Across the United States, hundreds of religious communities lack financial resources sufficient to meet the retirement and health-care needs of aging members.
Of 471 communities providing data to the National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO), only 21 are adequately funded for retirement. (See chart.) Historically, Catholic sisters, brothers, and religious order priests—known collectively as women and men religious—received very little pay. Any surplus funds were reinvested in ministry and the education of younger members. As a result, hundreds of US religious communities lack adequate retirement savings.
Like many Americans, religious communities face the monumental challenge of funding eldercare. Currently, the average annual cost of care for women and men religious past age 70 is roughly $56,600 per person. Skilled care averages $96,000. The total cost of care for senior women and men religious in the United States has exceeded $1.1 billion annually for each of the last 17 years.During the early and mid-twentieth centuries, the Catholic Church in the United States experienced a surge in vocations to religious life, with numbers peaking in the mid-1960s. Care for elderly members was provided largely by younger ones. Over time, however, the number of vocations decreased while lifespans increased. The result is far fewer younger members available to support the retirement and eldercare needs of senior members. Currently, 70 percent of the religious communities providing data to the NRRO have a median age of 70 or older.
The National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO) coordinates the annual Retirement Fund for Religious collection and distributes the proceeds to eligible religious communities. More than 20,500 senior sisters, brothers, and religious order priests benefit. The Retirement Fund for Religious underwrites financial assistance, consultation, and education to help religious communities meet the immediate and ongoing needs of aging members.
Approximately 95 percent of our budget aids senior religious. The remainder is used for administration of the funds and promotion of the nationwide appeal.
Proceeds from the annual Retirement Fund for Religious appeal enable the NRRO to distribute financial assistance to hundreds of religious communities each year.The majority of donations are distributed as Direct Care Assistance. Direct Care Assistance is a per capita distribution based on specified criteria, including level of need. Religious communities may apply annually for these funds, which can be used to help meet immediate eldercare needs or saved for long-term retirement expenses. Throughout the year, additional funding is allocated for retirement education and other programming.
Please help give to those who have given a lifetime!
The 2025 Retirement Fund for Religious Collection will be taken up on the weekend of December 13/14 in most parishes. Or give here, now! http://www.diobr.org/special-appeal
Used by permission. Photo by Jim Judkis. © 2025 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
