History of the Father Phil Donohoe Scholarship Fund

Father Phil believed Sacred Heart Catholic Church in El Reno could support a Catholic school. He believed the people of Sacred Heart could sustain a school, and he planted seeds in our minds and hearts so we would come to believe it too.

The day of Father’s funeral (as the church was about to empty) Father Frank Schmitt shared with the parishioners that someone had given him the idea to start a scholarship program for Sacred Heart School in Father Phil’s name.  Father Schmitt was going to start the fund with the first $100, and within a few days several other parishioners also contributed.

We are sharing this story with you to allow you to give to the school Father Phil helped to reopen. Many of the alumni of Sacred Heart Catholic School were blessed with a free Catholic education.  This is an opportunity to give back and assist the students in their quest to also receive a religious education.

Currently, the money raised for the Scholarship Fund has been put in an Archdiocesan Endowment Fund. Sacred Heart Catholic School will receive money each year from the Fund and then allocate the funds to students on scholarship at Sacred Heart.