CHARLOTTE — During Masses Dec. 13-14, parishes are asked to take up a collection to support retired consecrated religious men and women.
The annual Retirement Fund for Religious Collection is coordinated by the National Religious Retirement Office, which then distributes the funds to eligible religious communities to help care for their aging members.
In 2024, Diocese of Charlotte parishioners contributed $281,917 to this collection.
John Knutsen, director of the NRRO, said, “The generosity of U.S. Catholics continues to make a profound difference in the lives of aging religious. This year, we invite all Catholics to help provide the care and dignity these women and men of faith so richly deserve.”
Catholic sisters, brothers and religious order priests – collectively known as men and women religious – have selflessly served for decades without significant financial compensation.
However, escalating healthcare costs mean that numerous religious communities face a substantial gap between their elderly members’ needs and the financial resources available for their care.
Compounding the problem, many religious orders currently experience insufficient retirement savings.
The U.S. bishops initiated the Retirement Fund for Religious Collection in 1988 to address this deficit in retirement funding among U.S. religious orders, 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.
The 2024 appeal demonstrated Catholics’ tremendous generosity – raising $28.1 million nationwide to support the retirement needs for 266 U.S. religious communities.
The NRRO 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.
— Catholic News Herald
ASHEVILLE — Scaffolding around St. Lawrence Basilica is creating a buzz as work begins on the first phase of renovations – which ultimately could cost more than $30 million – to restore the 116-year-old iconic structure perched on a hill in downtown Asheville.
A kickoff event is set for 1 p.m., Friday, Oct. 17, and the public is invited to hear more about the landmark that has inspired generations of residents, visitors and parishioners with its elaborate tile work and Spanish Renaissance architecture.
Designed by renowned architect Rafael Guastavino, the basilica is listed on the National Register for Historic Places and is known for its large elliptical dome – one of the largest of its kind in North America – and for its Catalan vaulting and construction using Guastavino's signature tile and masonry technique.
“We’re getting calls from people excited and wondering about what’s going on,” says Mary Everist, a parishioner and president of the Basilica Preservation Fund. “St. Lawrence Basilica is a national treasure. It is a spiritual home and a place of beauty and peace for Catholics, travelers and people of all faiths or no faith. This restoration will help ensure we can pass that legacy on.”
Parishioners and donors from around the country have raised more than $6.4 million of $7.7 million needed for the first phase of the project, which includes replacing the copper-clad roof on the basilica’s dome, new storm drains, measures to stop water intrusion and repair of damage from Tropical Storm Helene.
Work also will include replacement of gutters and cornices around the dome, repairs to the oculus skylight and stabilizing masonry over the western chapel.
The first of the three phases is expected to take a year, but the full restoration will stretch over many years as fundraising continues. Future phases will include repairs to the tile and other interior areas, restoration of windows, upgrades to the HVAC system and ADA improvements.
“This project has taken years of planning, fundraising, research and consultation,” Everist said. “You can’t just call in a roofer for a building like this because of its architectural, historical and cultural significance.”
Friday’s kickoff coincides with the anniversary of the basilica’s 1909 dedication and will include a reception with historical displays and drone footage, as well as a special prayer and music written by Guastavino himself, who studied music before architecture.
Guastavino's architecture work can also be seen at Carnegie Hall, Ellis Island, Grant’s Tomb and Grand Central Station in New York City, earning him the nickname “the architect of New York,” and at other locations around the country.
— Christina Lee Knauss