The Catholic Initiative is a first-of-its-kind, Vatican-approved model that restores and endows Catholic churches, schools, and parishes in perpetuity. By modernizing church properties and securing long-term financial stability through endowments, The Catholic Initiative aims to shift the conversation for priests and parishioners from one of constant fundraising to one of renewal, sustainability, and the needs of the community.

The Catholic Initiative is launching with three flagship projects. First, it is undertaking a full restoration of the historic Basilica of Ste. Anne in Detroit, Michigan, along with sustaining an endowment to secure its future. Second, it is securing the property ownership of Chicago’s oldest Catholic all-girls high school – Josephinum Academy of the Sacred Heart – and establishing an endowment to support the long-term vitality of the school. Third, it is raising an endowment for Bulldog Catholic, the thriving campus ministry led by Fr. Mike Schmitz, which is dedicated to forming and inspiring the next generation of young Catholics. Two additional projects in the Midwest are currently in development and will be announced soon.

The Catholic Initiative is supported by The Pulte Family Charitable Foundation, founded by William J. Pulte: master home-builder, quiet philanthropist, and devout Catholic. Through restoring these vital spaces and creating endowments, the Initiative carries forward Bill’s legacy of generosity, using resources to sustain and strengthen Catholic institutions for future generations.

To learn more, visit our website at https://thecatholicinitiative.org/