Local Leaders Graduate From Central Florida CAP® Study Group
The Catholic Foundation of Central Florida in partnership with F4 Wealth Advisors and ShuffieldLowman warmly congratulates our most recent graduates from the CAP® program. Central Florida CAP® (Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy) Study Group. CAP® is a designation provided by The American College of Financial Services which signifies that the student has successfully passed exams for three graduate-level courses of cross-disciplinary curriculum. The curriculum spans and synthesizes the arts and sciences of philanthropic planning including taxation, ethical fundraising, purposeful planning, family dynamics, psychology and strategic philanthropy. The second cohort graduates increase Central Florida’s CAP® population by 25% and represent a variety of industries within the financial planning world including Wealth Advisors, Estate Planning Advisors, and Non-Profit professionals. During the 9-month program,…
Fund Spotlight: The Diaconate Fund
The word “deacon” comes from the Greek word diakonos, meaning “servant.” Strengthened by sacramental grace, in union with the bishop and his priests, deacons are called to serve the people of God in the three-fold ministry of liturgy, word, and charity. The Office of the Permanent Diaconate in the Diocese of Orlando offers guidance to permanent deacons in their formation and ministry as well as supports their families. The office also provides an approval process for deacons moving into the diocese who are applying for faculties and parish assignments. In 2020, The Office of the Permanent Diaconate established the Deacons 5+ Year Reserve Fund for the diaconate ministry in the Diocese of Orlando. This fund provides for partial scholarships for…
Making an Impact with Your Charitable Giving
Are you making the impact you desire with your charitable giving? Charitable gifts come in all shapes and sizes, but regardless of size you want to be able to make an impact with your charitable giving. Knowing that your gift has made a difference brings added joy to your giving experience. There are ways to determine how our gifts make an impact. Nonprofits tell the stories of how they serve and the difference they make in people’s lives in our communities. Through our giving we help tell these stories, the qualitative impact we make, and the quantitative ways to measure our giving as it benefits the community. One of the simplest forms of measurement is a nonprofit’s ‘output,’ how many…
The Ordoñez Family Donor Advised Fund
As we joyfully celebrate the Easter season, we are reminded that it was through Jesus’ love for us that he freely suffered and died so each one of us can have eternal life. Jesus did this for you, me, your children, your next door neighbor, the homeless man at the stop light, the woman with an unexpected pregnancy- each and every person we pass and interact with each day. We are all called to be, and help others, become saints and it’s with this goal that our family set up a Donor Advised Fund (DAF). Hector and I were both raised Catholic and faith continued to be an important part of our lives as we started our vocation in marriage…
Walking With The Risen Lord
Happy Easter! Easter season is a beautiful liturgical season in the tradition of our Church. We begin the season with the joy of the Resurrection and a renewal in our gratitude for our salvation made possible through God’s loving mercy and Christ’s Passion. Throughout the season we experience the beginning or renewal of life with the signs of spring in God’s creation, first confirmations and the ordinations of our permanent and transitional deacons and priests. We also have the opportunity to renew our faith as we walk with our risen Lord throughout this season. Throughout our Easter season, scripture focuses on the Gospels and Acts of the Apostles with the accounts of those who encountered our risen Lord. Luke, in…
The Catholic Foundation Seats New Board for 2023
The Catholic Foundation of Central Florida Board of Directors held its first meeting of 2023 on February 21st. Highlights of the meeting include the addition of two new board members, Andrew Orosz, and Wendy Mara. We’ll share details on these new members in our next newsletter. There are also new committee chair appointments on the Foundation board: Robert Kryger is the new chair of the Investment Committee; Karen Monteleone is the new chair of the Governance Committee. Randall Scott is the new chair of the Audit and Finance Committee and Lori Tolland is continuing in her role leading the Development Committee. In addition, there are new deans on the Foundation’s Board of Directors. Fathers Ralph Duwell, Richard Trout, Tim LaBo,…
PGAC Meets at Bishop Moore Center
(Pictured L-R Monsignor Richard Walsh, Deacon Gary Tester; Kevin Casey CFO, Diocese of Orlando) Our Planned Giving Advisory Council (PGAC) met at Bishop Moore Catholic High School to discuss how bequests affect ministries in The Diocese of Orlando. PGAC Chairman, Rob Thomson, facilitated the conversation with Kevin Casey, CFO of the diocese; Monsignor Richard Walsh, Pastor of St Margaret Mary and Vicar General of the Diocese of Orlando and Deacon Gary Tester, President of Catholic Charities of Central Florida. Gifts made through bequests are a foundational element of the ministries of St. Margaret Mary parish in Winter Park. These gifts support the parish school and area outreach, for example, as Monsignor Walsh shared. Parishioners come to him to learn how…
Board Appoints New Committee Members
The Catholic Foundation of Central Florida had its first board meeting of 2023 in February. With the new term, we have new committee appointments, Randall Scott chairs the Audit and Finance Committee; Lori Tolland is continuing to serve as the chair of the Development Committee. Our thanks to you both for your new leadership roles with the Foundation board. Randall Scott Blessed Trinity Catholic Church, Ocala Randall Scott is President, CEO, and Chairman of MANDEX, Inc., a respected Service Disabled, Veteran Owned Small Business that provides national security and information technology services. MANDEX is based in Fairfax, VA, and operates offices throughout the nation, including Ocala. He has enjoyed a career of more than 50 years, including service in the…
Our Patroness: Saint Katharine Drexel
The Catholic Foundation of Central Florida proudly lifts up our patroness, St. Katharine Drexel. With her feast day on March 3rd, within Women’s History Month, it’s appropriate for us to remember the patron saint of philanthropy. She was born into a wealthy, yet charitable and philanthropic family in 1858. Following a pilgrimage to Rome, St. Katharine gave her large family inheritance and her life to the church in service of Native and African Americans and founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament. She was canonized by St. John Paul II in October of 2000. The Catholic Foundation of Central Florida team wrote the following prayer, inspired by St. Katharine Drexel, our patroness: Prayer to Bring the Church to its Fullness…
The Mercy Fund Continues its Community Assistance
Three years. With the outbreak of Covid-19, March 2020 began a brief but impactful shutdown in nearly every sector of public life. The result was a dramatic and sudden increase in the need for community outreach and support. The Catholic Foundation of Central Florida responded to this need by establishing the Mercy Fund, benefitting Catholic Charities of Central Florida. With this fund, we have been able to provide food, maintaining stock in the agape mission markets and food pantries; behavior health to provide counseling and care throughout the community; rent and utility assistance for those with sudden unemployment or reduced job stability; other aid including prescriptions, gasoline, and sanitary supply assistance. The Mercy Fund was created when the Foundation…