It was in Châtillon-les-Dombes, a small French village, that St. Vincent created on August 23, 1617 the first of the “Confraternities,” later called “Charities.” This was the nucleus from which stemmed the AIC (known in the United States as Ladies of Charity). Watch this 6 1/2 minute video to follow their journey from 1617 to today. Narrated by Fr. John Freund, C.M.