The Retired Priest Appreciation Fund offers a way for us to give back to the Catholic priests who have served us so faithfully. Your gift will help retired diocesan priests who currently receive $1,000 a month in retirement benefits from the Diocese of El Paso with modest assistance to supplement their benefits.
Reaching our goal would provide a yearly distribution of $250,000 to help senior priests stay well and active in our communities.
Priest retirement has been a priority of the Catholic Foundation, and of donors throughout the Diocese, since its inception in 2001. The Catholic Foundation’s goal is to build the Retired Priest Appreciation Fund to $5 million. A fund of this size will provide welcome supplemental income to retired priests, most of whom continue to serve parishioners well into their retirement.
Throughout decades of growth and change in the Diocese of El Paso, what has remained a constant is the commitment of our priests. They are our builders, our teachers, our counselors and friends; they exemplify Christ’s love for all. Our priests are with us every step of the way—celebrating the birth of a child, burying our deceased loved ones, celebrating the Sacrament of Marriage, and blessing our homes. They offer their lives without expectation of financial gain beyond that which they need to sustain themselves. It is only right they should be given the opportunity to live out their final years in peaceful retirement.
Endowed funds provide a vehicle through which individuals make outright or planned gifts that will have an everlasting impact on the ministry/parish/school. In time the income generated by the gift will far exceed the original donation.
As a result, endowed funds provide a perpetual, supplemental source of income for such things as the enhancement of programs and ministries, facilities maintenance, scholarships and seminary assistance, priest retirement, etc. Learn more about endowed funds.
In addition to online donations, there are a variety of ways you can donate to support this fund.
To donate by phone, please call:
(915) 872-8412
(Monday – Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. MT)
To mail your donation:
Download our Donation Form PDF
Monthly giving is a powerful way to provide sustainable, long-term support. As little as $20 (66 cents a day) can make a difference for the people helped by the parishes, schools, ministries, and charities in the Diocese of El Paso.
Creating a bequest in your will for the Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of El Paso is a powerful statement in your legacy, and costs you nothing today.
Donors may create a Named Fund benefiting the endowed fund of their choice with a gift or pledge of $10,000 or more over a five-year period. If you're interested in creating a legacy in honor or memory of a loved one, contact us online or call (915) 872-8412.
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