Investing with Faith / Kimberly Pohovey

CCF’s mission is to provide long-term financial health for organizations

“Like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house…” (1 Pt 2:5). Peter’s words are meant to encourage the whole Church. They assure us that God is building something wonderful, and that the divine architect’s blueprint includes all of us. In God’s plan, there is a place for everyone. In his hands, each of us is a precious and beautiful “living stone.”

Once we are fully engaged in the project, however, the image Jesus uses is instructive. “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock” (Mt 7: 24-25). In other words, if we want to build a structure that serves its purpose and endures, we must be both faithful and wise.

That has been the mission of the Catholic Community Foundation (CCF) from the beginning. Since 1987, it has worked to provide and ensure rock-solid and long-term financial stability for charitable, religious, and educational organizations within the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.

Faith is our foundation

We know that what we are building isn’t just—or even primarily—ours. God has entrusted his work, his mission of salvation, to the Church as a whole. As Church, we aren’t just another human institution. We are the body of Christ. Everything we do belongs to him because everything we are depends on him. For CCF, that means managing the temporal resources we are entrusted with in a way that completely aligns with the faith that has been handed on to us through the Catholic Church.

We adhere to an investment policy and follow the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ guidelines for maximizing return on investments consistent with Catholic values and sound investment practices. We also work with an organization that constantly monitors the ethical practices of the companies in which we invest. In keeping with the moral position of the Church, for example, we refuse ownership of funds that would devalue or violate human life at any stage from conception until natural death.

While some might see this as a limitation, experience has shown us that it’s a blessing. As disciples of Christ, we are called to follow Jesus with integrity and fidelity. Part of CCF’s task is to discover and develop new ways to fully integrate our Christian values with our financial realities.

Prudence is a virtue

Bringing faith into our money matters doesn’t mean settling for less. CCF has a long track record of success because our staff has the experience and expertise smart investing requires. We currently manage more than 600 endowment and donor-advised funds, and our current assets total more than $240 million. According to the Wilmington Trust’s 2021 report, CCF is ranked among the top 10 Catholic foundations in the U.S.

Prudence and love are not at odds. Our motivation is Christ’s mission of mercy and compassion here in southern and central Indiana. Through appreciation and income, the returns we generate achieve an annualized total return greater than the rate of inflation plus any spending. This is how our assets remain adequately protected against inflation and how our goal to help sustain long-term financial stability for all our archdiocesan parishes, schools and ministries is attained.

We’re happy to help

CCF’s work serves people in three distinct groups: 1) generous donors; 2) administrators of our parishes, schools and ministries; and 3) professional advisors throughout the archdiocese. We offer assistance and advice to all who want to be part of sustaining the Church’s mission.

For more information, please contact us at ccf@archindy.org or 317-236-1482.
 

(Kimberly Pohovey is the director of major and planned gifts for the archdiocese. Tax or legal information provided herein is not intended as tax or legal advice. Always consult with your legal, tax or financial advisors before implementing any gift plan. For more information on the Catholic Community Foundation, visit www.archindy.org/CCF, e-mail ccf@archindy.org, or call 317-236-1482.) †