Membership in the Ladies of Charity, St. John’s University

A. Membership

  1. Membership in the Ladies of Charity gives the woman the right to have both voice and vote in the policy of the organization.
  2. There are two categories of Membership:
    Charter Members are those who organized the association and paid dues prior to the first induction; 
Members are those who subsequently join the Association.
  3. Investiture for new Members should occur annually.
  4. Members are expected to pay dues to support the organization, the amount of which is set by the Executive Board.
  5. Members are expected to provide 48 hours of service per year. “Service” includes acts of personal and communal charity as well as participation in meetings.
  6. The requirements for Membership are as follows:
  • Affiliation with St. John’s University as a current employee, retired employee, alumna, graduate student or friend
  • Catholic
  • Record of interest in own spiritual formation and of service to poor persons
  • Recognition within the community as a person of good standing and a contributor to the development of a community spirit
  • Willingness to attend meetings and participate in activities and formation events of the organization
  • Submission of an application form to the Membership Committee
  • Recommendation by a current member who must submit a letter of support during the application process
  • Approval of application by the Membership Committee which reports recommendation at a General meeting of the organization.

B. Process for Requesting Membership
  1. Member who has identified a potential member and who is willing to sponsor that individual reviews the requirements stated above to assure the applicant fulfills these criteria.
  2. Once it is confirmed that the requirements are met, the sponsor describes to the potential applicant the work of the Ladies and if possible arranges for the applicant to meet other Ladies. This helps to assure that the applicant is well informed of the benefits and responsibilities of membership.
  3. When the applicant has determined that she would like to be considered for membership, she completes the application form which the sponsor submits to the Chair of the Nominating/ Membership Committee along with the sponsor’s letter of recommendation.
  4. The Nominating/Membership Committee reviews the application and the letter of support submitted by the sponsor Member. If there are questions, the chair of the committee contacts the sponsor.
  5. At the next general meeting after the new members have been reviewed by the Membership Committee, the list of applicants is read to the group which then affirms the recommendation of the Membership Committee. If there is a significant lapse of time between the approval and the next investiture ceremony, approved members may attend meetings but without the right to vote.
  6. New Members receive notice of their acceptance with date of their investiture and notice of dues.
  7. An orientation is provided each new member.

Click to email us for a Membership Application.