National Ladies of Charity help create a better world

Intermountain Catholic

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The Buffalo Ladies of Charity show their thrift store clothing in a fashion show at the LCUSA National Assembly. Each year they have a fashion show and sell their clothing to the community to raise funds.IC photos by Chris Young

BUFFALO, N.Y. — "The poor you minister to today will be poor tomorrow," said Vincentian Father Richard Gielow, spiritual moderator for the Ladies of Charity of the United States of America (LCUSA). "Those who go to a soup kitchen will be hungry tomorrow. But today, they met Jesus in you, which gives them hope for tomorrow. Today you have been a victory for them."

Fr. Gielow was the keynote speaker at the LCUSA Sixth Annual National Assembly, "Women of Toil, Women of Triumph," Sept. 6-9, at the Adam’s Mark Hotel in Buffalo, N.Y.

Fr. Gielow thought the theme was very interesting, especially when he looked up the word toil in a dictionary. He said toil is long strenuous, fatiguing work.

"Why do you work so hard and put so much effort into everything you do for the poor?" asked Fr. Gielow. "It would be easy to say you want to help a lot of people. I think it is deeper than that. I think you work so hard for the poor because you love God so much. If you did not love God so much, you would tire and get to a point where you would say I have done enough.

"If I wanted to motivate you, I would not try to talk to your head," he said. "I would talk to your heart, because it is your heart which leads you to your ministries.

"St. Vincent de Paul, who founded the International Association of Charities in France in 1617, organized the first volunteers to address the needs of the poor. For the first time, and thanks to the trust shown by St. Vincent, the Ladies of Charity played an important role in the exercise of charity.

"St. Vincent said, ‘Your work is not the work of man, it is the work of God,’" said Fr. Gielow. "If you abandon it, you abandon God. The reason you toil is how you triumph. When you work for the poor, you triumph."

Fr. Gielow began supporting the Ladies of Charity 30 years ago as a spiritual moderator for the Kansas City Ladies of Charity. He said he is always honored and feels it a privilege to address the Assembly.

"We join the Ladies of Charity because it is the oldest volunteer organization in the world," said Mary Beth O’Brien, LCUSA national president. The LCUSA is a member of the Association of International Charities (AIC).

During the 1960s, the Association (then called "Association of the Ladies of Charity"), inspired by the great social encyclicals and the changes springing from the spirit of renovation of Vatican Council II, became aware of the urgent need for modernizing our own service to the poor and of assuming a role in civil society, international life, and in the universal Church.

"We give from the heart," said O’Brien. "Young women are looking for spirituality and wanting to do God’s work by helping and serving the sick and the poor. We are making a difference and we are needed more and more."

The Buffalo Chapter of the Ladies of Charity has 1,200 members and has been in existence for 65 years. Their main source of income is their dues and their thrift store. They have an annual thrift fashion show to raise funds and sell their gently used clothing. At Christmas, they give 4,500 children a new toy, hat and gloves, stocking stuffers, and books. They also serve 500 shut-in adults, and give the poor a fresh start with linens and other household furnishings.

Guest speaker Father Gregory Faulhaber, Ph.D., director of seminarians at Christ the King Seminary in Buffalo, gave a talk on what it was like growing up with a woman of toil and triumph. His mother, Mary, became a Buffalo Lady of Charity when she was 19 years old. She is now 80.

Fr. Faulhaber said he grew up in a family of eight, and after conversing with his brothers and sisters, he wrote the Ten Commandments of Living with a Lady of Charity.

"The first commandment is, Thou shalt not expect to be rich," said Fr. Faulhaber. "My father used to say if there was any money left over, we gave it to the poor."

"The second commandment is, Thou shalt not eat baked goods intended for the Church. The third commandment is, "Thou shalt always expect strangers at your holiday celebrations. "There was always somebody who did not have a place to go," said Fr. Faulhaber.

"The fourth commandment is, Thou shalt not throw out any old clothes, furniture, appliances, toys, old magazines, or any other materials someone could use.

"The fifth commandment is, Thou shalt never assume that a wrapped birthday present you found is for you, because more than likely it will be for someone in need.

"The sixth commandment is, Thou shalt have violets as your favorite flower and color.

"The seventh commandment is, Thou shalt never expect to find any room in the trunk of one’s car. It is normally loaded with clothes or other items for some charitable organization.

"The eighth commandment is, Thou shalt not be on the telephone for more than five minutes. There may be several ladies calling for a ride to their next event.

"The ninth commandment is, Thou shalt not think that she will ever tire of being a Lady of Charity. These ladies work forever.

"The tenth commandment is, Thou shalt always have your rosary at hand and ready to pray.

"That is really the way it was growing up with my mom being a Lady of Charity," said Fr. Faulhaber. "Through the years, I saw their spirit, dedication, and generosity. It opened my eyes. I thank you all for what you give to the church."

The Junior Ladies of Charity are the hope of the future for the Ladies of Charity. There are currently 200,000 Junior Ladies of Charity both nationally and internationally.

Kaitlyn Koscielniak, 14, said being a Junior Lady of Charity at St. Gregory the Great Parish in Buffalo, has really affected her life in a positive way.

"We visit the Sisters of St. Mary, which is a convent for elderly religious, make Christmas wreaths, help out at Catholic Charities in Buffalo at Christmas, and do other service projects," said Koscielniak. "To help out and donate my time in the best way possible has made me a stronger person. I feel more complete as a person and as a Catholic. Making the world a better place has increased my faith."