April 11, 2021 // Diocese

Mechanical upgrades among projects funded by Parishes-in-Need program

Todays Catholic

FORT WAYNE — The Parishes-in-Need Fund Committee met during the winter to review parish requests for financial assistance of church projects. The committee recommended a total of $199,649 be granted to 11 parishes for 14 essential projects, enabling them to arrive at a more stable existence. Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades approved the grants.

The Annual Bishop’s Appeal of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend includes a funding program to assist less affluent parishes. Although not every request submitted by the parishes can be met, the committee carefully considers the nature of each request in light of the total needs and financial resources of the parish as well as the other parishes in the diocese requesting funding assistance. If all or part of a request cannot be met, often the committee recommends the parish apply to another fund or financial resource in the diocese or community, or seek other alternatives.

Some funds remain in the account for use throughout the year by parishes when a new need arises. If all the money is not used in a given year, however, it is carried over and allocated to next year’s Parishes-in-Need fund.

“Hopefully, this money will strengthen these parishes financially, increase their outreach and improve their ability to do the work of Christ,” said Bishop Rhoades.

This year’s disbursement and the primary parish projects include:

Fort Wayne

• Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception — $10,000 subsidy to send Burmese children to Catholic schools

• Queen of Angels — $9,869 to update and improve plumbing in school bathrooms

• St. Joseph — $37,150 to replace the church cooling system

Fort Wayne area

• St. John the Baptist, New Haven — $5,000 for new church boilers and $5,000 for parish center air conditioning

• St. Mary of the Assumption, Decatur — $15,000 to replace HVAC system

South Bend

• Holy Cross — $23,570 for essential electrical updates 

• St. Adalbert — $20,000 to purchase a new HVAC System for four classrooms in the school

• St. Casimir — $20,000 for a new bathroom in the church

• St. John the Baptist — $17,460 for touchless flush valves in school restrooms

South Bend area

• St. Michael, Plymouth — $20,000 for bat removal in the church

• St. Vincent de Paul, Elkhart — $4,600 for two controlled-access doors in the school, $6,000 for security camera updates for the parish and school and $6,000 to replace school drinking fountains