With Mary, we begin to transform tomorrow from Salamanca

On the afternoon of Monday, 17 August 2026, the Vincentian Fathers’ House in Salamanca opened its doors to the participants of the 6th General Assembly of the Vincentian Marian Youth. Representatives arriving from different continents, countries, and realities began a decisive week in the life of the Association under a motto that expresses the meaning of everything we are about to experience: “With Mary, serving today, transforming tomorrow.”

VMY is present in 65 countries across five continents. In Salamanca, young people, advisers, Daughters of Charity, and Vincentian missionaries from places as diverse as the Philippines, Lebanon, Madagascar, France, Colombia, and Spain have gathered together. We speak different languages, belong to very different cultures, and experience particular social and ecclesial realities. Yet, from the very beginning, we have recognized that we share the same spirituality, the same charism, and the same mission.

With Mary

The opening greetings helped us understand that this Assembly is not merely an organizational meeting. Over the coming days, we will dialogue, review the International Statutes, evaluate the journey traveled, discern the lines of action for the coming years, and elect the new International Council. Above all, however, we are called to let Mary guide us as we seek to discover what our Association needs today.

The first to speak was Father Tomaž Mavrič, Superior General of the Congregation of the Mission and Director General of VMY. He invited us to value the experience of those who have belonged to the Association and to seek new ways of keeping them connected. He also proposed involving families more closely in the journey of children’s groups, creating networks of accompaniment capable of strengthening the life and mission of VMY.

He concluded his address with a phrase that sums up the spirit in which we begin this Assembly: “If one person dreams alone, the dream remains a dream; if we dream together, the dream becomes reality.”

Sister Anna Wiwiek, General Councilor of the Daughters of Charity, then presented Mary to us as a courageous young woman, full of questions and dreams: a young woman who did not wait until she had all the answers before saying “yes” and setting out to help Elizabeth.

Her message reminded us that we are not merely the leaders of the future: “Young people are God’s now.” Like Mary, we are called to respond in the present, because “the transformation of tomorrow does not begin with great plans for the future, but with the small gestures of love and service that we carry out today.”

Patricia Roppa, International President of VMY, emphasized the richness of our diversity. We have arrived after traveling many kilometers, crossing borders, and temporarily leaving behind our families, communities, and responsibilities. Our presence in Salamanca is therefore a sign of our commitment to the Association.

She invited us to participate with attentiveness, patience, openness, and fraternity; to share our ideas without fear, but also to allow ourselves to learn from the experiences of others: “Let us not come merely to defend what we know, but also to discover what others can teach us.”

We may express ourselves in Spanish, English, French, Portuguese, Tagalog, and many other languages. We may have different customs and different ways of celebrating and understanding life. Yet, as the International President stated, “We share the same charism, the same spirituality and the same mission.”

Serving today

Father Joaquín González Hernando, Visitor of the Congregation of the Mission, Province of Saint Vincent de Paul-Spain, welcomed us to Santa Marta House, a place dedicated to formation, hospitality, and service for more than seventy years.

His words helped us discover the missionary history of this house and the bonds that, through the Vincentian Family, unite Spain with other parts of the world. From its chapel, many priests were sent to proclaim the Gospel in different countries. Today, that missionary sowing continues to bear fruit in the international diversity gathered in Salamanca.

Father Joaquín expressed his hope that during these days the house would become “a space for meeting, discernment and reflection, for outreach and missionary commitment.” He also left us with a specific call: “Like Mary and with Mary, always remain on the journey, serving with love and bringing the joy of the Gospel to all people, in order to transform tomorrow.”

Sister Carmen B. Machado Sacramento, Visitatrix of the Spain-South Province, then addressed us on behalf of the four Visitatrices of the Daughters of Charity in Spain. Taking the Roman bridge over the River Tormes as a symbol, she explained that this Assembly is called to become a bridge between countries, generations and cultures; between the richness of our history and the challenges of the present; and between the needs of young people and the evangelizing response that VMY wishes to offer.

She also reminded us of our responsibility as Assembly delegates. We have not come merely to represent our countries. We bring with us the voices, dreams, difficulties, and hopes of many young people. She therefore encouraged us to ask, in every decision, what VMY needs in order to be “more faithful to Jesus Christ, more Marian, closer to young people and more committed to the poor.”

Iván Pérez, National President of VMY Spain, concluded the opening greetings. His words made Salamanca a common home, open not only during this week but also for future activities, celebrations, and formation opportunities.

Drawing on the national motto of VMY Spain —“She wanted it, she still wants it, and she loves you”— he invited us to respond to Mary’s dream with humility, hospitality, and availability. Whatever our country of origin, the name we use for the Association, or the language in which we communicate, “we are one family, united despite the distances between us.”

Transforming tomorrow

Following the addresses, the event known as “Spanish Night” allowed us to present some of Spain’s most representative places, dances, and products. Through images, music, and traditions, we also shared the cultural diversity of the country that is welcoming the international VMY family during these days.

The evening prayer helped us gather everything we had experienced and place before God the work, decisions, and hopes that will shape this week. Finally, we shared a Spanish dinner in the courtyards of the Vincentian Fathers’ House. Traditional food, conversations, and joy made visible the fraternity we are beginning to build.

Thus ended our first day. We have arrived from many places, with different languages, cultures, and experiences, but with one shared desire: to allow Mary to accompany us, to serve in the present, and to assume together the responsibility of building the future of VMY.

“With Mary, serving today, transforming tomorrow” is not merely the motto of the Assembly. It is the call that, from Salamanca, is beginning to guide our steps.