The Cathedral of St Peter–in–Chains
Perpetual Fund
A Living Memorial to Our Faith Heritage
The Perpetual Fund is dedicated to the long-term preservation and maintenance of the historic Cathedral of St Peter–in–Chains in Peterborough, Ontario.
The Cathedral of St Peter-in-Chains, with its commanding 150-foot steeple, is one of Downtown Peterborough's most prominent landmarks. This historic church, completed in 1838, stands as a reminder to the Christian roots of our city, the presence of God in our community, and the faith-centric path to its future.
Established in 1981 and registered as a not-for-profit charitable corporation in the Province of Ontario, the core mission of The Perpetual Fund is to ensure the Cathedral of St Peter-in-Chains, this beautiful reminder of our Catholic heritage, endures for future generations, by supporting the physical maintenance of the Cathedral building and its grounds. Donations are held in perpetuity and invested to earn interest. The earnings and interest then become the money used to support the mission.
As a charitable organization, The Perpetual Fund invites donations from generous individuals like you, as well as from organizations considering their social responsibility allocations. Your donations fund an investment in our cultural heritage and our community's future.
The Fund accepts donations in multiple forms. Most prefer one-time or recurring monetary donations, but we also accept life insurance policies, annuities, or gifts of property. Donors may also remember The Fund in their Wills.
We encourage donations at any time in memoriam for those we knew or loved, whether for someone who died recently or we knew in times past. Donations made in memoriam honour not only a treasured friend or loved one, but also the presence of the Cathedral in the lives of so many.
All donations are tax-deductible. See below for ways to donate.
When you donate, your gift becomes part of The Fund's endowment. This capital is then carefully and conservatively invested by a professional financial advisor under the direction of The Fund's Investment Committee.
Our Board of Directors consists of individuals with decades of experience in business who volunteer their time and expertise towards this worthwhile endeavour. We place special emphasis on wise stewardship to ensure the long-term viability of the The Fund in support of its mission.
The Perpetual Fund undergoes thorough audits annually by an independent public accounting firm to ensure full compliance with all governmental regulations prior to submission of its tax return.
The Fund's endowment earns interest. The interest—and only the interest—is used in the fulfilment of the mission: The preservation and maintenance of the building and grounds of the Cathedral.
Since its founding in 1981, The Perpetual Fund has contributed to and financed numerous projects at the Cathedral, including the restoration of all exterior doors, installation of washrooms at the main entrance, the carpeting of the Cathedral, new boilers for the building's heating system, upgrades to the light and sound system, and new eavestroughs. The Fund also financed a recent architectural/engineering study of the Cathedral to determine the basis and priority of any future restoration work.
The Fund has contributed over $620,000 to improvement projects. These critical projects ensure the Cathedral will continue its role as a faith centre for not only its own parishioners, but the surrounding community.
We graciously accept gifts in cash or by cheque. Please use The Perpetual Fund donation envelopes available on the Perpetual Fund Kiosk located inside the Cathedral.
These envelopes are specifically for donations to The Fund. Envelopes may be placed on the collection plate during Holy Mass or mailed directly to The Perpetual Fund. Please see Contact info for address information.
We ask that you kindly include your mailing address and phone number with your donation inside the envelope so that we can generate a tax receipt for you.
If you prefer to donate online, we invite you to use our CanadaHelps page. You can make a one-time donation or setup recurring donations. Debit or credit accepted.
When you donate using CanadaHelps, please consider providing your contact information. We would be honoured to keep you informed of the The Fund's ongoing activities and projects.
CanadaHelps generates tax receipts for you automatically.
We graciously accept donations by Interac email money transfer.
Please specify our email address cathedralperpetualfund@gmail.com as the recipient in the transfer and perpetual as the secret.
We ask that you provide your contact information as a comment or note in the transfer. If this field is not present or does not provide sufficient space, please kindly send email to the above address with your contact information, referencing your donation.
Please consider a recurring pre-authorized giving plan through your bank to donate an amount of your choice on a weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annual basis.
Download and complete our Pre-Authorized Giving Plan form. The form is also available on the Perpetual Fund Kiosk located inside the Cathedral. Please be sure to provide your banking and contact information.
The form can be sent to our mailing address, shown on the form. If you prefer email, please scan your completed form and send as an attachment to cathedralperpetualfund@gmail.com.
The Fund issues tax receipts for pre-authorized donations.
Fixed-income investments, including annuities (e.g., GICs), stock dividends, and bonds, offer two options which can benefit our mission.
The interest earned may be assigned to the benefit of the The Perpetual Fund as recurring monetary gifts. For those having the financial freedom to offer the cash flow on these investments, this can be an excellent way to contribute to the steady growth of The Fund's endowment.
Secondly, while living or as a remembrance in a bequest or for a loved one in memoriam, title to a fixed-income investment may be transferred to the The Perpetual Fund. Such generosity significantly adds to the value of the endowment and therefore the interest generated in perpetuity for the benefit of the Cathedral.
Please speak with us if you are considering this form of giving.
Life insurance policies offer donors the option to gift The Fund in substantial ways. Donors having sufficient financial freedom and alternative coverage may choose to name the The Perpetual Fund as a beneficiary on life insurance policies.
We stress such gifts as appropriate only for those with the freedom to offer this generosity. For those having otherwise fulfilled their duties and obligations to family and loved ones, we would be honoured to speak with you should you be considering this type of gift to The Fund.
In addition to monetary amounts and liquid assets, The Fund also accepts donations of physical property, such as real estate. We also accept other hard assets, including precious metals, jewelry, or vehicles. Such gifts can help grow the endowment substantively, for which your name, or the name of another in memoriam, will be written into a special section in our Memorial Book.
We stress the importance of the donor's fulfilment of all other duties and obligations to family and loved ones with respect to the consideration of these types of gifts. We graciously ask that you contact us should you be considering a gift of any type of physical property.
Many donors choose to give to The Perpetual Fund in remembrance of a beloved friend or family member. Whether for someone who has recently passed away or for someone remembered from times past, a donation in memoriam of a cherished friend or loved one is a remembrance that will last in perpetuity.
If you are so moved to donate in memoriam, please include information concerning the person’s name with your donation or speak to us directly. We will be honoured to include that person in the Memorial Book and in the special intentions offered during the morning Holy Mass on the monthly First Friday dedicated to donors to The Perpetual Fund and to those remembered in memoriam.
To bequeath a monetary amount, an investment, or property, or if the nature of your donation requires the citation of The Perpetual Fund in any form of legal documentation, please be sure to specify the full legal name:
THE CATHEDRAL OF ST. PETER-IN-CHAINS PERPETUAL FUND
All donations to The Perpetual Fund are tax-deductible. You will receive a tax receipt each time you make any individual donation. For recurring donations, we generate an annual tax receipt.
When you donate through CanadaHelps, they generate your tax receipt. You receive a tax receipt directly from The Perpetual Fund for donations made via pre-authorized giving, email money transfers, or cash/cheques placed in The Perpetual Fund donation envelopes.
For all other types of gifts and methods of giving, please contact us with your name and contact information in order to receive your tax receipt.
Our CRA Business Number is 736738527RR0001.
Giving to The Perpetual Fund carries with it the knowledge that your donation is a lasting contribution. Your gift is an investment in the Catholic heritage of your children and grandchildren.
Your donation carries the assurance that it will fund the long-term support of the Cathedral of St Peter-in-Chains. The interest generated by The Fund's endowment can be used for no other purpose than the preservation and maintenance of the Cathedral building and its grounds, in strict accordance with this mission as stated explicitly in The Fund's legal articles of incorporation.
Located inside the Cathedral, The Perpetual Fund Memorial Book stands as a gratitude to those who have generously contributed or have been remembered in memoriam. Inside we inscribe the names of all our donors, those remembered in memoriam, as well as those who have so generously rememebered The Fund in their Estates.
You are most welcome to open the Book in honour of the many names who have generously made donations—whether large or small—to The Perpetual Fund or have been remembered in memoriam.
The 7:30 AM First Friday Holy Mass of each month is celebrated for the intentions of every living and deceased donor to The Perpetual Fund, as well as to those remembered in memoriam.
In the same way your contribution to The Fund will stand in perpetuity, so will the gratitude of the Cathedral for your generosity, by both its celebrants and parishioners, now and well into the future.
The Board of Directors of The Perpetual Fund sincerely hope you will consider the mission to preserve the beautiful Cathedral of St Peter-in-Chains. The Perpetual Fund exists so that future generations will be able to worship God in the surroundings of this historic Cathedral. Just as we have done.
The Perpetual Fund cannot exist without you. With ever-increasing costs and maintenance requirements, donations are needed more than ever. To learn more about its mission and its accomplishments, or for information on making arrangements for a bequest or in making a donation of any kind, please do not hesitate to contact us. We would be honoured to assist you.
Call for volunteers: The Fund is always looking for volunteers to assist with Special Events. Please contact us if you are interested in this worthy endeavor.
God bless.
