The history of the Catholic Church in the United States of America is closely linked to the work of many, many Religious Men and Women.    Most of the Religious Sisters, Religious Brothers, and Religious Priests left their families behind in foreign lands to come and help immigrants proclaim, teach, live, celebrate and pass-on their Catholic Christian Faith to their children.     These were women and men who spent their lives building churches, opening schools, running hospitals and orphanages, and teaching the Faith.    Their salaries did not include any form at all of health benefits or life insurance, or even any form of retirement plan.    They gladly served with no thought for their own future.

This low-paid, no insurance benefit system, no Social Security, worked-well in the past as all communities had many young men and women joining them, who's low-income could support the older members.     Today, however, with few young men and women giving their life to the Lord, this system has irretrievably broken-down and does not work!     Today Religious Communities have more retired elderly members than active members.    This is causing very serious financial problems.     So many Religious Communities now must spend more for their older members or their sick members that they have little or no funds available to train or even seek new members.     In fact, some Religious Communities cannot even afford to continue to do the work they gave their lives to accomplish.

Our American Bishops in response to this very serious financial crisis established a Retirement Fund to help all Religious Communities.    Each December on the Second Sunday, we are asked to help those who have given so much.   

The funds collected are divided among all Religious Communities, with a little extra for those in most need.

Sister Kathy Bryant is here this weekend to share at all the Masses regarding this great need.    Sister Kathy is also one of our Archdiocesan Vocation Directors.

Please be as generous as possible as they were so generous to us!    For those who are tithing, this is another excellent and most worthwhile charity to donate your extra 5% of your Tithe Unto the Lord.