Thirteen parishes in the Diocese of Peoria have been awarded grants totaling $26,904 for religious education projects from funds allocated by the Fulton Sheen Endowment for Religious Education.

It is one of three major endowments created by contributions to the Rooted in Faith Capital Campaign conducted in 2004. The Fulton Sheen Endowment provides support for local parishes in their ongoing faith formation ministry or to enhance their catechetical programs through workshops, seminars, and distance learning opportunities.

Father Joseph Hogan, endowment chair, announced the grants following a meeting of the Sheen Endowment Board on Feb. 23. Parishes receiving funding, along with the projects supported, include:

Bloomington: St. Patrick’s Church of Merna, $2,500 for “One Bread, One Cup Conference”

Champaign: Holy Cross, $7,800 for “Catholic Connected: Beyond the Pew” vicariate gathering

Coal Valley: St. Maria Goretti, $500 for “Just Faith — Engaging Spirituality” and $700 for “Vision and Practice of 21st Century Faith Formation”

Dwight: St. Patrick’s, $155 for Father Barron’s “Catholicism” series

Earlville: St. Teresa’s, $500 for “EPIC,” $625 for “Finding God,” $600 for Mystery Trip, $140 for “Teen Bible Timeline,” $285 for “Theology of the Body” (middle school and teens), and $260 for YOUCAT

Eureka: St. Luke’s, $800 for equipment

Granville, Sacred Heart: $150 for general DVDs, $79 for L. Defilippis DVD, $223 for “Footprints of God,” and $659 for YOUCAT

Henry: St. Mary’s, $530 for equipment

Mahomet: Our Lady of the Lake, $1,600 for”Totus Tuus” Vacation Bible School

Moline: Christ the King, $1,400 for Father Barron’s “Catholicism” series

Normal: Epiphany, $4,000 for Life Teen Camp

Seneca: St. Patrick’s, $710 for Vacation Bible School, and

Urbana: St. Patrick’s, $849 for Father Barron’s “Catholicism” series, $840 for “EPIC,” and $999 for equipment.

Father Hogan said that while some funding provides direct support for spiritual formation in parishes, others will improve the ability of parishes to pool resources, particularly in rural communities.

The total amount for grants from the endowment to date is $354,932.

The next Sheen Endowment board meeting will be Aug. 24, 2012. The deadline to request funds is Aug. 6.

Meanwhile, the Msgr. Edward J. Duncan College Campus Ministry Endowment Board will meet on May 24 ro review requests for funds for the next school session. That fund to date has awarded $564,119.