Why Catholic Foundation?


Mandate as the Fundraising Arm of the Archdiocese


The Church is one body made of many parts. Thus, the funding of different aspects of the archdiocese is separated into different pools of funds, each managed by an independent fundraising body.

The Catholic Church in Singapore consists of 32 parishes and numerous archdiocesan organisations involved in areas such as pastoral care, faith formation, social work, education, family, youth, migrants and many more.

Donations to Catholic charities (Caritas Singapore, CHARIS and their affiliates) and to the religious congregations are kept solely for those purposes, and do not go towards funding other organisations in the archdiocese or the parishes.

Traditionally, the 150 Catholic groups, commissions, councils, offices, institutes, parishes and other organisations are funded by weekly offertories and other collections made during Masses.

Until 2015, only a fixed 15 per cent share of each parish’s collections were contributed to the archdiocese. Most of these collections were kept for each parish’s own needs. Beginning 2016, the fixed contribution was revised to a tiered system of between 8% and 28% depending on the income of each parish.

However, even with the revised rates, this contribution continues to be inadequate for the archdiocese.

The Catholic Foundation, established in December 2012 with the initial intent of providing a vehicle of capacity building in the diocese, had its mandate expanded in November 2015 to be the designated fundraising arm of the archdiocese.

This was done to supplement a funding model that had become insufficient for the Church.

In line with this mandate, the Foundation provides block funding to the Titular Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore (TRCAS), supporting only approved initiatives of the archbishop.

Mobilising Resources to Build the Church


Resources are needed for the many offices, commissions, councils and other organisations in the archdiocese to continue their work in various areas, including education, migrants, evangelisation, families, youths, and many others.

On top of current operational costs, the archdiocese has several infrastructural projects, building maintenance and land lease renewals, each of which runs into the millions.

Since the archdiocese embarked on a vision to become a more vibrant, evangelising and missionary Church, an increase in operational and building needs are also expected in the years to come.

With the Catholic Foundation taking on the task of fundraising, archdiocesan organisations can focus on their apostolate work and be less constrained by unsustainable budgets.

Fundraising in the archdiocese can also be consolidated under the Catholic Foundation, rather than through multiple archdiocesan bodies, with the objective of ensuring that fundraising is more effective and secure.