The Association of the Children of Mary Immaculate, known today as “Vincentian Marian Youth Movement” has a universal reach.
Born in the midst of the large Family of St. Vincent de Paul, its history is linked to the evolution of the Company of the Daughters of Charity and the Priests of the Congregation of the Mission (”Paules”, “Lazaristes” or Vincentian Fathers), in their task of Evangelization throughout the entire world.
The Association is also called by other names, depending on different countries:
JEUNESSE MARIALE (Mauritius), ASSOCIATION OF VINCENTIAN LOUISIAN FAMILY (Indonesia)…
2. The Beginnings
From the very beginning, Saint Vincent de Paul as well as Saint Louise de Marillac inculcated in their sons and daughters a deep love and a great devotion to Mary. God rewarded their initiative and chose a simple Daughter of Charity to be His messenger, and a Priest of the Mission as the intermediary of the message. And this is how it happened that He prepared the young Zoé, a simple peasant girl, who strove for perfection during her early childhood, teen years and early adulthood.
She is a model for all young people of today. Catherine experienced the sorrows and joys of family life; she was acquainted with the difficulties of her area, the influences of the society of her day… In 1997, we celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the Church’s recognition of her sanctity.
3. The Historical Event: 1830
Biblical experience tells us that each time God calls, He asks for a response from the person and He sends that person to fulfill a mission. Recall Samuel, Jeremiah, Mary…
Zoé hears the call in her native village, Fain- les- Moutiers, and her response to God will be to enter the Company of the Daughters of Charity in Paris as a Postulant in 1829, and afterwards the Seminary at the Motherhouse, in April of 1830.
We know the mission God confided to Catherine, by way of Mary, through the apparitions of the Immaculate Virgin.
In this historic event we have the Commencement of the Marian Association.
This is the how Catherine explained this mission to her Director, Father Aladel, in her communication with him:
“The Blessed Virgin wishes to give you a mission …You will be the founder and director of a Confraternity of Children of Mary”.
Another message given by the Blessed Virgin was that a medal should be made: theMiraculous Medal, which would be the insignia of the Association.
The integral message of the various Marian apparitions will have repercussions in her life and in the development and consolidation of the nascent group throughout its history.
4. Development
The first Children of Mary Association was organized into groups in different regions of France. The first fifteen groups were formed between 1835 to 1847.
The first Child of Mary was Benigne Hairon and, like so many others, she carne from the boarding school run by the Daughters of Charity. The first meetings of the Children of Mary were called “Marian Cenacles”.
The Superior General, Father Etiene, obtained Pontifical Approbation from Pope Pius IX on June 20, 1847.
In 1850, this approbation was extended to the male branch. The Superior General of the Congregation of the Mission could now establish “the pious Society under the title of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, in all the houses of the congregation throughout the world.”
The support given by the Superiors General and the encouragement, admiration and benediction bestowed by the sovereign Pontiffs contributed to the general expansion of the Association.
From 1848 to 1870, expansion, outside of France, took place in several countries of Europe and others continents: in Asia, the Philippines, Lebanon; in Africa, Egypt; and several South American countries. There were 338 fully functioning Centers.
On September 19, 1876, Pope Pius IX signed a Papal Brief permitting young people who were not students of the schools of the Daughters of Charity to belong to the Association.
5. Organization and Life
With regard to the expansion of the Association from its beginnings, through the 19th century until the middle of the 20th century, the “Manuals” were the links and the vehicles for living the spirit. These Manuals were at the same time: a rule, the statutes, and a book of prayers and of spiritual life.
After these initial Manuals prepared by Father Aladel, several revised editions made by Fathers Crapez, Tricot and Henrion came out. These revisions were made in accordance with the epoch and the needs of the time.
The Marian Congresses were intense times of formation and renewal, which the Association needed to adapt to what life required at the time.
The Faith-life of the members of the Association produced fruits at the level of social and public life. The Children of Mary, marked by Christian commitment and, moreover, as members of the Catholic Action, showed that they were equal to their task in difficult moments, at the time of the organization of the workers’ movement, unions, etc. The era of industrialization had arrived bringing with it struggles and difficulties in striving out to livea Christian life.
When the Daughters of Charity in Mexico were expelled from their Houses and their works in 1875, the Children of Mary took charge of the service of the poor…
The canonization of Saint Catherine Labouré in 1947 by Pope Pius XII brought about an increase of fervor in spirit, fortified by the renewing climate of the Council, and contributed to communicating and intensifying this vital breath in the world.
6. Internal Organization
The renewing winds of Vatican Council II along with the increase in the number of associates gave rise to a new structure which progressively constituted a new roster. If, from the very beginning, there were Children of Mary and Aspirants, they more or less took on other names. The youngest group bear the name of Angels, and after that, “Messengers”, corresponding to the “Cadette” in France.
They were able to establish age brackets: Early Childhood, preadolescents, adolescents, young adults, adults: V.M.F. (Vincentian Marian Families) – the current classification, inasmuch as there were always Children of Mary – married and older Children of Mary.
Each age bracket or level would have its formation, requirements and a different commitment in accordance with their growth in the Faith.
Each time, a greater responsibility was given to the young people in the life and functioning of the Association. These responsibilities were accepted and established by the accomplishment of the work assigned to each one as MEMBER, beginning with the very youngest, the children. While giving vitality to the Center, they succeeded in not keeping it isolated: the members live in relationship with one another and with others and feel part of the Diocesan Church, so as to give meaning to their ecclesial character, in the course of all celebrations and campaigns. The same is true at the Provincial, Regional and National levels and this entails the assumption of responsibilities for relations, coordination, participation.
7. IdentityIdentity
The identity of the Association is designated by its diverse aspects:
From the moment it enjoyed Pontifical Approbation in 1847, it has been considered as one of the apostolic groups that comprise the Church. It considers itself as a force in the Church, where it carries out its work of evangelization in the person of each of its members, who belongs to this Church by reason of his/her baptism (ECCLESIAL CHARACTER).
The Association has for Model, Mary, Mother of the Church, leader of the Community, who leads us to CHRIST (specific MARIAN CHARACTER).
This is why the members of this Movement strive to contemplate MARY, under the different aspects offered to us by the Church: A Woman who Believes, A Woman who Prays, Mother of the Church, Servant of the Poor, Universal Mediatrix.
Every Christian is a missionary. Every member of the Vincentian Marian Youth Movement must also be a missionary because Mary, Virgin of the Globe, manifested herself to us in this way to accomplish the command of her Son, Jesus: ” Go and preach”… Children of Mary are Apostles of Evangelization in their milieu and in the Mission Ad Gentes (MISSIONARY CHARACTER).
They fulfill this apostolate of Evangelization and of Service in a “Vincentian manner,” by imitating Saint Vincent de Paul in serving the poor and the marginalized of society in the regular or periodic services that the Association or the Vincentian Marian Youth Movement offers them in conformity with their age and level of maturation in the Faith (VINCENTIAN CHARACTER). Here is the charismatic aspect proper to all the members of the Vincentian Marian Youth Movement.
8. JMV Imitates Mary
All members of the Vincentian Marian Youth Movement contemplate in Mary the young people’s resolve to imitate the virtues characteristic of the Association: transparency (purity), collaboration (humility) seeking the will of God (obedience), sensitivity to the poor (charity). These are virtues that all young members must acquire.
A lived Marian Consecration strengthens the baptismal consecration and will be, so to speak, the summit of one’s contemplation and imitation of Mary, as a culmination of the growth process in one’s Faith. “To Jesus through Mary”.
1. Transparency (purity).
2. Collaboration (humility).
3. Seeking the will of God (obedience).
4. Sensitivity to the poor (charity).
5. Marian Consecration.
9. Methodology of Formation
The social reality and historical context of each country and each geographical zone requires that their formation process embody different aspects. Normally, these four elements are combined in the process of formation.
-A catechumenal process, which helps young people to grow in their Faith and develop it according to the different stages. In this process, the Word of God is the nucleus that clarifies, arouses interest and motivates young people to undertake a constant life of conversion and attachment to Christ, which is the climax of this process. Observation will permit others, on the outside, to measure that growth.
-In their Christocentric and Marian life, the young people find the necessary grace to balance their action with prayer and sacramental life.
- They will find their program of action in the objectives, lines of action and activities, which have been assumed by the organization, whether in the national, diocesan, provincial or local level, just as in the various campaigns, feasts, celebrations and in the different ways of assisting the poor that have been organized.
-Children of Mary or Vincentian Marian Youths do not exist in isolation. With their Center, Parish, AND Diocese they endeavor to work together in a common effort with all the organizations in the Church and in a very special way, seek to collaborate with those who share the same charism, that is to say, the members of other Vincentian Family Associations.
10. Synthesis
All the young people taking part in the Vincentian Marian Youth Movement go on to form a simple group, which amicably comes together and forms a community of Faith. This Faith will enable them to give themselves to service and evangelization. CHRIST IS THEIR END. But they will attain this end through the hands of Mary, Mother, Friend, Teacher…
The Superiors General have always supported this work so dear to the Vincentian Family. Father Robert Maloney and Mother Juana Elizondo give their support to the Lay Movements of the Vincentian Family, and wish to see them commit themselves, with creativity, to the New Evangelization for the benefit of the poor. It is their way of envisaging the future facing the Third Millenium.
Pope John Paul II, on the occasion of different World Youth Days, took a prioritized task of his pontificate to encourage young people to be leading actors in living the Faith. Our Association intends to respond to these invitations.
Born in the midst of the large Family of St. Vincent de Paul, its history is linked to the evolution of the Company of the Daughters of Charity and the Priests of the Congregation of the Mission (”Paules”, “Lazaristes” or Vincentian Fathers), in their task of Evangelization throughout the entire world.
The Association is also called by other names, depending on different countries:
JEUNESSE MARIALE (Mauritius), ASSOCIATION OF VINCENTIAN LOUISIAN FAMILY (Indonesia)…
2. The Beginnings
From the very beginning, Saint Vincent de Paul as well as Saint Louise de Marillac inculcated in their sons and daughters a deep love and a great devotion to Mary. God rewarded their initiative and chose a simple Daughter of Charity to be His messenger, and a Priest of the Mission as the intermediary of the message. And this is how it happened that He prepared the young Zoé, a simple peasant girl, who strove for perfection during her early childhood, teen years and early adulthood.
She is a model for all young people of today. Catherine experienced the sorrows and joys of family life; she was acquainted with the difficulties of her area, the influences of the society of her day… In 1997, we celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the Church’s recognition of her sanctity.
3. The Historical Event: 1830
Biblical experience tells us that each time God calls, He asks for a response from the person and He sends that person to fulfill a mission. Recall Samuel, Jeremiah, Mary…
Zoé hears the call in her native village, Fain- les- Moutiers, and her response to God will be to enter the Company of the Daughters of Charity in Paris as a Postulant in 1829, and afterwards the Seminary at the Motherhouse, in April of 1830.
We know the mission God confided to Catherine, by way of Mary, through the apparitions of the Immaculate Virgin.
In this historic event we have the Commencement of the Marian Association.
This is the how Catherine explained this mission to her Director, Father Aladel, in her communication with him:
“The Blessed Virgin wishes to give you a mission …You will be the founder and director of a Confraternity of Children of Mary”.
Another message given by the Blessed Virgin was that a medal should be made: theMiraculous Medal, which would be the insignia of the Association.
The integral message of the various Marian apparitions will have repercussions in her life and in the development and consolidation of the nascent group throughout its history.
4. Development
The first Children of Mary Association was organized into groups in different regions of France. The first fifteen groups were formed between 1835 to 1847.
The first Child of Mary was Benigne Hairon and, like so many others, she carne from the boarding school run by the Daughters of Charity. The first meetings of the Children of Mary were called “Marian Cenacles”.
The Superior General, Father Etiene, obtained Pontifical Approbation from Pope Pius IX on June 20, 1847.
In 1850, this approbation was extended to the male branch. The Superior General of the Congregation of the Mission could now establish “the pious Society under the title of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, in all the houses of the congregation throughout the world.”
The support given by the Superiors General and the encouragement, admiration and benediction bestowed by the sovereign Pontiffs contributed to the general expansion of the Association.
From 1848 to 1870, expansion, outside of France, took place in several countries of Europe and others continents: in Asia, the Philippines, Lebanon; in Africa, Egypt; and several South American countries. There were 338 fully functioning Centers.
On September 19, 1876, Pope Pius IX signed a Papal Brief permitting young people who were not students of the schools of the Daughters of Charity to belong to the Association.
5. Organization and Life
With regard to the expansion of the Association from its beginnings, through the 19th century until the middle of the 20th century, the “Manuals” were the links and the vehicles for living the spirit. These Manuals were at the same time: a rule, the statutes, and a book of prayers and of spiritual life.
After these initial Manuals prepared by Father Aladel, several revised editions made by Fathers Crapez, Tricot and Henrion came out. These revisions were made in accordance with the epoch and the needs of the time.
The Marian Congresses were intense times of formation and renewal, which the Association needed to adapt to what life required at the time.
The Faith-life of the members of the Association produced fruits at the level of social and public life. The Children of Mary, marked by Christian commitment and, moreover, as members of the Catholic Action, showed that they were equal to their task in difficult moments, at the time of the organization of the workers’ movement, unions, etc. The era of industrialization had arrived bringing with it struggles and difficulties in striving out to livea Christian life.
When the Daughters of Charity in Mexico were expelled from their Houses and their works in 1875, the Children of Mary took charge of the service of the poor…
The canonization of Saint Catherine Labouré in 1947 by Pope Pius XII brought about an increase of fervor in spirit, fortified by the renewing climate of the Council, and contributed to communicating and intensifying this vital breath in the world.
6. Internal Organization
The renewing winds of Vatican Council II along with the increase in the number of associates gave rise to a new structure which progressively constituted a new roster. If, from the very beginning, there were Children of Mary and Aspirants, they more or less took on other names. The youngest group bear the name of Angels, and after that, “Messengers”, corresponding to the “Cadette” in France.
They were able to establish age brackets: Early Childhood, preadolescents, adolescents, young adults, adults: V.M.F. (Vincentian Marian Families) – the current classification, inasmuch as there were always Children of Mary – married and older Children of Mary.
Each age bracket or level would have its formation, requirements and a different commitment in accordance with their growth in the Faith.
Each time, a greater responsibility was given to the young people in the life and functioning of the Association. These responsibilities were accepted and established by the accomplishment of the work assigned to each one as MEMBER, beginning with the very youngest, the children. While giving vitality to the Center, they succeeded in not keeping it isolated: the members live in relationship with one another and with others and feel part of the Diocesan Church, so as to give meaning to their ecclesial character, in the course of all celebrations and campaigns. The same is true at the Provincial, Regional and National levels and this entails the assumption of responsibilities for relations, coordination, participation.
7. IdentityIdentity
The identity of the Association is designated by its diverse aspects:
From the moment it enjoyed Pontifical Approbation in 1847, it has been considered as one of the apostolic groups that comprise the Church. It considers itself as a force in the Church, where it carries out its work of evangelization in the person of each of its members, who belongs to this Church by reason of his/her baptism (ECCLESIAL CHARACTER).
The Association has for Model, Mary, Mother of the Church, leader of the Community, who leads us to CHRIST (specific MARIAN CHARACTER).
This is why the members of this Movement strive to contemplate MARY, under the different aspects offered to us by the Church: A Woman who Believes, A Woman who Prays, Mother of the Church, Servant of the Poor, Universal Mediatrix.
Every Christian is a missionary. Every member of the Vincentian Marian Youth Movement must also be a missionary because Mary, Virgin of the Globe, manifested herself to us in this way to accomplish the command of her Son, Jesus: ” Go and preach”… Children of Mary are Apostles of Evangelization in their milieu and in the Mission Ad Gentes (MISSIONARY CHARACTER).
They fulfill this apostolate of Evangelization and of Service in a “Vincentian manner,” by imitating Saint Vincent de Paul in serving the poor and the marginalized of society in the regular or periodic services that the Association or the Vincentian Marian Youth Movement offers them in conformity with their age and level of maturation in the Faith (VINCENTIAN CHARACTER). Here is the charismatic aspect proper to all the members of the Vincentian Marian Youth Movement.
8. JMV Imitates Mary
All members of the Vincentian Marian Youth Movement contemplate in Mary the young people’s resolve to imitate the virtues characteristic of the Association: transparency (purity), collaboration (humility) seeking the will of God (obedience), sensitivity to the poor (charity). These are virtues that all young members must acquire.
A lived Marian Consecration strengthens the baptismal consecration and will be, so to speak, the summit of one’s contemplation and imitation of Mary, as a culmination of the growth process in one’s Faith. “To Jesus through Mary”.
1. Transparency (purity).
2. Collaboration (humility).
3. Seeking the will of God (obedience).
4. Sensitivity to the poor (charity).
5. Marian Consecration.
9. Methodology of Formation
The social reality and historical context of each country and each geographical zone requires that their formation process embody different aspects. Normally, these four elements are combined in the process of formation.
-A catechumenal process, which helps young people to grow in their Faith and develop it according to the different stages. In this process, the Word of God is the nucleus that clarifies, arouses interest and motivates young people to undertake a constant life of conversion and attachment to Christ, which is the climax of this process. Observation will permit others, on the outside, to measure that growth.
-In their Christocentric and Marian life, the young people find the necessary grace to balance their action with prayer and sacramental life.
- They will find their program of action in the objectives, lines of action and activities, which have been assumed by the organization, whether in the national, diocesan, provincial or local level, just as in the various campaigns, feasts, celebrations and in the different ways of assisting the poor that have been organized.
-Children of Mary or Vincentian Marian Youths do not exist in isolation. With their Center, Parish, AND Diocese they endeavor to work together in a common effort with all the organizations in the Church and in a very special way, seek to collaborate with those who share the same charism, that is to say, the members of other Vincentian Family Associations.
10. Synthesis
All the young people taking part in the Vincentian Marian Youth Movement go on to form a simple group, which amicably comes together and forms a community of Faith. This Faith will enable them to give themselves to service and evangelization. CHRIST IS THEIR END. But they will attain this end through the hands of Mary, Mother, Friend, Teacher…
The Superiors General have always supported this work so dear to the Vincentian Family. Father Robert Maloney and Mother Juana Elizondo give their support to the Lay Movements of the Vincentian Family, and wish to see them commit themselves, with creativity, to the New Evangelization for the benefit of the poor. It is their way of envisaging the future facing the Third Millenium.
Pope John Paul II, on the occasion of different World Youth Days, took a prioritized task of his pontificate to encourage young people to be leading actors in living the Faith. Our Association intends to respond to these invitations.