Organized under the leadership of Fr. John Vojtek, approximately 26 women gathered in 2006 to establish the Transfiguration Parish chapter (now the Our Lady of the Lakes chapter) of the Ladies of Charity.  These ladies have embodied and brought to life the phrase "They will know we are Christians by our love."  Under the prayerful guidance of the teaching and example of patron Saints Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac, the women provide a ministry of outreach to members of the parish and the local community.

~ Ladies of Charity ~
Diocese of Pittsburgh

Cemetery Sunday -- Each year, on the first Sunday in November, the Ladies of Charity gather at Transfiguration Cemetery to pray for the unclaimed and forgotten dead.

Prayer Shawls -- Started in March of 2007, the Prayer Shawl Ministry is one of the most active and visible projects of the parish chapter of the Ladies of Charity.  Members pray for the eventual recipient of each shawl as they are made, and the finished shawls are blessed by a priest at Mass before they are distributed.  Through this ministry, the Ladies of Charity have met and prayed for over 500 recipients of shawls, who have now become a permanent part of their prayer lives.

Community Outreach -- The Ladies of Charity give aid to those in need of assistance by providing gift certificates for food, providing transportation to and from the food bank when needed, and delivering groceries to persons who are unable to get to the grocery store.  Working in conjunction with the Parish Social Minister, the Ladies of Charity also aid those who, in difficult circumstances, need assistance with their utility bills.

Funeral Vigil -- The Ladies of Charity accompany the priest to the funeral home to pray the vigil service for the deceased on the evening before the funeral, and at times officiate at the vigil service themselves when a priest is not available.

Financial Assistance -- Through the Ladies of Charity, financial assistance is available for parish programs such as CCD and the tutoring program.

Card Ministry --  Greeting cards are sent each month to shut-ins of the parish; sympathy and congratulatory cards are sent to parishioners.

Angel Tree -- The Ladies of Charity work with Holy Family Institute to provide Christmas gifts to children at Holy Family Institute and to residents of the Hope Shelter for Women.

Food Banks -- Gift cards are donated to local food banks at Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter; bi-monthly collections of food items are organized to supplement the standard food bank distribution items.

Baptismal Bibs -- Members sew and embroider the white bibs used at Baptisms, which are then given to the parents of the baptized child.

Chemo Caps -- Members crochet caps for chemotherapy patients.

Rosary Making -- Members make rosaries and collect monetary donations for the shipment of rosaries to Third-World countries.

Diaper Drive -- Diapers and other baby items are collected for Genesis House and the Catholic Charities' Women in Need programs.

Personal Care Items -- Personal-care items are collected and distributed to residents of Bethlehem Haven and the Hope Center Shelter for Women.

Back to School -- Provide backpacks, school supplies, and bed linens to students at Holy Family Institute and Girls Hope.