On December 7-8, each parish in the Diocese of Camden will be conducting the appeal for the Retirement Fund for Religious, an annual collection that benefits some 34,000 senior sisters, brothers and religious order priests. As I reflect on the service of our women and men religious, I recall the words of Jesus in John’s Gospel: “Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be” (Jn 12:26). Through their prayer and ministries, religious can be found following Christ and serving the People of God.
In the past, Catholic sisters, brothers and religious order priests served for small stipends that did not include retirement benefits. Of the 548 communities submitting data in 2012 to the National Retirement for Religious Office, only eight percent were fully funded for retirement.
Our Diocese has always been very generous in response to this appeal. Last year, the Diocese of Camden contributed $130,024.79 to this collection. In 2013, the Daughters of Our Lady of Mercy, Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Franciscan Missionary Sisters of the Infant Jesus, Hospitaller Order of St.John of God, and the Little Servant Sisters of the Immaculate Conception received financial support made possible by the Retirement Fund for Religious. Additionally, women and men religious whose communities are based elsewhere, for example, the Sisters of St. Joseph, the Sisters of Mercy, the Franciscan Sisters and the Sister, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, benefit from this annual appeal.
The annual collection is an opportunity for each of us to be the presence of Jesus to our senior religious.I ask simply that you give what you can. Please join me in supporting the Retirement Fund for Religious and in praying for God’s continued blessing on our nation’s elderly sisters, brothers and religious order priests.
Most Reverend Dennis J. Sullivan, D.D.
Bishop of Camden