Emma

Hello friends of the Vincentian Marian Youth Association.  My name is Emma Velasquez and I am from Mexico.  I knew and became a member of the VMY when I was five years old and on August 15^th, 1995 I professed my Marian consecration.

Virginia and Juan Carlos

Hello I am Virginia. Hello.  How are you?  I am Juan Carlos … we are a married couple who are members of MISEVI … we met thirteen years ago during a youth formation session and at the present time we are in Honduras, in the mission of Mosquita.

Lucia

Hello, I am Lucia and a Daughters of Charity and also a member of VMY.  I began developing my faith as a member of the VMY and it was there that I also began to discover what it meant to serve the poor … to serve means giving of one’s time and committing one’s self to others.  As a result of this a question arose in me:  where does God want me to go?  What does God want me to do?  Thus there began a process and a search that led me to the experience of being sent to the missions in Mozambique.

Eduarda

My name is Eduarda and I am from Angola and at the present time I am studying at the Interprovincial Seminary.  My path has also been one of discovery which began when I was a member of the VMY where I began to share with other young women and men, where I began to learn about the lives of the Founders, Saint Vincent and Saint Louise, where I was helped to encounter the Lord.

Emma

For me the VMY has been a gift from God, a blessing … it has been a path that has allowed me to come to know God and to know the Virgin Mary.  The VMY has been a means that has enabled me to come to know the meaning of serving those most in need.  Thanks to this Association I have experience a great joy in living with Jesus and making Jesus known to other young people.

Within the Association I have been engaged in various ministries such as catechesis, popular missions, health care ministry, and formation of volunteers.  I have also accepted the responsibility of coordinating activities on a local, diocesan, regional and international level.  In 2006 God entrusted me with a new missions when I became a volunteer at the International Secretariat of the VMY.  This experience continued for three years (2006-2009) and helped me to grow in every respect as a person.  I believe that it was during this time that I came to a greater understanding of the legacy that Saint Vincent and Saint Louise and Saint Catherine Laboure have passed on to us.

Virginia and Juan Carlos

We invite all the member of the VMY to live their lay Vincentian missionary vocations as members of MISEVI, an association that has come into existence so that we can continue to proclaim the word of God throughout the world.

Lucia

During the process of discernment and struggle, I decided to walk the road to Santiago and it was there that I discovered God that I told God that I was happy and that yes, my path involved entering the Company of Daughters of Charity.

Emma

With regard to transitioning I can say that God marks out the path that one must travel.  Yes, we make plans but in the end it is God who is guiding us and perhaps leading us along paths that are quite distinct, paths that we would never have imagined traveling.  In my case I continue to have direct contact with the VMY, especially with the International Secretariat and I continue to feel that I am part of the Vincentian Family.  At the present time my ministry is with my local parish where I am a catechist and a member of the Liturgical Committee.  As a result of these new faith experiences I realize that each association, congregation, movement or lay group has its own proper charism and is involved in different activities, but in the end we are all ministering for one purpose and for this reason I would like to share with you a suggestion that I have been privileged to live: we must always remember that VMY is a Church association, who are part of the Church, we are the Church, in whatever parish or whatever group we may find ourselves there will always be a need for our hands, our effort and our enthusiasm to continue to build the Kingdom of God.

Eduarda

I am also searching and struggling to discover what God wants from me and what I want … in this process of discovery I see that the Lord is calling me to be a Daughter of Charity.  I began this process of vocational discernment and was accompanied by another Sister and when I discovered that the Lord was truly calling me to be a Daughter of Charity … here I am and I am completely happy because I have found God, I have discovered that God is a part of my life and I see that my life has meaning as I give myself to others and commit myself in loving service of the poor in the Company of the Daughters of Charity.

Emma

With regard to my hopes for the future: I want to grow in the faith and in my religion, I want to continue my relationship with the Vincentian Family and collaborate with them in every possible way; I want to remain active in my parish and together with my husband I want to form a Christian family in which God’s love, the faith and mutual help are ever present realities.

Video

Brochure

Power Point

Self-Financing Campaign of the International Vincentian Marian Youth Association

Yasmine Cajuste:

The Vincentian Marian Youth Association on the international level has the pleasure of inaugurating their campaign GIVE A LITTLE!  This campaign deals with the creation of a patrimonial fund which will be used to finance the expenses of the International Secretariat and the work of the International Council.

The idea behind this campaign is to change a situation which we have spoken about since the year 2000, namely, we want to become independent of the support which we currently receive from the Congregation of the Mission and the Daughters of Charity.  While we will continue to receive their support we want to commit ourselves to doing everything possible in order to obtain the resources that we need in order to carry on the work of the Association and in order to make our dreams become a reality.

This is an opportunity for each one of us to become involved in some way and it is important for each one of us to feel responsible, co-responsible for the Association on an international level.  In recent years we have been able to come to know one another more profoundly through meetings and the modern means of communication.  We know that there are many of us who are members of this Association and we are also convinced of the importance of the work that we are all involved in.  Yet on many occasion we have not been able to obtain the resources that are needed.  This campaign is an opportunity for all of us to grow and to be able to serve in a better manner.  Yes, we need GIVE A LITTLE!

Are you willing to take the risk and become involved?

Father Gregory Gay:

Dear brothers and sisters, I want to share with you some reflections about the self-financing campaign of the Vincentian Marian Youth Association that was inaugurated by the international team and that is called GIVE A LITTLE.

Let me begin by saying that from the time that I have been the Director General of the Vincentian Marian Youth Association this theme has been discussed in the past two General Assemblies, namely, how can we finance our Association?

The reason for this campaign is that since the time of the establishment of the international structure the VMY has been dependent on the financial assistance of the Congregation of the Mission and the Company of the Daughters of Charity.  This situation continues to the present time.

The results of the efforts of the past General Assemblies with regard to self-financing have not produced much fruit.  We have attempted to seek support from various foundations, yet all the requests that we have made for funding have been denied.  This rejection has occurred primarily because our headquarters are located in a first world country and as a result funding agencies are very hesitant to offer support.  Yet we are always telling these foundations that we are an international association and that the majority of our members live in poor countries.

Finally the International Council considered this campaign in which we are asking GIVE A LITTLE, some more from every member of the Association so that we can create a patrimonial fund that in turn can be used to support our work: the work of the International Secretariat and the International Council.

Perhaps there are some who ask: why the International Secretariat?  It is the Secretariat that helps us to maintain our unity as an Association of the Vincentian Family and our unity as members of the Vincentian Marian Youth.  The Secretariat helps us to maintain this unity not only in this place or that place but rather helps to strengthen this unity on a worldwide basis.  Therefore we need to be in continual communication with the different National Councils and for this we need people who able to communicate in different languages and we also need the necessary equipment for this communication to be effective.

We know that in a first world country it is not always easy to live a simple lifestyle and yet this is precisely what we attempt to do.  We have three or four volunteers who help us carry out our work.  These volunteers come from various countries and we are obliged to provide them with an education (which we gladly do) … but this is expensive even though the volunteers are living a simple lifestyle.  In a first world country like Spain it is expensive to live there.

Therefore we have inaugurated this campaign and we are asking GIVE A LITTLE.  At times when one hears about the large amount of money that we are requesting from each country, one might immediately feel that this is impossible.  We are also asking that the members of the first world also give something more and if every member of the Association gives something more we can achieve our goal.  I believe that as young people we spend about $35.00 (US dollars) on things that give us pleasure, on things that we might or might not need (participate in some party, go to a soccer or a baseball game, participate in a dance with friends, buy some article of clothing that I like and yet do not really need).  I believe that we are spending at least $35.00.  Therefore we are asking each member to help us break this financial dependence on the Daughters of Charity and the Congregation of the Mission.

At the same time we have requested that the various countries develop local programs of self-financing and very few have done this.  Therefore when we speak about such a program on the international level this appears to be something difficult because it is not part of our reality and Madrid is far away from our home and we do not know what occurs at the Secretariat.  Therefore I want to tell you that the young men and women and the Missionary and the Daughter of Charity, this team that works at the Secretariat does so on a full-time basis and always is looking for the common good of the Association.  We are not asking much but if we want to live off of the interest of our investment that we must collect a much larger amount of money.

Therefore I ask you to be aware of your responsibility to participate in this international campaign and not simply thinking about yourself or your National Council.  Rather I ask you to think about the International Association and the many good services that they provide.  It is in light of all of this that I ask give a little.

I want to thank you for participating in this campaign … we know that your participation benefits all of us and especially benefits the spreading of the Vincentian charism as well as our efforts to evangelize and serve the poor.

We are relying on you!  Thank you!

Group of the month: Vincentian Marian Youth in Paialvo (Portugal)

The Vincentian Marian Youth Association has functioned in Portugal since 1984

and is organized into four regions (North, Central, Sourth and Madeira).

There are presently 35 local group in Portugal.

The Vincentian Marian group in Paialvo belongs to the southern region of the VMY in Portugal.  It began at the end of March, 1997, a time when the parish in Paialvo was in the midst of a popular mission that was being directed by the Missionaries of the Congregation and the Daughters of Charity.  For a period of two weeks there were community celebrations and one of these celebrations took place with a group of young people from the parish.  Before the mission, a group of young people came together to discuss various themes but there was no ideal that united these individuals.  During the mission Sister Conceição Laranjeiro, DC presented the VMY to the young people.

The next step for these young men and women was to participate in the Fatima Youth Encounter in which all young Catholic men and women gathered together at the Marian Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima.  During this gathering the young people from Paialvo expressed their desire to become members of the VMY.  During the Fatima encounter they had shared and been received by other member of the VMY who served as Vincentian and Marian models for these young people from Paialvo.  In March 1998 the group in Paialvo defined themselves as members of the VMY … this year they are celebrating their 15^th anniversary as a group.

At the present time, the group in Paialvo has 37 members and at each meeting about 25 of them participate.  Every six months the group receives new members and as a result the group is composed of individuals who are at different levels in the catechumenal process of the VMY.

The foundation of this group is established on their weekly meetings which are held every Friday evening.  This is a time that is dedicated to the formation of the members, to deepening their understanding of the faith and their understanding of their Vincentian-Marian spirituality.  Formation also takes place during regional and national meetings and during monthly meetings with other young people from various groups throughout the diocese.

Another important pillar for this group is service in the parish: praying the rosary in the midst of the parish community and once a month animating the parish celebration of the Eucharist.  When praying the rosary the members feel very close to the Virgin Mary … the members usually pray the rosary together around the 13^th of each month, a day which in Portugal is associated with the Virgin since it was on May 13^th, 1917 that the Virgin appeared to the three shepherd children.

As young Vincentians the members of this group are involved in charitable and service activities: visiting the elderly who live alone, sponsoring recreational activities for children who are poor.  Some members of the group also serve as support persons for children and the handicapped.  We also highlight here other activities of the VMY in Paialvo which have as their objective drawing these young men and women closer to God and the church: pilgrimage to the shrine in Fatima, participation in the parish advent celebrations (singing special hymns), participation in the gatherings of the Vincentian Family, summer camps, special celebrations and amateur nights for fundraising purposes.

All the activities of the VMY in Paialvo are published in their bulletin O Pioneiro … the objective is to publicize their ministry with the hope of attracting other young people to the Church and the VMY.  Another activity that is utilized by the group to attract other young people is the offer of guitar lessons … an activity that has produced much fruit and has also demonstrated how God can use music to touch the hearts of young people.

The Vincentian charims is very much alive among the members of the VMY and the members of the group in Paialvo.  This is seen in the enthusiasm of these young people as they serve their neighbor, their sisters and brothers.  They have put aside an individualistic and selfish spirit that is so frequently imposed on them by the larger society.  Participation in group activities that are organized by the young men and women creates a discipline and a willingness to do something for those most in need … thus helping these young people leave their comfort zone.  The members view their formation as an important element in their development and they are not afraid to share their faith with others.  As a result of their participation in the VMY Association the change in these young people is very noticeable and this change has influenced their relationship with their families and friends and also influenced their studies.

Contact us:

Website VMY National: http://www.jmvpt.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jmvpaialvo

Photo Albums of the VMY in Paialvo: https://www.facebook.com/media/albums/?id=100002874077262

Bulletin of the VMY in Paialvo, “O Pioneiro”

“O Pioneiro” n.º 38 – http://issuu.com/jmvpaialvopt/docs/jornal39

“O Pioneiro” n.º 39 – http://issuu.com/jmvpaialvopt/docs/jornal38

“O Pioneiro” n.º 40 – http://issuu.com/jmvpaialvopt/docs/jornal_40

Vídeos of the VMY in Paialvo

Activities of the VMY in Paialvo 2008/2009 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=PWXoxLqzo9U

Stations of the cross: 2011- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYuJ0aGPHTY&feature=relmfu

Musical festival: 2011 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YllDuoQiXVw&feature=channel&list=UL

Activities of VMY in Paialvo 2010/2011- http://vimeo.com/29777004

“New forms of evangelization” – http://vimeo.com/29566314

Stations of the cross: 2011- http://vimeo.com/28435899

The Local group of Paialvo does not have a blog or a web page but does not have blogs that have been created for specific activites:

Celebrations during the ‘70s and  ‘80s – http://jantaranos7080.blogspot.pt/

Theater and Medieval supper – http://teatrojantarmedievaljmv.blogspot.pt/

15th anniversary of the VMY in Paialvo – http://15anosjmv.blogspot.pt/

The Pontifical Council for the Laity organized an international gathering of the delegates for World Youth Day: Madrid 2011 – Rio 2013.  This meeting took place on March 29-31 in Rocca di Papa.  The participants included some 250 delegates representing the Episcopal Conferences of 99 countries and 45 international movements, associations and communities.  This diverse and large participation is significant because it represents the whole Church’s commitment to the celebration of World Youth Day.  Those who are responsible throughout the world for youth ministry clearly understand that World Youth Day is an important element in youth ministry, an element that contributes to the structuring of said ministry as well as an element that makes it more dynamic.  The Vincentian Family was represented at this meeting by two members of the Central Commission of the International Youth Gathering – World Youth Day (2012):  Sister Isabel Higueras (National Delegate of the Vincentian Marian Youth – Spain) and Ghislain Atemezing (International Councilor of the Vincentian Marian Youth).

During these three days we, together with Cardinal Antonio María Varela (archbishop of Madrid and president of the Episcopal Conference of Spain), Bishop César Augusto Frnaco Martínez (coordinator of the Organizing Committee for World Youth Day 2011) and the primary members of the Local Organizing Committee, began to reap the pastoral fruits of the World Youth Day celebration that took place in Madrid in 2011.  We evaluated the impact of the World Youth Day celebration on Madrid and on the whole of Spain … as a result of the testimonies of delegates from the Philippines, Poland, Madagascar, Venezuela, Australia and many other countries we were also able to evaluate the impact of this celebration on other continents.  It is always impressive to listen to the voice of the protagonists and hear how the Lord draw young men and women to himself during the celebrations of World Youth Day … as the Holy Father said: this celebration was a wedding between light and hope.

On the second we began to look at the celebration being planned for Rio in 2013.  The local committee of Rio, presided over by Bishop Orani João Tempesta (archbishop of Rio de Janeiro), helped us to understand the great significance of this event for the diocese of Rio and for the whole church in Brazil and throughout Latin America.

After having listened to the interventions of the delegates from all over the world it is clear that the celebration of World Youth Day in Rio has begun.  The celebration has begun not only in Rio but in so many other countries around the world where different dioceses, parishes, communities and ecclesial movement have begun making preparations for their pilgrimage to Rio de Janeiro.

World Youth Day was a truly prophetic intuition of blessed John Paul II and has revolutionized youth ministry.  In his wonderful discourse of December 22^nd to the Roman Curia Pope Benedict XVI explained how World Youth Day has created a new way of being Christian.  As we read anew and analyzed the Holy Father’s words we also reflected on the formation that Church offers and ought to provide to youth today.  This was the reflection that occurred during the third day of our gathering and was a very important reflection  because we are dealing with an aspect of the primary mission of the Church, namely, that of forming new generations of Christians who are able to fully live the Gospel and then communicate the gospel message to others.

On Palm Sunday we participate in the Eucharist and celebrate together with the members of both Committees and all the other delegates.  The Eucharist was presided by the Holy Father and offered for all the efforts being made to prepare for the next celebration of World Youth Day in Rio.

+Photos…

Summary WYD Madrid 2011

Towards WYD Rio 2013

From February 16 – 19, 2012 the International Council held its ordinary meeting in Madrid, Spain.  It was a time for much reflection and discernment about the reality of the Vincentian Marian Youth Association on the international level as well as the reality of the Association in the different countries.  It was also a time for reflection and discernment about our orientation with regard to spirituality and mission.  Finally, it was a time of preparation for the beginning of our self-financing campaign.

During the meeting we had the opportunity:

• To share about the reality of the association in the different countries;
• To prepare for two continental gatherings that will take place during 2012:  VII Latin American Mission Gathering that will be held in Ecuador (July 15 – August 5, 2012) and III European and Near Eastern Gathering that will take place in Naples, Italy (November 23-25, 2012).
• To reflect on the Final Document and other proposals that we received from the various countries.
• To continue the preparation of materials for the Marian Consecration while at the same time promoting some valuable material with regard to prayer and Vincentian spirituality.
• To organize the work of the Council and the Secretariat for the coming months.
• To prepare the self-financing campaign with the motto: Something more from you!

The annual letter of the President reflects the more important work of the Association during the coming years.

We also decided on the international motto of the International Association during this year of 2012: Give something of yourself as did Mary … words that were inspired by our self-financing campaign and the need to continue to opt to follow Mary as the model of our life … especially as young men and women make a decision to consecrate their lives to Mary.

We concluded our meeting with the celebration of the Eucharist during which we prayed for the Association in general and prayed also that the Lord might help us to continue to discover in the reality of the Association a way to say “yes” as members of the International Team.

Ghislain Atemezing

International Secretary

+Photos/Fotos…

As a result of the request from the Daughters of Charity in Central America we decided to offer a formation workshop to the advisors of the Vincentian Marian Youth in Guatemala and Panama.  These workshops were held in March and were directed by Argelys Vega (International Councilor for the Americas) and Pavol Noga, CM (International Sub-director of the Vincentian Marian Youth Association).

Guatemala (March 8-11, 2012)

This workshop was held in the Provincial House of the Daughters of Charity in Guatemala.  The participants included:  twenty-five Sisters including the seminary Sisters of the Province, Sister Linda Griselda (Provincial Consultor and Central American representative), as well as the national advisor from Guatemala, five Vincentian seminarians and five lay advisors from Guatemala and Nicaragua.

Details about the workshop

The workshop began on Thursday evening with a welcoming of the participants followed by a meal.  Then, after some group dynamics, the objective and the aims of the gathering were explained.

The first morning was dedicated to a series of reflections on the context in which the Virgin’s apparitions to Catherine Laboure occurred.  After each reflection the participants were invited to engage in some personal reflection.

During the afternoon there was an opportunity for sharing, for personal testimony from the Sisters and for dialogue.  After the evening meal the day concluded with Eucharistic adoration.

The following day we dealt with some specific themes that included the following presentations: youth, a new mission territory; the origin and the present reality of the Vincentian Marian Youth Association; personal accompaniment of the members of the VMY; the role of the advisor in the VMY … after each presentation the participants were given questions to discuss in groups.  The responses were then presented in a plenary session.

After the evening meal there was a plenary session that examined the present situation of the advisors in their respective countries.  This session was characterized by great sincerity as the advisors spoke about their ministry with the young men and women (the positive aspects of this ministry as well as the challenges).  There was much interest on the part of the Sisters in initiating and renewing their collaboration with the Vincentian Marian Youth.

The following morning there was a presentation on the theme: give something of yourself as did Mary … The participants were invited to draw up concrete lines of action in order to enliven their ministry with the Vincentian Marian Youth in their respective communities.

The workshop concluded with a Mass in which the participants were given a cross as a sign of their commitment to work on behalf of the VMY and were then sent forth.

Panama – March 15-16, 2012

Participants: fifteen Sisters from Panama and Costa Rica, Sisters Linda Griselda (Provincial Consultor) and four lay persons.

Place: Hogar Monerry in Chorrillo, a district of the capital, Panama City.

This workshop was conducted in the form of a retreat.  The morning of the 15^th was dedicated to reflection and in the afternoon there was a presentation of two themes.  The following day (March 16^th) the other themes were presented.

While we were in Panama we met with the National Council to deal with matters that were pending and also discussed the preparations for CENMEX.

With this workshop we concluded this time of formation for the advisors in Central America.  It was obvious that the participants were very concerned about this matter of formation.  We want to thank the Daughter of Charity in Central America for their constant support and we hope that these workshops produce visible results in each country where the advisors are ministering.  We also hope that we can give new life to the Virgin’s request to work for and with young men and women.

+Photos/Fotos…

“The Resurrection of our Lord Jesus, impels us out of our torpor and make real in our lives!”

Happy Easter!

From the VMY International Secretariat.

“JESUS CHRIST became incarnate because of his great love for the human race.  On this feast of the Annunciation let us learn how to clothe ourselves in the spirit of Jesus Christ, thus imitating Mary when she proclaimed her “yes” to God.”

The International Secretariat of the VMY wishes all the Daughters of Charity a happy and joyous feastday.