What is the Russian Orthodox Catholic Mutual Aid Society?

The Russian Orthodox Catholic Mutual Aid Society is a fraternal benefit society organized within a lodge system throughout various parish churches of the Russian Orthodox peoples.  The society was organized in Wilkes Barre, PA, on April 10, 1895 by Archbishop Nicholas and Father Alexia Toth in Holy Resurrection Russian Orthodox Church, this city.  The society was founded for the purpose to provide relief of members distressed either by illness, physical injury, disability, and in the event of death to pay  benefits to the members family.  Life Insurance benefits were especially helpful in those days to widows who were left with large families, since there was no other type of financial assistance available from industry or government sources.  The lodge insurance was their salvation in  time of need.

  Aims of the Society

1. The spread and preservation of the Orthodox Faith in America.
2. Participation, as far as possible, for the members in the work of building Orthodox churches in this country, founding Russian schools and charitable and educational institutions.
3. The same zeal and interest in publishing an Orthodox newspaper, book and pamphlets of a religious and moral character.
4. The enlightenment of the members in general, fostering in them love and devotion to the Orthodox Church, and nationality and loyalty to the United States of America.
5. To provide death benefit protection for its members.

  Who Can Belong?

Membership is open to all persons of the Orthodox faith from birth to age 70.

  Why Should I Belong?

1.   SOCIAL:
   ROCMAS participates in and supports many parish and Diocesan programs.

2.   ECONOMIC:
   The society assists its members and churches to which they belong in time of disaster or emergency.  Its insurance programs provide members with a ready cash fund from which to borrow in an emergency.

3.   FRATERNAL:
   Fraternalism is the very foundation of a society such as ours.  it means giving help to others when need arises, especially to its members.

4.   RELIGIOUS:
   ROCMAS has always been oriented to and has always been a strong and loyal supporter of the Orthodox Church.

5.   FELLOWSHIP:
   The lodge system provides an opportunity for members to meet and associate with other people of the same religious and ethnic background.

6.   HERITAGE:
   In keeping with present day awareness and pride in ethnic origins, the Society provides instruction in and encouragement to preserve ethnic customs, foods, dances, and folklore of the Orthodox tradition.

  ROCMAS Financial Facts

The Russian Orthodox Catholic Mutual Aid Society is a financially strong organization.   The current solvency rate of 160.0% shows a wide margin of assets over liabilities, indicating the ability of the Society to readily meet all obligations.

  The ROCMAS Surplus Fund

The Russian Orthodox Catholic Mutual Aid Society presently enjoys a total Surplus Fund of more than $500,000.  This large surplus fund allows members to share benefits through annual dividends and subsidized fraternal activities in local lodges.