CHARLOTTE — The 34th annual Retirement Fund for Religious collection will be taken up in parishes across the Diocese of Charlotte Dec. 11-12.
Coordinated by the U.S. bishops’ National Religious Retirement Office, the national appeal assists hundreds of religious order communities in providing for the ongoing needs of elderly Catholic sisters, brothers and religious order priests.
The U.S. bishops initiated the collection in 1988 to address the significant lack of retirement funding among U.S. religious orders. Distinct from retired priest collections held in respective dioceses for the care of retired diocesan priests, this annual collection benefits eligible religious orders to help underwrite retirement and health-care expenses for nearly 26,330 aging religious.
The 2020 appeal raised $20.7 million, and this past June, the NRRO distributed $25 million in financial assistance to 321 religious communities across the nation. The Charlotte diocese contributed more than $176,019 to the collection last year.
“While this (2020) amount represents a decrease compared to previous years, we are overwhelmed by the outpouring of support – especially in such difficult times,” said Sister Stephanie Still, PBVM (Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary), who serves as the NRRO’s executive director. “For me, these gifts are a beautiful expression of the appreciation U.S. Catholics have for the service and witness of our elderly sisters, brothers and religious order priests.”
The religious order communities that benefit from the NRRO collection combine that funding with their own income and savings to help furnish day-to-day necessities, including medications and nursing care, and the distributions may be applied toward immediate retirement needs or invested for future eldercare expenses.
The retirement-funding deficit is rooted in low salaries and changing demographics. Traditionally, Catholic sisters, brothers and religious order priests – often known collectively as “women and men religious” – engaged in ministry for little to no pay. As a result, many of their religious communities lack adequate retirement savings. Elderly religious are also living longer and, according to NRRO data, outnumber younger, wage-earning religious by nearly three to one.
Like many other Americans, religious communities struggle with the ever-rising cost of health care. The total cost of care for religious past age 70 exceeds $1 billion annually. COVID-19 has compounded this already difficult situation.
Through the annual collection, the NRRO helps religious communities address their funding deficits. In addition to direct financial aid, donations make possible resources and services that assist communities in evaluating and preparing for long-term retirement needs.
“As we move forward from this pandemic, remember that all gifts big or small combine to provide generous support for our retired religious,” noted Monsignor Patrick Winslow, vicar general and chancellor of the diocese, in an annual appeal letter to the faithful.
“Please consider making a gift and pray for the retired religious who have given us so much and changed so many lives throughout the United States.”
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter. The USCCB and the National Religious Retirement Office contributed.
Learn more
At www.retiredreligious.org: Learn more about the Retirement Fund for Religious collection and who it supports