Retirement Fund for Religious Annual Appeal

Join our brothers and sisters throughout the Archdiocese of Indianapolis on Sunday, December 11, 2022, by supporting the Retirement Fund for Religious Annual Appeal. You can make a difference! Please offer your prayerful, vocal and financial support.

As you consider this year’s appeal, I ask you to reflect on the role of religious in your own life. Perhaps a woman or man religiously nurtured your faith and your vocation to the priesthood. Or you may have witnessed the dedication of religious serving in Catholic schools, hospitals, parishes, or social services. Many of these women and men religious are now elderly, and too often their religious congregations do not have adequate funding for their care.

In 1988, U.S. Catholic bishops initiated the Retirement Fund for Religious to address the deficit in retirement savings among religious communities. Proceeds from the collection help communities across the country to provide for the ongoing needs of aging members.

As I reflect on the ministry of women and men religious—past and present—I am grateful for the ways they have shaped my own faith. I also value the tremendous service they have offered our diocese. Perhaps you, too, recall an older religious who made a positive difference in your life.

Most senior religious worked many years for little pay, leaving their religious communities with a shortage of retirement savings. Rising healthcare costs and decreased income compound the challenge of meeting day-to-day medication needs, nursing assistance, and other necessities. Donations to the Retirement Fund for Religious provide financial support that helps religious communities care for aging members while ensuring younger ones can continue the good works of their elders.

We live in challenging times, and many worthwhile causes vie for the limited resources of parishioners. I encourage you to share what you can and to pray for God’s blessing on our nation’s elderly sisters, brothers, and religious order priests.

More information about the Retirement Fund for Religious can be found at www.retiredreligious.org.

An envelope for the Retirement Fund for Religious Annual Appeal is included in the monthly envelope packet. Please make sure your check is made payable to the parish church, clearly marking in the memo RFR Annual Appeal (4030.400). If you use online giving, scan the QR code for the Quick Links to make a one-time or recurring gift using debit cards, credit cards, or eChecks (ACH).