Giving Provides Catholics With Unique Opportunity to Bless Others

If you are like many Catholics born in the 1950s or before, you have probably begun to think about the spiritual legacy your life and actions represent. What did we care about? What did we value? These are some of the things we hope will be remembered.

“For a growing number of Catholics, this introspection has led to the exploration of ‘legacy giving’ — the use of one’s will, trust, life insurance or retirement policies to leave behind an echo of one’s beliefs, deeds and values — a blessing of others that will reverberate beyond our own lifetime, hopefully influencing our family and others we cherish,” explained Jim Cavnar, president of Cross Catholic Outreach, an official Catholic relief and development charity with a staff dedicated to such estate planning.

According to Cavnar, Cross Catholic Outreach has helped many Catholics establish these “legacy gifts” and expects them to play a significant role in future ministry missions.

“A will or trust can also reflect a person’s special heart for a country or for an area of need. It can be used to build houses for poor families or to build classrooms to educate children, for example,” Cavnar said. “Others simply want to help the poorest of the poor and make their legacy gift for that purpose. It’s their way of saying, ‘As a Catholic, I value life and support works of mercy. I want my family to understand that calling and believe in it too.’ And because legacy gifts can be quite large, they often achieve incredible things. A single one might build an entire school or fund the construction of hundreds of homes. It’s producing an amazing impact and serves as an incredible testament to the faith of the giver.”

In addition to this service, Cross Catholic Outreach’s staff can support donors seeking to establish a charitable gift annuity, charitable remainder trust or special endowment. Financial planners can also obtain information to help those who seek professional counsel or have donor-advised funds.

To learn more about these services, the charity recommends readers visit its special online portal at CrossCatholicLegacy.org