By Mary Quilici Aumack

In 1998 a young seminarian named Brendan McGuire came to our parish, St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, for his pastoral year. This was a key point in the faith journey of so many. Together with my husband and a few others, Brendan formed a men’s small Christian community that still meets every Friday morning, all these years later. It was on retreat with these men that my husband Doug decided he wanted to be Catholic. Fr. Brendan was ordained in May of 2000, and we were all there! He celebrated his first Mass at our parish.

Now, in gratitude for a priest who has given so much to so many here in the valley, we celebrate his 25^th anniversary of ordination with the “gift of giving.”  Generous donors have set up a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) to fuel the philanthropy of Fr. Brendan. Through this fund, Fr. Brendan will be able to support the ministries, programs, and organizations that are propelling spiritual renewal and changing communities.

At San Jose State University (SJSU), Catholic campus ministry is seeing an exciting period of growth, thanks in part to the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) program. Now in its second year, the FOCUS initiative is transforming the way Catholic students connect with their faith, one another, and the broader community.

Growth and Expansion of the FOCUS Program

Fr. Ernesto Orci and the priests at the Cathedral Basilica have been working to serve the spiritual needs of students in a unique and impactful way. While the Basilica has been overseeing campus ministry at SJSU for four years, FOCUS was introduced in 2023 and has been a crucial element in deepening student engagement with their faith, offering support and providing transformative experiences.

When FOCUS missionaries arrived at SJSU, they brought with them a renewed sense of purpose, outreach, and opportunities for spiritual growth. The number of students engaging with the Newman Center Campus Ministry program has increased significantly, reflecting the impact of FOCUS on the campus. The program has blossomed, with bible studies growing from 20-25 participants in spring 2023 to 40-45 consistent attendees each week. The FOCUS missionaries not only lead these studies, but they also empower students to take the lead themselves, fostering a sense of ownership and leadership within the faith community.

The Board of Directors has renamed the Operations Endowment of the Foundation to the “Mary Quilici Aumack Endowment for FOREVER VALUE” in honor of Mary’s vision for and years of dedicated service to the organization as she leaves her role as CEO later this year.

Mary Quilici Aumack dedicated 17 years of services to the Catholic Community Foundation, first as a Board Member and then as CEO for 15 years. Mary shepherded the Foundation through many milestones during her tenure, including the expansion to a community foundation model, the charitable response to the 2020 pandemic, and reaching the historic $10 million granting goal in 2024. Her faith-filled and far-sighted leadership laid a solid foundation for the organization based on sustainability, donor- and beneficiary-centered service, and compassion. Mary was also a founding member of the Consortium of Catholic Foundations, a nation-wide network of Catholic Foundations which shares information, best practices and support.