The 25th annual collection for the Retirement Fund for Religious will be taken up Dec. 8-9, in the Diocese of Camden. The parish-based appeal is coordinated by the National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO) in Washington, D.C., and offers financial support for the day-to-day care of over 34,000 senior Catholic sisters, brothers, and religious order priests.
Last year, the Diocese of Camden contributed $193,513.43 to this collection. In 2012, the Daughters of Our Lady of Mercy, Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Franciscan Missionary Sisters of the Infant Jesus, Hospitaller Order of St. John of God, and the Little Servant Sisters of the Immaculate Conception received financial assistance made possible by the national appeal. Additionally, religious who serve or have served in the diocese but whose communities are based elsewhere may also benefit from the Retirement Fund for Religious.
The collection was initiated in 1988 by Catholic bishops of the United States. Proceeds are distributed to eligible religious communities to help underwrite retirement and health-care expenses. Nearly 95 percent of donations directly support senior religious and their communities.
Contributions to the 2011 appeal totaled $27.4 million and enabled the NRRO to distribute $23 million in financial assistance to 453 religious communities. Additionally, nearly $2.9 million was disbursed to assist religious communities with the greatest needs and to support ongoing education in retirement and elder-care delivery.
Despite the unparalleled generosity to the collection, religious communities continue to face significant challenges in meeting the high costs of care. Last year’s distributions amounted to approximately $907 per eligible religious. Yet the average annual cost of care for a senior religious stands at $37,200 per person, while skilled care can exceed $56,000.
Religious communities are financially autonomous and thus responsible for the care and support of their elder members. Traditionally, senior religious worked for small stipends, and any surplus income was often reinvested in community ministries. As a result, many religious communities now lack adequate savings for retirement and elder care. Annual distributions from the Retirement Fund for Religious offer religious communities supplemental retirement funding and help to furnish various necessities, such as prescription medications and nursing care.
For more information, visit www.retiredreligious.org
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