CHARLOTTE — During Masses Dec. 7-8, parishes are asked to take up a collection to support retired consecrated religious men and women.
The annual Retirement Fund for Religious Collection is coordinated by the National Religious Retirement Office, which then distributes the funds to eligible religious communities to help care for their aging members.
In 2023, Diocese of Charlotte parishioners contributed $265,058 to this collection.
John Knutsen, director of the NRRO, said, “The unwavering support of the Catholic faithful in the United States continues to inspire us. Every contribution to the Retirement Fund for Religious makes a tangible difference in the lives of those who have given so much to our Church and communities.”
Catholic sisters, brothers and religious order priests – collectively known as men and women religious – have selflessly served for decades without significant financial compensation. However, escalating healthcare costs mean that numerous religious communities face a substantial gap between their elderly members’ needs and the financial resources available for their care. Compounding the problem, many religious orders currently experience insufficient retirement savings.
The U.S. bishops initiated the Retirement Fund for Religious collection in 1988 to address this deficit in retirement funding among U.S. religious orders.
The 2023 appeal demonstrated Catholics’ tremendous generosity – raising $29.3 million nationwide to support the retirement needs for 286 U.S. religious communities.
The NRRO is sponsored by the Conference of Major Superiors of Men, the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
— Catholic News Herald
More online
At www.retiredreligious.org: Find out more information about this collection and how funds help religious communities across the United States.