Annual Retirement Fund for Religious collection set for Dec. 13-14

Published: 2003-10-15

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Under the slogan "Let Mercy Triumph," this year's national collection for the Retirement Fund for Religious will be conducted in most U.S. parishes the weekend of Dec.13-14. The most successful collection ever conducted in Catholic parishes, last year's collection netted more than $28 million. Since the appeal started in 1988, more than $400 million has been contributed. The collection, though, is scheduled to reach its end after the 2007 collection. Despite the success of the campaign, the unfunded retirement liability of U.S.-based religious orders stands at $6.1 billion, more than double the $2.5 billion from a 1985 study that defined the extent of the liability crisis and led to the collection's establishment by the U.S. bishops starting in 1988 for 10 years, and later extended for another 10.

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