National Religious Retirement Collection
December 13-14Plan ahead! Parishes and mission churches throughout the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston will have a special collection for the National Religious Retirement Fund on the weekend of Dec. 13-14.
From Bishop Mark Brennan:
“For many years the Church in the United States benefitted from the dedicated service of women and men in consecrated life while giving them very little financial support. We do better now with the religious currently serving our people but, as a result of our collective parsimony in the past, many religious congregations have only meager resources to care for their elderly and disabled members. Not only out of mercy but out of justice we must help them. The annual collection on their behalf is a chief way to encourage our people to come to the aid of these needy religious.”
Last year, Catholics across our diocese contributed $101,247.22 to the collection as the national appeal in total raised $28.1 million.
Rising health-care costs and the absence of traditional retirement plans have placed significant financial strain on many religious communities. The Retirement Fund for Religious helps address this need, supporting more than 21,000 religious over the age of 70. In 2024, the average annual cost of care was about $56,600 per person, with skilled nursing care averaging $96,000 per person. Beyond financial aid, the collection supports educational programs, empowering religious communities to plan for their long-term needs.
For more information, visit retiredreligious.org
