Donor Stories

John FeiraMaking His Charitable Dream a Reality
John “Jack” Feira (fare-ah) of Green Bay, WI, became a Bishop’s Ambassador to the Diocese of Marquette this past summer when he completed legal paperwork to designate assets, upon his passing, to the Upper Peninsula Catholic Foundation. Read More

Don StanleySeminarian Education and Catholic Social Services Benefit from Substantial Bequest Gift
Seminarian education and the work of Catholic Social Services of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan will be substantially and permanently enhanced due to a $1.2 million bequest divided equally between the two. The gift was received by The U.P. Catholic Foundation, Inc. from the estate of Don Stanley. Read More

Hilda and Eryk Tomayo-SilvaLegacy Gift to benefit CCM-NMU Students Now and Later
Hilda's legacy gift to the CCM-NMU Endowment Fund not only provides a great opportunity for her to give back and share her strong Catholic Faith, it also allows her to continue to spread the faith to future generations. Read More

Rev. Paul NomelliniGod Loves a Cheerful Giver! Remembering Rev. Paul Nomellini
"God loves a cheerful giver!" says Rev. Paul Nomellini. "You can't take it with you!" A retired priest of the Diocese of Marquette, Father Paul takes his giving very seriously and wants to use his resources wisely. He has 4 or 5 favorite causes that he donates to on a monthly basis. Read More

Father Al Mott while hunting deer with his deerGiving to Future Generations
When he first learned about planned giving, Father Allen Mott, of St. Anthony Parish in Gwinn and St. Joseph, Northland, saw how easy it is to give to the causes that matter to him most. A gift to a permanent endowment enables him to balance both his giving now and in the future. Read More

Jacob MahoneyYoung College Grad Gives Back
Supporting the Newman Center through charitable donations is one way Jacob Mahoney is giving back to the Church. As good stewards, each of us plays an important role in preserving and extending our Catholic heritage. Read More

John E. JohnsonMan Makes Church's Future—and His Own—Even Brighter
John E. Johnson is a man of deep faith who has enjoyed teaching and traveling. Using annuity payments from multiple charitable gift annuities, he has funded at least 15 trips to places like Europe, Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Read More

Frank and SadieThe Story of Frank and Sadie
The story of Frank and Sadie is rooted in their Catholic upbringing. Both were born of Catholic immigrant parents and raised in the faith. In raising their own three children, they passed on the faith. They have cared for and protected the gift of faith by participating in the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, and by living a life of prayer and service to others. Read More

George and Bettey TomasiWhy We Give: George and Bettey Tomasi
We feel such great gratitude to the Lord for giving us so many blessings,” said George Tomasi, reflecting back on his 80 years. “Yes,” chimed in his wife, Bettey, “Maybe He realized we would need extra help with the nine children He gave us! Read More

Leaving a Lasting Gift
He was a police sergeant and she was a kindergarten teacher. They moved to St. Ignace, Mich. in 1972, where they joined St. Ignatius Loyola Parish. As part of their estate plan, the late Frederick “Jiggs” and Margaret “Maggie” Jackson planned several gifts to benefit their favorite charitable causes in St. Ignace. One of those causes was St. Ignatius Loyola Parish. Read More

Altar SocietyNew Endowment Ensures Future Priests for Diocese of Marquette
The St. Peter Cathedral Altar Society thought that donating to the new Seminarian Endowment Fund and receiving a 50 percent match was too good of an opportunity to pass up. Read More

Evelyn MakiCatholic Values Passed On
Evelyn T. Maki has passed on her lifelong Catholic values through recent bequest gifts to her parish and to Legacy of Faith. A member of St. Peter Cathedral in Marquette, Evelyn was an active parishioner and attended Mass each weekend. She gave generously of her time, talents and treasure in many ways, including supporting the addition of the gathering space at St. Peter Cathedral. Read More

Dr. Susan RitterA Parishioner's Perspective on Stewardship & Giving
Recently retired after 40 years of working in obstetrics, Dr. Susan Ritter is expressing her faith in new ways that bring joy and purpose to her life—and will continue to impact the lives of others. Read More

Diocese of Marquette ~ 1004 Harbor Hills Drive, Marquette, MI 49855-8851 ~ 1 (800) 562-9745 ext.108

A charitable bequest is one or two sentences in your will or living trust that leave to the Catholic Diocese of Marquette a specific item, an amount of money, a gift contingent upon certain events or a percentage of your estate.

an individual or organization designated to receive benefits or funds under a will or other contract, such as an insurance policy, trust or retirement plan

"I give to the Catholic Diocese of Marquette, a nonprofit corporation currently located at 1004 Harbor Hills Drive, Marquette, MI 49855, or its successor thereto, ______________ [written amount or percentage of the estate or description of property] for its unrestricted use and purpose."

able to be changed or cancelled

A revocable living trust is set up during your lifetime and can be revoked at any time before death. They allow assets held in the trust to pass directly to beneficiaries without probate court proceedings and can also reduce federal estate taxes.

cannot be changed or cancelled

tax on gifts generally paid by the person making the gift rather than the recipient

the original value of an asset, such as stock, before its appreciation or depreciation

the growth in value of an asset like stock or real estate since the original purchase

the price a willing buyer and willing seller can agree on

The person receiving the gift annuity payments.

the part of an estate left after debts, taxes and specific bequests have been paid

a written and properly witnessed legal change to a will

the person named in a will to manage the estate, collect the property, pay any debt, and distribute property according to the will

A donor advised fund is an account that you set up but which is managed by a nonprofit organization. You contribute to the account, which grows tax-free. You can recommend how much (and how often) you want to distribute money from that fund to the Church or other charities. You cannot direct the gifts.

An endowed gift can create a new endowment or add to an existing endowment. The principal of the endowment is invested and a portion of the principal’s earnings are used each year to support our mission.

Tax on the growth in value of an asset—such as real estate or stock—since its original purchase.

Securities, real estate or any other property having a fair market value greater than its original purchase price.

Real estate can be a personal residence, vacation home, timeshare property, farm, commercial property or undeveloped land.

A charitable remainder trust provides you or other named individuals income each year for life or a period not exceeding 20 years from assets you give to the trust you create.

You give assets to a trust that pays our organization set payments for a number of years, which you choose. The longer the length of time, the better the potential tax savings to you. When the term is up, the remaining trust assets go to you, your family or other beneficiaries you select. This is an excellent way to transfer property to family members at a minimal cost.

You fund this type of trust with cash or appreciated assets—and may qualify for a federal income tax charitable deduction when you itemize. You can also make additional gifts; each one also qualifies for a tax deduction. The trust pays you, each year, a variable amount based on a fixed percentage of the fair market value of the trust assets. When the trust terminates, the remaining principal goes to the Church as a lump sum.

You fund this trust with cash or appreciated assets—and may qualify for a federal income tax charitable deduction when you itemize. Each year the trust pays you or another named individual the same dollar amount you choose at the start. When the trust terminates, the remaining principal goes to the Church as a lump sum.

A beneficiary designation clearly identifies how specific assets will be distributed after your death.

A charitable gift annuity involves a simple contract between you and the Church where you agree to make a gift to the Church and we, in return, agree to pay you (and someone else, if you choose) a fixed amount each year for the rest of your life.
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