A generous bequest doubles the endowment he established for John Paul II Center for Special Learning; demonstrates lasting power of planned giving.
When John “Jack” Horrigan established an endowment for the John Paul II Center for Special Learning in December 2013, he was doing something that came naturally to him: looking toward the future.
Jack was a savvy and successful businessman, a man of deep Catholic faith and a devoted husband who wanted to honor the memory of his beloved wife, Peggy.
He also became something else that day — a pioneer.
A Trailblazer And Cheerleader Who Strengthened the Future of the John Paul II Center
The John Paul II Center for Special Learning Endowment Fund was the first endowment established with the newly created Catholic Foundation of Eastern Pennsylvania.
Nearly 13 years later, Jack has once again strengthened the future of the organization he and Peggy loved. Following his death on April 13, 2026, at age 97, the Catholic Foundation received a generous bequest from Jack’s estate for the John Paul II Center endowment. His final major gift doubled the size of the fund he established in Peggy’s memory.
It was a fitting final act of generosity from a man whose support for the JPII Center was never simply financial.
“Jack Horrigan was a long-time member of JPII’s extended family and one of our loudest and most devoted cheerleaders,” said Melissah Jablonski, Director of Advancement for the John Paul II Center in Shillington. “He and his late wife, Peggy, shared our mission with everyone they met, helping us make new friends and build a community of supporters who shared in their belief in the work we do.”
Peggy had been a devoted volunteer leader and champion of the special learning center. After her death, Jack wanted to ensure that her commitment to its students would continue.
An Endowment Provided the Answer
The assets of an endowment are invested for the long term, with distributions from the fund providing ongoing support for its charitable purpose. Through the endowment Jack established, the Horrigans’ generosity would not end with their lifetimes. It could continue helping the JPII Center year after year and generation after generation.
Jablonski said Jack understood exactly who would benefit ultimately.
“If you ever spoke with Jack, I’m sure the conversation eventually found its way to JPII and to our students and adults,” she said. “He saw the beauty in each and every one of them. He truly believed they were a gift from God.”
He Saw the Possibility
Jack’s decision in 2013 was also significant for the Catholic Foundation.
At the time, the Foundation itself was new. The concept of an independent Catholic community foundation was unfamiliar to many parishes, schools, ministries and Catholic leaders throughout the Diocese of Allentown.
There was understandable hesitation about something new.
Jack saw possibility instead.
He understood the importance of professionally managed endowments and recognized the value of an independent Catholic foundation created to help Catholic organizations build permanent financial resources for their futures.
And rather than wait for others to go first, Jack did.
“Jack understood immediately what we were trying to build and why it mattered,” said Pete Waldron, President of the Catholic Foundation. “He became our first endowment donor. That required trust, but it also reflected the way Jack approached his life. He believed deeply in the causes he supported, and when he saw something that could help strengthen them for the future, he acted.”
That first fund became the beginning of something much larger.
Today, the Catholic Foundation manages 185 endowment funds for 133 partners with more than $71 million in assets. These funds benefit Catholic parishes, schools, ministries and other causes throughout Eastern Pennsylvania. But the story of those funds begins with one donor, one organization and one decision made in December 2013.
It begins with Jack Horrigan and the John Paul II Center.
A Gift Beyond a Lifetime
Jack’s bequest adds another chapter to that story.
By including the endowment in his estate plans, Jack transformed what was already a lasting gift into something significantly greater. His bequest doubled the fund, increasing the resources that can support the John Paul II Center and its mission well into the future.
For Waldron, Jack’s final gift provides a powerful example of what planned giving can accomplish when it is directed to an endowment.
“When donors direct a bequest to an endowment fund, it takes planned giving to a whole other level,” Waldron said. “The estate gift itself can be transformational, but because it becomes part of an endowment, that generosity continues working and creating impact long after the donor is gone.”
Jack and Peggy Horrigan: A Legacy of Devotion, Faith and Generosity
Jack’s life embodied that philosophy.
“Jack Horrigan was a true gentleman,” Waldron said. “He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and friend to so many people. Every aspect of his life was guided by his strong Catholic faith. Jack led by example during his lifetime, and he continues to do so after his death. His final gift will have a tremendous impact on the future of the John Paul II Center and the students he loved.”
Perhaps that is the most meaningful part of Jack and Peggy Horrigan’s story.
What began as one husband’s desire to honor his wife became something neither of them would live to see fully unfold.
Their generosity will continue welcoming students. It will continue supporting teachers and programs. It will continue helping families. And it will continue strengthening a place where Jack believed every person should be recognized for the gift from God that they are.
“Jack’s love for JPII, his belief in our mission, and his unwavering support will leave a lasting legacy and forever be a part of our story,” Jablonski said.
Thirteen years ago, Jack Horrigan became the first person to establish an endowment with the Catholic Foundation of Eastern Pennsylvania.
“With his final gift, he showed once again what it means to think bigger than your lifetime,” Waldron said.