FAITHFUL LEGACY (with Legacy Society) ANNOUNCEMENTS
We recommend that your weekly bulletin and other parish communications regularly include some type of messaging encouraging your parishioners to think about their legacy and consider joining the parish legacy society. The announcements below can be used throughout the year. They can be included in bulletins, newsletters, parish emails and other parish communications, including tax receipts mailed to parishioners.
Please use the Faithful Legacy logo below as a header above any announcement. Also, be sure to include the bolded“call to action” so parishioners know where to go for more information. It is helpful to vary the announcements from week to week and to provide the parish bulletin editor with a schedule in advance.
New Year’s Day (Solemnity of Mary)
How lightly Mary held Jesus. She did not clutch Him to her but held Him out for the world to know. She knew that He did not belong to her alone. From the moment of His birth she was called upon to share Him with strangers who flocked to see Him. In the same way, we are also called to hold our blessings lightly, being willing to share what God has given to us with those whom God may lead to us. As this New Year begins, let us make passing on our Catholic heritage our first resolution. A planned gift to our parish makes you an eternal steward of our Church. To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday leaves us each with a visible reminder of our faith. By remembering the Church in your estate plans, you leave a tangible reminder of your commitment. To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
Lenten Season
As we demonstrate our devotion to God this Lenten season, we are reminded to be stewards of our faith. By providing a gift through your estate planning, you leave a sign of your commitment to continue the good work of the Church. To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
Easter Season
Give the gift of joy this Easter season. Please consider a gift to the Church through your estate plans to provide lasting support for God’s work. To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
Thanksgiving
At this time of the year, we give thanks for our God-given blessings. A gift through your will or planned gift expresses your gratitude for your faith and the Church community. To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
Advent
The spirit of giving is most evident during the Advent season. Consider a gift to the Church this season through your will or a planned gift. To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
Ordinary Time
“For we know not the day nor the hour.” Do not put off planning your estate plans prayerfully. Good stewardship dictates that we look ahead and make provisions for our family and our Church. To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
There are simple, cost-effective ways to make a legacy gift to our parish. For example, you can use a Payable On Death designation on a bank account so that at your death our parish will receive the remaining funds in the account. Check with your financial advisor to see if this option makes sense for you. To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
We appreciate the thoughtfulness of parishioners who have left bequests to the parish. These gifts help us to build a solid foundation for future generations. To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
There is no greater satisfaction than knowing that your personal property and accumulated wealth will be shared exactly as you personally desire. Whether your estate is large or small, you should make certain it is properly distributed to those to whom you wish it to go. If you wish to remember our parish, this can be done through careful preparation of your will. To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
“If anyone does not take care of his own, and especially of his household: he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. “ 1 Timothy 5:8. Planning for death is as natural for the Christian as planning for life. Having a will is simply good stewardship. Take care of your family. To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
Have you remembered the good works of the Church in your will? A bequest of part of your estate or for a stated amount of $1,000, $5,000, $10,000 will ensure that the works of the parish will continue after your death. To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
We have drawn spiritual and academic life from our parish and Catholic schools. What return will we make of these gifts? As the good steward of the Gospel, shall we give to God sufficient return for our gifts? Consider a life-culminating gift through your Will. To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
Religious education of young people is vital to the strength of the church. Make provision in your will to help faith formation programs at our parish. To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
Who will take your place as a generous benefactor to our parish? A memorial gift in your Will could continue your generosity after your death. To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
Your generosity during your lifetime has enabled our parish to serve the people of God in this community. Continue to be a part of the strength of this community by making a bequest in your Will to help us to continue the mission of Jesus Christ in our parish ministry. To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
You need not redo your entire Will to make a provision for a charitable bequest to our parish. See your attorney about preparing a Codicil (a written change or addition), have it witnessed and attached to your Will. To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
Have you ever considered purchasing a paid-up life insurance policy naming our parish as the beneficiary? It could provide a very substantial gift for a small investment on your part. To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
You can have an enduring influence on the lives of families in our parish. Please contact your attorney and instruct him or her to include a bequest for our parish in your will. To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
“My weekly offering isn’t much,” but my estate can make a one-time gift at my death in a way that I couldn’t while alive. “In thanksgiving for the faith I received at my parish , I bequeath…”To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
Making a Will isn’t expensive. But not having one may cost your family a great deal. Please be a good steward of your resources by using wisely the Lord’s gifts given to you. Make a Will or revise the one you have if you haven’t done so in the last five years, and consider a gift to our parish. To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
Please remember the good works of our parish in your Will. Once family and loved ones are well cared for, consider a modest bequest to our parish. To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
Help our parish pass on the gifts of Faith, Hope and Charity and consider the gift to our parish in your Will or estate plan. To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
Think about the people, things, and organizations most meaningful to you. Write your Will soon so your intentions will be legally fulfilled according to your wishes. To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
Many Catholic families are making charitable gifts to create parish endowment funds in memory of parents and other loved ones. Have you considered establishing a Memorial Fund in the name of your parent(s) or a loved one? To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
Do you have life insurance you may no longer need? By naming our parish as a beneficiary, you will provide lasting financial support and may qualify for tax benefits as well. It will not cost anything to change the beneficiary on your policy, and will do much to help strengthen our parish for the future. To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
How long has it been since you updated your Will? Does it still express your wishes? Does it leave a gift to our parish to carry on its ministry after your death? To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
You can share your faith beyond your lifetime by careful estate planning that includes our parish in your will. During your lifetime you will have the joy of knowing that whatever you do not use in this life, will continue in ministry through your church after your death. To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
Sometimes, using a “Transfer on Death” form can easily accomplish a legacy gift of stocks, bonds or mutual funds to our parish. Check with your advisors to see if this makes sense for you. To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
Put your life-long, hard earned assets to work for the Lord. A planned, sacrificial gift to the Lord acknowledges that we are simply stewards of all that God has provided. We are managers of His blessings upon us. Just as we sacrificially give throughout our lives, we give our final gift at the end of our lives here on earth. By endowing our gifts, our charity does not end when we are gone. As we enter eternal life so too does our gift. To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
To Encourage Estate Gifts to the Parish Endowment
In memory of deceased loved ones, honor their memory through a gift to the parish endowment. What a beautiful way to honor a loved one by supporting the eternal work of the Church. To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
By making a gift to our endowment, you will help provide perpetual support for our parish. It is a beautiful demonstration of faithful stewardship and helps to pass on our Catholic faith to future generations. To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.
Imagine a gift that gives forever. That is what happens with a legacy gift to our parish endowment. What you give today will strengthen our Parish family by providing perpetual financial support. To begin planning for your legacy, or to become a member of the [Legacy Society Name], please visit [ You may also contact [Pastor Name] at the parish office or Mary Lou Ozimek of the Catholic Community Foundation at (216) 696-6525 x4070 or for a confidential conversation.