Middle School Members – History & Purpose of VMY
Begin Group with Prayer
VMY History from http://www.secretariadojmv.org/jmv/en/about-us/history/ Thanks to: www.catholicicing.com
1. Portico (The word Portico means “porch” or entryway. This article, adapted from the International Vincentian Marian Youth website, hopefully will provide an entryway for you to understand the origin and of VMY across the world.)
The Association of the Children of Mary Immaculate, known today as “Vincentian Marian Youth Movement” has a universal reach. The history of the VMY is linked to the Daughters of Charity (religious sisters) and the Priests of the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentian priests).
The Association is also called by other names, depending on different countries: JEUNESSE MARIALE (Mauritius), ASSOCIATION OF VINCENTIAN LOUISIAN FAMILY (Indonesia)... In Spain it is called JMV and means the same as VMY; the J standing for words in various languages meaning YOUTH. The M of course stands for MARY and the V for VINCENT in just about all languages. In English, being adjectives, we say Vincentian Marian Youth.
2. The Beginnings
From the very beginning, Saint Vincent de Paul as well as Saint Louise de Marillac taught their followers a deep love and a great devotion to Mary.
God chose a young farm girl, Zoe’ Laboure, just as she entered the Daughters
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of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, to become the messenger, and to carry out the message from Immaculate Mary.
A model for all young people today, now called Catherine Laboure, as she was known as a sister, experienced the sorrows and joys of family life; knew the poverty of her area, the politics of the society of her day.
3. The Historical Event: 1830
Zoé hears the call to become a sister and enters the Company of the Daughters of Charity in Paris as a Postulant (beginner) in 1829, and afterwards the Seminary at the Motherhouse, in April of 1830.
QUESTION: (Do you ever wonder if and how and to what God could be calling you?)
God confided to Catherine (Zoe), by way of Mary, through the apparitions (visions) of the Immaculate Virgin in 1830. That was the beginning of the Vincentian Marian Youth Association. Catherine said that “The Blessed Virgin says I have a mission ...that I will be the founder and director of a Group (Confraternity) for the Children of Mary”. Another message given by the Blessed Virgin was that a medal should be
made: the Miraculous Medal, which would be the insignia of the Association.
St. Catherine Laboure did what Mary asked of her. She formed a group,
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originally called the Association of the Children of Mary Immaculate which is now the VMY-‐ Vincentian Marian Youth group.
The first Children of Mary Association was organized into groups in different regions of France. The first members were girls in the schools and workshops run by Daughters of Charity to protect the rights and safety of poor young factory workers. In 1850, membership was extended to boys and young men and were encouraged in all the houses of the Vincentians throughout the world.
Later, the association grew across Europe, in the Philippines, Lebanon Africa, Egypt; and several South American countries.
During the 1875 Mexican Revolution the Children of Mary Association (VMY) who took charge of the service of the poor. From then on, the VMY has always been a training ground for the dignity and rights of all; giving service to the poor in any way possible.
From the very beginning, in the Association of the Children of Mary there were Aspirants (people wanting to become a member – aspire to be a member). The youngest group of aspirants took the name of Angels, and after that, the next group age-‐wise became the “Messengers”, and the oldest group the Cadets in France.
Each age bracket would have teachings for their grade level to help them grow in their faith and love of Mary.
4. VMY Imitates Mary
All members of the Vincentian Marian Youth Movement think about Mary and how to imitate her virtues: purity, humility, obedience, charity. These are virtues that all young members must acquire.
5. ACTIVITY:
The Miraculous Medal: Let’s learn about the Miraculous Medal. A medal is something you can wear around your neck. The Miraculous Medal has two sides. On the front is an image of Mary, the mother of Jesus, and words asking her to pray for us. On the back is the letter M
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at the foot of the cross and stars around the edge. We ask Mary to pray for us to Jesus because we know Jesus will hear her prayers.
Show students picture. If you have a Miraculous Medal, pass it around the room.
This craft is made from heavy duty foil, and can be enjoyed by children of all ages! No drawing skills needed-‐ just trace the Miraculous Medal template.
Supplies needed to complete this craft:
• Miraculous Medal Template (below) • Sheet of Fun Foam
• €Heavy Duty foil
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• €Dull Pencil
• €Assorted colors of sharpies (optional)
• €Key Ring Loop (optional)
Directions: ���Take the Medal template and cut it out. Trace around the template onto a sheet of fun foam, and cut that out as well.
Use heavy duty foil. Handle it carefully so it doesn’t get any
unwanted creases in it. Cutting it with scissors rather than using the built in foil-‐remover will keep the foil smooth. Cut the foil into an oval that’s a little larger than your fun foam oval, and wrap around the back, keeping the front smooth.
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Lightly tape your Miraculous Medal template onto your foil to keep it in place. Ask each student to trace the picture with a dull pencil using good pressure to dent the foil underneath. *Hint-‐ using a colored pencil may help your student better see where s/he has or hasn’t traced yet.*
When your students are finished, cut the tape to release the template. Don’t pull at the tape, because you don’t want to crinkle your foil. Repeat with the back of the medal. When students are finished tracing the images on the foil, they should have something that looks a lot like this:
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Glue the front and the back together (a hot glue gun is best). Also punch a hole in the top of the foil with a hole puncher, and lace a key ring through it.
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Each student can color their Miraculous Medal with color sharpies. Use the side of the Sharpies and don’t push down too hard because that can puncture the foil.
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Template Side 1 and TEMPLATE Side 2:
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