Cardinal Foley Scholarship Fund (CFSF)

The Cardinal Foley Scholarship Fund supports education and living expenses of students from the Global South in Master and Postgraduate programmes in communication.

The fund is named in memory of Cardinal John Patrick Foley, former president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, honouring his enduring commitment to building the Church's competence in her communication involvement.

The scholarship fund addresses the need for adequate professional formation for those who will be responsible for the future development of the Church's mission in the field of communication. 

The objectives of the Cardinal Foley Scholarship Fund are to:

• qualify Africans and Asians who will have the capacity to provide proper formation for future Church communicators in local training institutes, communication (and theology) faculties and major seminaries;
• broaden the base of qualified priests, deacons, religious and lay people who are competent to further develop the communication ministry of the local churches. The fund especially supports the development of potential future national or regional communication coordinators.

The scholarship fund is coordinated and administered by CAMECO. The screening committee, which awards the scholarships, is currently composed of representatives of the:

• Dicastery for Communications,
• missio Aachen, 
• Institute of Missiology 
• USCCB Catholic Communication Campaign, 
• Renovabis.

Since 2012, ninety-three students received a Cardinal Foley Scholarship.

Priests, religious, permanent deacons and lay people, men and women, supported by their bishop and/or religious superior, and with a proven capacity (including practical experience) and interest in working in communications. The application needs to be presented by the respective Church authority. Applications sent by candidates themselves cannot be considered.

Graduate and postgraduate programmes in (pastoral) communications – both in southern continents and in Europe/North America. However, applicants are encouraged to seek adequate and relevant study opportunities close to home, and half of the scholarships are foreseen for post-graduate courses at universities in Africa, Asia or Oceania. Basic training (undergraduate studies) in communications cannot be supported and needs to be completed in the region of origin before submission of an application.

• Proven capacity and interest of the candidate towards working in communications – including basic (academic) training in the region of origin, and experience in working in and through media.
• Committed support from the local bishop or from the superior of any order/congregation of which the candidate is a member – and a confirmation from the Bishops’ Conference (and, if applicable, from the national communication coordinator) that the candidate’s further training will be of benefit to the local Church.
• A clear perspective of the candidate’s future task(s).
• A mutual (local Church and candidate) commitment to involve the candidate in the communication ministry for at least five years.
• There is no age limit for applicants. Preference will however be given to candidates that are able to use and further develop the obtained skills and knowledge for longer terms in their work for the local church – in leadership positions.

The Screening Committee aims at a good balance of candidates, in terms of geographical origin, gender, and lay and priests/religious. It expects the selected candidates to achieve a high standard in their courses.

For further questions, please contact: scholarship@cameco.org