Giving of Service to our Co-Sponsored Seminarians

By: Denise Hummel, Director at Large, Seminarian Support
Contributions from Eleanor Gentilini, Director at Large and Lisa Miklos, Past President

Over the past 65 years, MCCW has lovingly supported numerous charities. Historically, the selection of a charity for a one- or two-year period was the responsibility of the International Affairs Chair who gathered submissions from each region or area.  A file was kept of all past nominations which could be considered in later years in the event that too few charities were submitted.   

As early as 1992, the MCCW-Europe Board announced their chosen charity would be the Seminarian Co-Sponsorship Program.  The co-sponsorship program was fairly new at the time and the MCCW-Europe team helped educate others about the program. The Archdiocese for the Military Services, it explained, had decided that rather than take on the responsibility of building and staffing its own seminary, it would arrange with other Dioceses to co-sponsor candidates for the priesthood who would become military chaplains after three years of parish work in their home dioceses. But the MCCW-Europe support of this charity was just for one year and In the years to follow, various other charities were selected and supported.

Nearly fourteen years later at the 2006 Worldwide Conference in Atlanta, Georgia,  the co-sponsorship program was once again chosen as the designated charity for that year. Bishop Kaising, at that time the episcopal moderator for MCCW, understood the concerns shared by many MCCW members regarding the shortage of priests.  He challenged MCCW members to “put our money where our mouths are” and encouraged donations to continue in support of the co-sponsorship program.  

After Bishop Kaising’s death, MCCW officially adopted the co-sponsorship program in October 2008 as its perpetual charity, deciding that it would be the only charity supported by MCCW, and named it “The Bishop John Joseph Kaising Scholarship Fund for Seminarians.”   

The current MCCW Board of Directors realized the importance of continuing the legacy of supporting seminarians — our promised priests — and decided that establishing an endowed scholarship would support the perpetual charity for many years to come and secure financial investment for the co-sponsored seminarians. Last year, MCCW excitedly announced the establishment of The Military Council of Catholic Women Endowed Co-Sponsored Seminarian Scholarship! Thanks to the generous gifts of many MCCW members, the initial deposit of $50,000 was presented to the Archdiocese for the Military Services in April 2019 and our beloved perpetual charity continues to flourish today.  

The newly endowed scholarship will accomplish so much. It will connect our members from around the globe to our effort to support seminarians, unite our financial contributions for even greater impact, and inspire future MCCW members to continue supporting our promised priests. 

For over 65 years, MCCW sisters in Christ have given their time, talents, and treasures.   These financial treasures will forever support our perpetual charity. Together we can support our promised priests — those men called to serve both God and our military families.  

Encourage your children and the young people in your military communities to consider a vocation to the priesthood, religious, or consecrated life. You never know when a word of encouragement, a question, or a thoughtful reflection might be the catalyst that a young person needs.

–Archbishop Broglio