St. Thomas Aquinas Fund

The St. Thomas Aquinas Fund seeks to strengthen the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse by supporting the recruitment and formation of men for Holy Orders as well as the continuing education of its priests and deacons to ensure our church leaders are formed to have an integrated core of human, intellectual, spiritual, and pastoral qualities modeled by Jesus Christ.
Donate to the Fund 

The St. Thomas Aquinas Fund was incorporated as a permanent endowment with oversight by a board of trustees and supported by the Foundation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse. Through the generosity of individuals and organizations, we hope to grow the fund to meet the increasing financial demands of seminary formation, deacon formation, and vocation promotion.

Seminary Formation

A seminarian's journey requires at least eight years of education including a college degree, theological study at a seminary, and pastoral service at a diocesan parish. The Diocese of Syracuse, working with seminarians, follows the Program for Priestly Formation of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The program helps the seminarian to be formed by way of the four pillars of priestly formation: human, intellectual, pastoral, and spiritual. These four pillars are drawn from "Pastores Dabo Vobis" (I Will Give You Shepherds) by St. Pope John Paul II. The average yearly cost to support a seminarian is $50,000.



 

Deacon Formation

We continue to be humbled by the way lay members of our community answer God's call. The deacons of our diocese receive six years of education and training to enable them to undertake the shared responsibility of the bishop and priests to serve the people in our diocese. The average yearly cost to support a deacon candidate in formation is $4,500.



 

 

Continuing Formation

Our community, and our world, is forever changing. Our diocese is committed to providing ongoing formation to enable our priests and deacons to meet the changing needs of our parishioners and strengthen our Church. The fund provides support for clergy to participate in continuing education opportunities, retreats, and annual convocations.




 

Vocation Promotion

God created us to live in a relationship of love with Him. He invites us to respond to His love in a particular way of life - our vocation. Our mission is to help discerners discover, embrace, and live out God's call. Our Vocation Promotion Program fosters opportunities for encounters with Jesus Christ, so that young people can freely respond to God's invitation to follow Him as a priest or consecrated religious.

 

 

Our priests and deacons provide us with pastoral support to grow in our personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We are called to do the same. Together, we can provide the opportunities for every man who is called to the priesthood or diaconate to receive the education and develop the pastoral skills he needs to serve our Church.

Pray for Vocations

Please join our diocesan family in prayer to support those who are currently discerning the call to Holy Orders, as well as our priests and deacons who are generously serving the people of God. 

Donate to the fund

Your generosity today will strengthen our church leaders to ensure that the Diocese of Syracuse will remain a strong, vibrant, and faithful Church for generations to come. There are many ways you can give:

• Cash Donation
• Appreciated Assets
• Retirement Plan Assets
• Life Insurance Benefits
• Include the St. Thomas Aquinas Fund in your will
• Qualified Charitable Distribution from your Individual Retirement Account (IRA)

We encourage you to contact your attorney or financial advisor to create a gift plan that best meets your needs. We are also happy to assist you in your planning. 

Donate Online Today

Donate by Mail: 
Make your check payable to St. Thomas Aquinas Fund and mail to:
St. Thomas Aquinas Fund
Diocese of Syracuse
240 E. Onondaga Street
Syracuse, NY 13202

To make a gift from your appreciated assets:
For electronic transfer of stock, instruct your broker to include your name and that your gift should be directed to the St. Thomas Aquinas Fund. To ensure you have all the correct information, complete the transfer request letter.

Transfer your shares directly to:
Morgan Stanley
250 S. Clinton Street, Suite 500
Syracuse, NY 13202
Account Name: Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse
DTC: 0015
Account Number: 621-013638-160

To make a gift from your will, trust or retirement account:
Legal Name: St. Thomas Aquinas Fund, Inc.
EIN: 46-3825711