August 2018
Dear Friends in Christ,
As you, we are saddened by the news from Pennsylvania. It has been an upsetting and difficult time for our Catholic faith. We understand and respect the sentiments, including pain and anger, felt by many in our faith community. We are thankful that over the past two decades, the Diocese of Orlando has created policies, including fingerprinting procedures, to increase vigilance and safety. If you would like more information, Bishop John Noonan has issued a statement with the USCCB statement and our Diocese of Orlando safe environment details. It can be found here: www.orlandodiocese.org/bishop-noonans-statement/ We join you in praying for healing. Let us find solace in our shared love in Christ. Note: To see the photos in this newsletter, please view it on your computer. This fall, we are launching a new website platform that will also show photos in the mobile-phone version of this newsletter.
Stewardship Excellence
$1.4 million
The Catholic Foundation of Central Florida ended fiscal 2017 with a record performance made possible by generous donors: The Foundation distributed $1.4 million to parishes and entities to help Catholic life flourish in the Diocese of Orlando. The distribution marks the culmination of success for Catholic Foundation-managed investment endowments that have been built in partnership with generous Catholic donors and pastors since the Foundation launched 10 years ago. These distributions have provided parishes, schools and Diocesan entities the ability to offer health, housing and food assistance, faith formation experiences for Catholic children and adults, and necessary renovations and expansions of churches and community centers. These resources also foster Catholic School education, prepare seminarians for the priesthood and support retired priests.
Back To School
The Diocese of Orlando is the second largest in Florida in terms of schools. Our Diocese has 42 schools, including five high schools, 31 elementary schools, five early childhood centers and one special education school. This month, our students returned to our Catholic schools where staff and faculty promote the growth of each student and development of the whole person. The curriculum is based in Diocesan-approved standards and learning objectives which exceed both state and national performance norms. All resources and curriculum materials used in our schools are aligned with the National Standards and Benchmarks for effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary schools. The Catholic Foundation holds and manages endowment funds for several of our Catholic schools as well as funds for Catholic Education. These funds provide for operational and capital needs and tuition assistance for students. A new endowment can be started with an initial gift of $20,000 and existing endowments can grow with donations of any amount.
Catholic Legacy
We thank Judith Mathieu for creating a Catholic legacy by leaving a bequest to her parish, Our Lady of the Lakes Church in Deltona. “She had a great heart and simple needs,” said Gregory L. Kelley, her nephew. “I know that her bequest is appreciated and will be put to good use.”
Planning Gifts: For the Future of Our Church
The Catholic Foundation serves pastors and the Diocese of Orlando by working with generous donors to secure the future of our Church through planned gifts. To learn more about the opportunities offered by planned gifts, contact Rosie Camous at (407) 246-7192, or rcamous@cfocf.org
Meet our New Board Members
For more information, see our “Our Board” web page at www.cfocf.org/who-we-are/our-board/ to learn more about them.
Karen Monteleone
Lori Tolland
Save The Date
September 8, 2018 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Diocesan Convocation: The Gift of Sacred Mystery A day of reflection on the Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist Rosen Shingle Creek 9939 Universal Blvd. Orlando RSVP https://giftofsacredmystery.eventbrite.com September 28, 2018 12:10 p.m. Blue Mass: Join us to lift up our local heroes in prayer as they seek to protect the community. St. James Cathedral 215 N. Orange Ave., Orlando May 4, 2019 Statewide Stewardship Conference (Miami, FL) More details to come.