April 7, 2020 // Diocese

Parishes-in-Need grants awarded

Todays Catholic

FORT WAYNE — The Annual Bishop’s Appeal of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend includes a funding program to assist less-affluent parishes. A Parishes-in-Need Fund Committee met recently to review parish requests for financial assistance of church projects, and members recommended a total of $203,131.60 be granted to 12 parishes for 16 essential projects that will enable them to arrive at a more stable existence. Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades approved the grants.

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 usually 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 be 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 disbursements and the primary parish projects are:

Fort Wayne

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception — $5,000 subsidy for sending students to a Catholic School

Queen of Angels — $5,768.10 for a school computer server and $1,190 for a choir loft glass project

St. Joseph — $11,264 for a transportation program

Fort Wayne area

St. Bernard, Wabash — $1,480 for a media aid for catechesis and $3,131.50 for church listening system

St. Mary of the Assumption, Avilla — $10,000 to replace rectory air conditioner

St. Mary of the Assumption, Decatur — $20,860 for school parking lot, sidewalk and approaches

South Bend

Holy Cross — $14,192 for a new tractor for snow removal from parish and school grounds

Holy Family — $11,264 for church lighting controls and $13,950 to replace rolling fire doors in school kitchen

St. Adalbert — $40,000 for two-tower tuckpointing and corrosion system

St. Anthony de Padua — $40,000 for a school roof project

St. John the Baptist — $13,272 for church furnace replacement

South Bend area

St. Michael, Plymouth —
$4,560 for paint and plaster repairs in the church

St. Vincent de Paul, Elkhart — $7,200 for new locks on the school