The annual Retirement Fund for Religious collection will be taken up at Masses in all parishes of The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington on the weekend of Dec. 10-11.
Donations provide funding for the immediate retirement expenses of men and women religious as well as help religious communities serving and ministering in the United States to improve elder care and plan for long-term retirement needs.
“The care of our aging religious presents an enormous financial responsibility,” for most religious communities, said Sister Stephanie Still, a member of the Sisters of the Presentation of San Francisco and executive director of the National Religious Retirement Office that coordinates the annual national appeal.
Historically, Catholic sisters, brothers, and religious order priests have served for little to no pay. Facing rising health-care expenses and the fact that men and women religious past age 70 outnumber religious under age 70 by nearly three to one, hundreds of U.S. religious communities face a large gap between the needs of their older members and the funds available to support their care, and many now lack adequate retirement savings.
Last year, the faithful of The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington donated $375,000 to the collection. This year, the Carmel of Port Tobacco, the Little Sisters of the Holy Family, the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity, the Piarist Fathers, the Religious of Mary Immaculate and Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matara received a combined total of $377,103.95 in financial support made possible by the Retirement Fund for Religious.
The 2021 appeal raised nearly $28.5 million nationwide that provided funding to 271 U.S. religious communities.
In 1988, Catholic bishops of the United States launched the Retirement Fund for Religious to address the significant lack of retirement funding for Catholic sisters, brothers, and priests in religious orders.
“It is our privilege to care for those who gave a lifetime of tireless service, and I feel we are deeply blessed by all the U.S. Catholic donors who have steadfastly contributed to this fund,” Sister Still said.
For more information, visit retiredreligious.org
