Catholic Diocese of Arlington
Encourage and teach with patience

Meet Our Donors

On behalf of the Catholic Diocese of Arlington, we would like to thank all of our current donors for their generosity and support. Here are some of their stories.

Donor Story – Bob and Martha Hatter

Bob and Martha Hatter are active members of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Vienna – Martha sings in the choir, is a member of the Women’s Club and both volunteer for the fall festival. Through their activities they formed a friendship with their pastor, Father William Metzger and other parishioners. It was Father Metzger who first approached them about making a bequest to the Church through their will. The response forms contained in the Bishop’s Lenten Appeal mailings also focused their thoughts about leaving a legacy to the Church. The couple had considered doing something for years, but had not decided what. The first thought was to establish a gift as a memorial to Bob’s mother, Mary Cook Hatter.

As a young child, Bob’s Catholic faith was carefully nurtured by his parents and his grandmother Agnes. His mother taught him that being Catholic also meant returning one’s blessings with increase to God. Her example of attending daily Mass, participating in Church activities as well as the weekly offertory brought faith to life for him. When she died at age 50, Bob continued her legacy. He and his wife, Martha drew strength from their Catholic faith, making it the foundation of their marriage and their family life.

Throughout the years, the Catholic Church has been at the center of each milestone in the Hatters’ lives – their wedding day and those of their children, baptisms, confirmations and even the funerals for Bob’s parents. And just as Bob’s mother did, the couple has passed this heritage of faith on to their three children, eight grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Including the Church in their estate provided them another way to give back to the Church that is the central part of their lives.

“Establishing a gift for our parish through our will was a simple way we could give back to the Church that gives us so very much while honoring my mother’s legacy,” said Bob. “We feel this gift will return some of what God has given and continues to give to us each day.”

Donor Story – Claude and Diane

After retiring, Claude and Diane reviewed their finances and retirement plans with a qualified financial advisor. Both wanted to support the organizations dearest to them while still being able to provide for immediate needs. Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRUTs) turned out to be the most financially viable option for the couple. The CRUT greatly reduced the taxes they would have paid for cashing in stocks and allowed them to diversify their assets. Claude established a CRUT to support scholarships for students attending Catholic schools within the Arlington Diocese, while the Diane supports her alma mater and a private school along with several other charities.

“The Catholic Schools of the Arlington Diocese provide an environment that helps offset the materialism and negative images that kids are exposed to every day. These schools help children understand that there are higher standards of morality than they often see around them, and they provide a superior education. I am happy to support that.”

Donor Story – Father Denis Donahue

In November 2005, Father Denis Donahue received an invitation from a local attorney to discuss a will naming St. Rita Parish as a beneficiary. Father wasn’t surprised to learn of a bequest to the church, but he was unprepared for the $1.5 million gift from Dr. Dorothy Torpey’s estate. Although overjoyed by this windfall, he was somewhat saddened by the fact that he never had the opportunity to get to know Dr. Torpey before her death.

“I wish I could have told her personally what a tremendous financial burden was taken off me by her bequest. As a result, I have been able to worry less about money and more about the spiritual well-being of my people. I cannot say how grateful I am for this blessing. In gratitude to her for her help to me, I pray continually for the repose of her soul and for the souls of her deceased family,” said Father Donahue.

The bequest came at a time when finances were uncertain for St. Rita. The rising cost of construction had left the church needing more funds to cover their renovation expenditures. The school needed new heating and electrical systems and Father was considering approaching Bishop Loverde about another loan. Then he got news of Dr. Torpey’s gift. Since the bequest was not restricted to a particular purpose; Father Donahue was able to use it according to the needs of his parish. Since Dr. Torpey spent her life devoted to education, the church honored her legacy by designating it to support St. Rita Catholic School.

The Catholic Diocese of Arlington
200 N. Glebe Road
Suite 811
Arlington ,VA
(703) 841-2516