Dear Friends,
I write this note in the midst of the papal transition, as we reflect on Pope Francis’s legacy and welcome our new shepherd, Pope Leo XIV. It’s a moment of hope and renewal — a chance for our Church to come together, to pray for the future, and to trust in the Holy Spirit’s guidance.
The spirit of renewal we’re seeing across the universal Church is also alive here at home. One small example can be found in CCF’s flagship unrestricted fund, the Salt & Light Fund. This fund was known as the CCF Legacy Fund until last year, when our team went through a process to find a name for it that better reflected its purpose: to support urgent and unmet needs emerging within our community.
While exploring possible names, we came across a homily that Pope Francis gave in 2018, focused on the very scripture passage from which the name Salt & Light Fund comes (Matthew 5:13-16). He said,
Christian witness must be grounded in humility, which means being simple salt and light for others. Salt for others; light for others: Because salt does not give flavor to itself but serves others. Light does not illuminate itself but serves others… The Lord says: ‘You are salt; you are light.’… But do so in order that others see and glorify God. You will not even receive any merit. … This impels Christians to be anonymous witnesses.
This is the opportunity we find in the Salt & Light Fund. To be anonymous witnesses. When you give to the Salt & Light Fund, your gifts become part of something larger, something that is no longer about you as an individual. As Pope Francis alluded to in his sermon, your gifts add flavor to the lives of others and radiate the light of faith to neighbors and the world.
Our spring newsletter is all about the Salt & Light Fund. You can learn more about the fund and how it works here. You can read examples of the impact the fund has had here. Or click here to meet Julie and Tom Hurley and learn why they supported the Salt & Light Fund. And on June 10, 2025, CCF will host a special Mass and breakfast to pray for the continued impact of the fund — click here to learn more and register.
As we welcome new leadership in the Church, many of us are considering how we can best support her mission in our corner of the world. Our hope is that you find assurance in giving to the Salt & Light Fund. It is carefully and faithfully stewarded to meet the needs of the time — as they might emerge — in the future before us. Please consider supporting this important undertaking.
With gratitude,
Anne Cullen Miller, MBA
President