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WASHINGTON (November 5, 2007)–Sister Janice Bader, a member of the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood of O'Fallon, Missouri, has been named Director of the National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO). She succeeds Sister Andrée Fries, a member of her order, who died in July.
The appointment became effective October 31.
NRRO is located at the headquarters of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and sponsored by the USCCB, Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), Conference of Major Superiors of Men (CMSM) and Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious (CMSWR). The general secretary or executive director of each of these groups comprise the Management Board of the Commission on Consecrated Life, which oversees the NRRO.
"We are pleased to appoint Sister Bader to this important position," the Management Board said. "Sister Janice has the business acumen to oversee a collection which draws in about $30 million annually, the sensitivity to the needs of the tens of thousands of men and women religious around the nation, and the faith to know God will guide her work."
Sister Bader was named NRRO interim director after Sister Fries' death. She has worked at NRRO since 1999, most recently as Project Director of Retirement Services, where she assisted religious institutes with financial planning and developed educational programs and materials to aid in this planning.
NRRO is responsible for the annual Retirement Fund for Religious Collection, which is taken up in parishes nationwide in December.
Bishop William Skylstad, President of the USCCB, praised the selection of Sister Bader.
"The work of this office is both necessary and demanding," he said. "Sister Bader clearly has the ability and dedication needed. The work would be daunting were it not for the fact that the office has the support of the entire Church in the United States. Each December, Catholic people show such affection for their religious that the collection has consistently exceeded all other regular church collections."
He added that "the fiscal management assistance provided by the office and the annual collection are vital as religious orders weather the financial challenge facing them."
Sister Bader holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Southern Illinois University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Notre Dame College, St. Louis.
She has strong finance and management background and has had in-depth financial planning, management, consulting and training experience with religious institutes. She served as treasurer general of her religious order from 1987-1998.
Sister Bader is a member of the National Association of Treasurers of Religious Institutes (NATRI) where she was a board member 1996-1998. She was a member of the St. Louis Conference of Religious Treasurers from 1987-1998 and was chair 1995-1998, and secretary, 1991-1995. She was a member of the Midwest Coalition for Responsible Investment, 1987-1998 and a leader on a Habitat for Humanity project, 1996-1998, where she was treasurer of its Women's Build '97, a project that constructed three houses.