Fr. George J. Willmann Charities, Inc.

Originally established as Fr. Willmann Fund for Seminarians and then merged which Christopher Foundation, this was expanded in 2000 to become KC Fr. George J. Willmann Charities, Inc. In its Articles of Incorporation amended on April 15, 1998, the following are its purposes

•     To promote religious, charitable, educational, civic and social pursuits;
•     To provide scholarship grants and assistance to deserving and qualified students, including but not limited to those in pursuit of religious vocation, formation or development and higher specialized studies;
•     To initiate and undertake programs and activities designed to protect the youth, promote their well-being, health, education and general welfare;
•     To support and cooperate with all the fraternal, charitable, religious, patriotic and civic enterprises of the Knights of Columbus;
•     To solicit and receive donations from friends and benefactors and from the public in general; to engage in fund-raising projects, to finance scholarships and other grants and for the furtherance of the purpose of the corporation; and,
•     To acquire, own, lease, hold or administer real and other property; to invest, utilize or make use of the funds of the corporation in such manner as would generate optimum results in terms of yield, capital or equity appreciate in investment, liquidity and safety.

All these purposes have been realized. But the bigger bulk of attention has been focused on the scholarship of seminarians and priests. Since its inception, this program has already graduated over a hundred priests (See List at Appendix E). Presently, there are three categories of scholarship:

    seminarians who are on their last course in theology;

    priests who wish to earn licentiate or doctorate degrees in ecclesiastical disciplines in local theology schools or seminaries; and,

    priests who wish to earn licentiate or doctorate degrees in ecclesiastical disciplines in Rome.

It may be good to note, that those who have successfully graduated from this scholarship have formed an organization in 1999. They call all themselves, KC-Priests Scholars Association. The current president of this association is Fr. Rene Sapungan of the Diocese of Boac.

Another priority work of KC Fr. George J. Willmann Charities, Inc. is the furtherance of the cause of Fr. Willmann. Since the 1990’s, various activities and initiatives have been accomplished to serve the cause: Fr. Reuter authored a book on Fr. Willmann, entitled The Gentle Warrior; Testimonies on the life and work of Fr. Willmann have been published; Fr. Juan Ledesma, SJ, has composed a prayer for his beatification with the nihil obstat of Msgr. Jose Abriol, among others.