Annual collection helps offset the cost of caring for our elder Sisters
by Sister Mary Kabat
Development Director
How many Sisters live here? This is the question I am asked most frequently when people come to visit our Motherhouse or tour our grounds. I am sorry to admit I rarely have a specific answer to give as the number fluctuates according to the living and health needs of the Sisters. Here is the current answer:
- 27 Sisters reside at our Motherhouse (capacity of 32)
- 20 Sisters reside outside the Motherhouse in Appleton, Brillion, Denmark, De Pere, Green Bay, Kaukauna and Shawano
- 6 Sisters reside in health-care facilities in De Pere and Green Bay
However, at this time of year when the Retirement Fund for Religious Appeal is brought to Catholics across the country, the more important question is:
How many of those Sisters are earners? How many are earning a salary or stipend to contribute to the financial needs of the Sisters?
- Out of 53 Sisters, we have the equivalent of 6 full-time earners. Those Sisters who are part-time earners are added together into a full-time earner.
How do we manage? Through the years we have been good stewards the years we have been good stewards of our finances and careful with our spending. We set aside savings in the years we had more earners and were remembered in benefactors’ estates. We paid to enter social security and enrolled Sisters in Medicare. We sold land when needed to cover various expenses. We established a Retirement Fund in the 1970s to help meet the daily and medical needs of our retired Sisters. And, most of all, we have been blessed, very blessed by the generosity of past and present benefactors and donors. Yes, we depend on you! Can you help? If you can, we thank you and ask God to bless you!
Viist our Donate Today page where you can make a secure online gift or download a gift form.