experts to host a complimentary workshop, which will provide participants with the knowledge they need to make critical health, legal and financial decisions for themselves and/or a loved one.
Attendees will obtain important information on:
Avoiding Guardianship, Wills vs. Trusts, Probate, Durable Power of Attorney, Beneficiary Designations, Healthcare Surrogates, Advanced Directives, Financial Planning, and more.
Referrals to Catholic attorneys and financial advisors available to those interested & an Estate Planning Record Book to take home.
This year, the Catholic Community Foundation of Southwest Florida, Inc. has awarded 39 deserving students from throughout the Diocese of Venice with college scholarships totaling $110,400. These awards were made possible by way of three different scholarship funds established by donors with the Catholic Community Foundation. Scholarship funds are wonderful ways to honor or memorialize friends, teachers, family members or other loved ones passionate about the importance of education.
Scholarship funds, like the Mary Fran Carroll Scholarship, serve as a powerful Catholic Legacy to support and encourage students. This scholarship is awarded to both traditional and non-traditional students in Sarasota County who have articulated a focused career plan along with how they expect to help the community with their chosen career. This year, 11 new students received the Mary Fran Carroll Scholarship along with 23 students who successfully renewed their scholarship by maintaining a high grade point average while in college.
The Frank & Florence Coseglia Scholarship is awarded to one graduating senior from each of the four Catholic High Schools within the Diocese of Venice. The four winners were recognized for their academic standing, service to their Parish and School, as well as an essay on what their Catholic Education has meant to them.
The Catholic Community Foundation added a new scholarship this year. The Frederick W. Schaerf, M.D., Ph.D. Neuroscience Scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior from Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers who is interested in pursuing a career in neuroscience or similar field. The family chose to create the scholarship to honor the late Dr. Schaerf, who specialized in clinical research associated with Alzheimer’s disease and related memory disorders.
The Catholic Community Foundation of Southwest Florida, Inc. supports the mission of Christ in the Diocese of Venice by providing philanthropic opportunities for individuals and families to create lasting Catholic Legacies. It is also the only foundation in Southwest Florida that invests donor gifts in alignment with the teachings of the Catholic Church.
During the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, the Catholic Community Foundation of Southwest Florida distributed more than $1.38 million from endowment, scholarship, donor advised and fiscal sponsorship funds to Parishes, Schools and programs throughout the Diocese of Venice and beyond.
This funding was made possible because of the generosity of donors who wanted to provide long-term support and sustainability to the Catholic entities and programs about which they care most. These donors chose to give through the Catholic Community Foundation to help safeguard their assets and to ensure that their donations would always be used in alignment with their wishes.
In addition to distributing $1.38 million this past fiscal year from existing donor funds, the Foundation also work with donors to open eighteen new funds to benefit Parishes, Catholic Education, Vocations and other programs throughout the Diocese. These new funds bring the total number of donor funds with the Foundation to 110 and represents a 69% increase over the past four years.
The Catholic Community Foundation of Southwest Florida, Inc. supports the mission of Christ in the Diocese of Venice by providing philanthropic opportunities for individuals and families to create lasting Catholic Legacies. It is also the only foundation in Southwest Florida that invests donor gifts in alignment with the teachings of the Catholic Church.
Catholic Community Foundation presents 16 scholarships
Diocesan Chancellor Dr. Volodymyr Smeryk, Bishop Frank J. Dewane, Michael Morse, Executive Director the Catholic Community Foundation of Southwest Florida Inc., and Kristin Jablon of the Foundation, participate in Zoom virtual meeting honoring Foundation scholarship recipients on May 20, 2020 at the Catholic Center in Venice.
Bob Reddy, Florida Catholic
Venice –
Bishop Frank J. Dewane, joined by members of the Catholic Community Foundation of Southwest Florida Inc. Board, led a virtual presentation ceremony on May 20, 2020 from the Catholic Center in Venice to honor 16 Foundation scholarship winners.
The recipients of the Mary Fran Carroll, Coseglia and Schaerf scholarships were recognized for their outstanding academic achievements and for their commitment of continuing their education in pursuit of wide-ranging career paths such as nursing, pediatrician, veterinarian, engineering and more. The ceremony is typically held in person, but the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the virtual ceremony.
Bishop Dewane opened the presentation with prayer and said he was impressed with the new Foundation Scholars adding that many are interested in going into the medical field, where there is a great need. “God has blessed you each with different gifts. Enjoy what you are going to do but keep an eye on that goal.”
Michael Morse, Executive Director of the Catholic Community Foundation, congratulated the new scholars, saying the young men and women are worthy to forever be known as Foundation Scholars. “Every one of you, from what we learned, is unique, special, strong and smart; embrace that.”
The Mary Fran Carroll Scholarship provides a total of 11 academic scholarships, each valued at $3,000, to residents of Sarasota County and is available for tuition, books and fees. This year there were 10 traditional scholarship winners (high school graduates pursuing an undergraduate degree) and one non-traditional winner (an adult learner seeking an advanced education after being away from school for a number of years). Scholarship applicants were asked to complete an online application and financial needs assessment in addition to submitting a clearly articulated career plan describing their chosen course of study. Traditional students needed to be accepted into an accredited college or university and non-traditional students needed to be accepted into an accredited college, university or vocational program. Scholarships may also be renewed annually up to a total of five academic years for students maintaining a minimum unweighted GPA of 3.2 or greater, while also making progress toward their career goal.
The Frank and Florence Coseglia Scholarship provides a one-time scholarship of $1,117.00 to one graduating senior from each of the four Catholic High Schools within the Diocese of Venice. The winners were nominated by their high schools and approved by the Foundation Board.
The newest award offered through the Foundation is the Frederick W. Schaerf M.D. Ph.D. Neuroscience Scholarship, which provides one $4,000 one-time scholarship to a graduating senior from Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers interested in pursuing a career in neuroscience.
The Foundation Scholarship Committee carefully reviewed applications before determining the worthiest applicants.
During the virtual scholarship ceremony, the recipients shared their personal experiences as well as college and career goals. Each expressed their appreciation for the scholarship from the Foundation. Many specifically explained how the scholarship money will assist in lessening the financial burden of attending college and pursuing their career goals.
Scholarship recipients and Board members of the Catholic Community Foundation of Southwest Florida Inc., participate in Zoom virtual meeting May 20, 2020 with the Catholic Center in Venice.
Mary Fran Carroll Scholar Elizabeth Steindorf graduated from Riverview High School and is a parishioner at Christ the King Parish in Sarasota, who will be attending the Louisiana State University Ogden Honors College to study chemistry on a pre-med track in hopes of becoming either a general pediatrician or pediatric surgeon. “Thank you. This scholarship will help pay for my undergrad so I can focus my funds toward medical school in the future.”
Board President Dominick Cavuato summed up the sentiments of the Board when he noted how the new Foundation Scholars are an impressive group of young women and men.
“We congratulate you on the journey you have taken so far, and we look forward to hearing great things in the future,” Cavuato said.
The Catholic Community Foundation of Southwest Florida Inc. was established to provide philanthropic opportunities for individuals, such as Mary Fran Carroll, to create lasting gifts in support of Catholic programs and ministries within the Diocese of Venice. Last year alone, the Foundation distributed $1.2 million in endowed support for Catholic Schools, Parishes, Seminarian education, programs for the needy, college scholarships and more.
To learn more about the Catholic Community Foundation, please contact Michael Morse at 941-441-1124 or by email at Morse@dioceseofvenice.org. You can also visit the Foundation website at www.CCFDioceseofvenice.org.
The Catholic Community Foundation of Southwest Florida Inc. has awarded four outstanding Diocese of Venice Catholic high school graduates with the 2020 Frank & Florence Coseglia Scholarship. The winners were recognized for their academic standing, service to their Parish and school, as well as an essay on what their Catholic Education has meant to them.
The scholarship recipients are Mary Castillo of Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers; Faith Giovine of Donahue Catholic Academy of Ave Maria; Grant Wojcik of St. John Neumann Catholic High School in Naples; and Anna Kollmeyer of Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School in Sarasota.
The Catholic Community Foundation Coseglia Scholarship was established in 2012 to fulfill the dreams of Frank and Florence Coseglia. The Coseglias wanted to provide financial support to deserving Catholic high school graduates pursuing degrees at accredited colleges or universities, and they wanted that financial support to last far beyond their lifetimes. For these reasons, the Coseglias chose to create a Catholic Legacy by establishing an endowed scholarship fund with the Catholic Community Foundation of Southwest Florida.
The winners were nominated by their high schools and approved by the Catholic Community Foundation Board of Directors. Each will receive a one-time scholarship of $1,117 toward the cost of their college/university studies. This is the ninth year the Catholic Community Foundation Coseglia Scholarship has been awarded.
Castillo was accepted to St. Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana, where she will be pursuing a degree in nursing with a minor in Spanish. Through her voluntary work in missions while in high school she is dedicated to helping those in need in third world countries. She credits Bishop Verot with providing her an “amazing education.”
Mary Castillo
Giovine will be going to Ave Maria University to follow her passion for nursing and the sciences. “This scholarship will help me to achieve that goal.”
Faith Giovine
Wojcik was accepted to Florida State University to obtain degrees in finance and pre-law, with plans to go to law school to become a wills and trust attorney. Grant has a passion to help and protect those who need it, something he credits to the Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco who run St. John Neumann. “They helped me to build a connection with my whole community.”
Grant Wojcik
Kollmeyer was born in China and adopted by a family in the United States. She will be attending the University of Nebraska-Omaha where she will be living in the St. John Paul II Newman Center. In high school she worked with the Miracle Aid Club and will seek a degree in helping children with special needs.
Anna Kollmeyer
The Coseglia Scholars were recognized during a May 20, 2020, virtual awards presentation. Bishop Frank J. Dewane joined Catholic Community Foundation Executive Director Michael Morse and Diocese Chancellor Dr. Volodymyr Smeyrk on a Zoom conference call from the Catholic Center.
Bishop Dewane said he was impressed by each scholar’s achievements in their respective Catholic high schools and expected great things from them going forward.
Morse said the Coseglia Scholarship is a wonderful example of how one family chose to support the good works of the Catholic Church by investing in the education of our youth.
Those interested in learning how to set up an annual scholarship in their name, or the name of a loved one, should contact the Catholic Community Foundation at 941-441-1124, by email at Morse@dioceseofvenice.org. You can also visit the Foundation website at www.CCFDioceseofvenice.org.
November 1-7, 2020 is National Vocation Awareness Week, when the entire U.S. Church is focusing on vocations – specifically on encouraging young Catholics to seriously consider the priesthood and religious life.
On April 9, 2018, the very first Donor Advised Fund (DAF) with the Catholic Community Foundation of Southwest Florida was established by Janine Marrone. Since that time, $731,250 in grants from the DAF has been distributed to numerous Catholic entities within the Diocese of Venice in Florida as well as to multiple pro-life organizations and Catholic causes throughout the United States.
This year, the Catholic Community Foundation of Southwest Florida, Inc. has awarded 39 deserving students from throughout the Diocese of Venice with college scholarships totaling $110,400. These awards were made possible by way of three different scholarship funds established by donors with the Catholic Community Foundation. Scholarship funds are wonderful ways to honor or memorialize friends, teachers, family members or other loved ones passionate about the importance of education.
During the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, the Catholic Community Foundation of Southwest Florida distributed more than $1.38 million from endowment, scholarship, donor advised and fiscal sponsorship funds to Parishes, Schools and programs throughout the Diocese of Venice and beyond.
