Notre Dame of Maryland University Junior Ladies of Charity records

According to its undated constitution, the Junior Ladies of Charity (JLC) was a “confraternity” whose purpose was to “honor Our Lord Jesus Christ in His suffering members the sick poor, by aiding them corporally and spiritually.” JLC was affiliated with The Ladies of Charity, an arm of Catholic Charities of Baltimore. According to an October 15, 1942 Columns article, its inception at Notre Dame was in 1939, but JLC did not become a “recognized unit” of the college until 1942. The activities of JLC were more diversified than their constitution suggests. While they did visit sick children in hospitals and veterans at their Perry Point hospital, they also engaged in outreach to other facilities housing orphans and children with special needs. They collected and distributed clothing, toys, household, goods, and reading material to needy families, and held Christmas parties for children in various locations. A document from the 1960s summarizes: “The Junior Ladies of Charity of Notre Dame College have been engaged in volunteer service for approximately a quarter of a century. During this time the organization has provided thousands of college women the opportunity of ‘carrying Christ’ to others.”

JLC persisted until the late 1960s, but as with many other organizations, changes in society and the Catholic Church brought about their attenuation and eventual demise. A March 17, 1967 Columns article states “In an effort to bring back a religious emphasis into the now totally secular club, the members hope to establish at least one project, primarily based on religion.” This same issue reported plans for a meeting whose speaker would talk about “what college students are doing in Chicago in the interracial field.” While Columns listed a JLC president for 1967-68, JLC makes no further appearance in the newspaper in 1968 or 1969.