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Priests Retirement Trust Fund

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, The Diocese of Manchester currently has 29 retired priests, many of whom continue to serve us from celebrating Masses to serving in hospitals or institutions.

Our priests have served in parishes all over New Hampshire. They spend their lives in service to the Lord and to others. They administer the church's seven Sacraments with care, attentiveness, and joy. Our diocesan priests also visit the sick, oversee religious education programs and Catholic schools, and generally provide pastoral care to their parishioners. From birth to death, our priests have provided us spiritual nourishment and accompaniment towards Heaven. Our retired priests have given us this gift and they continue to do so, especially during difficult times and national struggles.

As our retired priests continue to help you, we ask you to help them now with your donation. In this way, we are called to remember, “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them” (Hebrews 6:10). When a priest retires, he continues to make a significant impact on the spiritual and personal lives of Catholics in his community. The Fund is our opportunity to help our retired priests by making a positive contribution to their lives.

During their years of ministry, priests are mainly supported by the parish community. Their salaries are modest, and many priests live independently during retirement. Your donation, along with those from parishioners throughout New Hampshire, will help us to assist in maintaining the dignity of our older priests’ retirement and to honor their lives of sacrifice. After a lifetime of service, no priest should face retirement with financial uncertainty.

The diocese is committed to caring for our retired priests, but we need your help to do so. I thank you for your past generosity in support of the Priests Retirement Trust Fund, and I ask you to prayerfully consider a gift to the New Hampshire Catholic Appeal going forward. Please pray for them, and for an increase in vocations to the priesthood. I ask God to bless you for your faithfulness and I thank you for all you do for our Church and our priests.

Sincerely yours in Christ,
+ Most Reverend Peter A. Libasci
Bishop of Manchester

There for Us

Our priests have affected our lives in many ways over the years. From our introduction to the Church in baptism to the final commendation of our souls to God, our parish priests bless our lives and our families. In times of joy and sorrow, our parish priest stands as a sign of God’s love and the symbol of the Catholic community that we share. Many of these men have been there for us for more than 40 years.

The Challenge

Since the 1960s, the Priests Retirement Trust Fund provided financial support for priests who are retired. After serving for many years, a priest can seek retirement around the age of 70. Even in retirement, however, many priests continue to assist in our parishes by celebrating Mass and helping our pastors. Though most priests do set a portion of their salary aside for their own retirement, given that priests receive a modest salary during their years of ministry, the amount that most priests are able to set aside in combination with any personal savings is often not sufficient to provide for their basic needs in retirement. This Fund provides our retired priests with a monthly stipend, medical and insurance benefits, and assisted living or long-term care as needed, to help assure that they can continue to lead a life of dignity.

Your Support Makes a Difference

While last year the annual collection was during a difficult time, the annual collection of 2019 raised gifts totaling more than $284,000. The need continues this year. Currently we have 29 priests who are supported by this fund. When you contribute to the New Hampshire Catholic Appeal, your gift goes toward helping currently retired priests as well as to make sure we can provide for those priests who will be retiring in the years to come.

Be There for Them

Make your donation directly to the New Hampshire Catholic Appeal.

Remember the retired priests in your will. If you’d like to make a legacy gift, please contact Bevin Kennedy (bkennedy@rcbm.org; 603-663-0136).

Prayer for Our Priests

Gracious and loving God, we thank you for the gift of our priests.
Through them, we experience your presence in the sacraments.
Help our priests to be strong in their vocation. Set their souls
on fire with love for your people. Grant them the wisdom,
understanding, and strength they need to follow in the footsteps
of Jesus. Inspire them with the vision of your Kingdom.
Give them the words they need to spread the Gospel. Allow
them to experience joy in their ministry. Help them to become
instruments of your divine grace. We ask this through Jesus
Christ, who lives and reigns as our Eternal Priest.

Amen.