One of the largest operating expenses in the diocesan budget is for the education of those preparing for ministry to the Church as priest, permanent deacon or lay minister. In an attempt to minimize the direct outlay of money for this item, burses have been established by various parishes, individuals, families and organizations. These burses are often initiated in memory of a friend or loved one.

The basic method of the burse system is to build up the principal and use the interest as payment for ministerial education. The principal is not used directly to pay this expense. Donors to burses are remembered regularly in the prayers of the seminarians and ministerial candidates.

Once the burse has been initiated, additional tax deductible contributions may be made at any time. It should also be noted that any group or individual can contribute to the burses that have already been established.

While the inflationary rise in the cost of seminarian and ministerial education may require a change in the future, the present recommended goal for each of the burses is $30,000 . (Although a burse may be less than that figure, the larger the burse, the more help it gives. There is no limit to the amount that a burse may reach.)

Contributions should be made payable to Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston and be sent to:

Office of Vocations

P.O. Box 230

Wheeling, WV 26003