Ladies Of Charity Continue Legacy
Before he founded a community of priests and brothers (the Congregation of the Mission) in 1625, and before he co-founded the Daughters of Charity with St. Louise de Marillac in 1633, St. Vincent de Paul founded (in 1617) the first Association of the Ladies of Charity.
On April 17 at the Daughters of Charity Seton Residence in Evansville, Vincentian Father Stephen Gallegos installed and re-commissioned the members of Evansville’s Ladies of Charity, who have been serving the poor and needy in the Diocese of Evansville since 1917. Recent growth in the organization prompted the ceremony.
Father Gallegos and current Ladies of Charity President Connie Gries led the ceremony during the weekly Mass held in the Seton Residence Chapel. Daughter of Charity Sister Jane Burger, who serves as the group’s spiritual advisor, joined 18 members of the group and other Daughters of Charity who live at Seton Residence for the Mass and ceremony. Two additional members will be installed and commissioned at a later date.
“It is a big temptation today in our world to overlook simplicity because our lives are very complicated,” Father Gallegos said during his homily. “We have to be everything to everybody.” He referred to the readings of the day – Good Shepherd Sunday – in emphasizing the continuing importance of simplicity.
“If we put everything in the simple act of loving the poor – removing all the other ideas – (doing so) represents us carrying our crosses,” he said. It also is the foundation of the entire Vincentian family of lay and religious. A brochure the Ladies of Charity make available includes their motto: “To serve rather than to be served in humility, simplicity and charity.”
“We all have a very big temptation not to be simple these days,” Father Gallegos reiterated. “But (St. Vincent de Paul) gave us this virtue to help us just love the poor, just serve the poor. He didn’t want us to forget humility or charity. He wanted us to concentrate on the very simple act of loving the poor.”
A dinner in honor of the installation and re-commissioning followed Mass at Seton Residence.
