The streets begin to speak before he does.

Rowhomes stand shoulder to shoulder. The air, once filled with the steady hum of industry, still carries something of its past. Machine shops, textile mills, the distant echo of factory whistles marking the rhythm of the day. In this part of the city, history is not preserved behind glass. It lives in the pavement, in the buildings, and in the stories waiting to be told.

This is North Philadelphia.

This is where his story begins.

William Benkert was born, baptized, and raised here, in a working-class neighborhood where life unfolded on the streets and around the parish at St. Edward the Confessor Church at 8th and York. The Church was not simply where you went to Mass. It was the center of everything. Faith shaped the week. The parish helped organize daily life. And for a generation of children, the streets themselves became playgrounds filled with games now long forgotten, belonging to a world that quietly disappeared.

It was, as he understands well, another world.

Today, Bill has become its storyteller.

As a certified master guide and historian, he has spent years leading people through the streets, shrines, and stories of Philadelphia, helping them see not just what is there, but what it means. His work is not simply to recount the past. It is to reveal the deeper connections between faith, culture, and the life of the city.

And each time, the story returns to the same truth.

The Catholic Church has long shaped the life of Philadelphia.

Walk with him along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, and he will point it out with clarity. The way the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul stands with quiet authority at one end, in conversation with the Philadelphia Museum of Art at the other. Faith and culture. Distinct, yet inseparable.

“I love the city and culture of Philadelphia,” he says. And for him, the Church is not just part of that story. It is essential to it.

A Legacy Rooted in Place

But for someone who spent his life preserving history, the question became personal. What continues because you were here?

That question led Bill to establish a permanent endowment fund through The Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia, supported through his estate plans. The endowment is designed to support a wide range of Catholic ministries, parishes, and organizations (17 in fact!) that have shaped his life – mostly locally, but across the country as well. Each one reflects a different influence. His education. The religious sisters who formed generations of young people. The institutions that strengthened families and served those most in need.

“The Catholic Church, especially the religious sisters who educated generations of young Philadelphians, helped shape a society that strengthened the city’s political, industrial, and economic life,” he explains. “Each of the organizations that I support through my Endowed Fund affected my life, family, and career,”.

It is the perspective of someone who sees connections across time. Through places that formed you. People who shaped you. Faith that sustained you.

His decision is also rooted in something quieter. A sense of gratitude handed down through family, who sowed the seeds of generosity generations ago.

“My grandmother left my mother a $500 savings bond when she passed away. It’s all she had. That simple but meaningful gift helped set them on their path decades ago—and in turn, made possible the future I enjoy today, for which I’m deeply grateful. In many ways, I stand on the shoulders of those who came before me,” he says.

For someone known for telling stories, he speaks about his endowment simply. Just with clarity. Just with purpose. And always with a view toward the future.

“The hope is that the fund will continue to support Catholic organizations. To strengthen and sustain education, provide comfort to those in need, and teach the Catholic faith.”

It ensures that others will encounter the same formation and support that shaped him.

With intention. With care. With trust.

Where Vision Meets Action

What began as an idea became something structured, enduring, and aligned with his goals. A plan that ensures his generosity will continue, faithfully and effectively, for years to come.

“The Catholic Foundation and its mission aligned with my plan for the legacy that I want to build in honor of my family. They understood my goals and assisted me through the process of establishing the endowment. They were exactly who I thought they would be.”

And in the end, the story feels fitting.

A man who helps guide others through the past is now quietly shaping the future.

Not by preserving buildings or artifacts, but by strengthening the very institutions and mission that gave the city and our larger faith community its soul.

Because the most meaningful histories are not simply remembered.

They are carried forward.

To explore the impact you can make through planned giving or named endowments, please reach out to The Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia at 215-587-5650 or funds@thecfgp.org to begin a conversation.

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