The annual Retirement Fund for Religious collection will be taken up at all Masses in parishes throughout the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington on the weekend of Dec. 13-14.
Last year, Catholics across the archdiocese contributed $319,747 to the collection, mostly through their home parishes. From the collection, the Carmel of Port Tobacco, the Little Sisters of the Holy Family, the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity, the Piarist Fathers, the Religious of Mary Immaculate and the Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matara received a combined total of $480,760.78 in financial assistance.
“The generosity of U.S. Catholics continues to make a profound difference in the lives of aging religious,” said John Knutsen, director of the National Religious Retirement Office. “This year, we invite all Catholics to help provide the care and dignity these women and men of faith so richly deserve.”
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.
Since its establishment in 1988, the collection has raised more than $1 billion, with nearly $900 million distributed for direct care and more than $103.7 million allocated to retirement planning projects.
In 2024, the appeal raised more than $28.1 million, providing financial assistance for the retirement needs of 266 U.S. religious communities. Beyond financial aid, the collection supports educational programs, empowering religious communities to plan for their long-term needs.
The National Religious Retirement Office coordinates the annual national appeal for the Retirement Fund for Religious and distributes financial assistance to eligible religious communities. It is sponsored by the Conference of Major Superiors of Men, the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. For more information, visit retiredreligious.org.
