Grant for $1.25 million to fund a 'We Are Now of the Church' program
Gwynedd Mercy University has received a $1.25 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to support an innovative program titled “We are the Now of the Church: Young Adult Synodal Ministry and Thriving Catholic Congregations.”
The project is being funded through Lilly Endowment’s Thriving Congregations Initiative. The aim of the initiative is to encourage flourishing congregations by helping them deepen their relationships with God, enhance their connections with each other, and contribute to the vitality of their communities and the world.
The program will facilitate a dynamic partnership between parishes in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and Catholic colleges and Newman centers within the Archdiocese. The initiative aims to strengthen vital connections for young adult ministry between college campuses and parishes, building upon the momentum of the Synodality in Catholic Higher Education in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia (SCHEAP) project.
“This innovative project will help us continue to accompany young adults in the Archdiocese on their journeys of faith through creative and engaging programming,” said Jim Gallo, EdD, Vice President for Mission, Planning, & Effectiveness at Gwynedd Mercy University. “For our young adults, this program seeks to cultivate a sense of belonging to and in the Church. We hope it will grow the capacity of participating parishes in engaging young adults as co-responsible partners in service to the Church’s mission.”
Gwynedd Mercy University is one of 238 organizations that have received implementation funding through the Thriving Congregations Initiative since it began in 2019. Reflecting a wide variety of Christian traditions, the organizations represent mainline Protestant, evangelical, Catholic, Orthodox, peace church, and Pentecostal faith communities.
“Congregations play an essential role in deepening the faith of individuals and contributing to the vitality of communities,” said Christopher L. Coble, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for religion. “We hope that these programs will nurture the vibrancy and spark the creativity of congregations, helping them imagine new ways to share God’s love in their communities and across the globe.”
The collaboration features distinctive elements aimed at sharing resources and the development of spiritual and educational experiences with parish partners. It also focuses on nurturing student leadership through presentations and gatherings involving young adults and Church leaders. These initiatives are designed to assist Archdiocesan parishes in crafting compelling programming for young adults, empowering young adults to assume leadership roles within their communities. Furthermore, the collaboration aims to bridge college campus ministry programs with parish life, fostering greater connectivity and engagement across these spheres.
In 2021, a group of educators and campus ministers from eight institutions of higher education in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, including Gwynedd Mercy University, as well as three of its Newman Centers, established SCHEAP in response to Pope Francis’ invitation that all people of good will, particularly young people, will be given an opportunity to participate in the global Synod on Communion, Participation, and Mission. Since then, SCHEAP has become an international model for synodal collaboration across Catholic institutions for engagement between students and Church leaders. Over the past several years, SCHEAP has engaged with students and Church leaders, which led to the appointment of a local college student as a delegate in the global Synod in Rome.
“We are thrilled to have received funding from the Lilly Endowment Inc. to support this exciting initiative,” shared Deanne H. D’Emilio, JD, President of Gwynedd Mercy University. “The grant will help our campus community further engage in work that supports our mission and continues the work of the Sisters of Mercy.”
