Impact Stories

Clergy members are the heartbeat of any Catholic community. Ask a Catholic friend about priests that inspired them, comforted them, and brought them joy over the years. The stories and memories flow freely.

"Father, we need this." A parishioner at Saint Joseph Parish in Lucinda said this to their pastor in response to the parish plan to hold a series of evenings of Eucharistic worship in collaboration with two other parishes in their region. A Catholic Foundation grant helped to make their plans a reality.

No one wants to see a family go hungry on Thanksgiving. St. Martin Center, Inc. in Erie seized the opportunity to obtain grant funding to make sure their families in need received more than just a turkey for the holiday centered around sharing a meal.

The annual Catholic Schools Leadership Conference hosted by the Diocese of Erie Catholic Schools Office is a gathering of presidents, principals, and teachers in the role of curriculum leader from all the Catholic schools in the diocese.

As part of its mission to create opportunities for parishioners to experience faith in different ways, Saint Francis Xavier Parish in McKean wanted to bring relics of Saint Padre Pio to their church. A Catholic Foundation grant provided needed funds to accomplish this project.

Saint Michael School in Greenville is making steps towards becoming what Emily Zgonc, Principal, refers to as a truly Catholic school. This means having the Catholic faith taught and tangibly accessible outside of the religion classroom, to the hallways of the school and beyond to the students’ homes.

Attending National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) and witnessing over 20,000 Catholic high school youth gather in a stadium to worship, sing and pray together made a lasting impression on Jennifer Humes, faith formation leader and youth minister at Saint Gregory Thaumaturgus Parish in North East.

In 2021, the Catholic Foundation initiated its Catholic Social Ministry Grant opportunity to support ministries and projects that embrace and align with Catholic social teaching and are answering the Gospel call to respond to needs within the community. One such ministry is Catholic Charities Counseling and Adoption Services (CCCAS).

When John “Jack” Potosnak reflects on his mother’s life story, he has immense gratitude for the Catholic ministries that shaped and guided her through difficult early years. To honor that support, and to help fuel a strong Catholic community for the future, Jack established the Helen Potosnak Memorial Endowment in the Catholic Foundation.