Independent Catholic Foundation

08/25/2026

Welcome to the ICF family! We will be prudent stewards of your account.

08/11/2026

We were honored to host several of Catholic Foundation peers today at our forever home next to the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament. Each of us has been entrusted with the opportunity to guide an organization that stewards a multitude of Catholic legacies that will forever advance the Kingdom of God amongst us.

[From left: ICF President/CEO Chris Ringkamp, Catholic Foundation of Eastern PA President Pete Waldron, Catholic Foundation of Northwest PA Executive Director Lisa Louis, Catholic Foundation of Greater Pittsburgh Executive Director Tom O'Toole, and Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of Scranton Executive Director Mark DiPippa.]

08/07/2026

A $3,000 Impact Grant to All Saints Parish in Boswell helped underwrite the parish's popular summer Bible camp. Where else could youngsters bake bread, make candles, learn about beekeeping, and enact a day in the life of a monastery? CEO Chris Ringkamp is shown here with camp mastermind Aron Maghsoudi and the jubilant Sister Servants of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Learn about 28 other Impact Grants we awarded this year: https://www.independentcatholicfoundation.org/news/announcing-51247-in-impact-grants/

08/04/2026

On this feast of St. John Vianney, patron of parish priests, the Knights of Columbus Seminarian Endowment Committee presented the four diocesan seminarians grants from the endowment that we steward. St. John Vianney, pray for them!

07/31/2026

We celebrate the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown announcement that four men will be in formation for the priesthood this fall! Yet this joy brings a steep challenge.

Seminary costs roughly $50,000 per year per man. While five of our endowments will release $22,000 to the diocese for seminarians this year, clearly the need is great.

Please consider a meaningful gift, given in gratitude, to the diocese's Fishers of Men campaign via the link below. If you are in a financial position to donate appreciated stocks or make a charitable distribution from your IRA account, we would be glad to assist you. May the faithful men who serve us and the Lord through their lifelong ministry seek inspiration from St. John Vianney, patron of parish priests.

https://ajvocations.org

07/02/2026

Our current e-Newsletter is available for friends not on our distribution list. 35th Anniversary Year in Review; Summer Grants, Agency Investment Accounts, and more:

With a minimum investment of $50,000, these accounts provide access to a Catholic-aligned investment portfolio managed through a conservative 20% equity / 80% fixed-income allocation. The portfolio is designed to balance capital preservation with long-term growth and has targeted (not guaranteed) an...

07/01/2026

06/25/2026

As of today, St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Williamsburg has four Catholic-invested endowments with us: one each for the parish and cemetery perpetual care, plus two created by individuals for cemetery perpetual care - Dorothy Leipersock and Despot-Domovich.

Memorial gifts and bequests of any amount made be sent to us for these endowments. Please see our address in the “About” tab.

06/10/2026

Our Board of Trustees is grateful to Bishop Mark Bartchak for blessing our forever home today at the corner of 12th Ave & 13th St in downtown Altoona.

06/06/2026

Today, the Church of Altoona-Johnstown ordained three permanent deacons. We are honored to steward three permanent endowments which released a combined $5,300 for deacon formation this year alone: the Barbara R. Neral for the Diaconate Endowment, the Rev. Anthony J. Legarski Endowment for Seminarians & Permanent Deacons, and the Office of Permanent Diaconate Endowment. Congratulations, Deacons John, Matthew & Walter!