The faithful of the Diocese of Birmingham are invited to a Bingo luncheon fundraiser hosted by the Ladies of Charity of Central Alabama (LCCA) on Wednesday, Oct. 9, from 11 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church’s Parish Hall in Birmingham.

The event promises to be a delightful afternoon of lunch, Bingo, and activities that will include a silent auction, a raffle, and door prizes. Tickets are $20, which includes lunch and one card, and may be purchased online at https://buy.ticketstothecity.com/venue.php?org_id=771, beginning Sept. 1. Additional cards can be purchased for $5 each. Raffle tickets are $5 each or 6 for $25. The grand prize will be $500, and the second and third prizes will be $200 and $100, respectively. Seating is limited, so early reservations are recommended. The church is located at 2 Xavier Circle.

According to Marlyss Giles, a long-time member of the Ladies of Charity of Central Alabama (LCCA), the group traces its origin back to 1617 in Chatillon-le-Dombes, France, when St. Vincent de Paul became aware of a family whose members were all ill and in dire need. He was so affected by this report that he told his parishioners of the situation. In the evening, he visited the family and found that the ladies of the parish had brought food and other supplies to the family. Seeing this goodness, he realized that this charity needed to be organized since much of the food would spoil over time.

This event was the beginning of the Confraternities of Charity, the first name given to the Ladies of Charity. St. Vincent, with the assistance of St. Louise de Marillac, planted the seeds for the Ladies of Charity in France. St. Vincent outlined rules, sought approval of the Bishop of Lyon, and the group was canonically established on Dec. 8, 1617, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Several years later, St. Vincent founded the priests of the Congregation of the Mission. Wherever these priests ministered, St. Vincent charged them to begin a Confraternity of Charity or Ladies of Charity group in their parishes

In 1857, the first Ladies of Charity association was formed in the United States to continue the work of the two saints. A national organization was formed in 1960 to strengthen the bonds of the local associations as the numbers increased.

In 2008, under the guidance of Sister Dinah White, D.C., the LCCA was chartered at St. Vincent’s Hospital. Today, the LCCA meets monthly at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church on the first Wednesday of each month, from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. From its beginning of making mission rosaries for St. Vincent’s Hospital’s cancer center and chapel, it has grown to other charitable works, including Thanksgiving meals, monthly lunches for the homeless, provisions for a food pantry, clothing drives for the homeless, Christmas cookies and craft-making for a women’s shelter, and rosaries for hospitals, helping to maintain a Catholic identity in the community. Spiritual formation is also an important part of the LCCA with an annual day of reflection and prayer and reflection at each monthly meeting.

Following in the footsteps of St. Vincent de Paul and St. Louise de Marillac, the ladies gain lifelong friends in service with fellow Ladies of Charity.

If interested in learning more about the Ladies of Charity of Central Alabama, please e-mail marlygil@aol.com or call 205-643-7407.