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June 27, 2013BISMARCK - The Most Reverend David D. Kagan, Bishop of the Diocese of Bismarck publicly announced the implementation of the Catholic Foundation for the People of the Diocese of Bismarck at a news conference, effective July 1, 2013. Mike Kiedrowski, director of planned giving for the Diocese of Bismarck, will be the first executive director of the Catholic Foundation.
The new foundation, which is the first of its kind in western N.D., will give parishioners, parishes, Catholic school systems and other Catholic agencies in western North Dakota an opportunity to grow in the practice of being good stewards of the blessings God has given the Catholics of the Diocese of Bismarck. Participation with the Catholic foundation is voluntary for parishioners, parishes, Catholic schools and other Catholic agencies; it is not mandated.
Executive Director Kiedrowski has over 24 years of experience in fund development and the administration of Catholic entities in western N.D. He served as a teacher and coach at Trinity High School in Dickinson, the director of development and superintendent for the Dickinson Catholic Schools, and executive director of the St. Joseph Hospital Foundation in Dickinson. He has been the director of planned giving for the diocese since 2011.
“The diocese, as well as parishes, schools and other Catholic diocesan-related entities would be able to deposit and segregate funds as an investment pool producing a greater return,” Bishop Kagan explained of the new foundation. Parishioners may establish individual endowment funds and/or donor advised funds to support their favorite ministries, he said, which would be an advantage for each of the entities within the foundation.
Having the administration and management of all funds centrally located (instead of everyone doing it on their own) is another advantage, Bishop Kagan said. “If, through our foundation, we can maximize the benefit of donations from our parishioners as well as funds conveyed to us by our parishes, Catholic schools and other Catholic diocesan-related agencies, we will set an example for good stewardship of the gifts entrusted to us,” he explained.
This new initiative will not be starting from scratch; in essence, the Provision For the Future (PFTF) Corporation has been acting like a foundation since its establishment in
2004. The PFTF houses diocesan endowment funds such as the Seminarian Scholarship Fund, the Priest’s Care Endowment Fund and the Catholic School and Religious Education Endowment Fund. The PFTF board of directors agreed to change the name of this corporation to the Catholic Foundation for the People of the Diocese of Bismarck at its board meeting in August 2012.
“I am honored and humbled with this new assignment with the Catholic Foundation and look forward to working with the pastors, administrators and parishioners of the diocese to establish a solid foundation to ensure the faith for generations to come,” Kiedrowski said.
For more information, visit www.catholicfoundationdob.com.
Media coverage of the Catholic Foundation kickoff luncheon:
Bismarck Tribune
Dickinson Press
KFYR-TV
KXMB-TV