In Schuylkill County, the Catholic Charities Community Café Food Truck has become more than a way to serve meals — it’s a ministry of hope on wheels. Month after month, the truck visits numerous towns across the county, bringing nutritious meals and a sense of community to our neighbors who need it most. In the past year alone, the Community Café Food Truck has served more than 34,000 meals —…
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The Art of Receiving We talk a lot about giving. And we should—generosity is at the heart of the Christian life. But there’s another skill that’s just as important, and far less discussed: the art of receiving well. Receiving well is harder than it looks. It requires being appreciative and grateful without worrying about whether the giver will hold it over you or expect something in return. It means accepting…
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At the Catholic Foundation of Eastern Pennsylvania, we believe in planning not just for the present, but for eternity. Estate planning is one of the most meaningful ways Catholics can express their love for family, faith, and the causes that have shaped their lives. At the Catholic Foundation, we help individuals and families understand and embrace estate planning or planned giving through free workshops at various locations in the Diocese. During the…
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Father Thomas Bortz, pastor of St. Ignatius Loyola Parish in Reading, Pennsylvania, is an avid baseball fan, having visited several major and minor leagues parks across the country. Fr. Bortz just has to walk out the back door of the rectory and be reminded of the challenge facing his parish’s regional Catholic school. In what amounts to a long outfield-to-home-plate throw away, sits a local public elementary school. While Father…
Read MoreEternal Summer As I’ve gotten older, my view of summer has changed. As a kid, nothing beat it. No school. Long days spent swimming, running barefoot in the backyard, chasing fireflies, hanging out with friends, going on vacation. Summer was freedom — pure, uncomplicated joy. But as an adult — and especially as a parent — summer is different. There’s a built-in nostalgia from our own childhoods, an expectation that…
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Seasoned fundraising professional joins Catholic Foundation team as a Major Gifts and Planned Giving Officer The Catholic Foundation of Eastern Pennsylvania welcomes Ann Marie Surovy as a Major Gifts and Planned Giving Officer. In this role Ann Marie is responsible for identifying, qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major gift and planned giving donors and prospects with the goal of establishing or increasing endowment funds for Catholic Foundation partners. Ann Marie has…
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Sister Marian Sgriccia, Provincial Minister for the School Sisters of Saint Francis, recognizes that the road ahead for Catholic ministries is uncertain. So, to make sure they are not walking that road alone, Sister Marian and her fellow Sisters partnered with the Catholic Foundation of Eastern Pennsylvania and established two new funds to help secure the future of their ministries and strengthen relationships with their supporters. “Through our partnership with…
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For students in our Catholic schools, graduation marks the culmination of years spent in an environment where academic rigor is deeply intertwined with faith and values. Catholic schools form not just minds, but hearts, preparing students for a life of purpose, leadership, and service. These outcomes are important to the donors of the Catholic Foundation of Eastern Pennsylvania. Almost 50 percent of the endowment funds managed by the Catholic Foundation…
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With Joy A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I had the privilege of attending the priestly ordination of Fr. Robert Rienzo in the Diocese of Allentown. My wife and Fr. Rienzo were friends back in middle and high school, and since moving back to the area, we’ve had the blessing of witnessing his journey through seminary, leading up to that day. Standing there, watching the sacrament of Holy…
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Eric J. Gaspar, an attorney from Lower Macungie Township, has joined the board of directors of the Catholic Foundation. He is a member of the Ford Law Office in Allentown. Gaspar has a wide range of legal experience with concentration in the areas of civil litigation and workers’ compensation defense. He also has experience in estate administration, wills, powers of attorney, real estate transactions, zoning, subdivision, land development, and matters…
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