At the Catholic Foundation of Michigan, we recognize the enduring strength of our shared story—one woven with threads of faith, generosity, and an unwavering commitment to our Catholic values. Our mission, rooted in Christ’s love, aspires to make a lasting impact on our community’s long-term needs.
With over $65 million stewarded and $48.1 million invested in just over five years, we have witnessed the transformative effect of charitable giving in our parishes, schools, ministries, and nonprofit organizations. We extend heartfelt appreciation to you, our supporters, whose generosity fuels our mission. Your belief in our shared story connects us, shapes us, and propels us forward.
May the stories in our 2023 annual report lift your spirit, offering glimpses into the remarkable work unfolding in our area. With your continued generosity, we look forward to collaboratively ensuring future generations carry on our Catholic story.
Nurturing a Lasting Legacy in the Heart of Mexicantown
Nurturing a Lasting Legacy in the Heart of Mexicantown
Stories connect us to the past and invite sacred encounters.
In the heart of Mexicantown Detroit, the Holy Redeemer Catholic Parish and School community thrives. With deep roots dating back to 1882, Holy Redeemer has been a center of faith that has evolved with the neighborhood.
The Catholic Foundation is blessed to be part of their story of transformation and growth. Thanks to support from the Catholic community, eight charitable funds have been established at the Catholic Foundation for Holy Redeemer’s benefit, ensuring they remain vibrant and faithful to its mission.
“Our partnership has blessed not only our students’ receiving scholarships but also provides donors with an easy avenue to give,” shares Sr. Kateri Burbee, SOLT, principal at Holy Redeemer.
Together, we bring the community together, allowing supporters to encounter the valuable, sacred education the school provides. This collaboration tells a powerful story—one of strength in honoring the past and uniting to ensure Holy Redeemer’s legacy continues for generations.
“Thanks to the Catholic Foundation, support has grown and this allows families to call Holy Redeemer ‘home.’”
A Family’ Shared Story: Fehring Family Scholarship
A Family’ Shared Story: Fehring Family Scholarship
Stories ignite empathy, faith in action, and create lasting change.
One family’s story illustrates the profound impact that comes from directly engaging with scholarship recipients and witnessing the transformative power of education and faith.
In 2023, Patrick and JoAnn Fehring established the Fehring Family Scholarship to benefit Catholic schools in Detroit. Their decision was driven by a desire to share the value of a Catholic education they had benefited from and engage their twin daughters, Erika and Jenny, in philanthropy.
“This was life-changing for our family,” shared Patrick and JoAnn. The Fehrings were surprised at how passionately the girls took charge and how impacted they were. “It brought Erika to tears…she called me late one night with an urgent plea, ‘Dad, we need to do more…The need is great–much bigger than we expected. We need to help more families,” shared Patrick.
The Catholic Foundation worked directly with Erika and Jenny to create a scholarship application and a process to evaluate recipients. After the evaluation process and direct meetings with the Fehrings, the Foundation coordinated a visit with the twins and several schools, so that they were able to see and hear stories of the need for scholarships for Catholic education.
“What an incredible gift and opportunity we have to continue our family legacy,” Erika reflects. “The desire by so many families to learn more about God is why we are here. The enthusiasm in the students’ faces is something we will cherish forever. We are privileged and honored to be able to provide the same support for Catholic education that was offered to us by our parents..”
Their partnership with the Catholic Foundation has both provided ease in establishing the scholarship and also instilled confidence in the impact of their giving. “The process of engagement with the staff has been seamless,” Patrick explains, “ensuring that our donor intent is respected while directing support to areas of greatest need.”
For the Fehrings, philanthropy has become much more than a financial contribution. “This experience has deepened our connection with the community and within our own family,” shared Patrick and JoAnn.
Empowering Communities: Grant Recipient Workshop on Synergistic Catholic Community Centers
To RSVP, please contact Steve Wasko at waskosteve@aol.com or 313-595-6082.
Parish and Family of Parishes evangelization and evangelical charity leaders are encouraged to attend a one-day workshop on Synergistic Catholic Community Resource Centers hosted by the St. Suzanne Cody Rouge Community Resource Center made possible through grants from the Catholic Foundation of Michigan.
The 2022 Catholic Foundation of Michigan Spirit of Innovation Grant was awarded to St. Suzanne Cody Rouge Community Resource Center in Detroit for their Synergistic Community Resource Centers project. Based on a scalable model in west Detroit, the project will create and support a network of Catholic Community Resource Centers by empowering parishes and vulnerable communities to cooperatively assess needs, utilize excess facility capacity innovatively and establish a sustainable fiscal structure. St. Suzanne Cody Rouge also received a Church in the City grant in 2023 to extend the work.
The Center is an innovative, creative energizer and convener of programs of services that truly connects a vibrant and spiritual parish with the surrounding neighborhood and beyond, serving as the epicenter of programs for children, families and youth across all aspects of the community. And it does so with guiding principles unique in inner-city ministry: sustainability, partnerships, synergy, green infrastructure and care for creation, holism, and empowerment.
The existing parish-based model in the heart of the Cody Rouge neighborhood uses the building of the previously closed St. Suzanne’s Elementary School to rent classrooms and large spaces, host large community events and provide critical services to children, youth, and families alike.Several representatives of diverse parishes have reached out to St. Suzanne to model this program and some of its innovations and has begun to structure informal networks of like groups.
“Thanks to the Catholic Foundation of Michigan’s Spirit of Innovation grant, we will use these funds to further this mission and this model to create a network to share opportunities with other parishes and schools to learn how to assess community needs and respond to them,” shared Steve Wasko, the center’s project director.
In addition to representatives from the Catholic Foundation of Michigan and the Archdiocese of Detroit Department of Evangelization and Missionary Discipleship, presenters will include the Michigan Nonprofit Association, Co.act Detroit, Michigan Community Resources, MOSES Michigan, Michigan Interfaith Power and Light, Youth Development Resource Center, and IFF. Topics will cover an overview of the tangible tools available toward launching and sustaining tangible community spirit, including grants, organizational development and planning, non-profit status, facilities assessment, youth programming, and Care for Creation and energy reduction.
The workshop is free and will include refreshments and lunch and will take place at St. Suzanne Cody Rouge Community Resource Center, 19321 W. Chicago in Detroit. For more information or to RSVP contact Steve Wasko at waskosteve@aol.com or 313-595-6082.
