The Mary Magdalene Society

The Mary Magdalene Society was formed with the purpose of having an endowment that creates a permanent financial foundation upon which grants can be made based upon the annual interest earnings. 

The Mary Magdalene Society is made up of a group of donors within the ECC, drawn from throughout the communion, who have elected to make special gifts each year to develop youth programs and support the formation of new clergy in our communion.  Since its formation, it has distributed thousands of dollars in awards.  

Since 2015 (when the MMS began) 83 individuals, 11 faith communities, and 1 company have stepped up to become members of the MMS. A total of approximately $170,000 has been raised and$37,000 has been awarded to support 10 clergy scholarships, two young adult retreats in California and a group of teenagers from St. Louis who joined peers in California to experience diversity, volunteer to help the disadvantaged and pray together. 

The MMS Advisory Committee was established with By-Laws in 2018 and in 2020, an endowment was created at the St. Louis Foundation. Its current value as of August 31, 2023 was $105,370. Interest proceeds are distributed from the foundation annually and those can be used (if so decided by the committee) to add to the annual contributions that support the clergy scholarships and youth awards. 


Specifically, the Mary Magdalene Society supports:

  • ECC Youth ministry service projects
  • Seminarians/clergy who are ECC affiliated with economic needs
  • Student debt relief
  • Incardination expenses
  • Candidate ordination expenses

Grant applications for Clergy and for Youth Programs are made available in the fall of each year, and awards are made in the early months of the next year.  You can contact us at admin@ecumenicalcatholics.net for grant applications.

If you are interested in learning more about the MMS and receiving more information and statistics, please contact:

Art Bavoso
art@thirdsectorenterprises.com or call him at 970-217-9969. 

If you are interested in making a donation to the MMS, you can mail a check to:
Mary Magdalene Society
Ecumenical Catholic Communion
10 W. Lockwood Ave
Webster Groves, MO 63119
(please note in the memo that this is for MMS)

If you are interested in making a donation to the MMS with PayPal, you can click here.  

If you have any questions about making a donation, please contact the ECC office at admin@ecumenicalcatholics.net.