FALL RIVER \u2014 Catholics in the Diocese of Fall River will have the opportunity to \u201cgive to those who have given a lifetime\u201d as part of the collection for the Retirement Fund for Religious, to be held in parishes Dec. 9-10. Coordinated by the National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO) in Washington, D.C., the annual appeal benefits 32,000 elderly Catholic sisters, brothers and religious order priests whose religious congregations lack adequate retirement funding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Last year, the Diocese of Fall River contributed $157,637.07 to the collection. In 2017, the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts, whose Provincial House is in Fairhaven, received financial assistance made possible by the Retirement Fund for Religious. Women and men religious who serve or have served in the diocese but whose communities are based elsewhere may also benefit from the annual appeal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 2016 collection raised almost $30.7 million. Roughly 94 cents of every dollar aids senior religious. In June, the NRRO distributed $25 million to 390 religious communities across the country. Communities utilize these funds to bolster retirement savings and subsidize expenses, such as prescription medications and nursing care. Throughout the year, additional funding is allocated to assist religious communities with the greatest needs and to promote ongoing education in retirement planning and eldercare delivery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are humbled and profoundly grateful for the love and support of Catholics across the nation,\u201d said Presentation Sister Stephanie Still, the NRRO\u2019s executive director.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite this generosity, many religious communities still struggle to provide for aging members. Only 41 of the 539 communities submitting data to the NRRO in 2016 were adequately funded for retirement. Traditionally, Catholic sisters, brothers and religious order priests\u2014known collectively as religious\u2014served for small stipends that did not include retirement benefits. Today, hundreds of religious communities lack sufficient retirement savings. Compounding the funding shortage are the rising cost of care and the decrease in income that has resulted from the declining number of religious able to serve in compensated ministry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition to providing assistance for day-to-day needs, collection proceeds underwrite initiatives to help religious communities address the factors underlying their retirement shortfalls. These efforts have facilitated solutions such as collaborative care facilities, strategic partnerships with health-care providers and numerous cost-saving measures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n