The Fund for Vocations

What inspired you to start this business?

The Fund for Vocations started as a mom-and-pop apostolate of Corey and Katherine Huber, two very generous and faithful Catholics. They discovered a huge cause of the vocations crisis to be the burden of student loan debts. Most orders will not even allow someone to enter formation with loans. They created a fund out of which to award grants to young Catholics to support a new generation of religious. When they received a flood of applications, they expanded and fundraised to create a 501(c)3.

How does your faith shape your work?

Our Catholic Faith is at the absolute center of everything we do. Our donors are inspired to give because they understand the importance of making the Church a light for the world, and the crucial role that Catholic religious play in that effort. We are changing the world and renewing a Christ-centered, vibrant Catholic culture by enabling passionate young religious to do God’s will.

What's a favorite patron saint or scripture?

Our nonprofit is very streamlined and Mary Radford, our executive director, has a quote in her email signature from St. Catherine of Siena: “If you are what you should be, you will set the world on fire!” Our communications director, Elizabeth Latham has one from St. Ambrose: “It is not enough just to wish well; we must also do well.” Both are deeply devoted Catholics in love with their faith.

What's one thing you'd like customers to know?

By actively working to alleviate the debt burden for candidates, we have opened the door for over 300 future religious, and are actively supporting members of almost 100 traditional communities, including Dominicans, CFRs, Sisters of Life, Benedictines, ICKSP, and so many more. When a young Catholic is accepted to formation with a traditional religious order but cannot enter because of their student loans, we make their monthly payments out of a donation-based fund. We keep paying on a monthly basis until they take their final vows, after which we pay off the remainder within five years. If they discern out, they simply pick up where we left off. Many of our grant recipients would attest that they would not have been able to become religious without our help. One Mercedarian sister, Sr. Yvelyne Marie, HMSS, wrote, “I am beyond grateful for your support, not only financially but spiritually. I would not be a Religious today, if not for you. Thank you so much for your immense generosity and sacrifice. May the Lord reward you and grant you many blessings. You are in my prayers and have a very special place in my heart. God bless you!!”