About Us

Our Vincentian heritage teaches us to see Christ in the poor through service, education and advocacy.

The Ladies of Charity trace their origins back to the Confraternities of Charity founded by St. Vincent de Paul in 1617 at Châtillon, France. As the longest standing lay apostolate of women in the Church, committed to works of Charity we are Catholic women who care deeply about our faith and the most vulnerable in our communities and serve God in the person of the poor “with humility, simplicity and charity.”

Founded by St. Vincent de Paul, patron of all charity, the Ladies of Charity responded to the needs of the poor in seventeenth century France. Together with St. Louise de Mariliac, they went quietly about their tasks, seeking no recognition, satisfied with the knowledge that they were serving Christ in the person of the poor. THE LADIES OF CHARITY, since their origin, have possessed the charism of their founder, daily prayer and personal service to the poor. That same Vincentian spirit characterizes the Association today. It asks the personal gift of self, of time, devotion, sacrifices, and perseverance in the effort to bring dignity to each person and to respond with compassion to every human misery.

Our members are educators, administrators, mothers and daughters ... we serve on charity boards, run food pantries, are Eucharistic Ministers and engage in advocacy work at the United Nations. We are mission driven and thrive on working together with our neighbors in need.

What We Do

In 2009 we began a partnership with the School Sisters of Notre Dame Educational Center in Woodhaven, Queens. This center provides comprehensive educational programs for women over age 18 to learn English as a second language and to prepare them for the High School Equivalency Exam. Our Ladies offer educational testing and evaluation and provide enrichment lectures for the faculty, board members and students. Since 2011, Lady of Charity, Marie Fouché has worked with the Daughters in Haiti to develop programs to rebuild schools in the North. In 2014 we supported the formation of the Junior Ladies of Charity Association at St. John’s Preparatory High School in Astoria, Queens. To date, 55 young women have been mentored by three of our members: Ronnie Loehle, Mary O’Donoghue and Kitty Prager. In 2017 we offered over 4,100 volunteer hours to our organization, communities and our Church. In 2019, following the devastating hurricanes, we along with the Ladies of Charity USA sent monetary support for relief efforts in Texas and to Sister Glenda Rios, Daughter of Charity in San Juan Puerto Rico to rebuild homes. One of our Ladies joined Catholics Care of the Diocese of Brooklyn to help rebuild homes devastated by the two hurricanes.

Leadership

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