Planned Giving

St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church offers many ways for you to give back to  your parish community.
What is Planned Giving?​
A planned gift is a future charitable gift made by you naming St. Anthony's in your "Will" or "Trust" or as "beneficiary of your life insurance or retirement plan". This bequest will be used to fund the future needs of
​St. Anthony's Catholic Church.

"A Little Planning Now Can Make a Big Difference for Generations to Come" 
What is Tithing?

Question: Does the Church require that we give 10 percent?
​Answer: The universal Church does not specify a particular amount, while some local dioceses do. The original tithe (a 10th) was part of Mosaic Law, and as such, is now subject to the current governance of the Church. In the Summa Theologica (Q. 87), Thomas Aquinas noted that the Church can change the amount the faithful are to give based upon circumstances.
The pertinent instruction for the universal Church comes from Code of Canon Law 222, which says, “The Christian faithful are obliged to assist with the needs of the Church so that the Church has what is necessary for divine worship, for apostolic works and works of charity and for the decent sustenance of ministers. They are also obliged to promote social justice and, mindful of the precept of the Lord, to assist the poor from their own resources.”
While Canon 222 specifies an obligation to give, it does not provide a specific amount. While the Church has not defined a universal amount to be given, it is not uncommon for local dioceses to recommend specific percentages for giving to the diocese, local parishes, and other charities. Check with your parish regarding such guidelines.
Just because the amount you give is voluntary doesn’t mean that the concept of the tithe, or 10 percent, isn’t important. Aquinas noted that the tithe flows from natural law, with 10 being one of the perfect numbers. Ten percent continues to be an excellent guideline for the faithful.
It’s important that our giving be both from the heart and substantial as a reminder that God reigns first in our lives. With the average American Catholic giving a bit more than 1 percent to charity, the tithe is an effective antidote to our consumer culture.
Article published by OSV

St. Anthony's Bread

Catholics honor the tradition of Saint Anthony's Bread. When we pray to St. Anthony, the Miracle Worker, we often tell him in our prayers that if our intentions are granted we will make a gift to charity.  In the past this gift was a loaf of bread, and so the tradition has become known as Saint Anthony's Bread.   Today, instead of offering a loaf of bread to charity, most Catholics donate to the Church or a religious Order in Saint Anthony's honor.  
A Saint Anthony's Bread donation will go towards  supporting Society of St. Vincent DePaul Angola.
Our prayers and thanks to you and Saint Anthony of Padua for your generous gift.

Parish Improvement Account

Many of you may not know about our "Parish Improvement" account. It was originally established when we began building our Church in 2007. Since then, we have paid our debt in full and closed the building campaign in 2014.

​With having ongoing repairs and improvements for our buildings architectural structures and mechanical equipment we have decided to keep our "Parish Improvement" savings account open.

​Your donations go a long way to help us with the necessities to keep our Parish Community Buildings open and running properly.  

Bishop's Appeal

The Annual Bishop’s Appeal supports the ministries, programs and services of the Church throughout the Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend.

Other Ways to Give

Second Collections
Every year we are mandated by the Diocese of Fort Wayne/South Bend on what and when these collections will take place. 

​2018 Special Collections
Matching Gifts
Your donation can go even further if your employer has a matching gift program.  If so, the employer will match your gift to the charity. 
​Check with your human resources office.
Planned Stock / Material Gifts
We have previously held an informational seminar, hosted by the Province of Our Lady of Consolation,  about bequests - wills and trusts to help our parishioners understand the importance of creating a will for them and their family.  

We plan on holding another seminar in the near future.
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​For more information please click here