Mater Ecclesiae Fund For Vocations Inc

THE MATER ECCLESIAE FUND FOR VOCATIONS (THE FUND) AWARDS GRANTS TO MEN AND WOMEN WITH VOCATIONS TO THE CATHOLIC RELIGIOUS LIFE, WHO ARE PREVENTED FROM BEGINNING OR CONTINUING THEIR FORMATION BY THEIR STUDENT LOANS.

THE FUND OPERATES THE ST. JOSEPH STUDENT DEBT RELIEF GRANT PROGRAM FOR MEN AND WOMEN WITH VOCATIONS TO THE CATHOLIC RELIGIOUS LIFE (INCLUDING THOSE MONASTERIES OR OTHER COMMUNITIES WHOSE MEMBERS MAKE VOWS OF POVERTY, CHASTITY AND OBEDIENCE, AS WELL AS THOSE IN SOCIETIES OF APOSTOLIC LIFE, WHOSE MEMBERS DO NOT MAKE SUCH VOWS) BUT WHO ARE PREVENTED FROM BEGINNING OR CONTINUING THEIR RELIGIOUS FORMATION DUE TO THEIR PRE-EXISTING STUDENT LOANS. IN 2023, THE FUND AWARDED 27 NEW GRANTS. IN TOTAL, 35 MEN AND 103 WOMEN WERE BENEFICIARIES UNDER THIS PROGRAM IN 2023. AT DECEMBER 31, 2023, THESE GRANTS ARE REFLECTED IN A CONTINGENT LIABILITY OF $1,301,074 FOR FUTURE GRANT PAYMENTS.

VITA CONSECRATA EVENT: IN JULY OF 2023, THE FUND HOSTED A DINNER MEETING TO MEET AND TO THANK MEN AND WOMEN IN RELIGIOUS LIFE OR THEIR LIVES OF PRAYER, SACRIFICE AND SERVICE TO THE CHURCH AND TO THE WORLD, AS WELL AS TO FAMILIARIZE THEM WITH THE WORK OF THE FUND. THE EVENT WAS HELD IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE VITA CONSECRATA INSTITUTE, A JOINT PROJECT OF THE INSTITUTE ON RELIGIOUS LIFE AND THE NOTRE DAME GRADUATE SCHOOL OF CHRISTENDOM COLLEGE IN FRONT ROYAL, VIRGINIA. APPROXIMATELY 60 MEN AND WOMEN IN RELIGIOUS LIFE, TOGETHER WITH FACULTY AND STAFF ATTENDED THE EVENT.

UNTIL 2023, THE FUND OPERATED THE ST. JOHN VIANNEY STUDENT DEBT RELIEF GRANT PROGRAM FOR MEN WITH VOCATIONS TO THE CATHOLIC PRIESTHOOD, BUT WHO ARE PREVENTED FROM BEGINNING OR CONTINUING THEIR PRIESTLY FORMATION DUE TO THEIR PRE-EXISTING STUDENT LOANS. WHEN THEY COMPLETE THEIR SEMINARY TRAINING, THESE MEN WILL SERVE IN PARISH OR OTHER PRIESTLY MINISTRY. IN 2023, FIVE MEN WERE BENEFICIARIES UNDER THIS PROGRAM. IN 2014, THE ST. JOHN VIANNEY PROGRAM WAS CLOSED AND COMBINED WITH THE ST. JOSEPH PROGRAM. THE LAST OF THE ST. JOHN VIANNEY GRANTS WAS FULLY PAID IN 2023. NOW, ALL AWARDS ARE GIVEN THROUGH THE ST. JOSEPH PROGRAM.

THE FUND CONDUCTS AN ONGOING PUBLIC EDUCATION AND AWARENESS CAMPAIGN TO INFORM MEMBERS OF THE CATHOLIC FAITHFUL ABOUT THE TREMENDOUS PROBLEM FACING MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE PREVENTED FROM PURSUING THEIR VOCATIONS TO THE CATHOLIC PRIESTHOOD AND/OR RELIGIOUS LIFE BY THEIR STUDENT DEBTS. IN 2023, APPROXIMATELY 100,000 CATHOLIC HOUSEHOLDS WERE CONTACTED THROUGH A DIRECT-MAIL PROGRAM (INCLUDING BOTH POSTAL MAIL AND EMAIL) ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND ABOUT THE SOLUTION DEVELOPED BY THE FUND. THE FUND ALSO OPERATES THROUGH ITS WEBSITE, FUNDFORVOCATIONS.ORG, AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA, INCLUDING FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM AND YOUTUBE. OUR FACEBOOK PAGES LOGGED APPROXIMATELY 38,569 PAGE REACHES (166% GROWTH OVER 2022) AND OVER 5,196 VISITS (186% GROWTH). INSTAGRAM REPORTED 246,625 (OVER 1,300% GROWTH OVER 2022) PAGE REACHES AND OVER 2,794 NEW FOLLOWERS (UP 214%). OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL AND WEBSITE ALL EXPERIENCED SIMILAR GROWTH IN 2023.