When Good Follows Bad
By Margie Delaney
On Nov. 27, 2006 my life was changed forever when we lost my 18-year-old nephew, Mathew Joseph Johnston, to cancer.
I am his godmother and his confirmation sponsor. We had a very special bond that began when he was very young. Mathew excelled both in academics and sports. He graduated valedictorian of the Class of 2006 and received an academic/ baseball scholarship to attend Tulane University in New Orleans. Before he could finish his first semester at Tulane, Mathew succumbed to lymphoblastic lymphoma.
After Mathew’s death, I decided that I wanted to start a scholarship fund in his name that would honor his life long after I am gone.
A friend invited me to the annual Catholic Foundation dinner. I learned that with very little money I could set up a trust fund in Mathew’s name through The Catholic Foundation.
I met with Rebecca Harris from The Catholic Foundation and learned that setting up the trust was a straightforward process. The hardest decision to make was to figure out where the money would go.
One Sunday at Mass, the headmaster from St. Joseph Catholic High School addressed the congregation. He stated that no child would be turned away from the school if they wanted to go. I knew at that moment that I wanted to create a trust fund in Mathew’s name that would help pay for any student whose family could not afford to send them to St. Joseph.
I am so happy I learned about The Catholic Foundation and that I created this trust fund in Mathew’s name. His short life meant a lot to so many people, and now in his memory even more people will be helped.
The Easiest Way to Make an Impact
Like Margie, you too can make a difference. With your support, The Catholic Foundation can continue to meet the spiritual, educational and social needs of our community. For more information, contact Rebecca Harris at 601-960-8477 or rebecca.harris@jacksondiocese.org.