The Seminarian Education Endowment Fund was created to ensure continual resources for the recruitment and training of seminarians to serve as the future leadership of the Diocese of El Paso. Pray for priests!
Reaching our goal will provide a yearly allocation of $200,000 to the Seminarian Education Program
The Seminarian Education Endowment Fund is a permanent fund made up of designated gifts. Distributions are made on an annual basis to support tuition, room and board, and other expenses related to training seminarians.
Alfonso Coronado, Astry Déraly, César García-Ortega, Edroud Jean, José William Arévelo Narváez, Sergio, Legarreta Carrasco were ordained to the priesthood in 2022.
One of our greatest areas of focus is the Seminarian Education Endowment Fund, created to ensure continual resources for the recruitment and training of seminarians to serve as the future leadership of our Diocese. Recruiting and educating seminarians is a significant and critical investment, and the responsibility of providing priests for the Diocese of El Paso, both spiritually and financially, belongs to all of us.
St. Charles Seminary was founded in 1961 by Bishop Sidney M. Metzger to provide spiritual, human, intellectual and pastoral formation for young men called to become priests. For a young man seeking to be a priest, our intensive formation program requires four years of undergraduate education towards a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy and four to five years of theological studies in Major Seminary for a Master of Divinity degree, which includes a ten-week spirituality program at Creighton University in Omaha, a three-month supervised hospital ministry training program, and one full year of pastoral internship at a parish within our diocese.
Because the number of seminarians is increasing, so is our need to raise money for their education and living costs. The average cost to train one seminarian is $45,000 annually. The cost includes room and board, education, health insurance and travel expenses. Men are not allowed to work in the seminary, they must devote themselves to prayer and study. The annual budget to run the seminary is now $1 million. Your gifts will help offset these costs.
Funding for seminarian education comes from a variety of sources including the Seminarian Education Endowment Fund, Progress: Catholic Ministry Appeal, Serra Club, the Filipino-American community, Knights of Columbus, second collections, and generous individuals and organizations.
September 19, 2022
Catholic Foundation Welcomes Meece Family Fund in memory of Al and Gracie Adkins† for Seminarian EducationThe fund is in memory of Tom’s aunt and uncle, Gracie and Al Adkins†, who, as native El Pasoans and devout cradle Catholics, were an inspiration to all who knew them.
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June 03, 2021
Cinco Nuevos DiáconosJosé William Arévelo Narváez, Astry Déraly, César García-Ortega, Edroud Jean y Sergio Legarreta Carrasco se acercaron un paso más a su ordenación sacerdotal del 2022 al ser ordenados diáconos transitorios
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June 03, 2021
Five New DeaconsJosé William Arévelo Narváez, Astry Déraly, César García-Ortega, Edroud Jean, and Sergio Legarreta Carrasco, moved one step closer to their 2022 priestly ordination when they were ordained transitional deacons.
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April 13, 2021
Five Men to be Ordained!Bishop Mark Seitz will ordain five men to the Sacred Order of the Diaconate on Friday, April 16 at 6:30pm at St. Frances Xavier Cabrini. The Diocese of El Paso will be livestreaming the Ordination Mass on the diocesan Facebook page.
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June 26, 2020
Seminarian Angel Tarango is Working in Hospital Ministry during his Clinical Pastoral ExperienceCPE (Clinical Pastoral Experience) follows the third year of study and is required for the M.Div. degree (Master of Divinity) at Mundelein Seminary where Angel is in formation.
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April 29, 2020
Seminarians: Social Media Disciples During COVID-19See what our seminarians are doing to continue bringing the Good News to the faithful in the Diocese of El Paso during the pandemic
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April 24, 2018
The Herrera Group Sponsors a Sold Out Benefit for Seminarians at El Paso's Alamo Drafthouse CinemaThe Herrera Group Sponsored a Sold Out Benefit for seminarian education. The Catholic Foundation presented Risen on 3 Screens on Wednesday, April 18 at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. It’s an epic Biblical story about the Resurrection, as told through the eyes of the non-believer, and his ultimate conversion. 100% of the proceeds benefit the Seminarian Education Endowment Fund.
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March 28, 2017
And The Oscar Goes To...Lopez Scrap Metal "The Oscar" Sponsor of a Special Benefit for Seminarians at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema
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September 07, 2016
Seminarians Awarded the Prestigious Canary GrantFr. John Kartje, Rector and President of the University of Saint Mary of the Lake, Mundelein Seminary, announced that seminarians Michael Lewis and Ivan Montelongo had been selected as recipients of a 2016 Monsignor John Canary Theological Enrichment Fund grant.
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January 19, 2016
Foundation exceeds the 2015 Catholic Extension Seminarian ChallengeCatholic Extension challenged El Paso to raise $150,000 for the Seminarian Education Endowment Fund with a 1:3 match and donors responded. This challenge brought in over $175,000 in new gifts and Catholic Extension matched your efforts with another $50,000.
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December 22, 2015
Seminarians serenade the Serra Club during the annual celebration of our future priestsSeminarians serenaded the Serra Club during the annual celebration of our future priests. They are a bright group of young men who will lead our diocese in the future.
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October 14, 2015
Knights of Columbus Support Seminarian Education Endowment Fund at Clergy DinnerThe Foundation staff enjoyed a delicious dinner for our clergy hosted by the Knights of Columbus. The icing on the cake was the generous gift they presented to Bishop Mark for the Seminarian Education Endowment Fund.
Read moreEndowed 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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