Blessed Sacrament Catholic School

Celebrating 20 years of academic excellence

Blessed Sacrament School opened its doors in 1986 under the direction and dedication of founders Sister Barbara Stanek, O.P., Sister Sharon Carroll, O.P., and now Monsignor Robert Servatius, accompanied by the
support of the entire Blessed Sacrament Community. A focus on Academics and Activities remain consistent with our original mission statement:

“Blessed Sacrament Elementary and Middle School is a ‘Catholic’ School. Our purpose is to support the Catholic Church in spreading the Gospel values of Jesus Christ. We strive to nurture the whole child spiritually, academically, emotionally and socially in a loving, yet disciplined environment.”

Beginning in Pre-Kindergarten, students are provided the building blocks to succeed academically and socially. Our teaching style strikes a balance between academic preparation, spiritual development, social skills building, and extra curricular activities. Blessed Sacrament students feel safe, secure, part of a small nurturing community, yet challenged to succeed.

Students graduate prepared for the new challenges they will encounter without being overwhelmed or intimidated by these challenges. Our graduates are geared for the future with a strong, value-centered foundation developed during their years at Blessed Sacrament School. Likewise, students living in a Christ like way become problem solvers, work cooperatively and treat others with dignity and respect. Our primary goal will always be to maintain an environment for such development.

It took five phases to get our campus to its present state. As we look to the future, we recognize the need for more space to accommodate the array of liberal arts opportunities we offer. The administration and parents of Blessed Sacrament School know that exposing our students to a complete liberal arts education assures and strengthenstheir academic pursuits. By tapping this creativity, students develop self-expression thereby increasing self-esteem and most importantly become good well-rounded people.

Blessed Sacrament Parish dedicated its new worship facility in October 2005. The vision now includes the new church, The Pope John Paul II Youth Center, parish offices, and the school campus complete with classrooms, a gymnasium, extended day area, library and learning resource center.

Gifts or bequests to The Catholic Foundation of Utah in our name will ensure the future of Blessed Sacrament School and Blessed Sacrament Parish and the well being of our youth.

Back Row: Mrs. Melodie Pasinsky, 2nd Grade Teacher;
Mrs. Judy Julian, Principal; Mr. Matthew DeVoll, Counselor;
Middle Row: Mary Nielsen; Andrew Montoya; Da-hye Kong;
Carson Woodley; Front Row: Sarah Whittenburg;
Stephanie Good; Svaya George

Hispanic Ministry

Pastoral nourishment for Hispanics

For decades, the Hispanic population in Utah has been predominantly Catholic. The Diocesan Office of Hispanic Ministry is a wellspring of resources that actively bridges the Hispanic community in Utah to the rest of the universal Church. People come to Church every day for their pastoral nourishment. It is our duty to provide for such nourishment, especially to the sometimes disenfranchised of our faith.

In 1972, The Most Reverend Joseph Lennox Federal established the Diocesan Office of the Spanish-speaking to address the gulf emerging between the Catholics who, due to language barriers, could not participate in a full Catholic experience with mainstream Utah Catholics. Years later, the Diocesan Hispanic Commission was convened to further enhance the ties between the Hispanic community and the balance of the Church membership. Today, the Diocesan Office of Hispanic Ministry provides various programs and apostolic movements via a ministry that is culturally specific and brings the ever growing number of Hispanic Catholics into the Church ministry. This embracing of Catholics isn’t promoted only in our parishes but throughout the diocese.

Demonstrating this movement most visibly are the vibrant celebrations each year of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe at the Skaggs Catholic Center in Draper and the diocesan celebration of the Posada at The Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City. These gatherings provide our Hispanic Catholics with familiar faith traditions and have become treasured ceremonies enjoyed by all Utah Catholics.

On more individual levels, the Office of Hispanic Ministry offers every person in the Utah Hispanic diocese with ongoing pastoral programs in evangelization, leadership formation, youth ministry, liturgical ministries, catechetical formationand advanced catechesis and Marriage and Engaged Encounters. These programs are available to all Catholics in the diocese, but have been specifically tooled to our Hispanic community through the Office of Hispanic Ministry. The Diocesan Office of Hispanic Ministry, its team of leaders, and the Diocesan Hispanic Commission enrich the pastoral opportunities available to Hispanics in our State from the rural secluded areas to our metropolis.

Your support of the Hispanic Ministries Endowment through The Catholic Foundation of Utah assures our continuing effort of including all cultures, particularly the Hispanics in the Catholic Church of Utah.

Holy Cross Ministries of Utah

Compassionate outreach

The history of the Sisters of the Holy Cross in Utah began over 130 years ago when a group of the order arrived in 1875 to establish a hospital for injured miners and railroad workers. Although their backgrounds were varied and many, their convictions and faith were one, joined by the pioneering spirit of meeting the needs of an emerging community. The first Holy Cross hospital was a small building consisting of 12 beds. The hospital immediately became so crowded a new hospital was constructed in 1883.

The sisters embraced innovation and change. The Holy Cross order established a school of nursing, health clinics, health care plans, and entered into partnerships with other health institutions. Over the years, the health care system has experienced dramatic changes, requiring the Sisters of the Holy Cross to sell Holy Cross Health Services in 1993. The majority of the money from the sale of the hospitals was designated to stay in Utah to develop programs for the poor and under served in the community. Faithful to this mission and evidencing their unyielding spirit of innovation, the sisters organized Holy Cross Ministries (HCM). This ministry focuses on meeting the unforeseen and unmet needs of the population along the Wasatch Front.

The generosity of the many Catholic families of Utah, notably the Cosgriff family, provided the resources necessary for the work of Holy Cross Ministries. The future of Holy Cross Ministries Endowment now encompasses so much more than health care.

Today HCM offers many services throughout the State of Utah; Counseling (Spanish and English); Education (after school programs and ESL classes); Immigration Legal Services and clinics; Parish Health; Outreach (Promotora) Programs. In short, Holy Cross Ministries is committed to:
~ Serve the common good
~ Promote non-violence
~ Provide compassionate and comprehensive services for the poor and vulnerable
~ Serve as a bridge in the community to help persons access health, social, legal and educational resources
~ Act on behalf of justice by promoting relationships that are charitable and just
~ Uphold high standards that integrate and connect people and their hopes

Your continued support is obviously welcome and greatly appreciated.

Juan Diego Catholic High School

Forever Juan Diego parents

Anyone who has reared children knows that parenting strategies change with the growth of the child; as does the administration of a newborn school. Such was the case with Juan Diego Catholic High School. Parents outdid themselves nurturing this institution in its infancy. Five years after opening, Juan Diego enrollment virtually tripled; and like a grade-schooler, it underwent the rigorous tests of accreditation.

With the eyes of parents planning for their teen’s future, the Stokes family offered to help guide Juan Diego through the accreditation process. Under Jeff Stokes’ leadership as president of the board, the school examined long-range financial planning strategies and the facility’s anticipated “growing pains.” Judi Stokes worked to transition activities that were initially parent-driven toward a student or alumni oriented direction.

As parents, the Stokes viewed the school’s stage of growth much like a ‘tween - hovering somewhere between infant and teenager. While watching their students Tom, ‘04 and Jennifer, ‘06 move toward self-sufficiency, the Stokes noted Juan Diego equally needed to evolve more steadily toward financial independence.

Jeff saw endowments as a strong vehicle for long-term development and became a founding member of the planned giving committee in partnership with The Catholic Foundation of Utah. The Stokes Family established a permanent endowment for Juan Diego under the stewardship of The Catholic Foundation of Utah. Their endowment will provide tuition assistance to low-income students who demonstrate academic promise. The Stokes plan to make additional contributions to the family-named endowment with Jeff’s future pension distribution. The family also intends to make the endowment a beneficiary of their family trust. Both Jeff and Judi Stokes hope their decision will serve as a model for other Juan Diego alumni, whom they believe are the ultimate beneficiaries of an exceptional Juan Diego Catholic High School education.

Contributions to existing endowments are encouraged and appreciated.

Endowments for Juan Diego Catholic High School include:
~ Jeff and Judi Stokes Endowment
~ Mother of the Americas Scholarship Endowment
~ Archangel Endowment
~ Deacon Gerald C. Shea Memorial Endowment
~ Donovan W. Burns Art Scholarship Endowment
~ Saint Cecilia Arts and Humanities Endowment
~ Founders Endowment
~ Saint Sebastian Athletic Endowment
~ Future Endowment
~ Tepeyac Hill Endowment
~ Katharine Drexel Endowment

Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School

Where everybody is somebody

For fifty-seven years Our Lady of Lourdes Church and School has provided a rich educational experience that produces well-rounded students able to succeed, lead and give back. Our caring faculty, strong academic programs and accepting community are a winning combination.

We offer many specialized programs to ensure the success of each student. Examples include a research-driven reading program directed by a full-time reading specialist, math assistance, a Homework Lab, an Extended Day Program, and an innovative six-week academic reading and math camp in the summer.

Our collaboration with Judge Memorial Catholic High School provides unique resources that enhance success in high school and beyond. Our students see the possibilities: academic prowess, state championship sports teams, national awards for the Literary Magazine, active involvement in social justice...

Our Lady of Lourdes alumnae currently attend universities such as Harvard University, Notre Dame, Boston College, New York University, Georgetown, the Merchant Marine Academy, Purdue, and are noted participants in honors programs at the University of Utah.

Our Lady of Lourdes School community is very diverse. We have been honored twice by the Martin Luther King, Jr., Human Rights Commission for our commitment to diversity and inclusion. We are the school where “everybody is somebody” and no child is ever left behind.

The Catholic Foundation of Utah endowments are crucial to the long-term viability of Catholic schools in Utah. In partnership, The Catholic Foundation of Utah and Our Lady of Lourdes School collaborate to prepare young people for the future. Please insure the future work of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School by supporting the following endowments:
~ The Catholic Foundation of Utah Endowments
~ Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School Endowment
~ Rev. James Semple Tuition Assistance Endowment
~ Delbert DelPorto Endowment for Special Assistance

St. Pius X

A parish of rural Utah

The Edith Terhaar Scholarship Fund in support of Grand County High School graduates and their pursuit of higher education in the Health Care Profession is administered by Saint Pius X Catholic Church in Moab (Grand County), Utah. Although the world class natural beauty of the Moab area attracts thousands of visitors each year, the economy of Grand County has one of the lowest per capita incomes in the state in the service industry. This scholarship fund encourages retention to the area of those students pursuing certifications in central and southeastern Utah post-secondary schools.

This scholarship fund was initiated with a generous $10,000 donation from the Edith Terhaar Trust which was given to Saint Pius X Catholic Church at her death in May of 2006.

Edith Terhaar was born April 1, 1916 in New Munich, Minnesota and was one of eight children including a twin sister. She studied to be a nurse and served in the U.S. Army Nursing Corps during WWII helping to transport the wounded from the battlefields of the Pacific to hospitals in Hawaii. After the war she moved to San Francisco where she worked as a nurse at the Veteran’s Hospital for several years and then in private practice. She loved San Francisco and was an avid Giants fan.

Edith cared for her sister, Irene, who suffered many years with Alzheimer’s disease. Edith moved to Moab in June 2005 where she lived out her final year under the loving care of her niece, Mary, in the splendors of Moab. Edith lived her entire life as a single woman, was very loyal to her Catholic faith and had a special devotion to the Virgin Mary.

Each year the interest proceeds from this fund will be matched by the people of Saint Pius X (up to a $1000 match but never less than $500) and a scholarship will be presented to a deserving Grand County High School graduate pursuing a career in the health care profession.

Contributions to this fund by anyone else wishing to further assist in this scholarship opportunity are graciously welcomed.

Seminarians

Our future priests

This year four seminarians were ordained priests. These newly ordained priests are now actively serving Utah Catholics throughout the State. This group represents one of the largest collection of priests ever ordained in one period. Additionally, two seminarians were ordained transitional deacons and will become priests in the spring of 2007.

One of the most vital ministries of The Catholic Foundation of Utah is the education and formation of seminarian candidates for the priesthood. Father Colin F. Bircumshaw, Pastor of Saint Ann Church in Salt Lake City, serves as Diocesan Director of Vocations. The education of seminarian candidates is a lengthy one – at least six years of philosophy and theology study and as many as 10 years if the candidate is gaining a college education. Many of our seminarians, natives of foreign cultures, need additional years in school to master the English language.

We are currently blessed to have eight seminarians, two of whom are in college, one in pre-theology, and five in theology.

Most seminarians do not have personal or family resources to help finance their training, which currently costs over $30,000 a year.

Seminarians are limited as to how much they can earn. Those candidates in college on student visas are not allowed to work during the summer; those in theology are required to spend summers in pastoral work or complete Clinical Pastoral Education courses. Additionally, summers are often used for the enhancement of Spanish or English language skills.

Be certain, seminarians live very frugal lives. These, our future priests, need assistance from benefactors for tuition, room and board, transportation, and a modest monthly stipend.

Gifts or bequests to the endowment in The Catholic Foundation of Utah will help assure the support of seminary formation for our priestly leaders in the Utah Church for many years to come.