President's Letter, November 2026

“When we meet with things very pleasing, before yielding to the joy they elicit, let us raise our
hearts to God and thank his loving mercy which sends us the consolation.”
 -St. Louise de Marillac

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Lord, it seems that I always call upon you with my needs, but seldom in times of joy. I will make an effort to remember that you are the cause of my consolation and joy.

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Dear Presidents and Members:

November Officers Meeting:  
November 7^th will be our next Officers and VSM meeting at St. Paul of the Cross Parish, St. Anne Church. Please RSVP to me by November 2^nd with the names of your officers and Vincentian Spiritual Moderators who will attend. 724-747-7970 text or email kradu227@gmail.com. Please include what office they hold.

When you arrive at St. Anne’s Church, please walk from the parking lot to the front of the church, (looking at the church it is over to the far left) not to the side entrance of the church, mass may be going on. At the main entrance of the church, you can take the elevator downstairs or there are steps.

Bethany Young from Catholic Charities will talk to us about St. Joseph’s House of Hospitality. We would like to collect men’s boxer shorts, undershirts and XL twin fitted sheets. The sizes needed are Large, XL and XXL and also some small sizes. Thank you for your continued generosity for these donations.

Sister Grace and Nancy Bianculli will be presenting the new Vincentian Spiritual Moderators their certificates, who were not present at the National Assembly in Miami. All VSM’s are invited to attend and be a part of this ceremony.

We would like to take a survey at the meeting to see if there would be an interest in having a luncheon at a later date from the Investiture where we could just gather with the newly invested ladies and socialize. It is no longer feasible to have the luncheon or dinner on the same day as the Investiture. If you have the time, please ask your ladies for their thoughts and we will discuss it at the meeting.

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Dues Notice:  
Barb Direnzo our Financial Secretary has sent all presidents the form for submitting dues and member lists. They were sent out as an email and by now you all should have received it. If you did not, please check your SPAM folder and if you still don’t have it contact Barb at: 724-282-3092 or 724-991-2551  bjdirenzo@zoominternet.net

All Associate Members, (A Lady of Charity who can no longer participate actively, but gives spiritual and financial support to her parish association. She may be someone who can take an active part in one or two functions throughout the year.) were sent an email or hard copy of their dues requirements. They will submit their dues ($15.00) directly to the Diocesan Ladies of Charity.

PLEASE SUBMIT ONE CHECK MADE PAYABLE TO: Association of Ladies of Charity Diocese of Pittsburgh, or ALCDP by December 1, 2026. Include your updated member list and dues form, along with your check. *****Only Invested Ladies of Charity pay dues. *****

Dues will remain the same: $20.00 for Active LOC and $4.00 for Honorary LOC

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Cemetery Sunday:  
November 8^th is Cemetery Sunday at Calvary Cemetery at the St. Vincent de Paul Monument. We will begin our prayer service for the Unclaimed Souls at 2:00 and lay a fall wreath. A prayer service will also take place at Rachel’s Garden near the mausoleum at 1:30. The St. Matthew’s Ladies of Charity will conduct the prayer service and also lay a wreath for the unborn.

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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. She will be at the officer’s meeting till 11:00 if you wish to claim a soul. Mary Jane asks you to bring a personal check or association check - no cash please.

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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.

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Junior Ladies of Charity (JLOC):
For more information on JLOC, please contact Karen Harsch our new JLOC chairperson or Hailey Innocenzo Dube’ by calling the LOC office at 412­456-6924. Karen will be reaching out to those of our associations who do not currently have JLOC to see if there is an interest in starting a group.

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

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501(C)(3):
Below is the updated distribution information for the quarterly submission of Treasurer Reports and Bank Statements. The deadline for reporting the first quarter for September, October, and November is December 15. Updated sales tax exemption forms are available by contacting Judy Weismann at weismann2@comcast.net.

Kathy McCartney is stepping down as QuickBooks input coordinator effective October 15, 2026. Kathy’s skill and expertise over these past 6 years with working in QuickBooks and being the contact person for 12 parishes has been invaluable—she will be missed. A big thank you to Kathy for all her great work! Linda Fry will be joining the team effective October 15^th. She will begin training soon and be ready to submit parish reports for the December timeline.

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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.

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Change Presidents and Deceased Members:
Please update us as soon as you know if there is a change to your newly elected presidents and if a member is deceased. Also, any changes of address are greatly appreciated. It is very important to keep our rosters current. Office: 412­456-6924

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Dates to Remember:

• November 7, 2026: Bi Annual Officers Meeting—St. Paul of the Cross Parish/St. Anne Church

• November 8, 2026: Cemetery Sunday, Calvary Cemetery 2:00

• Retreat:  CANCELLED

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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

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November Rosary Intention:
We pray thanking God for new beginnings, asking for His will to be done, and requesting a release of blessing and opportunities.

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