May 24, 2007 / 09:22 am
A New York philanthropist is giving the Archdiocese of New York its largest donation ever — $22.5 million — earmarked for scholarships to Catholic elementary schools.
Robert Wilson, a former Wall Street investor, told The Associated Press that he is an atheist, but he has no problem donating money to a fund linked to Catholic schools.
“Let's face it, without the Roman Catholic Church, there would be no Western civilization,” Wilson said. “Shunning religious organizations would be abhorrent. Keep in mind, I'm helping to pay tuition, the money isn't going directly to the schools.”
The 80-year-old said he hopes his gift will inspire others to give. An anonymous donor has given an additional $4.5 million to the archdiocese after learning that Wilson's gift would be announced, reported church officials.