Uninsured clergy face retirement crisis

Health insurance cited as problem for those serving cash-poor religious institutions

Father Francis Li Jianlin has been looking for investment opportunities and health insurance in his spare time, spurred on by a feeling of responsibility for the priests and nuns in his Catholic diocese in Xinxiang, Henan province.

Although the idea of retirement has barely crossed the mind of many of the clergy, Li, 41, as the most senior priest in the diocese under the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, said he must plan for the future well-being of the district's 12 priests and 10 nuns.