SHARE IN THE CARE

Many of us recall a special Catholic sister, brother, or priest who had a profound influence on our lives. Never counting the cost, these dedicated individuals shared with us faith, love and a belief in all that we could become, choosing to invest in our futures rather than their own. Today, that sister, brother or priest may be elderly and need care.

Traditionally, Catholic sisters, brothers or religious order priests, known collectively as women and men religious, worked for little or no pay. Many elder religious worked for years for small stipends, leaving a large gap in retirement savings. At the same time, fewer religious are able to serve in compensated ministry. Today, retired religious outnumber wage-earners by nearly three to one. As a result, many religious communities now lack retirement savings. Like many Americans, religious communities face the monumental challenge of funding eldercare.

To help address this challenge, U.S. Catholic Bishops established the Retirement Fund for Religious in 1988. Each year, proceeds from the annual Retirement Fund for Religious appeal are distributed to hundreds of eligible U.S. religious congregations. Nearly 25,000 senior women and men religious benefit. Ongoing support for the collection has helped numerous religious congregations stabilize their retirement outlooks, yet many others are still struggling to meet eldercare needs.

Your gift to the Retirement Fund for Religious provides vital support for assisted-living and home-health services, nursing care, and more. It also helps to ensure ongoing viability for religious communities, so that younger members can continue the good works begun by their elders.

Next weekend December 10th & 11th, the second collection will be for the Retirement Fund for Religious. As always, your generosity is most appreciated.