What Is The St. Joseph’s Movement?
A: The St. Joseph’s Movement is made up of Catholics who choose to support the Catholic Foundation of Eastern Montana through recurring gifts—whether monthly, quarterly, or annually.
This special movement is our heartfelt way of recognizing and showing our sincere gratitude for the donors who so faithfully sustain our mission.
Members of the St. Joseph’s Movement enjoy meaningful benefits, including:
- Masses offered twice each year on:
- The Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- The Feast of St. Joseph the Worker
- Invitations to special gatherings and Masses from time to time
- A special St. Joseph keychain, blessed by the Most Reverend Jeffrey Fleming, Bishop of the Great Falls-Billings Diocese—and a fellow St. Joseph’s Movement member.
When Was The St. Joseph’s Movement Created?
A: In 2024, the Foundation celebrated its 25th anniversary! That year, we formally adopted St. Joseph as the patron saint of the Foundation and launched the St. Joseph’s Movement as a new donor recognition group.
St. Thomas Aquinas tells us that “Our holy patron St. Joseph has the power to assist us in all cases, in every necessity, in every undertaking.”
At the Catholic Foundation of Eastern Montana, we strive to be like St. Joseph: to assist the Church of our diocese in every way and in every necessity. Pope St. John Paul II teaches us that St. Joseph “watches over and protects Christ’s Mystical Body” just as he took care of the Holy Family.
St. Joseph was very much a background figure in the Gospels. Our donors are much like St. Joseph: hidden heroes. Their support ensures financial freedom for those whose vocation is the hands-on service of the Church.
Together with our donors, we show our love for Jesus and Mary by taking care of the Church in all that we do (even if no one but our Lord sees it). Few people realize the amazing good that endowments and those who build them do – but the financial support and stability they provide for the Church cannot be underestimated.
At the Foundation, we seek to provide the same quiet but ever-present backdrop of care and security for the Catholic parishes, schools, and ministries of Eastern Montana that St. Joseph provided for Mary and Jesus.
Become A Member
Joining the St. Joseph’s Movement is more than giving—it’s a beautiful way to live out your faith in stewardship and solidarity with others across our diocese.
To set up a recurring gift online, simply click on our “donate” page and choose the “ongoing” option which allows you to set the frequency of your gift.
You can also call us at (406) 315-1765 or click the button below to contact us.
Tommy Pankratz:
“I started giving to the St. Thomas Catholic Camp Endowment for two reasons!”
“The first is very simple…St. Thomas Catholic Camp changed my life, and I have seen first-hand how it’s done the same for others who have attended.”
The second reason Tommy started giving to the St. Thomas Catholic Camp Endowment after he graduated from college is because he loves the lasting impact his endowed gifts have on the camp.
Scott and Clare Held:
“We give monthly because we want to provide for, be a part of, and build a legacy for the organizations and ministries we are passionate about.”
Bobbi Taylor Whiting:
Bobbi gives monthly to the St. Mary’s Catholic School Endowment because that is where her siblings and her two sons attended school. As a single mother, Bobbi was grateful her boys received tuition scholarships. She vividly remembers one particular day, when the school called to tell her someone volunteered to pay her sons’ tuition. “I swore I would pay them back,” she said, “Even now it almost brings tears to my eyes to think of it, but that is why I now give to the school’s endowment through the Foundation. I know how schools struggle to make ends meet. Endowments are a reliable way of increasing the budget every year without having to fundraise.”
Tommy Pankratz at St. Thomas Catholic Camp
Scott and Clare Held
