When reflecting on the Retirement Fund for Religious collection that’s taken up in parishes around the country each year, Sister of St. Joseph Rose McDermott hopes that people will consider making a contribution that comes not just from their wallets, but from their hearts.
As the weekend of Dec. 7-8, the designated dates for the 2019 collection approaches, Sister Rose, diocesan delegate for religious, emphasized her point by sharing a personal story about the impact that religious sisters made in the lives of her brother, Frank, and his family.
“Frank, and his wife, Arlene, adopted their two sons through Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and it was the Trinitarian Sisters who had cared for my nephews until they were adopted,” said Sister Rose. “Our family is forever grateful to the sisters, and I’m sure there are many other stories on how religious men and women have touched the lives of people.”
The annual Retirement Fund for Religious collection is coordinated by the National Religious Retirement Office in Washington, and the appeal benefits some 32,000 Catholic sisters, brothers and religious order priests older than 70 currently living in the United States. Each year, the bulk of the collection goes to the direct care of aging sisters, brothers and religious order priests who combine these funds with their own income and savings to meet needs for nursing care, medications, therapies and other day-to-day necessities. A portion of the appeal also underwrites programming and education that promote long-term retirement planning.
“The collection benefits those men and women religious who have served the people of God during the best years of their lives,” said Sister Rose, adding that in retirement, many religious will live in a convent or infirmary. However, with little money or savings, many try to continue working if their health permits.
Sister Rose reported that in 2018, donations collected through the Trenton Diocese amounted to more than $304,000 to the fund, bringing to more than $10 million donated by parishioners of the Diocese of Trenton since the collection was launched in 1988. She noted that 94 percent of the collection goes to the most needy institutes in the United States, while the remaining six percent pays for publicity expenses and stipends for those serving in the national office in Washington.
In presenting national statistics, Sister Stephanie Still, a member of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who is executive director of the National Retirement Fund, said that Catholics from across the country raised $27.7 million for the fund in 2018.
“Generosity to the collection enables our office to distribute financial and educational assistance that help religious communities provide for older members while continuing to serve the people of God,” said Sister Stephanie. “Joined with the 32,000 elderly sisters, brothers and religious order priests who benefit from the Retirement Fund for Religious, I offer a daily prayer of thanksgiving for all whose love and sacrifice make the work of our office possible.”
To learn more about the Retirement Fund for Religious, visit retiredreligious.org.