Second Collection: Retirement Fund for Religious

In Catholic schools and hospitals, parishes, retreat centers, and countless works of mercy, elderly sisters, brothers, and religious order priests have prayerfully served our Church and world. For most of their lives, elder religious worked for little to no pay. There were no 401(k) plans or pensions. Now, without enough retirement savings, many religious communities are struggling to care for aging members.

In 1988, Catholic bishops of the United States launched the Retirement Fund for Religious to address the significant lack of retirement funding for Catholic sisters, brothers, and priests in religious orders. Religious communities are financially responsible for the support and care of all members. Income, earnings, and expenses are managed separately from the parish and diocesan structures of the Catholic Church.

Many small communities struggle to care for elder members due to a lack of financial resources and personnel. Rising health-care costs and decreasing income make it a struggle for many religious communities to care for their aging members, and COVID-19 has compounded an already difficult situation. Your gift to the Retirement Fund for Religious helps provide nursing care, medicine, and other necessities.