Paying It Forward: Pilgrimage For Life Scholarships
The Diocese of Evansville’s 2018 Pilgrimage for Life had a record number of participants who were able to attend because of scholarships. This year, more than 68 people were eligible to receive assistance so that they could make the trip to Washington D.C.
2017 participant, Elisha Hoffman said, “For me it’s just an awesome experience, to be able to come together and see how many people really believe in the same cause. It’s easy sometimes to feel like nothing will ever change because you feel like you’re on a tiny island all alone; but seeing people from all over the country, and even from other countries, it’s rejuvenating. I also love being able to have conversations with people of different backgrounds who have different reasons for supporting life, yet we all believe in the same cause. It’s eye-opening!” Hoffman has attended the Pilgrimage five times – starting as a junior in high school and continuing through her senior year of college. She only missed one year, 2016, when a blizzard blanketed Washington D.C., in more than 30 inches of snow.
The Louise Becker Youth Endowment is the source of funding for the scholarships for the Pilgrimage for Life. This year the total for this event was more than $20,000. Scholarships are also available from this endowment for other youth opportunities like World Youth Day, the Notre Dame Vision Conference, One Bread One Cup, Parish youth events, and numerous other projects that foster youth faith formation and leadership. The scholarships are administered through the Diocese of Evansville Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry.
“Diocesan funding and scholarships gave me the chance to stand up for my beliefs alongside my family, friends and thousands of others – and fight for those who cannot, for the sacredness of life in every form,” said Andrew Rodgers. He first attended the Pilgrimage for Life with his sisters as members of their youth group. This year, he is a recipient of the scholarship and attended to serve as a chaperone for that same youth group.
The Pilgrimage for Life touches those who attend profoundly. The Louise Becker Youth Endowment and all of the endowments at the Catholic Foundation are ways for people to make contributions now that will have impacts on people far into the future. They are, in essence, ideal ways to “pay it forward.”
If you would like more information about the endowments that benefit the Dioceses of Evansville or to start a new endowment, please visit the Foundation website, www.catholicindiana.org – or you may call 800-637-1731.
