Planned Giving

As You Plan Your Future, Please Consider a Legacy Gift to Immaculate Conception

Dear Friends,

As a Priest, I am committing to God as much as I can of my time, talent, and treasure. The Catholic faith has been the cornerstone of my life. The priesthood ever continues to be a source of joy and fulfillment. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the Church. I strive to be a faithful steward and through my service leave a legacy that survives beyond my death.

As your pastor, I would like to encourage you to consider ways that you can leave a lasting legacy. Let me suggest that making a planned gift to the Church is a way you can leave a legacy and express gratitude for what the Church has meant to you. A planned gift can be a lasting way to fulfill your stewardship of treasure.

You may be asking yourself what a planned gift is as it can be a confusing term and it is often misunderstood. Very simply, planned giving describes a donor’s commitment to transfer capital assets to a qualified religious organization or other charity. More often than not, a planned gift is made by means of a formal agreement or contract. Planned gifts are normally made from the donor’s accumulated wealth as part of an overall estate plan. The most common form of a planned gift is a bequest provision in a Will.

Many Catholics find the idea of making a planned gift to their parish appealing. Parishioners often wonder how to go about making a planned gift and they have other questions about planned giving options.

One reason why parishioners have questions is that they do not often hear about planned giving in their Catholic community. And Church leaders do not talk about planned giving as much as we could or should. It is my hope that my written reflection will help remedy the lack of information on this important subject.

Here at the Parish, faithful parishioners have found that naming the parish in their Wills or Trusts to be a very fulfilling way to show their appreciation for what the Church has meant to them. Some parishioners have left planned gifts in memory of a loved one or close friend. Others have made a bequest to support a particular parish ministry, activity, or outreach.

Individuals who make planned gifts often enjoy significant tax advantages from their giving. Still others find that once their surviving family receives a reasonable inheritance, leaving a bequest to the parish is a fulfilling way to show their gratitude for God’s blessings and leave a spiritual legacy.

For more information about remembering Immaculate Conception Parish in your Will or Living Trust, or to request a brochure, please contact Barbara Kilarjian at 516-678-5800 x257 or email bkilarjian@drvc.org.