SOAR! History made Possible by Concerned Lay People
Grim Economic Realities
The economic crisis facing elderly religious in the United States today, begun in the 1960s, is a result of the following realities:
- the dramatic rise in the median age of religious due to a precipitous drop in younger members (the median age for religious in 2008 is 69.8 for women and 64.7 for men);
- insufficient funds to care for elder members (many religious received modest stipends or no compensation and there were no provisions for retirement); and
- the exponential rise in the cost of health care.
SOAR! is Born!
In the spring of 1986, a disparate group of Catholic and non-Catholic lay people came together to plan strategies to resolve the economic crisis for religious. The group was galvanized by the May 19, 1986 article in the Wall Street Journal by John Fialka, which exposed the severity of the retirement crisis for religious. The article, based on the research of Foundations and Donors Interested in Catholic Activities (FADICA), resulted in an outpouring of public concern. John Fialka and FADICA’s Frank Butler agreed that there was a potential to establish a national network of concerned donors who would educate the public about the retirement challenges facing religious. The advice and counsel of John Wheeler, a founding chairman of Mothers against Drunk Driving (MADD), proved invaluable in the initial efforts to organize.
In the summer of 1986, at a meeting on the campus of Trinity College in Washington, DC, Support Our Aging Religious, Inc. (SOAR!) was born.
Free legal counsel was given to SOAR! by K. Peter Schmidt and his associate counsel, Patrick Weschler of the law firm Arnold and Porter. The new organization was incorporated in the state of Maryland on August 19, 1986. Kathleen Nilles of Patton Boggs and Blow led the search committee for the organization’s first director, Rita Hofbauer, who served for 16 years. Jim Dimond, an editor for National Geographic, headed up SOAR!’s direct mail marketing campaign. Denise Hattler of the Loyola Foundation in Washington, DC, volunteered to chair the board of directors and it was “Denny” who cleverly suggested the name for the organization – SOAR! The Loyola and Leavey Foundations and the Catholic Daughters of the Americas provided the seed money to open the first office.
The creation of SOAR! had a ripple effect throughout the country. In 1987, with assistance from FADICA, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops began the national Annual Retirement Fund for Religious to alleviate financial stress for congregations. This collection will continue through 2017.
NRRO and SOAR! Similar Missions, Different Aims
The National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO) and Support Our Aging Religious (SOAR!) are both dedicated to advancing the cause of retired and infirm religious in the United States. While both organizations have similar missions, their daily objectives are different. SOAR! strives to meet the immediate and often physical needs of retired or infirm religious. NRRO helps religious institutes to build funds to pay for the long-term needs of retired and infirm members and assists religious institutes to plan for a viable future. Although annual appeals are helpful, NRRO raises about $600 for each sister or brother past the age of 70 in a typical year.
SOAR! supplements the efforts of NRRO, which raises about $25 million annually to benefit retired religious. Over its 22 year history, SOAR! has raised more than $9 million. During its first year, SOAR! was able to award grants totaling $100,000. In 2008, a total of $1 million was awarded to 66 congregations across the country. Grants have made so much possible — renovations for handicapped accessibility, the purchase of physical therapy and medical equipment, the installation of fire alarms and sprinklers, and nurse call and monitoring systems.
The Economic Predicament
Most people are under the impression that the Catholic Church takes care of all those who sign up for religious life. Others believe that aging religious qualify for the same Social Security and disability benefits as everyone else. It is a distressing reality for many congregations that the average Social Security benefit for religious women and men is approximately one-third of that paid to the average U.S. beneficiary. As of December 31, 2006, the annual Social Security for religious averaged $4,290.08 while that of a U.S. beneficiary was $12,024.00.
Today, more than 37,870 religious men and women who taught in Catholic schools or worked at Catholic hospitals or charities have reached the age of 70 and require eldercare. More than 5,000 of these women and men require skilled nursing care. While costs for care in a skilled facility in the U.S. average more that $65,000 annually, religious congregations have kept their average cost of care to $49,850.
The gap has widened between assets available for retirement, the cost of living, and health care for elderly women and men religious from $2 billion in 1986 to $7.5 billion today. Based on 2006 data from the NRRO, the projected shortfall between funds needed and funds available is $7.5 billion. Combined Social Security benefits for all retired religious is projected to be $184 million per year in 2023, but the cost of care will total more than $1.6 billion annually.
Large and Small Contributions Make a Difference
Since the founding of SOAR! many former students, patients, employees of sisters, brothers, and priests have leveraged their support for the women and men religious caught in the retirement crisis web by making donations through direct mail campaigns. Some have given one time; others are multiple givers.
The power of the small gift was confirmed in a SOAR! analysis. The study showed that the number of people who gave less than $50 contributed 80 percent of the dollars collected that year.
Many lay people reach out to support SOAR! through gala dinners in Los Angelus, San Francisco, New York City, Chicago, and Washington, DC. Always a guarantee for success, generous and prominent people have served as honorees at these dinners.
Other donors have contributed stocks or remembered SOAR! in their wills. Many foundations and corporations have made significant contributions in support of the gala dinners, major letter campaigns, and grant applications.
Individuals Championing the Cause
SOAR! caught national attention and the public championed its cause. In 1998, Francis Moroney — husband, father, teacher, cancer survivor, and Chicagoan — wanted to give something back to the religious who educated him, and to call attention to the urgent needs of aging religious men and women “who served as teachers and nurses so selflessly in our parochial schools and local hospitals.”
Moroney, 67 years old, joined the Southern Bicycle Classic to ride from Disneyland in California to Disney World in Florida. He appealed to friends to donate to his 3,200 mile cross-country bicycle ride — “Two pennies a mile will mean $64 toward the well-being of the religious men and women who were important figures in our lives.” He raised $42,000 for the organization that was topped with a $100,000 contribution from an anonymous donor. These funds resulted in the award of 12 grants.
At 70 years old, Moroney bicycled across the country again to benefit SOAR! from June 4 to July 21, 2001. His odyssey of 3,450 miles began on the shores of the Pacific Ocean in Seattle, Washington, and concluded on the shores of Atlantic Ocean in Asbury, New Jersey. He raised more than $40,000.
Moroney said of his bike treks: “It can get lonely out there. The miles don’t always fly by. Then, I think of those who formed my heart and soul and I’m not lonely or tired anymore. I am profoundly grateful for… the example of the consecrated women and priests I have known.”
The National Choir: Sisters in Song
In 1994, Mr. Pat Powers, then a member of SOAR!’s board of directors, envisioned a national choir of religious that would cut a tape to generate funds for SOAR! and the NRRO. The dream became a reality when three tapes/CDs were produced, Celebrate, a collection of traditional religious music; Christmas Spirit, a collection of Christmas songs; and Rejoice, a collection of Easter music. The project generated nearly $500,000 for the needs of elderly religious. The CDs are still available.
Giving Thanks to the Laity
Donors consistently state that they give in gratitude for what they have received from religious — everything from education to inspiration. The outreach of thousands of grateful laity has exemplified an overwhelming response to Christ’s Beatitudes.
In their time of need, hundreds of religious congregations have benefited from the sacrifices and generosity of children they taught, patients they cared for, those they nourished with Sacraments, and the distraught they comforted and counseled. All contributions have made a difference
Support Our Aging Religious is ever grateful for the reporting of John Fialka, the vision and courage of the founders, the leadership of its board, and the generosity of its donors. The Catholic religious congregations in 43 states and Puerto Rico that have received grants are most grateful for the thousands of people who have contributed to SOAR!’s direct mail campaigns and gala dinners.
Looking Toward the Future
Based on the 2008 report from the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA), there are 59,000 women religious at a median age of about 75 and 18,000 men religious at a median age of about 70. Fialka’s 1986 article in the Wall Street Journal focused on the needs of women religious, however, increasing numbers of religious institutes for men are now seeking help in the care of their retired and infirm members.
There are about 1000 religious institutes in the United States and in any given year about 500 apply for and receive grants from the NRRO. The under-funded liability for religious institutes that apply for grants has grown to $7.5 billion. SOAR! will continue to respond to grant requests through the on-going leadership and stewardship of its board, staff, and donors.
Many years of a deep-rooted commitment to serve others has made it difficult for religious to focus on their own needs and step forward to help themselves.
Given the increasing age of religious men and women the need for retirement living and long-term care facilities will continue to increase over the next 20 years. Recognizing the needs of an aging population, many communities have developed phased plans to renovate space or build new short- and long-term care facilities that meet licensing codes and certification for Medicare and Medicaid. The facilities accommodate the elderly and infirm members. Licensure allows them to welcome lay people in need of long-term care. Religious communities look upon at as an opportunity to further their missions by assisting the fastest growing population — elders 85 and older.
Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements help with operational costs, but the religious congregations remain responsible for the balance. Because resources are limited, congregations do fundraising to lessen financial burdens. Many religious congregations have found it necessary to sell property, license facilities to benefit from entitlements, and set up development offices. Some have formed inter-communities; others are tenants in public housing.
Catholic religious congregations throughout the United States and their sister communities around the world continue to build on their long history of service. It is as impossible to quantify the value of the service of given by America’s women and men religious as it is to imagine our society without them. They opened and staffed countless schools, hospitals, and homes for children, women, and men. Without the love and dedication of religious women and men, millions of Americans would have gone without a quality education, medical attention or access to health care, or the sacraments.
Many aged religious sisters, brothers, and priests continue to use their resources to act in solidarity with the economically poor of the world. They remain a vibrant presence in education, and in a wide variety of health care and social services among the young, elderly, and those in special care. When men and women religious are no longer able to be in an active ministry, but are able to continue in a prayer ministry, they make up a powerhouse of prayer in gratitude for their caregivers, benefactors, as well as for the needs of the Church and world. The spirit of their vital ministries will be assured for tomorrow with the support of many friends ever grateful for their services.
