Our Ministries

Like our founders, St. Vincent de Paul, St. Louise de Marillac and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the Daughters of Charity reach out to those who are poor, wherever they may be. At the same time we proclaim the gospel through the witness of our lives.

In the spirit of our founders we have become inventive and find ourselves in an array of ministries.

We are administrators, educators, nurses, patient advocates, pastoral ministers, consultants, social workers, mission coordinators, community organizers and lobbyists, pharmacists, receptionists, volunteers, and more—all supported by our Senior Sisters in their ministry of prayer.

Administration

• Mission coordinators in large hospital systems, in neighborhood centers, in residential homes for children at risk, in Catholic Charities systems.
• Rural parishes.
• Religious education programs.
• Diocesan adult formation coordinators.
• Catholic schools as principals, as diocesan administrators of education.
• Community works of archives, treasury, leadership, relocation.
• Financing of ministries for those who are poor.
• Setting direction through Board work.
• Directors of Religious Education.
• Administrators of Catholic charities, social agencies, neighborhood outreach centers.
• Lay leadership formation.
• Administrative assistants.
• Mission development:
  • Share our heritage.
  • Orient new staff members.
  • Contribute to policy decisions.

Creative Start Up Programs

• Strengthening families through parenting programs for dads.
• Developing ways for health care associates to recognize and share their spirituality in the way they work.
• Developing Vincentian small faith communities of prayer, support, and service.
• Art programs in inner city areas.

Pastoral Care

• In large Catholic hospitals, in large public hospitals, in nursing homes, in home visits, in local parishes.
• Spiritual direction to individuals and groups.
• Accompanying our Sisters in their final journeys.
• Praying for those who are poor and for the Province.
• Retreats and days of recollection.
• Parish ministry.
• Evangelization.
• Spiritual advisors to Ladies of Charity and the Vincent de Paul Society.
• Ministering to adults in the Rite of Christian Initiation.

Collaborative Efforts on Behalf of the Most Vulnerable

• Citywide collaborative efforts for fragile neighborhoods, parish-based outreach that invites others in to serve, coalitions to bring basic resources to struggling persons and families.
• Family health care

Through supportive services

• As medical records organizers and transcribers
• As pharmacists
• As sacristans
• As secretaries
• As photographers
• As receptionists

Advocating for Systemic change

• In parish based settings, across the city, at state capitols, in conjunction with national groups of like-beliefs, in the local work situation, in the Church.
• On behalf of and with women in prison, those suffering from welfare reform.
• Registered lobbyist

Among diverse populations

• Toddlers, grade school, high school and college students, elderly
• Abused women, prisoners, persons suffering with AIDs, with Hansen's disease, the homeless, the elderly
• Adult faith seekers, children fresh in their faith, older persons wise in faith
• Vietnamese, Hispanics, African-Americans, Bosnians
• Christians, Muslims, Jewish persons

Educating

• Adults and children struggling with the English language,
• Addicts laboring for a GED to get better jobs on the way to a new life with more options.
• Children in Catholic and public schools.
• Seminarians
• Focusing on those who find it hard to learn.
• Tutoring in computer, math, and reading
• Being support staff to faculties and children as librarians, secretaries
• Social Work Consultant
• Librarians
• Adult education programs

Healing

• Through play therapy, group, family, and individual counseling.
• Through pastoral care
• Through midwifery
• Through patient liaison services

In Programs Whose Names Say It All

• Helping Hands
• Fathers' Support
• Our Little Haven
• Volunteers