The Catholic Foundation awarded 32 grants this year to schools, parishes, and diocesan agencies in two categories: religious education and community outreach. The foundation has been operating its grant program for 38 years, each year growing in depth and volume. The current board of trustees is grateful to the board of 1983 (then in an embryonic stage with the foundation launched just two years prior) for its vision in establishing the grants program.

We are pleased to present the Catholic Foundation’s 2021 grant recipients:

1. Walla Walla parishes: Bishop Barron’s Word on Fire platform
2. WSU Newman Center: Retreats and spirituality resources for campus ministry teams under leadership of Father Heric
3. EWU Newman Center: Conferences and retreats for campus ministry teams under leadership of Father Kuttner
4. Holiday meal outreach by Secular Franciscans in Dayton, Washington
5. St. Francis Guild at Sacred Heart Parish in Pullman, Washington: Meeting the urgent needs of people
6. St. Vincent Parish, Connell: Bilingual retreat
7. Holy Family Parish, Clarkston: New community garden project
8. St. Patrick Parish, Colfax: Homeschool Co-Op
9. Holy Rosary Parish, Pomeroy: Backpack program. Each backpack feeds a child in need every week for 10 weeks in the summer
10. Okanogan/Tonasket parishes: Assist with needs of low-income people
11. Lourdes Cathedral: Funds for a music workshop for music liturgists of the diocese
12. Lourdes Cathedral: FOCUS, a new program of evangelization and discipleship
13. Lourdes Cathedral: Stipend toward closing Mass and Corpus Christi festival and conclusion celebration of Year of the Eucharist
14. St. Francis Xavier Parish: FOCUS, a new program of evangelization and discipleship
15. St. Vincent de Paul program at Mary Queen Parish: Emphasis on eviction prevention
16. Diocesan Office of Vocations: Discipleship – first program
17. St Mary Parish, Spokane Valley: Family Faith Nights
18. St. Mary Parish, Spokane Valley: FOCUS, a new program of evangelization and discipleship
19. St. Joseph Parish on Dean: Religious education classes
20. St. Augustine Parish: Catechetical enhancements, including renovated baptismal font
21. Immaculate Heart Retreat Center: High school retreats for students from Gonzaga Prep and Tri-Cities Prep
22. Natural Family Planning
23. Catholic Charities: Family Nutrition Program
24. Chesterton Academy: New desks and chairs
25. St. Thomas More School: Theology of the Body curriculum
26. Gonzaga Prep: After school program for youth at Gonzaga Family Haven
27. Assumption School: Assessing Religious Learning Test
28. Trinity School: After school program for middle school students
29. Sacred Heart Parish, Brewster: Youth ministry and religious education
30. St. Joseph Parish, Dayton: Project Timothy, serving low-income people with financial support. All staff members are volunteers
31. St. Mary of the Rosary Parish, Chewelah, Washington: TASTY Kids’ Summer Food Program
32. Holy Family Parish, Clarkston: Vacation Bible School

St. Vincent de Paul at St. Patrick Parish, Pasco, Receives Lieb Grant

In 1998, Lucille Lieb created the Frank, Anna, Madeleine, and Lucille Leib Memorial Endowment, honoring her family and recognizing the generous support they gave to the poor and marginalized people of the Spokane community.

The Catholic Foundation has managed the Lieb Endowment since its inception.

Through annual cash distributions, the endowment supports the House of Charity, programs of Catholic Charities assisting the poor, Our Place Community Ministries, and Immaculate Heart Retreat Center.

The Catholic Foundation’s trustees determine annually which charity should receive 20% of the endowment return, according to Lucille Lieb’s directive. Her stipulation requires the organization selected by the board serve the poor and the elderly.

Past recipients have included Providence DominiCare in Chewelah, Holy Family Adult Day Care in Clarkston, L’Arche, Meals on Wheels, St. Vincent de Paul at Lourdes Cathedral, Immaculate Conception Parish in Republic, Missionary Sisters of Charity (who reside at St. Patrick Parish, Spokane) and Persons in Need, a new program at St. Anthony’s Parish in Newport.

The Catholic Foundation has selected the St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Patrick Parish in Pasco to receive the Lieb grant this year. Congratulations to Father Turner, pastor, and his SVdP staff!