“A good shepherd, a pastor after God’s heart, is the greatest treasure which the good Lord can grant to a parish, and one of the most precious gifts of divine mercy.” - St. John Vianney

Understanding the continuous need for funds to educate good shepherds, the St. John Paul II Endowment Fund was established in 2011 by Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades for Seminarian Education. In May 2023 the Catholic Community Foundation of Northeast Indiana held an event, Our Shepherds – Our Future, to raise awareness and funds for this important endowment.

Guests enjoyed an evening visiting with our many seminarians, hearing their discernment journey and learning how they can support them. Through donations to the St. John Paul II Fund for Seminarian Education, our Foundation is able to help seminarians throughout our Diocese with not only the practicalities of paying for school, but also with reducing stress and external factors in their continuing discernment process.

Seminarian Andy Barnes said that the funding that comes from the Catholic Community Foundation and others is “such a huge help to us so that we don’t have to take on that burden personally for our seminary education. We simply get blessed with this time… in preparation to not only serve in the priesthood to answer that calling that God has for each and every single one of us, but also just to grow as men of faith.”

The Catholic Community Foundation offers many ways that a potential donor can give to this endowment fund: giving stock, noting the fund as a beneficiary through IRA, 401K, or other retirement plans, leaving life insurance, or other estate planning options. Contact CCFNEI on how you can make an impact in supporting our Shepherds for the future of our Catholic church.