Thinking about the future of the Church means asking the simple question: who will support all this when we are gone? To think of the Church in this way is an act of love. that you can shore up with your will or with a joint and several bequest.
During our life we received much more than we usually remember. We received a faith passed on in the family, priests who accompanied us at important moments, parishes that were open when we needed them. None of this came out of the blue. Behind it were people who cared for the future of our children. the Church, so that it would remain alive, well-structured and present in every generation.
In the documentary Witnesses, Álvaro and Ana tell how they learned about the CARF Foundation. through a relative who decided to include it in his will. That decision surprised them at first, but it led them to learn more about it and understand what was behind it.
They found that the CARF Foundation helps finance the integral formation of seminarians and diocesan priests from all over the world in academic institutions in Rome and Pamplona (the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross and the Ecclesiastical Faculties of the University of Navarra).
The aim is to support young people who, in many cases, come from dioceses with very few financial resources and who need solid support in order to be well trained before returning to serve their communities.
Both Ana and Álvaro understood that including the CARF Foundation in a will or legacy of solidarity was not a symbolic gesture, but a real way to ensure that this work would continue to be perpetuated over time.
As Alvaro says in the documentary: «It is a brilliant opportunity to prepare a home for yourself in heaven; to think that, with your patrimony and the effort of a lifetime, you can help to train so many priests».
Beyond the spiritual expression, the idea is very practical. After years of work, savings and effort, part of this heritage can continue to make an impact after we are gone. It can become integral formation for priests who will attend parishes, accompany families and be present at key moments in the lives of many people.
Include the CARF Foundation in the will. does not mean neglecting and disregarding the loved ones. In the case of Spanish law, it is allowed to allocate a part of the inheritance (that of free disposal) to a solidary cause, always respecting the legitimate part of the heirs.
It is a decision that can be taken with advice and serenity. It does not require large assets or unassuming commitments. For many benefactors it is simply the natural continuation of a life in which they have already collaborated with the Church in various ways.
Many people who have collaborated during their lifetime with donations or occasional support see in the a natural continuation of this vital commitment.
Each generation has the opportunity to renew the generosity of the last. Through the CARF Foundation, your legacy becomes a direct support to seminarians and diocesan priests around the world: young people who wish to give themselves to God and serve the universal Church, but who need concrete help in order to be formed.
Just as in the past there were people who ensured the continuity of the Church's mission, patrons and major donors, today you can do the same. Convert a portion of the your life's effort to consolidate the integral formation of seminarians and diocesan priests in order to bring the Gospel to every corner of the world.
A Christian (and a non-believer, too) takes nothing to heaven, but can leave much good on earth. Your legacy can become formation, service and continuity. It can be the most valuable inheritance: the one that sustains the Church and the Church itself. allows many people to continue to encounter God through well-formed priests who strive to be saints and to help others.
carf@fundacioncarf.orgLandline: +34 914 029 082Mobile: +34 638 078 51145 Conde de Peñalver Street.
