By Sarah Hanley • Posted July 17, 2023

“For I know well the plans I have in mind for you—oracle of the LORD—plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope.” – Jeremiah 29:11

In 2020, The Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia (CFGP) established the Archbishop’s Ministry Support Fund to provide financial assistance to ministries and initiatives identified by Archbishop Pérez as critical to the life and future of the local Church.  This fund awards grant funding to ministries and programs throughout the Archdiocese of Philadelphia that focus on spiritual and temporal nourishment our community now and into the future. The Archbishop’s Ministry Support Fund serves as a vehicle of hope for future generations. Two prime examples are the The Culture Project (TCP) and Young Catholic Professionals (YCP).

This Fund supported TCP as it sought to establish a strong presence in our local Church. The Culture Project was founded by Ms. Cristina Barba Whalen, a graduate of Archbishop John Carroll High School, and has a track record of proven success in locations throughout the country to minister to young people and restore culture through the experience of virtue.

The Fund also supported YCP and enabled the group to establish a chapter in Philadelphia. This local chapter has impacted more than 700 young professionals since its launch. From networking to expert panel discussions, YCP hosts monthly events focused on young Catholic professionals’ spiritual, professional, and human formation.

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“YCP has been an essential, irreplaceable part of my faith journey. When I started my first job out of college, I didn’t have a solid community to lean on, and I quickly began to drift away from my faith and my identity as a disciple of Jesus. But then, God blessed us with the formation of our new Philly chapter, and everything changed. I now have the mentorship, formation, and community to live my love for Jesus in the workplace. YCP Philly would not be possible without CFGP, and I am so grateful for all those who make it possible for us to have our chapter.”

– Kasey Brown, YCP Philadelphia Chapter President

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One such event is a YCP panel discussion to be held on July 20^th at the Catholic Philopatrian Literary Institute (1923 Walnut Street, Philadelphia). The topic is Catholic Financial Planning for Young Professionals. This gathering seeks to provide young professionals with a jumping-off point that integrates Catholic values into their personal financial and overall wellness planning. CFGP’s Chief Financial Officer, Kurt Gabbard, will be a panelist. He is looking forward to sharing experiential insights about Catholic development and fundraising.

We are also excited to share that this spring, CFGP received an extraordinary $100,000 commitment to match every gift to the Archbishop’s Ministry Support Fund dollar-for-dollar. Today, we are pleased to report that the $100,000 goal was not only reached, but also surpassed. We are grateful to the generous donor for inspiring others to support the initiatives identified by Archbishop Pérez as critical to the life and future of our Church. 

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“Coming home to Philadelphia, I had a lot of hopes and dreams for our young people and our young adults. Frankly, we didn’t have the resources for what I wanted to do. I’m so grateful to The Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia for generously establishing, seeding, and creating the Archbishop’s Ministry Support Fund. Now that the fund has been created, we are counting on people to support it through their generosity.”

– Most Reverend Nelson J. Pérez, D.D. Archbishop of Philadelphia

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TCP and YCP provide opportunities for young people to learn more about their faith, what it means to be Catholic in the world today, and how to live out that faith in all aspects of their lives with the zealous heart of a Missionary Disciple. The future of our faith rests with ensuring that the next generation of Catholics has a dynamic and active Church to call home. One way to do that is by giving to the Archbishop Ministry Support Fund, which will bring vibrant organizations, innovative programs, and vital ministries to our Archdiocese.

The Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia is thankful to everyone who has kindly contributed to the Archbishop’s Ministry Support Fund. Please prayerfully consider how you can invest in our future Church. To make a gift, please visit thecfgp.org/donate/archbishop

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