Message for the July 18 Anniversary

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June 24, 2006

Feast of Saint John the Baptist

Dear members of the VMY,

God has his own style. He calls with love and fatherly affection those whom He wants for the mission he wills. It is the experience that is transmitted in many Bible passages and a number of questioning persons who are frightened yet confident in the constant presence of God in their lives.  It is the experience of St. Catherine Laboure whose bicentennial birth anniversary we celebrate this year.

But God calls long before we do believe. When we try to recall how God called us personally to become members of the Association, we discover that we could make ours the words of the Prophet Isaiah, “Yahweh called me when I was in the womb, before birth he had pronounced my name… But I said, ‘My toil has been futile, I have exhausted myself to nothing for no purpose. Yet all the while my cause was with Yahweh and my reward with my God.” (Is. 49: 1-4).

We at International Secretariat, wish to express our gratitude, together with the outgoing members who will be ending their service this year: Dorys Castillo (Ecuador), Augusto Gustavo Gómez (Venezuela), Pamela Mantuhac (Philippines) and Sr. Asuncion Garcia (DC Spain.) We thank them for their generosity in knowing how to respond to God's call of offering a part of their lives for the animation of the Association in the different countries. We also thank God for calling new laborers in his vineyard: three volunteers and an International Delegate, who shall dedicate the next years to make a follow-up on the dreams and projects of our 2nd General Assembly (Paris 2005.)

This year in celebrating the July 18-19, 1830 feast, the night in which the Blessed Virgin asked "for an Association of young people who shall be consecrated," I invite you to recall the moment when you were called to be a VMY member, and give thanks to God for everything that has been lived-out in the Association. Yes!  Today, the words of Mary to the young Catherine resonate in your hearts, "God wants to entrust you with a mission. It shall not be easy and you have to work for it… but you shall have the grace you need: Do not be afraid. Have faith!"

In the night of July 18-19, God through Mary had already thought of you, in your service within the VMY in the local, regional, national or international levels. For this, I invite you to celebrate with those who share your life in the Association. It is time to give thanks! The Lord made and is continues to make marvelous deeds among us, his servants. Guided by His Spirit, enlightened by an assiduous meditation of the Word, the celebration of the Eucharist and led by the hands of Mary, let us continue to infect the world with joy, charity, faith and hope which springs in the knowledge that we are loved and are called to build in the Church and with the Church, a civilization of love.

      Happy Anniversary of our Association! Despite the distance, we remain united in the hearts of God and the Blessed Virgin in this very special day for all of us. May God bless and help you each day to become "inventive unto infinity," in your living out of your being a Vincentian Marian Youth and in your service to our less fortunate brothers and sisters.