The Valley Catholic November 19, 2019 | Page 7

tvc.dsj.org | November 19, 2019
COMMUNITY
7
Appeal Helps Religious Communities Care for Aging Members
The annual Retirement Fund for
Religious collection will be held
December 7-8 in the Diocese of San
José. The parish-based appeal is coor-
dinated by the National Religious Re-
tirement Office (NRRO), and proceeds
help hundreds of U.S. religious com-
munities to care for aging members.
Some 30,000 senior Catholic sisters,
brothers and religious order priests’
benefit.
Last year, thanks to the generos-
ity of its parishioners, the Diocese of
San José donated $223,494.36 to the
collection.
The 2018 appeal raised $27.7 mil-
lion, and 360 religious congregations
across the nation received funding.
Distributions are sent to each eligible
congregation’s central house. Com-
munities combine this assistance with
their own income and savings and
apply it toward various retirement
expenses, such as medications and
nursing care.
“We are humbled and profoundly
grateful for the countless Catholics
who honor the service and witness of
senior religious through their prayers
and generosity,” said Presentation
Sister Stephanie Still, the NRRO’s
executive director.
Catholic bishops of the United
religious served for low wages that
did not include retirement benefits.
Today, numerous communities face
a critical shortage in retirement sav-
ings. Moreover, retired religious now
outnumber wage-earning members,
resulting in declining income and a
Roughly 94% of donations aid senior religious.
States initiated the Retirement Fund
for Religious in 1988 to help address
the profound lack of retirement sav-
ings among U.S. religious communi-
ties. Since the collection’s launch, U.S.
Catholics have donated $872 million
to the annual appeal.
Despite t his generosit y, many
congregations still struggle to pro-
vide for aging members. Most older
eldercare and financial planning, to
help congregations lower costs while
enhancing care.
“Donat ions to t he Ret irement
Fund for Religious enable our office
to provide financial assistance for an
array of direct needs,” said Sister Still.
“They also underwrite education and
resources that help religious commu-
nities stretch retirement dollars and
plan for the future.”
Visit retiredreligious.org to learn
more.
rising cost of care.
Proceeds from the annual col-
lect ion allow t he NRRO to offer
assessment tools, educational pro-
gramming, services and resources
that enable communities to evaluate
and prepare for long-term retirement
needs. The NRRO also coordinates
an extensive network of volunteer
consultants, including experts in
• In 2018 the Diocese of San José
donated $223,494.36 to the Annual
Retirement Fund for Religious
collection.
• Overall the 2018 appeal raised
$27.7 million and 360 religious
congregations across the nation
received funding.
Like Sister de Lourdes and Sister Florence Kruczek
(right), 91, some 30,000 senior Catholic sisters,
brothers, and religious order priests have spent
their lives doing the Lord’s work. Most served
for little or no pay, and now their religious
communities do not have enough retirement
savings. Your gift to the Retirement Fund for
Religious offers vital support for necessities,
such as medications and nursing care.
Please be generous.
Roughly 94 percent of donations
aid senior religious.
“ Live with good humor
and just do the Lord’s
work,” says Franciscan
Sister de Lourdes
Okoniewski (left), 87.
Retirement Fund
for Religious
Please give to those who have given a lifetime.
Please give at your local parish
December 7–8.
To donate by mail:
Diocese of San Jose
1150 North First Street
Suite 100
San Jose CA 95112
Make check payable to Retirement Fund for Religious.
retiredreligious.org
©2019 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC. All rights reserved. Photo: Jim Judkis