“Use the gifts you have received and pass on the love that has been given you.”
St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the Little Flower
In the spirit of Hope in the Gospel, and to continue the work of Jesus Christ,
Sharing Our Faith-Shaping Our Future
This capital campaign is a joint effort by the Catholic Foundation and the diocese to secure major gifts from certain individuals who have expressed their support for three critical campaign initiatives, namely,
(1) building a new monastery for the Capuchin Poor Clare sisters in our diocese as they live out their vocation of cloistered prayer,
(2) growing the seminary fund as a means of ensuring that the cost of education will never be an obstacle to those young men seeking their way to the priesthood, and
(3) increasing the capacity of the Catholic Foundation to fund grant requests from numerous organizations across the diocese.
You too can help support these campaign initiatives by clicking on the Donate tab and then making your selection(s) in the drop down box under the online giving option. There is no doubt that this capital campaign is a major undertaking, but we are ready to carry out this first-ever comprehensive effort to provide for the future stability and growth of the Catholic Foundation and the diocese. Please pray for the success of the campaign!
Steven S. Chargin, Executive Director, Catholic Foundation
Rejoice Always, Pray Without Ceasing…
1 Thessalonians 5:16
We need prayer, we need light! Late last year Bishop Stephen J. Berg used these very words to open his letter to the faithful about a hidden treasure right in our diocese—the Franciscan Capuchin Poor Clare sisters. The purpose of Bishop Berg’s letter was to draw attention to these Poor Clare sisters and their ministry of cloistered prayer and, more importantly, to seek financial support for construction of a new monastery. This project became necessary because right after the sisters came to the diocese they were assured that they could soon move out of their “temporary quarters” and into a place more suitable for a life of quiet prayer and the making of beautiful liturgical vestments as the mainstay of their income—but that was over 21 years ago and the sisters never moved. Although various housing alternatives have been considered at length, the situation has now reached the point where the Mother Superior of the order has ruled out the possibility of the sisters remaining in Pueblo unless there is some drastic improvement in living conditions.
To remedy these circumstances, Fr. Joseph Vigil, Pastor of St. Joseph’s in Blende, took the lead on this project and worked with his finance council to arrange the donation of parish property for a monastery building site. The Catholic Foundation gladly joined Fr. Joseph’s efforts, and I am now pleased to say that the new monastery is getting closer to becoming a reality—all because of the generosity of so many who have been inspired by these amazing sisters. The current estimate for construction of the monastery and all related improvements is almost two million dollars, and though donations have been coming in we still have more than halfway to go.
Architect’s Rendering of Monastery
The new monastery is designed to house up to eleven sisters (up from the current five), and it will include a spacious chapel, indoor recreation and work areas, safe appliances and bathrooms, and adequate space to receive visitors and officials from the Poor Clare order.
We have been blessed with the opportunity to provide a more appropriate facility for these around-the-clock prayer warriors, who have been living in an outdated and substandard building for years without complaint. These women have dedicated their lives to prayer on behalf of our diocese, and the time has come for us to offer them a sacred space worthy of their charism.
To support the Poor Clare sisters in this wonderful endeavor, visit our donate page by clicking the link below.
*All donations will be held by the Catholic Foundation and will not be released until the construction process begins.
The 2023 Catholic Foundation Grant Application Cycle is Closed
Notification of Grant Awards will be sent in June.
Over the past twenty-five years, the Catholic Foundation has distributed more than $2,000,000 in grant awards throughout our vast diocese. Our outreach extends from the far western mountains to the eastern plains, benefiting the faithful throughout southern Colorado. Last year, thanks to the generosity of our donors and their commitment to our mission, the Catholic Foundation satisfied thirty-six (36) grant requests from Catholic organizations operating within the borders of our diocese.
These grants allow parishes and missions to offer additional faith formation activities and materials that might not otherwise be possible, such as:
- retreats for families, youth and adults
- training for catechists
- online catechesis
- new religious education curriculum and prayer books
- liturgical supplies
- updated audio/visual resources and technology
- Totus Tuus programs for the youth
- Campus ministry support
In addition, $48,000 in Humanitarian Grant Awards was distributed by the Catholic Foundation to 21 organizations serving the poor and the marginalized. These gifts were made possible by a generous bequest by the late Msgr. Howard Delaney.
The Catholic Foundation is honored to call itself The Giving Arm of the Diocese, and we thank God for the opportunity to help, in whatever small way, those Catholic organizations within our borders as we follow the Little Way of St. Therese. Please visit our GRANTS page to review a complete list of grants awards and to learn how your contribution could be put to good use. We thank you for your support.