Photo by Allison Shirreffs

ATLANTA—A moving experience at Christmas Eve Mass led Doug and Katrina Harmon back to the faith after nearly 20 years away. Like many other Catholics, their personal faith journey inspired their charitable giving through the Catholic Foundation of North Georgia. 

For the Harmons, an invitation from his sister-in-law to the Christmas service at Church of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Sharon was the connection that led them to the Catholic Foundation. They felt something powerful when they stepped into the plainly decorated church and during the homily that called them to give back to the church. 

“We thought maybe a message is trying to be sent to us and we need to get back to church. We did and so many incredible things have happened to us since,” Harmon said. 

In gratitude for their rekindled faith, the Harmons set up a charitable gift annuity through the Catholic Foundation of North Georgia, which helps Catholic donors in the Archdiocese of Atlanta align their charitable giving with parishes, schools and ministries that are important to their faith.  

Donors were recognized and honored at an annual Deo Gratias Mass at the Cathedral of Christ the King in mid-September. Father Henry Atem, pastor of St. Lawrence Church, Lawrenceville, and a member of the foundation’s board, celebrated the Mass. 

“It is moving to see how the faith of our Deo Gratias Society members has inspired their legacy giving,” said Nancy Coveny, president of the Catholic Foundation of North Georgia. “In turn, their legacy giving provides support and inspiration to those involved in ministry in our Catholic community.” 

Harmon said the gift to the historic Church of the Purification, where he attends Mass regularly, was easy to set up through the Catholic Foundation. Because the church will inherit the annuity, his giving also feels personal and meaningful. 

The Catholic Foundation manages more than 450 endowment funds and donor-advised funds. Grants and distributions, which are made in accordance with Catholic social teaching, totaled $6.4 million in the 2024-2025 fiscal year. More than $41 million has been donated since 1997. 

“Through prudent and ethical investments, we steward the gifts entrusted to us, helping them bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold,” Coveny said. “These fruits go right back to the community, providing scholarships for Catholic education, helping with operations costs like replacing air conditioners in churches and more.” 

Members of the Catholic Foundation’s Deo Gratias and Founders Society gathered for a luncheon following the annual Deo Gratias Mass in Kenny Hall of the Cathedral of Christ the King. Photo by Allison Shirreffs

Santiago Perez set up a donor-advised fund to manage his giving to the Catholic schools where his children attended. He and his wife were already giving to Christ the King and St. Pius X schools and other places and found it easier to have his philanthropic giving managed by the Catholic Foundation. 

“We can direct our giving all in one place and make it easy to allocate funds to the schools and churches that we support,” said Perez, who also serves on the board for the Catholic Foundation. “The money we have invested performs well, and hopefully, we can continue to grow it for a long time.” 

Father Junot Nelvy, set up a bequest to Christ our Hope Church in Lithonia, an outside-the-perimeter parish where he has been pastor for five years. He wants to give back to the community that he cherishes—a parish that has challenges with fundraising. 

“The Catholic Foundation is a reliable avenue to help the parish. The work of the foundation is needed for a small parish like that,” Nelvy said.