By Jennifer Mauro | Managing Editor

Earlier this year, 100-year-old Sister Natalie Hayes lay in her hospital-style bed at the Monastery of St. Clare in Chesterfield – wearing a large smile.

Not only was she surrounded by friends and special visitors, including Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., Sister Natalie was among the thousands of older religious fortunate enough to be cared for in their retirement years through the Retirement Fund for Religious.

This year’s annual RFR collection is set for Dec. 8-9 in the Diocese of Trenton.

“Donations to the Retirement Fund for Religious have a far-reaching impact,” said Presentation Sister Stephanie Still, executive director for the National Religious Retirement Office in Washington. “Most importantly, they help communities care for aging members, but they also underwrite initiatives aimed at addressing the underlying causes of the funding shortages.”

Religious orders are responsible for the support of all members. Traditionally, Catholic sisters, brothers and priest religious served for meagre stipends. They had no retirement funding or health care benefits for their service to the Church.

Today, hundreds of religious institutes lack sufficient retirement savings. Of 547 communities providing data to the NRRO, only 4 percent are adequately funded for retirement. Rising cost of health care and the increasing number of aging religious compound the financial crisis.

There are 31,000 Catholic sisters, brothers and religious order priests older than 70 currently living in the United States. In 2017, the average annual cost for their care was almost $44,000 per person. The average Social Security benefit for a religious is about $6,000; the average U.S. beneficiary receives $16,849.80.

Sister of St. Joseph Rose McDermott, delegate for religious for the Diocese of Trenton, explained that when it comes to religious sisters, many go to live in a convent or infirmary in their retirement years. Without money or savings, most try to stay working as long as possible if healthy.

The 2017 Retirement Fund for Religious collection raised just over $28 million, and the NRRO disbursed $25 million to 360 religious communities for the direct care of elderly members. Communities combine these funds with their own income and savings to help furnish necessities such as medications and nursing care. Throughout the year, additional funding is allocated for congregations with critical needs and for retirement planning and educational resources. Earlier this year, the Monastery of St. Clare was one such congregation – receiving financial support made possible by the annual fund.

“We are overwhelmed by the ongoing generosity toward the annual appeal and by the love and thanksgiving for the service of our elder religious,” Sister Still said. “Our office is committed to stewarding these funds in ways that help religious communities care for older members while continuing to serve the People of God.”

Sister Rose was quick to point out that the faithful who the religious have served over the years continue to be remembered. “They have been helped in the past, and they will be helped now through the retired religious’ prayers in their retirement years.”

For more information, visit retiredreligious.org.