By Sarah O. Hanley • Posted October 6, 2023

At The Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia (CFGP), our mission is to grow philanthropy according to the teachings of Jesus Christ. In Luke 14:13-14, Jesus offers The Parable of the Great Feast, noting that “when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you.” In this teaching, I recognize the work of CFGP. We strive to serve others, build a culture of compassion, and enrich our Catholic community through service to those in need.

Think of CFGP as your go-to resource for Catholic philanthropy. Our goal is to ensure you are equipped with everything you need to make the most of your charitable intentions. As such, we host events explicitly tailored to donors, development professionals, parishes, and Catholic organizations.

Coming up in November, we have two such events. On November 9^th, we are holding the first in a series of workshops designed to provide helpful information about end-of-life care and planned giving. Planning for the future can make an incredible difference in the lives of our loved ones and the Catholic causes that matter most to us. However, discussing end of life is often not a comfortable conversation. Many of us shy away from planning for this eventuality, but taking that step can ease our minds and reassure those dearest to us.

In this first workshop titled “It’s the Circle of Life: Conversations Catholics should have now about end-of-life planning”, presented by Daniel Solecki, Chief Operating Officer at Life Celebration by Givnish, and special guest speaker, Terry Lamplugh, Director of Advanced Planning, Givnish Group, we will demystify end-of-life planning, share the advantages of getting your affairs in order, and present the current-day views of the Catholic Church. Additionally, attendees will learn about CFGP’s planned giving partner, FreeWill.

On November 15^th, we will hold our annual Women in Philanthropy Forum. Women in Philanthropy is a complimentary networking event for female business leaders, nonprofit professionals, and philanthropists that aims to give women in the nonprofit sector stronger voices. The forum includes a networking breakfast and a panel discussion with some of the region’s most effective female philanthropists and nonprofit leaders. This year, we are pleased to have the following philanthropists on our panel:

• Meghan Cokeley, Director, Office for the New Evangelization
• Sister Isabella Davila, DC, Behavioral Health Coordinator, Face-to-Face Germantown
• Sarah O. Hanley, President & CEO, The Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia
• Barb Riley, President, Riley Family Foundation
• Laura Sicola (moderator) Founder, Vocal Impact Productions

Additionally, we are happy to announce Women in Philanthropy Giving Circles.  Through this new initiative, CFGP empowers women leaders to make a difference through charity by offering direct participation in identifying the organizations, initiatives, and leaders who will benefit from the funds offered through the Women in Philanthropy Leadership Fund grant.

Giving Circle participants are offered opportunities to connect with other philanthropic leaders and learn more about the organizations in our community that are doing the most good.  We will announce this year’s Women in Philanthropy grant recipient in the coming weeks.

We hope you will join The Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia in our collaborative approach to effecting change in our community. For more information about CFGP and our upcoming events, please visit our website at thecfgp.org/events.

May the grace of serving people according to the example of Jesus Christ, our Lord, fill your heart.

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Sarah O. Hanley is the President and Chief Executive Officer of The Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia