The 25th national collection for the Retirement Fund for Religious will be held in most parishes Dec. 8-9. The annual, parish-based appeal is coordinated by the National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO) and offers financial support for the day-to-day care of over 34,000 senior Catholic sisters, brothers, and religious order priests.

Initiated in 1988 by the U.S. Catholic bishops, the collection asks Catholics to share in the care of elderly religious. Nearly 95 percent of donations directly support senior religious and their communities in underwriting retirement and health care expenses. Contributions to the 2011 appeal enabled the NRRO to distribute $23 million in financial assistance to 453 religious communities.

Additionally, nearly $2.9 million was disbursed to assist religious communities with the greatest needs and to support ongoing education in retirement and elder-care delivery. Since the collection began, U.S. Catholics have donated over $671 million to support senior religious.

“Words cannot express our gratitude,” said NRRO executive director and Precious Blood Sister Janice Bader. “We are humbled by the generous and prayerful support that people share with our elder religious each year.”

Religious communities are financially autonomous and continue to face significant challenges in meeting the high costs of care. Last year’s distributions amounted to approximately $907 per eligible religious, yet the average annual cost of care for a senior religious stands at $37,200 per person, while skilled care can exceed $56,000. In 2011 alone, the total cost of care for women and men religious was over $1.1 billion.

“Our goal is to help religious communities develop retirement strategies that will enable them to care for their senior members today and in the years to come,” said Sister Bader.

In 2011, the diocese collected over $346,000 for the fund; monies were distributed to religious communities with the greatest need.