Catholic Foundation awards $555,000 in grants

By Carissa Krautscheid 

The Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of Tucson announced the distribution of more than half a million dollars to 58 Catholic entities across Southern Arizona. These awards included $555,490 in grants to 28 parishes, 19 schools, nine service organizations, and two diocesan offices. Every vicariate across the Diocese of Tucson was represented, unified by the Catholic mission to serve the diverse needs of our community. 

Funds come to the diocese from a variety of sources throughout the year including the Annual Catholic Appeal which is currently ongoing. “It is a remarkable gift that we are able to award so much,” said Elizabeth Bollinger, the Executive Director of the Catholic Foundation. “We are able to do this because our generous parishioners make donations to support our Catholic Church. I’m always happy to share that this is exactly where their hard-earned dollars end up, right back in the diocese!”  

Many parishes and schools in the Diocese of Tucson are in need of infrastructure repairs and replacements. The Catholic Foundation meets these needs with grants for projects including air conditioning, roof repairs, security systems, ADA accessibility, shade structures, and other facility updates. 

Sacred Heart Parish in Clifton is a historic parish in Greenlee County. Patricia Avila, treasurer of the parish finance council, shared heartfelt gratitude for the support. “This grant is going to help us start repairing our roof, which desperately needs repairing and replacing. We have been waiting. This grant is a start for us. We are truly grateful that this grant has been awarded to us. Our church is over 100 years old and it’s a beautiful church and worth the effort on our part. We thank the Annual Catholic Appeal and the Catholic Foundation. We are truly grateful!” 

St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Superior is excited to get started on a new roof for the rectory, which has a lot of issues, especially during rainstorms. Parish staff said, “We go through a lot of trying to make ends meet. We need our parish and our priests!” 

Loretto Catholic School in Douglas received a grant to update its plumbing. “We need to get it fixed,” said principal Rosella Melgoza. “We still have the original plumbing. We are celebrating our 100th birthday. Our students and faculty deserve to have a good bathroom to use.” 

Fr. Manuel Fragoso is the pastor of both Immaculate Conception in Yuma and St. Joseph the Worker in Wellton. “I thank the Catholic Foundation for the money we received,” he said. “At St. Joseph, we are going to fix the entrance of the church with new tile and upgrades to the lobby. It would not be possible without the great help of the Catholic Foundation.” 

St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church and School in Tucson has a need for improved security within the campus. There are approximately 700 students involved in both the school and religious education programs. “We are very grateful to receive these grants for the parish and school,” business manager Claudia Chavez said. She said it would, “secure our church with cameras and an intercom system for school security.” 

The money for these grants comes from Annual Catholic Appeal and endowments held by the Catholic Foundation. Donations made to the Catholic Foundation grow each year and are used to serve the mission of the Catholic Church. Social service organizations received funding in order to respond to the Works of Mercy and Jesus’ commissioning from Matthew 25. In doing so, the Diocese of Tucson community comes together to feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, minister to those in prison, support survivors of domestic violence, and defend human dignity of the most vulnerable. 

Among service organizations to receive a grant was St. Maximilian Kolbe Prison Ministry, a effort within Catholic Community Services. Program director, Deacon Mike Gutierrez, explained where the grant funding will go, “First, I am assisting men who are being released from prison with Transitional Housing Assistance, by helping them pay part of their first month’s fees. Second, we will provide training for prison ministry ministers. Third, funding will supply bibles, rosaries, and liturgical supplies for our services in the prisons. The grant has been such a blessing for men coming out of prison who are not usually able to find a job for several weeks after they are released. By providing financial assistance we take one big worry off their shoulders.” 

To be eligible to receive a grant from the Catholic Foundation, applications must come from approved Catholic entities in the Diocese of Tucson. Applications are open from September 1 to December 31 each year. Even if a grant was not awarded in the past, organizations are encouraged to continue applying for future grants. 

The Catholic Foundation also maintains the Cornerstone Fund to assist in the event of unforeseen emergencies. Money for the Cornerstone Fund comes from the annual Cornerstone Gala, which will be held on Friday, September 27, 2024. 

Claudia Chavez echoed the sentiments of all 58 grant recipients, “We are very, very grateful to the Catholic Foundation – thank you so much!”