What is the Bursary Fund?
Since its formation in 1980, the Bursary Fund has distributed well over £1 million to support young Catholics,aged 16 -25. As a registered charity in the UK, funded by members of the Catenians, its mission is to provide financial assistance to young people who volunteer for projects that benefit others.
There are two types of awards: the ‘Individual Project Award’ for those volunteering in developing countries, and the ‘Lourdes Pilgrimage Award’ for those assisting pilgrims in Lourdes, France.
Individual Projects – these must be for at least 15 working days. Applications need to be made at least 60 days before the project start date.
Lourdes Pilgrimage helper – Applications need to be made at least 6 weeks before the start date.
Further details and application can be made via the Bursary Fund website https://catenianbursary.com/
For those applying in the Maidenhead Circle area, we we may be able to help with your application; so, please contact us on admin@maidenheadcatenians.org.uk
2025 Bursary Awards
Two young people in the Maidenhead Circle area have received Bursary Fund awards in Summer 2025.
- Cameron Fyfe of St Joseph’s Catholic High School,Slough received a Bursary Award to assist him for his project in Panama. Cameron’s reflections on his project in Colombia can now be foundhere.
- Stephanie Moraes , from St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Maidenhead in late Summer 2025, leaves for 12 months, serving with NET Ministries USA, an organisation that sends young adults to manage evangelisation events for teenagers.
- At the end of mass at St Joseph’s Church on Sunday 13th July 2025, Jonathan Holder for the Catenians presented Stephanie Moraes with a Bursary Fund cheque for £1,200.
2005 Award
Prior to the two awards in 2025, the last Bursary Award received by a young person in Maidenhead was in 2005 to Katie Hardman ,who spent a year on community work in Paraguay. Following her return in October 2006,Katie presented a woodcarving to St Joseph’s Church on behalf of the people of Santa Maria de Fe in Paraguay. The woodcarving is in place to the side and above the entrance door to the Parish Hall at St Joseph’s, Maidenhead.
Bursary Updates
- A Message from Stephanie
Hello from America! Thank you for your support in this mission with NET
Ministries by helping me to achieve my fundraising goal. This is a little update
of my mission so far, thank you for being a part of it!
13th August: Our arrival day at the NET Centre, meeting all the 100 other
missionaries!
16th August: We went to a camp called Trinity Woods in Wisconsin, where
we spent 2 weeks of spiritual formation. Our time was filled with prayer, talks
and small group discussions where we got to know each other and grow
closer to the Lord. We were joined by the current NET community alongside
many families who had previously done a mission year with NET! Many
priests, Brothers and Sisters from religious communities also joined us which
was such a blessing!
On the last night of our stay at camp, we had a
big Team Announcement Night! After lots of
prayer and meetings, the staff placed all the
missionaries into teams.
I was assigned to ‘Team 4’ and I’m blessed to
be the Team Leader for my team. Alongside
my co-leader Anthony, we will lead the team and
plan the Catholic retreats for young people.
Throughout this mission, we will travel to the
Eastern and Southern states of North America;
we will run retreats in these states (see map).
30th August: We came back to the NET Centre and started our ministry
training preparation. Over these weeks, we prepared our own talks,
testimonies and skits for the retreats.
14th September: Our Commissioning Mass was
celebrated by the Bishop at St Paul’s Cathedral.
He personally blessed every missionary; we
were also presented with a John Paul II Cross for
our journey! It was a memorable final send off!
We are thrilled to start our mission, running
retreats for the young people in schools and
parishes. Be assured of my prayers for you all.
May the Lord’s peace be with you,
StephanieOctober 2025
- July 2025 Bursary Fund Award for Stephanie
At the end of mass at St Joseph’s Church, Maidenhead on Sunday 13th July 2025, Jonathan Holder for the Catenians presented Stephanie Moraes with a Bursary Fund cheque for £1,200.
The Bursary Fund, funded by members of the Catenians, provides financial assistance to young people who volunteer for projects that benefit others.
Stephanie will shortly leave for 12 months, serving with NET Ministries USA, an organisation that sends young adults to manage evangelisation events for teenagers.