Leave a Legacy

The Trinity Society was created in 2007 to provide the framework needed to accept legacy gifts while also informing parishioners on end-of-life issues. Legacy gifts are channeled directly into the Endowment Fund, bolstering the Cathedral's long-term financial health. They ensure that the Cathedral will shine its special light in the city of Paris for generations to come.

How to Give

There are a variety of ways to give, including bequests, pooled income funds, life insurance policies, or real estate. Donors can be honored publicly by including their name on our list of members, or choose to remain anonymous. The nature and amount of gifts are strictly confidential.

Assets may be given in any form, such as cash, securities, personal property, real property, and so on. They can be willed to the Cathedral (“The American Cathedral in Paris”), or the Foundation (“The American Cathedral in Paris Foundation”). In general, the Foundation is preferred.

The Cathedral also prefers undesignated gifts, that is, those that do not identify a specific purpose for the legacy. We certainly accept designated gifts, but undesignated gifts give the Vestry and the Dean greater freedom in determining their ultimate use. Our goal is to build up the Cathedral’s endowment and as such, all undesignated gifts initially go into the endowment unless the Vestry votes specifically to use the funds for another purpose.

If the bequest was given for a designated purpose, then the value of the assets will be applied to that purpose, either via direct spending or the establishment of a return-producing instrument. If the bequest to the endowment fund is undesignated, the assets will be directed to the portfolio of the endowment fund and be invested by the Investment Committee following committee guidelines.

When the Cathedral is notified of any bequests by the legal representatives of the deceased, the Cathedral Treasurer or the President of the Foundation will prepare copies of relevant documents and deeds and distribute them to the appropriate offices of the Cathedral.

Planned giving is a concrete expression of the wise use of the resources God has entrusted to us. The Cathedral has made a difference in your life—make a difference in the life of the Cathedral by leaving a legacy gift.

Learn More

For more information about the Trinity Society, and about the various means of making planned gifts in France or in the U.S., please contact Anne Swardson at trinitysociety@americancathedral.org.