“Death is not the end of everything, but the beginning of something.” — Pope Francis
Losing a loved one is among life’s most painful experiences. And as family and friends try to navigate that loss, they often look for a meaningful way to honor the memory and legacy of their loved one.
Many find comfort through a memorial gift to an endowment fund managed by the Catholic Foundation of Eastern Pennsylvania. It’s a gesture that not only honors their loved one’s legacy, but also provides enduring support to causes that were important to them.
Memorial Gifts Are Meaningful and Impactful
“I believe it’s an important way to help the family and make an impact,” says retired funeral director Patrick Connell. “A memorial gift — whether it’s $100 or $1,000 — helps preserve the memory of a loved one and provides a way for friends and family to do something meaningful. It also helps the organization that receives the benefits from the gift.”
Connell and his wife Christine created an endowment fund through the Catholic Foundation when his own son died suddenly in 2021. The Nicholas P. Connell Endowment Fund provides operational support and participation fees for the performing arts program and scholarships for students at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Bethlehem.
“It goes to a great school in memory of my son, and the fund will go on forever,” he said. “It’s impactful to me that my son is not forgotten, and it’s impactful to the students at Our Lady of Perpetual Help because they’re able to participate in the school plays and some are getting part of their tuition paid through the scholarship.”
A Forever Connection
“Memorial gifts are a touching way to connect your loved one forever to a parish, grade school, high school or Catholic ministry that they may have dedicated their entire life to as a volunteer and supporter,” says Pete Waldron, President of the Catholic Foundation.
“A gift to an endowment keeps your loved one’s spirit alive and provides much needed future support for their favorite Catholic causes.”
Connell said it’s simple to direct contributions to a meaningful cause. When funeral directors work with families, they usually ask if the family would like to include information about memorial funds or other initiatives in the obituary.
“Generally, a family member will speak up and talk about something that was important to their deceased relative,” Connell said. “They often connect that memory or story to an organization that made an impact in their loved one’s life.”
Waldron mentioned that while there are many reasons for selecting a charity, family members just want the deceased to be remembered.
“People are comforted in knowing that by making a gift to the Catholic Foundation for their favorite Catholic cause, their gift — and the memory of their loved one — will live on forever,” Waldron said.
Many people are making their end-of-life planning decisions years in advance. Connell said having a plan in place can take a big burden off the family.
“When the family has planned ahead, the funeral goes so much smoother,” he said. “They don’t have to worry about the major decisions, and it prevents arguing between families because now ‘Dad made the decision’ and the children don’t have to worry about it.”
The Catholic Foundation will provide a family with the correct wording for memorial gifts that they may keep in the files so they may give it to the funeral director at the appropriate time. Information about memorial gifts should be included at the end of a published obituary in a local newspaper, on the funeral home website, in the funeral program at the services and Mass, on a placard placed at the guest book signing area, and in a post on social media (Facebook or LinkedIn). The wording is simple:
Memorial gifts may be made in ______________________’s honor, payable to the Catholic Foundation of Eastern Pennsylvania for the ______________________ Endowment Fund(s). Please mail to: PO Box 1430, Allentown, PA 18105, or donate online at www.catholicfoundationep.org.
People interested in remembering a family member or friend should contact the Catholic Foundation to discuss where they would like the gifts directed.
Depending on the number and amount of the gifts received, donations can be used to create a new fund in memory of a loved one or friend. Memorial gifts may also be donated to existing endowments.
“It’s a beautiful and inspirational way to honor the legacy of a loved one,” Waldron said.
For more information about memorial gifts or making a gift in memory of a family member or friend who has recently died, please contact the Catholic Foundation at info@catholicfoundationep.org.
