DAME DELLA CARITÀ. - A charitable association founded by St. Vincent de' Paoli (1581–1660) at Châtillon-les-Dombes (Bresse) in August 1617. Its original name was the Confraternity of Charity, and its members were called “servants of the sick poor” or “Sisters of Charity,” which changed to “D. della C.” when the association was introduced into cities (first in Paris, at the parish of the Most Holy Saviour, 1629). From home care for the sick poor—those most abandoned in the 17th century—the Dames extended their work to relieve all kinds of misery, striving through material aid to bring spiritual and moral relief to the poor. By its foundation the association is parish- and diocese-based, but juridically it depends on the Superior General of the Congregation of the Mission, who serves as its General Director. A central council oversees national councils, which direct the association’s work in various countries.
Each local association has its own president (prior), a secretary, a treasurer, counselors, and a number of visiting and contributing Dames. The work’s resources come from annual dues, collections, sales, and other initiatives. A junior section (Damine or Allieve della Carità or Luisine) welcomes “young women who wish to train themselves, through a regimen of piety and diligence, for organized charity according to the Gospel and the instructions of St. Vincent.” The association numbers about 400,000 members spread across five continents.