Joany Shepard Library
Joany Shepard Memorial Library
Joany Shepard Endowment Fund & Challenge
One of the best kept secrets here at St. Bridget Parish is our Joany Shepard Endowment Fund. Who was Joany? Joany,a woman of great spiritual insight, was an active and beloved member of our parish for many years from the 1980’s until her death in 2009. Joany could be found reading and writing books, teaching religious education, lectoring with great heart, singing with the abandon of a child, and providing
spiritual growth for parishioners through drama and study. It was once said of Joany that she was “our own resident mystic.” Joany loved this parish-and the people, from young to old, were her family. There was nothing more she wanted than to help St. Bridget Parish fulfill its mission.
In 2009, Joany created the Joany Shepard Endowment Fund at St. Bridget Parish. Joany requested that monies from this endowment be used for projects that promote the spiritual growth of this parish and community and the emergency needs of the surrounding area. Joany’s Fund currently helps support the Joany Shepard Library and provides the funds for access for all parish members to the Formed online program. In the past this fund has also contributed to Faith Formation activities such as faith camps, mission trips, and VBS, and provided funds for guest speakers, the KC Dad’s Rally, local charities, community resource centers, and much more.
With the holidays upon us and the current uncertainty of our economic times, we know that local churches will be asked even more to help people in need. In November, the Joany Fund gave our local food pantry a cash donation of $1000. Another $2000 donation was also given to our parish’s Priest Emergency Fund- a fund which allows Father Bala and a small committee to use as they see fit to help individuals and families. So, what’s the challenge? We are challenging parishioners, young and old, to make their own donation, small, medium, and large to the Priest Emergency Fund. The Joany Fund will match up to another $2000 of your donations toward this cause! That could be a total of $4000 for our parish to use to help others. We want to see St. Bridget Parish impact our community in the true spirit of Joany! Please join us. Please submit your donation in a separate envelope labeled “Joany Fund Challenge” and drop it off at the office or place it in the collection at Mass. The challenge ends December 31st 2025 . Contact Barrett in the office if you have questions.
*The Sharing Families Program is another great way to help others. Please do what you can!
Joany Shepard was a long-time member of St. Bridget and a person of great spiritual insight. When she died, she left an endowment and many of her books of sacred reading and inspiration to St. Bridget. The parish library was dedicated to her memory.
Be sure to check out all the resources the Joany Shepard Library has to offer. All the items are color coded and organized for your ease of use.
