President's Letter, March 2026

"

To commit ourselves to Him from strength and refuge is the only relief from thoughts which would
overpower the mind that did not resist them.”  -St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

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Lord, teach me how to let go and trust you, so my faith can grow and my hope increase.

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Lent has started and I can hardly believe it’s March already. We have had our share of winter, but let’s look to the coming of spring and the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our parish has given us a membership into a program called Hallow. I am sure many of you have heard of it. It’s a great way to be more “into” Lent.

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Investiture:

Please encourage all women from your parish who have been participating in Ladies of Charities activities, to be invested at the April 26, 2026 mass at St. Paul Cathedral at 2:30 pm. Whether these women began their discernment this year, or have been participating for more than one year, we ask that they join the Ladies of Charity as Active members. We must all understand that the Ladies of Charity is not what we do; it is who we are. We hope to welcome many women in April as they answer the call to become a Lady of Charity in Simplicity, Humility and Charity. Attached are the guidelines and application forms. Please make copies of the form and give to the ladies who are interested in being invested. Return the forms and one check made payable to Association of Ladies of Charity, Diocese of Pittsburgh by April 5^th. There will be no proxies at Investiture.

Hager Grants:

Along with this letter you will see the guidelines, application and report forms for requesting a Hager Grant from LCUSA. You may apply for a grant if you have not done so in the last 4 years. Your application will be reviewed at the springboard meeting of LCUSA and we will be notified if you have received the grant money requested and the amount. The money is awarded at the National Assembly in September. Applications are due to our office by March 10^th so we can review them at our March 14^th board meeting. If your association has Junior Ladies of Charity, you should have received that information from Mary Diaddigo Rex. All Juniors will receive a grant.

Membership Information:

Thank you all for submitting your dues and rosters to our Financial Secretary. It allows me now to submit the dues and number of members to National. They will be astounded at our number of committed Catholic women from Pittsburgh who do such wonderful work for those in need.

The Spiritual Society of the Unclaimed Dead:  

If you are interested in receiving a decedent’s name, please contact Mary Jane Jurofcik at our LOC office 412-456-6924.

Social media:  
Sherrie Dunlap Gallagher, social media chair, updates our Facebook page regularly. Please let her know of any activities you are currently doing that she can highlight on social media. She can be contacted at: sherrie.e.dunlap@gmail.com.

Junior Ladies of Charity (JLOC):
For more information on JLOC, please contact Mary Diaddigo Rex or Hailey Innocenzo Dube’ or call the LOC office at 412-456-6924.

Nursing Home Network:
Please remember that if you have someone that is going to a nursing home outside of your area to contact Cindy Smith so that she can reach out to the local Ladies of Charity to visit. Call LOC office at 412-456-6924.

501(C)(3) Committee for the Diocese of Pittsburgh:
We would like to call attention to some matters that have occurred while auditing the records of our 37 parishes under the 501c3 status. It is important for the committee, Parish Treasurers, and officers to adhere to the IRS and Diocesan guidelines to ensure continued compliance with the policies established to maintain the 501c3 status. These topics can be discussed more thoroughly at the upcoming May 9, 2026, Officers Meeting.

Terms of Office

Parish Associations should all have Bylaws detailing the Terms of Office for their Executive Board. It is important that individuals do not remain in their respective office longer than specified in the Associations Bylaws and it is recommended that the term does not extend over three years. Parish Associations should be transparent with their administration of duties and encourage members to take on leadership roles. If more information is needed with this directive, please contact the Diocese for details and perhaps arrange for a Diocesan visit to an upcoming parish meeting to offer more information.

We are in the process of reviewing and making changes to our bylaws. We hope to have them ready for a vote at our August Annual Meeting. Please bear with us as we work with National and our board to give you the template you will need to draft your bylaws.

Stewardship of Funds

All funds donated to the LOC parish association should be used to advance the mission of the LOC with assistance to the poor, vulnerable and elderly populations at the forefront. Monies should not be used for celebratory luncheons and dinners for association members. Members attending these luncheons should pay a fee to cover the cost of the lunch and any additional expenditures. If funds are donated with the specific intent of paying for a luncheon, then that would be in accordance with IRS guidelines, and should be documented as such. However, for some luncheons, funds can be used to advance the mission of the association and may be used to pay for special guests relating to the purpose of the event.

Gifts to Clergy

The Diocese offers a specific policy regarding gifts and compensation to clergy outlining the dos and don’ts of these gifts. Per 2.18.E Gifts to Priests, organizations are not permitted to give gifts of more than a nominal amount (generally $100 or less) to any individual. The gift cannot be taken from the operating funds of the organization but must be raised separately through personal donations for that specific purpose. Anything exceeding the nominal amount could be taxable.

501(C)(3)

Below is the updated distribution information for the quarterly submission of Treasurer Reports and Bank Statements. The deadline for reporting is March 15 for the months of December, January and February. Updated sales tax exemption forms are available by contacting Judy Weismann at weismann2@comcast.net. Also, please consider joining the 501C3 team by inputting data into QuickBooks. Contact Judy if you would like to begin a training session.

De Marillac Newsletter:

Please share your pictures and stories with Peggy Keene for the next edition of the De Marillac Newsletter. We love to see what everyone is doing. pkeene9@outlook.com.

Dates to Remember:

• April 18:  Vincentian Family Gathering (this may change)

• April 26:  Investiture at St. Paul Cathedral

Miscellaneous Information:

• Pittsburgh Website: locpittsburgh.org
• LCUSA Website: aic.ladiesofcharity.us
• Vincentian Family:  http://famvin.org
• FACEBOOK: Ladies of Charity USA, Association of Ladies of Charity Diocese of Pittsburgh

March Rosary Intention

As we continue the season of Lent, we pray that God deepens our faith, that we abide by His will, and that we live out the gospel.

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In the Vincentian Spirit,
Karen Radu, President
Association of the Ladies of Charity, Diocese of Pittsburgh