HISTORY OF VMY
We are an international association of young Catholics that originates from the expressed desire of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a desire that was revealed on July 18, 1830 to Saint Catherine Labouré in Paris, France. Sister Catalina Labouré communicated this message to her director, Fr. Jean Marie Aladel, CM: “The Blessed Virgin wants to entrust you with a mission, she wants you to start an association of which you will be its founder and director. It is a confraternity of the Sons and Daughters of Mary”. A few months later, the Blessed Virgin Mary would entrust Sister Catherine with a new mission: to create the Miraculous Medal, which would be to the insignia of the Association.
From 1830 to 1847, Fr. Aladel began his mission and established the first fifteen groups of the Daughters of Mary in and around Paris. The first member was called Benigna Hairón, a member of one of the boarding schools administered by the Daughters. The first meetings of the Daughters of Mary were called “Marian Cenacles”.
The Superior General, Fr. Etienne, obtained Pontifical Approval from Pope Pius IX through the rescripts of June 20, 1847 (for a female branch) and July 19, 1850 (for a male branch). The name “Association of Daughters and Sons of Mary Immaculate” was given to the group. The Pope entrusted the care of our Association to the Superior General of the Congregation of Mission and the Daughters of Charity, who would be its Director General. The support provided by the Superiors General and the encouragement, admiration and blessing received from the Supreme Pontiffs contributed to the expansion of the Association.
From 1848 to 1870 the expansion of the Association reached America, Asia and Africa. On September 19, 1931, Pope Pius XI granted the Association the right to be established in all parishes, with the permission of the Bishops. Its Headquarters was erected in the Chapel of the Apparitions (Rue de Bac 140, Paris, France).
The canonization of Saint Catherine Labouré in 1947 by Pope Pius XII strengthened the spirit of the Association and prepared the members to receive the renewing breath of the Council. New life and an increase in numbers was the result of this time of renewal.
Based on the guidelines of the Second Vatican Council, the Association renewed its structures, united young men and women in the same group, reinforced its charitable-social commitment and changed its name to “Vincentian Marian Youth”. Its members were divided in the following manner: children, teenager, young adults, Vincentian Marian Families, married Daughters of Mary and Elder Daughters of Mary … each group having a distinct formation and commitment in accord with their faith development. With this renewal, more responsibility was given to young people within the life and forward movement of the Association.
In 1997, the Association resumed its international journey with a Forum of Leaders, organized in Paris during the XII World Youth Day.
On February 2, 1999, the Holy See approved the new International Statutes and recognized the change of name while maintaining the same identity. In February of that same year, Fr Robert Maloney, CM, General Director, established the headquarters of the International Secretariat of JMV in Madrid, Spain.
In August 2000, within the framework of the Youth Jubilee, the First General Assembly was held in Rome.