The Diocesan Ministry of Catechesis and Evangelization will offer scholarships for qualified applicants engaged in the ministry of religious education.

Grants through the Bishop John C. Reiss Religious Education Scholarship Fund are awarded to leaders of parish religious education programs for elementary age parishioners; elementary or secondary Catholic school principals; leaders of adult faith formation programs; leaders of faith formation programs for high school-age parishioners; teachers who have served at least one year in a Catholic school, and catechists who have served at least one year in parish religious education program.

The Bishop John C. Reiss Religious Education Scholarship Fund was established in 1996.

Scholarships will be awarded for course work in theology or religious/pastoral/liturgical studies or equivalence at a Catholic college or university. Scholarships will be awarded based on the following criteria: years of service; goals on visions of applicant; previous scholarship awards and whether a catechist is certified.

Applications are reviewed by scholarship board members who are comprised of: Trinitarian Father Santhosh George, administrator of Incarnation-St. James Parish, Ewing; Father Edward Blanchett, pastor of Jesus, the Good Shepherd Parish, Riverside; Filippini Sister Alice Ivanyo, principal of Villa Victoria Academy Lower School, Ewing; Kathryn Besheer, director of religious education in St. Katharine Drexel Parish, Burlington, and Father Douglas Freer, diocesan vicar of Catholic education.

Scholarship money, which is provided by the Ministry of Catechesis and Evangelization, will be paid to the institution designated by the applicant.

Completed applications must be returned to the Ministry of Catechesis and Evangelization by June 9.

For further information or to obtain an application, contact the Ministry of Catechesis and Evangelization at 609-403-7153 or 609-403-7154.