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Archive: February 2025

St. Katharine Drexel: Educator, Philanthropist, and Catholic Foundation Patron

Today, we celebrate the feast of St. Katharine Drexel, our beloved patron saint at the Catholic Foundation of Michigan. Her heartfelt commitment to philanthropy and her passion for uplifting marginalized communities, especially through education, inspire us all to make a difference.

Let’s carry her spirit of JOY and selfless service into our work and lives. Learn more about her inspring life and legacy below.

St. Katharine (1858-1955) was born in Philadelphia as the second daughter of a prominent banker and was no stranger to philanthropy. When Katharine’s father passed away, he donated a portion of his estate to various Catholic charities and left the rest to his three daughters.

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Join the Founders Circle Today

Join the Founders’ Circle Today

In 2016, a group of inspired lay-leaders, endorsed by the Archbishop of Detroit, invited passionate Catholics to participate in the launch of the Catholic Foundation of Michigan, forever changing the landscape of Catholic philanthropy in our area.

We invite you to consider joining us in this lifetime opportunity to make a difference in our community of faith.

Membership is a lifetime opportunity to make a difference in our community of faith. Actively engaged Catholics who want to have a meaningful impact on our community are invited to join!

Key Benefits

  • Members are publicly recognized by the Foundation, in perpetuity.
  • Invitations to participate in spiritual and social events with Foundation board members and leadership team.
  • Exclusive and unique retreats and pilgrimages.
  • Annual mass and breakfast with other Catholic leaders and the Archbishop of Detroit.

Becoming a Founding Benefactor

Individuals who contribute $5,000 per year for five years to help support the operations of the Catholic Foundation during its formative years will be invited to join the Founders’ Circle.

Join our critical mission today. Your partnership enables the Catholic Foundation to be in a position to continue to preserve and enhance our Catholic values for present and future generations. Contact Angela Moloney, President and CEO of the Catholic Foundation at Info@CatholicFoundationMichigan.org or call (248) 204–0332.

Support Today

Giving generously brings joy, and it changes lives. By sharing with those in need, we follow Christ’s desire for us and participate in bringing hope and new life in the world.

We invite all of our donors to consider a special gift of any size to the Foundation’s Legacy Endowment Fund as the Catholic Foundation expands its mission. Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to working with you to make a difference in our community of faith.

Founders Circle Membership Form

Contact Us  

 

Meet a few of our Founders’ Circle members:

Mike Vlasic
  • Investment Executive, The Discipline of Success
  • Founders’ Circle & Board Member Catholic Foundation
  • Advancement Council Chair, Archdiocese of Detroit
  • Parishioner, St. Owen, Bloomfield Hills
  • MBA, University of Michigan
  • BS, Engineering, Brown University

“In my finance roles it became clear that we are blessed with countless generous Catholic benefactors, but the Archdiocese wasn’t structured to accept large gifts in a way that was easy for the giver. With the Foundation, donors have confidence that they can direct their funds and grants, through an independent foundation, long after they’ve died through a seamless administrative process. The Foundation makes it simple to be charitable.”

Chris Allen, MHSA, FACHE

Chris Allen, MHSA, FACHE is a dynamic member of the Catholic Foundation of Michigan’s Board of Directors and a member of the Founders’ Circle. Recently retired, for 42 years Allen served in healthcare administration. For the past 14 years he was President and CEO of Authority Health, the Detroit Wayne County Health Authority, which enhances population health through linking existing health resources and filling gaps with programs and services. During his tenure at Authority Health, he drastically increased its programming for underserved residents. At Authority Health physicians were trained in the following ares: pediatrics, internal medicine, family medicine, and psychiatry. Allen is also Chairman of the Board of the Bon Secours Health System.

“There is so much more we as a Catholic Church can do. The Foundation’s grants help to make that happen.”

Investment Webinar: 2025 Market Outlook

Featuring Merrill Lynch Bank of America 

Courtney Moore, Managing Director, Private Wealth Advisor, Global Institutional Consultant, Merrill Lynch

The 2025 Investment Webinar, hosted by the Catholic Foundation of Michigan, was a great opportunity for Foundation’s fundholders and friends to hear an update about the current state of the market.  

Angela Moloney, the Foundation’s President and CEO, facilitated the discussion. It began with an introduction and prayer led by Deacon Mike Houghton of UTG at Work and the main session was led by Courtney Moore, CFP®, CIMA®, Managing Director and Private Wealth Advisor from Merrill Lynch, joined by David Gardiner, CFP®, CIMA®. 

The presentation included an insightful economic outlook, highlighting the recent substantial gains in the S&P 500 and discussing broader economic trends, including consumer health and corporate earnings reflecting the ‘Roaring Twenties’ theme. Key insights included the dominance of the ‘Magnificent Seven’ companies within the index and a global economic perspective on regions such as China, India, Spain, and Japan. The session also emphasized the importance of Catholic investing principles, focusing on ethical investment choices in line with social teachings, including the exclusion of certain industries while assessing performance against secular portfolios. The webinar concluded with a comprehensive discussion on inflation, portfolio management strategies, and a Q&A session.

The Foundation is proud to honor the trust our donors place in us by investing all funds in alignment with our Catholic values, guided by the Socially Responsible Investment Guidelines set by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.  

We are grateful to everyone who participated and engaged in this important conversation. 

Learn More About Our Investment Team