Planned Giving and Bequests
One charitable gift, a legacy of benefits: The Society of Saint Francis
A legacy (or planned) gift is a contribution designated during a donor’s life that will take effect at or after his or her passing. By including your parish and/or the Archdiocese in your estate plans, you are helping preserve the mission and values of the church and its commitment to ministry. A legacy gift may be the ultimate way to impact lives for generations.
To honor those generous, caring individuals who make provisions for a legacy gift through their will or estate plan, an honorary legacy society, the Society of Saint Francis, has been created. Anyone who has made a legacy gift in the past or does so now will be enrolled and enjoy the benefits of membership.
We’ve partnered with FreeWill to make it easier to create an estate plan and a legacy gift. Click below to write a legal will or trust for free in 20 minutes or less, and create a gift to join the Society of Saint Francis.
Mission and Ministry
You’ve witnessed this mission: you believe in this mission
Since its founding in 1853, the Archdiocese of San Francisco has attempted to live out the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity in its liturgies, sacraments, and other activities. The mission of the Archdiocese reads in part:
We, the Catholic Church of San Francisco, in a communion of faith and charity…reach out and receive with welcoming arms all God’s people: the saint and the sinner; the young and the elderly; the poor and the rich; the immigrant and the native; the lost sheep and those still searching.
We pledge ourselves to be a dynamic and collaborative community of faith known for its celebration of the Eucharist, its service to all in need, and its promotion of justice, peace, and life…We dedicate ourselves to the glory of God.
Benefits of a Legacy Gift
In addition to enabling our Catholic institutions to better reach future generations with the Church’s message of faith, love, and hope, members of the Society of Saint Francis are honored with a welcome letter from the Archbishop and exclusive Society lapel pin, an invitation to the Archbishop’s annual Society of Saint Francis Mass and Reception, and recognition in publications and at various events, unless anonymity is preferred.
By making a legacy gift, you can make an enduring investment in the future without giving up assets today. A legacy gift is easy, flexible, versatile, and tax-effective.
We are grateful for these extraordinary gifts that bear witness to the faith and ministries that donors supported and cherished during their lifetime.
Have you already named your church, school, and/or the Archdiocese in your estate plan? Please let us know so we may enroll you in the Society of St. Francis.
Get help with your will
Through our partnership with FreeWill, we can offer you this free tool to help you easily create a bequest to your parish, school, or the Archdiocese!
Create your legacy in 20 minutes and ensure peace of mind and security for you and your loved ones, while enabling our Catholic institutions to reach future generations with the Church’s message of faith, hope, and love.
Have any questions?
Contact our Development Director, Rod Linhares
Rod has a twenty-eight-year career in fundraising, and he has worked extensively with the greater Church and several parishes in the Archdiocese. Rod believes that collaboration and a mission-driven focus are integral to an organization’s ability to support and assist those it serves, and he looks forward to helping address the goals of the Archdiocese and the individual parishes. He has an undergraduate degree in Business Management from the University of Notre Dame and a graduate degree in Finance from the University of San Francisco. Bay Area natives, Rod and his family are active members of St. Gregory Parish in San Mateo.
Rod Linhares
Director of Development
415-614-5581
linharesrsfarch.org