CHRONICLE OF THE VISIT TO VMY-POLAND April 1-15, 2008

 

On April 1-15, 2008, I had the great opportunity to visit the Association in POLAND and to share the progress of VMY International with the children, Moderators and Advisors.

The first phase of the visit was in the Province of Chelmno. I had the chance to visit the different works of the Provincial House of the Daughters of Charity (home for handicapped children for old people, etc). On April 2-5 I met with some VMY groups in Tczew y Gniezno. This first contact with the members of the Association helped me to know the reality of VMY in Poland better.

On April 5-9 I was in the Province of Warsaw. My stay in the Capital city was marked by meetings with the groups (in the Basilica of the Holy Cross, Opaczewska y Ostroleka), by visits to different communities of Daughters of Charity and by a tour around the city. A group of 9 members from Byelorussia, joined by their Sister Advisor, also participated in the Gathering organized in Ostroleka. During these days I could also visit two Marian places that Polish people love so much: Niepokalanow (“City of the Immaculate” founded by St. Maximilian Kolbe) and the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Czestochowa, Queen of Poland.

The last stage of the trip was developed in the Province of Krakow. Apart from the sightseeing (in Auschwitz, Wadowice, Kalvaria, Zakopane, etc.), I could know to works of the Congregation of the Mission: U Siemachy (centres for children and teenagers) and Radosna Nowina 2000 (lyceum for great-talented but needy young people). In this Province we had meetings with small groups as well as regional meetings (in Lesna and Piekary). During the encounter of the communities of Krakow, about 30 members of VMY got the Miraculous Medal within the Sunday Eucharist. In the last phase of the trip, very enriching meetings took place: with the National Council, with the Seminarians of the CM of Poland, with the Servant Sisters of Krakow, with some ex-members of the association and with the Local Advisors of the three Provinces.

This visit to VMY Poland has been a unique opportunity to help the members discover the International Dimension of the Association, to meet the Advisors (Daughters of Charity, Vincentian Missionaries and Diocesan Priests) and to reflect with the National Council on the reality of VMY Poland and the perspectives for the future. I entrust the fruits of this Encounters to the Virgin of Czestochowa, asking her to shower her grace on each child, adult, advisor and member of the Vincentian Family in Poland, who put their talents at the service of the request of the Holy Virgin Mary to St. Catherine Laboure in 1830. I also wish the Association in Poland to be more and more rooted in God, inspired by the example of our Holy Mother and guided by the love to Christ in the neediest people.

 

Yasmine CAJUSTE

International President