PROVIDENCE — The Senior Priest Retirement Fund Collection will take place in Diocese of Providence the weekend of September 19-20. This annual collection provides major assistance for Rhode Island’s retired priests who live independently in retirement, when after active ministry, they no longer rely upon their parishes for support. And since they were paid a very modest wage, they also receive a minimal Social Security benefit. To help retired priests meet everyday needs like food, housing, transportation and health care, the Diocese of Providence established the Senior Priest Retirement Fund in the mid-1960s. The Priest Retirement Fund is the primary means by which those Catholic priests who have served for decades in the diocese are cared for in their later years — years that are spent in active ministry. It’s also a way of thanking them for their many years of faithful service.