March 2024 Newsletter
Fall Grant 2023 Success Story
Congratulations to Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic School- Shawnee, Kansas, one of our Fall 2023 Grant Program recipients! With the assistance of this grant, they hosted their kick-off community engagement event in which they call "Thankful Thursday."
"We hosted an event focused on family, prayer, and the Eucharist. We had 200 attendees who shared time in game play, conversation, and prayer. The written feedback we received was incredibly positive. From the Thankful Thursday events to events that bring people together, we are committed to reengaging families in school life with their Catholic community," says Kathleen Hess, Teacher and Community Engagement Coordinator at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic School.
Thank you for participating in our 2023 Fall Grant Program! Information regarding the 2024 Fall Grant Program information is to be shared soon.
Get to Know Our Staff!
Beth Lopez is the Operations Coordinator for the Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas. Beth and her husband, Rey, have 6 sons and 3 granddaughters. They enjoy spending time with their family and supporting their kids in their different activities.
They have been parishioners of Holy Name of Jesus Parish for 22 years. Beth has served as a Eucharist minister, lead coordinator of a parish fundraiser (Holy Name Ice Cream Social), and has been a member of a women's group. She was also a Vacation Bible School coordinator for three years and a teacher for Religious Education (First Communion) for eight years.
Beth worked in operations prior to leaving the work force to spend 12 years raising her children. In 2014, she rejoined the work force as the Parish Secretary of Holy Name of Jesus in Kansas City, Kansas. In 2016 she made the move to her current role as Operations Coordinator for the Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas. We are grateful to have Beth as a member of our team!
14th Annual Continuing Education Program
We have organized another strong Catholic-centered program with a great speaker lineup for the 14th annual St. Thomas More Continuing Education Program. Our CE Program is a great opportunity to network in person, obtain continuing education credit, and support the Catholic professional community.
Registration is now open for this year's event. There are also sponsorship opportunities available. Visit cfnek.org/events/continuing-education-program to learn more, and remember to share these Continuing Education Program marketing materials with your colleagues and friends.
Last Sunday, Palm Sunday, marked the beginning of both the most solemn and most joyful week for followers of Christianity: Holy Week. This is the time during which we observe the steps of Jesus Christ in the days leading up to his resurrection. The final days of Holy Week are the most intense, beginning with the washing of the feet on Holy Thursday. From there, we go from the agony of the Crucifixion and the ultimate sacrifice on Good Friday to the Vigil of Easter on Holy Saturday. Then on Easter Sunday, we celebrate and rejoice in the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who, through his sacrifice, gave us salvation and eternal life.
May you have a blessed Holy Week and a Happy Easter. Our office will be closed from Thursday, March 28, 2024 at noon through Monday, April 1, 2024. We will resume normal business hours on Tuesday, April 2, 2024.
Event: Catholic Advisors Network- Topeka
Date: April 9th, 2024 | 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM
Location: The Celctic Fox, Topeka, KS
Topic: Inventing According to Catholic Values
Speaker: Jack Calcutt
Registration: Click Here, Free, CE Hours Offered!
Event: Wills and Trusts Workshop
Date: April 10th, 2024 | 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Location: St. Rose Philippine Duchesne Catholic School, Garnett, KS
Topic: Creating Your Legacy
Speaker: Casey Connealy
Registration: Click Here, Free
Event: Parish Workshop
Date: April 24th, 2024 | 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location: St. Ann Catholic Church- Parish Hall, Effingham, KS
Topic: Charitable Giving Strategies
Speaker: Jeannine Edmonds
Registration: Click Here, Free
Event: Catholic Advisors Network- Kansas City
Date: May 8, 2024 | 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Location: Church of the Nativity- Parish Hall, Leawood, KS
Topic: Business Succession Planning
Speaker: Steve Bahr
Registration: Click Here, Free Lunch Provided, CE Hours Offered!
Event: Charitable Investing Workshop
Date: May 15th, 2024 | 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Location: Mater Dei Catholic Church- Parish Hall, Topeka, KS
Topic: Smarter Ways to Give
Speaker: Luke Henry
Registration: Click Here, Free
Event: Wills and Trusts Workshop
Date: June 5th, 2024 | 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
Location: Church of the Ascension, Overland Park, KS
Topic: Creating Your Legacy
Speaker: Casey Connealy
Registration: Click Here, Free
Event: St. Thomas More Continuing Education Program
Date: June 7th, 2024 | 8:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Location: Savior Pastoral Center, Kansas City, KS
Registration: Click Here, $75 Registration Fee, Sponsorship
Opportunities Available!
St. Ann Catholic Church Establishes
a New Parish Endowment Fund
At the beginning of this month, Jane Schmitt, Director of Development for the Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas, attended St. Ann Catholic Church's Steak Dinner Fundraiser in Effingham, KS! The parish hall was full of parishioners, Knights of Columbus members, and community supporters who came out to support the St. Ann Catholic Church endowment fund.
Fr. Hughes Sundeme, pastor at St. Ann's Catholic Church, along with his endowment committee and the Knights of Columbus, hosted a steak dinner with all the fixings to raise funds for the establishment of a parish endowment for the future of the parish and future generations. The evening included a social hour and band. This new endowment fund will provide a perpetual source of income to help make a lasting impact.
To learn more about how to create an endowment fund, contact jschmitt@archkck.org.