The Ministries
Kateri Institute for Catholic Studies (UM Ann Arbor)
In its first year, Kateri supported hundreds of Catholic students and faculty at UM in a secular campus sometimes hostile to faith thru talks, seminars, Masses, and other programs. Kateri seeks $30,000 to fund programming in 2024 and build out its donor base. All volunteer effort led by two tenured UM profs.
Catholic Worldview Fellowship (SE Michigan)
Intensive summer leadership formation of college students (38 in 2023) in Germany and Rome: Intellectual (Catholic history, philosophy, and theology); Spiritual (liturgy and personal prayer); and Mission (evangelizing in the contemporary culture). Fr. Ryan Richardson, chaplain of Benedictine College leads a mostly volunteer staff. CWF seeks $70,000 to launch a second cohort from Michigan colleges including UM, EMU, Wayne State, Hillsdale, & MSU.
Ut Fidem (Flint)
Weekly small groups in Catholic High Schools focused on conversion, personal prayer and sacraments, catechesis, and living one's entire life for God. 58 adult mentors led 341 students in 2022 at Dowling Catholic HS (Iowa) and it expanded to two more HSs in 2023 (including Lansing Catholic). Parental, school, and parish donations sustain a chapter after its initial launch. Ut Fidem seeks $30,000 to launch at Flint Powers, FGR or Lumen in 2024.
Damascus Youth Summer Camps (Brighton)
Highly trained missionaries and excellent worship and liturgy help youth encounter Christ and grow as disciples. Fun and fellowship centered on paintball, climbing, high ropes course, archery, etc. Seeks $37,000 to double capacity of weeklong camps in Brighton to 1600 in 2024 by recruiting and training an additional 50 counselors and to deploy 5-6 full-time year round missionaries.
Donor Packets describing each ministry and their growth opportunity will be released by October 16th.