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The annual Retirement Fund for Religious collection will be held December 10-11 in most U . S . parishes . Now in its 29th year , the collection is coordinated by the National Religious Retirement Office ( NRRO ) and benefits nearly 33,000 elderly Catholic sisters , brothers and religious order priests whose religious communities lack adequate retirement funding .
The appeal raised $ 30.7 million in 2015 , the sixth highest total in its history . As a result , the NRRO distributed $ 25 million to 401 religious communities across the county . Communities utilize this assistance to bolster retirement savings and subsidize such day-to-day expenses as prescription medications and nursing care . Throughout the year , additional funding is allocated for religious congregations with the greatest needs . A portion of the proceeds also supports education in retir ement planning and eldercare delivery .
“ The ongoing generosity toward the needs of senior religious is truly heartwarming ,” said Sister Stephanie
Annual Collection Helps Elderly Sisters , Brothers , Religious Order Priests
Still , a former teacher at Presentation High School in San Jose , and a member of the Sisters of the Presentation and the newly appointed executive director of the NRRO .
The U . S . bishops initiated the Retirement Fund for Religious in 1988 to address the significant lack of retirement funding among religious communities in the United States . Proceeds are distributed to eligible communities to help underwrite retirement and health-care expenses . Since the collection began , Catholics have contributed more than $ 785 million . Almost 95 percent of donations directly support senior religious and their communities .
Despite overwhelming generosity to the collection , many religious communities continue to struggle to provide for aging members . Of 550 communities submitting data to the NRRO in 2015 , only 8 percent were adequately funded for retirement .
Religious communities are financially autonomous and thus responsible for the care and support of all members . Historically , Catholic sisters ,
brothers and religious order priests — known collectively as women and men religious — ministered for small stipends . As a result , many religious communities now lack adequate retirement savings . Compounding the funding shortage are the rising cost of care and the substantial loss of income that has resulted from the declining number of religious able to serve in compensated ministry
“ Donations to the Retirement Fund
November 29 , 2016 | The Valley Catholic
for Religious enable our office to provide financial assistance , educational programming and resources that help religious communities reduce funding deficits and plan for longterm retirement needs ,” said Sister Stephanie . “ Religious communities are profoundly grateful for this support and are careful stewards of each dollar received .”
More information is available at www . retiredreligious . org .
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Retirement Fund for Religious
“ Be faithful to your prayer life and have a sense of humor ,” says Sister Rita Polchin ( foreground ), 87 , a member of the Sisters of Saints Cyril and Methodius . This philosophy has served her well during nearly 70 years of religious life , especially as a teacher and principal in Catholic schools . Like Sister Rita , the senior sisters , brothers , and religious order priests shown here — and nearly 33,000 more across the nation — have offered their lives in service and prayer . Your gift to the Retirement Fund for Religious helps provide nursing care , medications , and other necessities . Please be generous .
Please give to those who have given a lifetime .
Roughly 95 percent of donations aid senior religious .
www . retiredreligious . org To donate : Please give at your local parish
December 10 – 11 .
Or by mail to : Diocese of San Jose 1150 North First Street , Suite 100 San Jose CA 95112
Make your check payable to Diocese of San Jose / RFR .
Photos : ( foreground ) Sister Rita Polchin , SSCM , 87 ; ( background ) visit retiredreligious . org / 2016photos for a list of names . © 2016 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops , Washington , DC . All rights reserved . Photographer : Jim Judkis .