By Paul Dobbyn
RECIPIENTS of grants from Brisbane archdiocese’s first ever endowment-funded program received news of their awards with enthusiasm – none more so than the members of the Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Movement.
Not one but three leaders from the movement turned up for the award evening, held as part of the annual Assembly of Catholic Professionals Christmas event, at Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge’s residence at Wynberg, New Farm, on December 11.
“When I contacted the group, I asked if they could send along a representative to the dinner to receive the grant,” Archdiocesan Resource Development director Mary Macuga said.
“The group asked if they could please send three – they were so excited.”
Grants of $137,343 were awarded to parishes and archdiocesan organisations.
Recipients came from the parishes of All Saints, Albany Creek; St Maximilian Kolbe Parish, Marsden; Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Sunnybank; and Coolangatta-Tugun.
Groups to receive grants were Ignite Youth, NET (National Evangelisation Teams), Freedom, Real Talk, The Dating War, Mother Effect and Imagine.
Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Movement spokesman Andy Tam Nguyen, who has been with the group for 16 years since high school, said he and fellow attendees Tam Pham and Martin Huynh-To had been thrilled to learn of the grant.
The group has been awarded $15,000.
“Our movement’s goals are to help train and develop children to become better Christians and to contribute to their communities,” he said.
“The grant will be used for a number of purposes including developing the youth choir through the purchase of musical instruments and also funding two leadership training camps for young people in 2015.”
Mrs Macuga said the grants had been made possible by the generosity of people contributing to endowment funds with the Catholic Foundation.
“Funds up and running include the Whelan Family Fund, the Alan Forbes Youth Ministry Fund, the Douglas Foundation, named in memory of Fr Francis Douglas, and the Religious Ministry Fund,” she said.
“With the awarding of these grants, the generosity of these donors has already borne fruit.
“People entrust us with their gifts, our job is to ensure that these gifts go towards programs and services that are doing most significant work in the archdiocese.
“Such grants don’t just help these organisations expand their work but also encourages them to persevere in their mission.
“They need to know people throughout the archdiocese are supporting them in the frontline of their ministry.”
Mrs Macuga said the Catholic Foundation looked forward to more discussions with donors considering setting up endowment funds.
“These funds can be opened with a gift of $10,000 or more,” she said.
“Such generosity can make a difference forever.”
For information about endowments, phone (07) 3324 3200 or email giving@bne.catholic.net.au.
