In December, an annual collection is taken up in parishes to help fund retirement costs for women and men religious. Thanks to materials sent to parishes prior to this collection, Catholics are more aware of the retirement concerns of American religious congregations. The Ursuline Sisters are a part of this picture. Last year, Central Province Ursulines received $99,402.00, an average of $1800 for each of fifty-five sisters in assisted or skilled care. Retired religious are eligible for Social Security but receive an average of $3749 versus $10,740 for other Americans.

Currently, retirement costs for the Ursulines are 50% funded. Even with fewer sisters at or above retirement age (72, on average) by the end of the next decade, care for the remaining number of younger sisters will remain very expensive as current trends are likely to continue. The challenge of funding retirement must be met.

The solution is to raise the other 50%– $14,000,000. When retirement costs are fully funded, active sisters can be confident that care for their senior sisters is secure. Complete funding will provide care for them, too, in the future.

Another blessing of fully funding retirement is the ability to allocate more funds to ministry. Right now, each year, the ability to sponsor sisters’ ministries is restricted in part because retirement costs are not totally funded. A gift to our annual Mail Appeal and/or an estate gift to help raise this $14,000,000 is a gift that will give over and over again. Such a gift will be a wonderful tribute to the Ursuline Sisters you know and an abundant way to say thank you.

Stories About Sisters
	Sister Mary Ann Luth
	Sister Mary Margaret Maher Sister Mary Patrick O'Brien

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