Photo Credit: Conrad N. Hilton Foundation

Catholic women religious and their sponsored ministries are at the heart and backbone of service delivery in many communities globally, often going where large NGOs, markets, and other service providers cannot or will not go. While their presence and love are felt by the communities whom they are close to, their work is often invisible in mainstream media, their stories untold. Part of this untold, often unrecognized story is their plight as they enter old age.

Pope Francis’s strong vision for the role of elderly in society, articulated in Fratelli Tutti, urges us to care for and respect the elderly, underscoring our need for “inter-generational fraternity” in a fragile world. The Vatican’s position on aging and elderly care is expounded on in “Old Age: Our Future — The Elderly After the Pandemic,” where rather than described as a disease, old age is presented as a blessing. “Being elderly is a gift from God and a huge resource, an achievement to be safeguarded with care, even in the case of disabling illnesses. … And it is undeniable that the pandemic has given strength to our awareness that the ‘wealth of years’ is a treasure to be valued and protected.” Many congregations simply do not have the resources or knowledge to provide for an adequate and dignified aging process for these elderly women, and what should be a ‘gift’ and ‘blessing’ is often a burden causing great pain.

The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation (Hilton Foundation) has responded with great urgency to Pope Francis’ call for “inter-generational fraternity” and care for the elderly. Partnering with a group of pioneering congregations and organizations, the Hilton Foundation has invested in collaborative initiatives in Africa, Asia, Latin America and USA aimed at developing long-term solutions for the care of elderly sisters. In 2021, one of these grants was provided the International Union of Superiors General (UISG) and the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) for Alzheimer’s care. Learn more about this at our Focus on Cognitive Impairment.

The Hilton Foundation has further invested in a numerous research studies undertaken by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) and others on various topics to establish the needs of congregations and their ability to take care of their elderly. UISG ran webinars on aged care and an international survey which underlined the research paper “Care of Elderly and Infirm Sisters among Catholic Sisters: CARA Sept. 2022.” There has been ongoing research and surveys by CARA and other locally based organizations on elder care for sisters in several national contexts.

Recognizing the depth of the issue and the lack of a coordinated funding response, the Hilton Foundation began laying the groundwork for the development of a collaborative grantmaking entity.

In February 2024 the Hilton Foundation provided a grant to Francesco Collaborative to undertake the initial research phase in laying the foundations for the design of a new collaborative grantmaking entity focused on long-term care for women religious worldwide. A wide group of stakeholders and experts were engaged, and existing research in the field and arising models of good practice were reflected on. In September 2024, the Hilton Foundation continued its collaborations with Francesco Collaborative and UISG to undertake the second phase, which entailed setting-up the new grantmaking entity.

For reasons of practical and spiritual significance, Rome (Italy) was chosen as the geographic location of the new foundation. The International Union of Superiors General (UISG) played a critical role, and together with several dedicated congregations (all listed below), they cofounded the new entity. In April 2024 The Anna Trust: Catholic Sisters’ Elder Care Fund was formed as a foundation under Italian law. To date, several congregations and funding entities have already made commitments to The Anna Trust to ensure we can commence operations. From our very conception it has been a participatory journey of encounter, listening to and learning from key stakeholders, including those who would be affected by the grant making entity, experts, and leaders in the space. We are deeply grateful for the collaboration and support of so many and we trust this continues to reflect our way of being until our mission is accomplished.

Learn more about our partners, by clicking here.