President's Letter, April 2026

"Your health is a gift from God, use it therefore with pleasure and joy for his love in the service of the poor.”
 -St. Louise de Marillac

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Lord, how precious is the gift of health and the strength it provides to do my work. I praise you for these gifts.

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Let’s remember THE SEVEN LAST WORDS OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS

“Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” ....“Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”....“Woman, behold your son**Behold your mother.”....“I thirst.”....”It is finished.”....”Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”

And then: “He is not here; he has risen!” Alleluia!          Luke 24:5-6

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Investiture:

We are well on our way to having another amazing Investiture group on April 26^th at St. Paul Cathedral. Return all forms and one check made payable to Association of Ladies of Charity, Diocese of Pittsburgh by April 5^th. If you think your application and check will not get to the diocesan mailbox, before the 5^th, please mail directly to me at: Karen Radu, 256 Arrowhead Lane, Eighty- four, PA 15330.

Please remember to bring the postcard that was sent to you, and follow the directions in the letter of when to arrive at the cathedral. We would like you there NOT BEFORE 1:15pm and NO LATER than 2:15 so you can all be seated with your group.

There will be no proxies at Investiture.

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.

Nominating Committee Message: The Nominating Committee for ALCDP is accepting nomination for the officer positions. There is an opening for a Treasurer on the board that will expire in August 2026. President, Vice President, Recording Secretary and Financial Secretary have one remaining term, but nominations can still be submitted for those positions, with the person being nominated consenting to serve.

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

• May 9:  Officers meeting, St. Mark the Evangelist, St. Kilian Church.
• August 15:  Annual meeting at St. Thomas a` Becket church. There will be a speaker from Auberle and we will ask for a donation to be brought to the meeting.

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

April Rosary Intention

We pray that we focus on the joy of the Resurrection and for a deeper faith, hope and love, for all humanity.

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