Editorial

It's our turn: To show appreciation for religious

Last year at this time, I wrote an editorial about the annual appeal for the Retirement Fund for Religious (RFR), mentioning a sister who had impacted my life.

She was Sister Ethel Marie, a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration. One of my English teachers at Aquinas High School in LaCrosse, she had encouraged my love of reading and writing. Unfortunately I had never told her how much she influenced my life.

Several months after the editorial was published, I received a letter from her. She had left teaching many years ago and entered the health field. Why? Because she wasn't sure she was a good teacher!

I'm sure she has done many wonderful things as a nurse, but it is too bad she didn't realize what a wonderful teacher she was. That was because her students never let her know she was appreciated.

Show appreciation. It is important to show our gratitude to the many women and men religious who have touched our lives. My husband and I have contacted other sisters whom we knew in our youth; some of them have communicated with us, too.

Beyond the words of appreciation, we should also consider giving financial support to religious orders. One way is through the Retirement Fund for Religious. Now in its 15th year, the RFR helps offset the more than $6 billion of unfunded retirement liability for more than 79,000 Catholic sisters, brothers, and religious order priests. RFR has generated more than $380 million in donations since it was established.

Crisis continues. The crisis in funding retirement needs of religious became evident in the early 1970s. Small salaries and stipends received by active religious were not able to keep pace with higher costs for elderly members, who had little retirement savings. There were severe shortfalls in retirement funds.

To help these dedicated people who served the church for so many years, the RFR was launched in 1988. Grants are awarded to religious orders according to a formula based on age, membership, and level of retirement need. Special grants are given to meet emergency needs and to fund cost-cutting projects.

Promise, Commitment, Impact. The theme for this year's collection is "Promise, Commitment, Impact." It emphasizes that women and men religious have taken vows promising to serve God and the church. They have kept their commitment and had an impact on our lives.

Now it's our turn. We must promise to help them serve the needs of their retired members, so that religious orders can continue their ministry in schools, hospitals, parishes, and social service agencies. It's our turn to have an impact on them by showing our appreciation and by giving financial support.

Mary C. Uhler, editor

Mailbag

To the editor:

	Mailbag policy We reserve the right to edit or reject letters. Limit letters to 200 words or less. All letters must be signed. Send letters to: Mailbag The Catholic Herald P.O. Box 44985 Madison, WI 53744-4985 Fax: 608-821-3071 E-mail: info@madisoncatholicherald.org

To the Stingly family and all the volunteers who are helping them: I apologize that you were mislead into believing that I thought this incredible mother of four babies was not breastfeeding.

I in NO way assumed this to be true. In fact, quite the opposite. Had my original letter not been edited to what I believed changed the content, you would have seen that I said we should celebrate the fact that Mrs. Stingly was breastfeeding her babies, as you all so eloquently let us know. That is wonderful!

I also commented that it would be incredibly difficult to exclusively breastfeed four babies, but this was not included, either. I, too, do volunteer work. I have been helping breastfeeding mothers for nearly seven years.

I believe I do have a bit more knowledge than the average person regarding this topic. I have received training and continuing education. While I am not a board certified lactation consultant, I provide support to nursing mothers by providing them with current and up to date information regarding breastfeeding.

I apologize that you felt attacked by my letter. You are doing a wonderful thing for your babies and for yourself. Keep it up. And to all you who help them, bless you!

Jeannie Manthe, Cottage Grove

Editor's note: The Mailbag policy for The Catholic Herald stipulates that letters be limited to 200 words or less. Letters are routinely edited to accommodate space needs. In this case we felt the writer's main points were included in the paper.