On Dec. 10-11, the Diocese of Sacramento will hold the annual Retirement Fund for Religious collection in parishes throughout the diocese.

Last year, parishioners of the diocese donated $150,203.88 to the collection. In 2022, the New Clairvaux Abbey received a total of $54,476.83 in financial support made possible by the Retirement Fund for Religious.

About the upcoming collection, NRRO Executive Director Sister Stephanie Still, a member of the Sisters of the Presentation of San Francisco, said, “The care of our aging religious presents an enormous financial responsibility. It is our privilege to care for those who gave a lifetime of tireless service, and I feel we are deeply blessed by all the U.S. Catholic donors who have steadfastly contributed to this fund.”

Involved in faith-based community organizing in northern and southern California for more than 20 years, Herman Barahona has a deep concern for advocating for the poor, looking at the root causes of environmental racism affecting the poor, and working for environmental justice. He’s convinced each person can play a part in affecting change, no matter how small.

“All of the chronic health conditions my family has suffered over the years living in historically marginalized neighborhoods, I am convinced there is some link to environmental issues,” Herman says. When he read Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si’, in 2015, “the Holy Father’s words just jumped out at me.”

Although they have widely differing backgrounds and life experiences, Lucy Silva-Thomas, Vincent Valdez and Betsy Reifsnider all are putting their Catholic faith into action working on a common goal: the belief that individuals and parish communities can be better stewards of creation.

They are each working to increase awareness among their fellow Catholics of the long tradition of Catholic social teaching on the responsibility for creation care. Each is personally invested in speaking about the importance of and the obligation to better care for God’s great gift to all, the environment.

Lucy grew up Catholic in San Jose and moved to Sacramento in 1999 with her husband and three sons. Since that time, she’s been a member of St. Philomene Parish. She studied construction management in UC Davis’ certificate program and works for a local contractor.