Remember the religious

Richard A. Sokerka

All of us over the years can recall at some point in our life the difference a religious made in our life, be it in a Catholic school, a religious education program or at our home parish. They were the ones who shaped our faith.

Today, many of them are in their senior years, still active in their communities. But their communities are struggling to provide for them in their retirement years.

That’s why the bishops of the United States initiated a national collection in 1988 — the Retirement Fund for Religious — to help address the lack of retirement funding among U.S. religious congregations.

The Retirement Fund for Religious collection will be held at parishes in the Diocese of Paterson at weekend Masses Dec. 8-9. Now in its 31st year, the collection is coordinated by the National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO). Proceeds are distributed to religious communities to help underwrite retirement and health-care expenses for senior members.

Despite ongoing support for the national appeal, the need remains great. For each of the last 10 years, the total cost of care for senior women and men religious has exceeded $1 billion. At the same time, most religious communities lack adequate retirement savings because older members served for little to no pay. Historically low compensation also impacts current income. The average annual Social Security benefit for a religious is just $6,453.

In addition to direct financial aid, collection proceeds underwrite efforts to help religious communities prepare for long-term needs. Special programming offers fiscal and one-on-one support to communities with critical funding shortages.

Donations to the 2017 appeal totaled just more than $28 million, and the NRRO distributed the proceeds to 360 religious communities across the country. Here in the Diocese of Paterson, generous Catholics donated $290,309 and this year, religious congregations in the Diocese received a combined total of $642,561.06 in financial assistance made possible by last year’s Retirement Fund for Religious collection.

This weekend, think about how a religious who molded your faith and thank them by being as generous as your means allow to the Retirement Fund for Religious collection.