The diocese is hoping for a hana hou with this year’s collection for retired priests, April 24-25.
Last year’s appeal, delayed until November because of COVID-19, brought in $165,627, the most for a special collection in 2020, according to the diocesan Chancellor’s office, which coordinates the collection, despite the pandemic which kept most Hawaii Catholics away from church.
It was the diocese’s first collection specifically for this cause, which is to help pay for retired diocesan priests’ pensions, housing, medical costs and long-term care.
The intended date for the annual collection is Good Shepherd Sunday, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, April 25 this year.
Last year’s appeal collected more money than the religious retirement fund and Lenten Rice Bowl, two national collections, did on pre-pandemic years. More than $17,000 came from donors other than parishes.
Bishop Larry Silva, in thank you letters to pastors last month for the November collection, wrote, “We are most grateful to all of you who contributed. Your generosity will help us replenish our pension fund, subsidize housing, and pay medical and long-term care needs for the priests who served our diocese and our parishes so well for so many years.”
The retirement age for priests in Hawaii is 70, though some choose to work beyond that age. The diocese has 23 retired priests. The diocesan Office for Clergy estimates that number will balloon to 40 by the end of the decade. Ten years ago the diocese had only 16 retired priests.
This collection is not for priests of other dioceses or religious orders.
Active diocesan priests are paid by the parishes in which they work. Retired priests receive a monthly pension check drawn from the diocesan priest pension fund.
The closest thing to a diocesan priest retirement home in Hawaii is a section of One Archer Lane, the condo high-rise on King Street towering over the old Catholic cemetery. There the diocese has apartments it rents to retired priests at a lower-than-market rate.
Some retired priests have their own apartments, or live in parish rectories, or with family. A number live on the Mainland.
