During this holy season of Lent, we are encouraged to remember that “we are dust and unto dust we shall return.” Facing our mortality is always challenging but we are called to see it in the light of Christ’s resurrection, a sign of hope for what’s to come. At the Foundation, we strive to bring that hope into our communities in a practical way, by helping community members develop a legacy through endowments. The Vice family, in the spotlight this month for our Mission Moment, shared their story of partnership with the Foundation. 

Glenn and Cat Vice have been parishioners of St. Genevieve Catholic Church in Thibodaux for more than 40 years. St. Genevieve is where they raised their four children and now bring their eight grandchildren, a place where they have been involved in most aspects of parish life such as their school board, church finance council, extraordinary ministry, and volunteer work. Raising their family in the Catholic church was a crucial element to their spiritual life and continued through their children as all four children attended St. Genevieve Elementary school and Edward Douglas White Catholic High School.

As many families often do, Glenn and Cat recently sat together to evaluate their finances, retirement plans and their wills to be sure their affairs were in order so their children would not have to worry. Through their conversations they decided they wanted to leave a gift to the church and schools that gave them so much, and an easy way to do so was to change their beneficiary on their retirement plans and to create an endowment at the Catholic Foundation of South Louisiana for the benefit of St. Genevieve Catholic Church, St. Genevieve Elementary School and E.D. White Catholic High School. Through a simple beneficiary form change, Glenn and Cat Vice created a gift that will live in perpetuity in support of the ministries they hold so close to their hearts. 

When asked why was it so important to Glenn and Cat to leave a gift to the church and schools when they pass, Glenn said, “We have a deeply rooted belief that God has blessed us with many gifts, and we feel strongly that we should share and use our gifts in ways that help build up our church and Catholic schools. St. Genevieve and E.D. White have been fundamental to who we are and who  our children are today and it is our way of ensuring their support long after we are gone.”

To learn more about how you can create your own legacy within the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, please click the button below or contact Amy Ponson the Executive Director of the Catholic Foundation at 985.850.3116 or by email at aponson@htdiocese.org.