an endowment to support the dream by funding leadership formation
The Fr. Chuck Gallagher, S. J. Legacy Fund was created to honor the founding Father of Worldwide Marriage Encounter and to ensure that his work continues.
It is an endowment to support the dream of Worldwide Marriage Encounter. Its purpose is to continually train couples and priests to provide life-giving experiences and to provide leadership training for the movement. It is a living fund that embodies Fr. Chuck’s passion to provide experiences to couples and priests all over the world.
Worldwide Marriage Encounter promotes open, honest, tender, and trusting relationships between a husband and a wife; between priests, religious, and their communities; and everyone with God.
Worldwide Marriage Encounter truly changes the Church and the World through its experiences: Weekend (residential) experience, Weekend (non-residential) experience, Virtual Weekend experiences, and 3RE experiences (seven 2-3 hour sessions) either virtual or at a parish.
History
Fr. Chuck Gallagher, S.J., developed the Worldwide Marriage Encounter program after attending a series of conferences created by a young Spanish priest, Fr. Gabriel Calvo. Fr. Chuck realized that by building on the power of this program, the Sacraments of Marriage and Holy Orders could be strengthened, the entire Catholic Church would benefit, and that this mission could ultimately change the world. This is the legacy he left our world and our Worldwide Marriage Encounter movement. Learn more by viewing this video from Fr. Chuck.
Worldwide Marriage Encounter presents a positive, hopeful, Christ-centered view of the Sacraments of Marriage and Holy Orders.
The experience reinforces the teachings of the Church with regard to Marriage. It is the lived expression of many of the concepts found in St. John Paul’s Theology of the Body.
During the experience, participants are empowered to become evangelizers by witnessing to God’s love in their homes and communities. This “New Evangelization” has been a core part of the Movement from the beginning.
- The experience teaches a technique of dialogue that can improve communication in all relationships.
- The communities created after the experience promote healthy and life-giving relationships among married couples and priests.
- Through the Movement, leadership teams consisting of a couple and a priest draw on the unique gifts of both sacraments.
- Worldwide Marriage Encounter is supported entirely by missionary couples and priests who respond to God’s call.
- Involvement in the Movement strengthens the family by encouraging parents to be positive role models for their children.
- Surveys show that 80% of couples who attend an experience become more involved in their parish community.
- Fr. Chuck Gallagher called Worldwide Marriage Encounter “the best lay-leadership training in the Church.”
- This entire worldwide movement is funded by the free-will donations given by generous couples during the experience. Over the years, as costs have risen and economic conditions have changed, the need for an endowment fund became a necessity. It seemed fitting to name this endowment after Fr. Chuck Gallagher, S.J., following his death in August 2013.
- Proceeds from the Gallagher Legacy Fund will be used to train WWME missionary leaders to provide the best possible experiences.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Specially designated gifts are a great way to show others you care about them and about the future of Worldwide Marriage Encounter. These may include:
- Memorial gifts in remembrance of a family member, friend, fellow parishioner or marriage encounter “family” member.
- Tribute gifts recognizing special occasions such as anniversaries, achievements, retirements, and promotions.
A planned gift to Worldwide Marriage Encounter is a financial gift structured to serve the needs of the movement and the giver, such as:
- Charitable gift annuities, which provide payments for life, tax benefits, and ultimately benefit the Fr. Chuck Gallagher, S.J. Legacy Fund.
- Gifts through wills, also known as bequests.
- Charitable remainder and charitable lead trusts to support our permanent endowment fund.
Even the smallest gift is significant. Donations are pooled in the fund, so every gift adds to the overall growth of the principal amount, which then compounds the return on investments. Every gift is appreciated, worthwhile, and inspirational.
There are many types of gifts that benefit the Fr. Chuck Gallagher, S.J. Legacy Fund, such as:
- Cash
- Real estate
- Personal property
- Stocks and bonds
- Life insurance
- Planned Gifts
Yes. Gifts to the Fr. Chuck Gallagher, S.J. Legacy Fund are tax deductible in the United States and in Canada. Check with your tax advisor to ensure that all gifts are donated appropriately for tax purposes.
The Fr. Chuck Gallagher, S.J. Legacy Fund is a permanent fund, and only interest and earnings on your donations will be utilized. These earnings will be used to support leadership training at all levels of our movement for couples and priests presenting WWME experiences, as well as couples and priests serving in leadership roles in their communities, dioceses, and beyond.
Your donation will ensure life giving Worldwide Marriage Encounter experiences are presented to current and future generations of couples and priests.
An Endowment Fund does not spend donated funds, only the interest earned; therefore, the Chuck Gallagher, S.J. Legacy Fund will be life giving for years to come. The interest earned offsets the cost of annual training for Worldwide Marriage Encounter presenting teams and leaders.
- Fund training for experience presenting teams.
- Enhance the ministry and our ability to outreach.
- Assist in funding leadership training.
Online donations to the Fr. Chuck Gallagher, S.J. Legacy Fund are processed by a secure server using a PCI-compliant transaction processing gateway – your payment data is securely and professionally processed. All data and processing are encrypted and transmitted via a secure internet connection.
When you click the Donate NOW! button, you are taken to a secure form to enter your donation information. The secure form will close automatically if your donation is not completed within 10 minutes, to protect the security of your information. The first page of the secure form collects your contact information, credit card information, and billing information. Clicking the Next button allows you to confirm the information entered. By clicking the “Submit Payment” button, you authorize us to charge the account provided for the total amount specified.
To donate to the Chuck Gallagher Fund, depending on your location in North America (Canada or USA), click on the donate button that is right for you. For a USA Donation, complete the donation form and submit. For donations from Canadian couples and priests, click on the Donate (from Canada) button to go to the Vancouver Foundation site. Once there, scroll down to the donate button at the bottom of the page by “Worldwide Marriage Encounter.” Next, you’ll indicate Individual or Corporate donor. That will take you to a donation page. Simply complete that page and click on “Submit Donation.”