1. Purpose of this Presentation
1.1. Clear understanding of the AMM
The first purpose of this presentation is to offer a brief, clear understanding
of what the Association of the Miraculous Medal, the AMM, is. Many of you know
the AMM as it is organized in your own country. But what is the essence of
the AMM? It is simply to wear the Miraculous Medal. Anyone who wears a blessed
Miraculous Medal is a member of the AMM. Only God knows the number of members!
1.2. International context
The second purpose of this presentation is to set the AMM in an international
context. The AMM is an international association. The Vatican has approved
its statutes. In this context of an international association, the AMM is organized
in different countries. In an international meeting like this, I will limit
my presentation to the international AMM. You are welcome to share informally
about the AMM in your country if you wish.
1.3. Vitality of the AMM
The third purpose of this presentation is to assure you that the AMM is alive
and well. In the stages of organizational development that are the themes for
these presentations on the branches of the Vincentian Family, the AMM is in
the midst of a powerful renewal. These are exciting times for us.
1.4. Direction of the AMM
The fourth purpose of this presentation is to glimpse into the future and see
what the new directions are for the AMM. Last October, the leaders of the AMM
from around the world met in Rome. We produced a set of Convictions and Commitments
that set our direction, and we made some requests of the Director General,
Fr. Robert Maloney, C.M. One of those requests has led to my presence here
today.
2. Short Outline of the AMM
Let us begin with an overview of the AMM. We all know the story of the Miraculous
Medal and the apparitions to St. Catherine Labouré. They happened just
a few meters from here. As you know, from those apparitions came the Children
of Mary, now the Vincentian Marian Youth, or simply Marian Youth. And later
the AMM gradually developed.
The AMM is an ecclesial, Marian, Vincentian association of the Christian faithful.
However, it is not exclusively a lay association. Any member of the Christian
faithful may be a member, including the clergy.
There are countless people who wear the Miraculous Medal. According to the
statutes approved by the Vatican, all of them are members of the AMM. A much
more useful concept is the number of members registered in the AMM where it
is organized. There are perhaps 7,000,000 members registered in the different
countries where the AMM has been established.
The AMM is always engaged in an apostolate. The exact nature of the apostolate
varies from country to country.
A Short History of the AMM
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a. Paris Association in 1847
I understand that there has been an AMM since 1847, but it was only for
Paris. It took over 60 years to establish an international Association
of the Miraculous Medal.
b. International Approval by Pius X in 1909
Under statutes approved by Pope Pius X in 1909, the AMM was organized under
a Director General and had diocesan directors. Members must be invested
by a priest with a medal blessed by a member of the C.M. There were spiritual
benefits for membership. Post-Vatican II regulations eliminated the requirement
that the priest blessing the medal be a C.M.
c. Minor revisions 1990
At the request of the AMM in Perryville, in order to satisfy a great demand
for investiture in the medal, the Vatican approved some two minor revisions
to the statutes.
- First, anyone who wears a medal blessed by a priest is a member.
No longer is investiture a condition of membership.
- Second, investiture was still presented as something desirable, and
the 1990 statutes allowed a layperson to lead the investiture using
medals previously blessed by a priest.
d. Latest revision approved 1998
In 1997, Fr. Maloney called together six leaders of the AMM to a meeting
in Rome. This meeting produced the current version of the statutes, approved
in 1998. These statutes launched the renewal of the AMM, as explained below. |
Nature of the AMM
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After that short history of the AMM, let us speak very quickly
on the nature of the AMM.
a. Ecclesial
It is Ecclesial. It is Catholic. Although non-Catholics are free to join,
they are outside the jurisdiction of the Church, so we simply cannot
say anything about them with respect to our laws or statutes. They belong
to the Blessed Mother and are her children, so we cannot prevent her
from loving them, and we welcome them into her Association.
Nevertheless, we, the AMM, are Catholic. We support and love our Church.
It is the context in which we live as an association.
b. Marian
The AMM is Marian. Mary is the origin of the AMM. Mary is the route of
the AMM to Christ. She is our example in prayer and action.
c. Vincentian
The AMM is Vincentian, and this is a fascinating reality. It is no accident
that Mary gave the Miraculous Medal to a Daughter of Charity and entrusted
its promotion to a member of the Congregation of the Mission. Mary gave
the Miraculous Medal to the world for the poor, the suffering of the
whole world and especially France, who were without hope, like sheep
without a shepherd. Mary sees Christ in all her children, especially
the poor. Through the AMM, Mary continues to reach out to her poor children
with her motherly love. What could be more Vincentian!
d. Not Exclusively Lay
The AMM is an association of the Christian faithful. As such, it can
include clergy and religious. Although most members are lay, it is not
exclusively lay.
a. General Members are countless
This is a brief discussion of the size of the AMM. Since anyone who wears
the Medal is a member, there is no way to count the number of members.
It is the only association of the Christian faithful without a register
of members. The statutes call these unregistered people “general
members.” Clearly the AMM is the largest association in the Church.
b. Particular Members, perhaps 1-7 million, depending
“Particular members” are registered locally in the association. This
number is more possible to count, but still difficult, because there are many
registers. Here are some numbers. The list is not exhaustive, but they add up
to somewhere between one and seven million.
In the USA, the AMM in Perryville has 2 million “members” listed
on its rosters, but these might be called affiliates, rather than members,
since they are not personally active in the apostolate of the AMM. About
350,000 are on the active roster and participate in the apostolate. These
could clearly be called active members. The AMM in Philadelphia has similar
numbers — about 2,000,000 members who could be called affiliates,
and about 350,000 participating members.
I apologize if I am not accurate with the remaining numbers because I
have not heard them officially. In Spain, I believe there are about 2,000,000
family members who participate in the home-visit apostolate. These could
be called members, since the parish centers register them. If there are
four people in each family, then there are perhaps 15,000 in leadership,
and they would be more active in the association.
I will give one more example, because they are very numerous. I think
the Philippines have about 1,000,000 in their roster of affiliates. They
also have parish centers like Spain, and that would add to the number
of members there.
The AMM has a number of apostolates beyond its primary mission
of bringing the message of Mary conceived without sin to the world.
Here are three examples.
a. Home Visit
A statue of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal moves each day of the month
around a circle of 30 families. The family prayer ceremony includes greeting,
devotional prayers, and farewell. There may also be instruction in the
Christian life. This is primarily an apostolate to and for the family,
but it also collects funds to assist the poor.
b. Charity for the poor
Secondly, national statutes determine how the money collected in the
association may be used. Often it is for the poor of the parish, or it
may benefit the poor elsewhere. Many AMM projects are done in collaboration
with the Vincentian Family. Of course, a portion of the AMM funds also
supports the operation of the association.
c. Assist the C.M. ministries and missions
Finally, in many areas, the AMM receives significant donations used to
support the missions of the Congregation of the Mission or a province’s
ministries with the poor and the clergy. This often includes support
of seminarians in formation and of infirm or retired members of the province.
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3. Renewal of the AMM
3.1. Foundation — First International Statutes of the AMM
In preparation for this presentation, the speakers were given an outline of
the five stages in the life of an organization. They are foundation, expansion,
stabilization, breakthrough, and transition-renewal.
The first stage is foundation, and for the AMM, this stage can be summed up
by our first international statutes.
a. Structure of AMM in the First Statutes
The AMM officially began with its statutes of 1909. These statutes seem to
envision the AMM as something like a parish sodality. It stated that the purpose
of the association was the sanctification of the members and participation
in an unspecified apostolate.
b. Role of the Director General
In the AMM, the statutes have always placed the highest leadership in a Director
General, who is the Superior General of the Congregation of the Mission and
the Daughters of Charity. Originally, there were no specific duties, but he
was the ultimate authority for the entire AMM.
c. Diocesan Structure
The 1909 statutes envisioned a diocesan director, appointed by the bishop,
and responsible for the association, canonically erected in the diocese by
the bishop. In each diocese, the AMM could have its own “spirit, laws,
and customs.”
3.2. Expansion — National Differences
The second stage in the life of an organization is its expansion. After the
original statutes were promulgated, the AMM was able to expand around the world.
The first expansion was very rapid. During its time of expansion, the AMM developed
national differences. Here are the most significant examples.
a. France
The AMM in France was the original, even before the statutes of 1909. It now
has the missions of the Congregation of the Mission in France as its apostolate.
The chapel here in Paris is the center of prayer for the AMM in France.
b. Spain
In Spain the AMM began in 1911. It is centered in the parish, renewing the
family and assisting the poor.
c. USA
In the early years, the AMM was founded at two places in the USA, corresponding
to the two provinces of the CM in that nation. The first foundation was at
Philadelphia in 1915, called the “Central Association of the Miraculous
Medal,” and located on the east coast. The second was at Perryville in
1918, and it is called the “Association of the Miraculous Medal,” located
in the center of the country. This is an accident of history and, to my knowledge,
has no logical explanation.
Both groups are very similar, enrolling members throughout the country at the
choice of the member. As their principal apostolate, they support the province
of the Congregation of the Mission where their offices are located.
d. Mexico
The AMM in Mexico was founded in 1925 as a union of the associations in several
dioceses. Like Spain, it is centered in the parish, with apostolates engaged
in renewing the family and assisting the poor. It also has a strong catechetical
character.
e. Philippines
A Spanish Vincentian who was educated in the United States established the
AMM in the Philippines in 1957. This association combines features from the
AMM in both Spain and USA.
f. Elsewhere
That is not the end of the expansion. These are just some of the earliest or
largest examples. The AMM has been founded in many other areas and countries.
Usually it has spread from Spain or follows the model of the AMM in Spain.
3.3. Stabilization — Some Growth, Few Changes
Stabilization is the third stage in the life of an organization. After the
AMM was established in a country, it settled into a stable pattern. Numbers
increased gradually. There was little innovation necessary since the AMM was
accomplishing its purpose as described in its statutes.
In the stable AMM, people were concerned with their own sanctification, and
they participated in the apostolate of the AMM in their country. This period
of stabilization lasted through Vatican Council II to 1997. The AMM never experienced
a significant decline. This is not surprising since the Virgin Mary is in charge.
4. Breakthrough — Meeting in Rome,
December 1997*
a. Share who we are, history, mission
The breakthrough in the renewal of the AMM was quiet, but to those of us who
were there, it was an exciting and historic event. The Director General called
together six leaders of the AMM from France, Spain, the USA, Mexico, and the
Philippines. Our first task was to get to know each other and share the stories
and reality of the AMM that we were leading. It was overwhelming to see how
Mary had reached out to her children so effectively in so many different ways.
Our differences could not hide the common themes, shared values, and real sense
of mission we held in common. There was no jealousy, only a celebration of
the good work all of us were doing for the gospel, the Church, and the poor.
This was truly a moment of grace.
b. Examine statutes
Our second task was to examine the International Statutes and determine whether
we should propose any revisions. Providentially, there was a canon lawyer among
us, and someone who could write reports and documents. Much to the delight
of the Director General, we emerged from our meeting with a polished set of
new International Statutes in Latin, English, and Spanish — ready for
approval by the Vatican.
New International Statutes Approved February
1998*
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1. Laid the Foundation for Renewal of the AMM
The newly approved International Statutes made three very important developments
that are the foundation of the renewal of the AMM. They are certainly the
most important result of the breakthrough meeting of December 1997, and
set the stage for all the new developments in the AMM.
2. “Essential” Document
The first thing to understand about the new statutes it that they are an “essential
document.” They only say what is necessary. They do not impose significant
limitations on the local association. They are meant to provide as much
freedom as possible to achieve the purpose of the AMM. Because they carry
Vatican approval, they should not go into such detail that they need to
be revised frequently. There are other ways to specify particular details
when they are necessary, ways that allow for easy change with different
circumstances.
3. Provided for Particular Statutes
The most radical change to emerge in the International Statutes is that
they provide for particular statutes in the places where the AMM is organized.
In one simple statement, this provision is able to unite the AMM wherever
in the world it is organized into one association. It brings us all together.
It gives us all a single spokesperson for our international mission. At
the same time, the Particular Statutes assure that everywhere the AMM will
be able to carry out its particular mission affirmed by the approval of
the statutes, and free from interference from above or below.
4. Affirmed the Reality and Value of Inculturation
The combination of an essential document and the provision for particular
statutes has a wonderful effect. On the one hand, it recognizes that the
AMM is really different in different parts of the world. And on the other
hand, it recognizes that such differences are good, because they allow
the AMM to operate effectively in the concrete reality of each country.
The lesson of history, from when the AMM had no international structure,
is that it does not have to be identical everywhere as long as it is true
to the purpose in the International Statutes — in whatever way it
can be true to that purpose. I believe that this is one of the distinguishing
characteristics of the AMM in the Vincentian Family. |
c. Consider collaboration
Our third task was to consider possible ways to collaborate. This was by far
the most difficult task, since there was — and never had been — an
international structure. We did not see the need for a complex centralized
organization, but we recommended a secretariat to encourage communication,
correspond with the different countries, and serve as a center for approving
new particular statutes. Since the Director General already had a crowded schedule,
this work fell immediately onto the shoulders of the newly named Vincentian
Family Delegate, Fr. Benjamín Romo, one of the participants in our 1997
meeting.
3.5. Transition — Renewal
Emergence of Coordination
The final stage of renewal of an organization is the transition to the renewed
form of the organization. This takes us into the present and the future, as
I promised when I began. For the AMM, this phase has two areas that I would
like to share with you. The first is particular statutes, which are the entry
into the renewed AMM and the means by which it is organized. The second is
what came from our international encounter last October.
4. The Expansion of Renewal
4.1. Particular Statutes
Time does not allow me to go deeply into the issue of particular statutes.
However, it is important that you understand how they are at least as essential
to the mission of the AMM as the International Statutes.
4.2. Purpose of Particular Statutes
The purpose of particular statutes is to define the AMM in a specific location
and to adapt it to the local culture and society. In this way, the AMM becomes
a living, acting force for the gospel and the poor.
a. Value of Particular Statutes
Particular statutes are valuable for three reasons. First, they are the
unifying link that aligns the AMM in a country with the international AMM.
Second, they can meet the civil requirements for an association or organization
in a particular country. Third, they create the local structures and organization
that allows the AMM to function effectively in a given place and culture.
b. Other Rules or Bylaws
Particular statutes do not need to say everything. In fact, it is best
if, in their own way, they are an “essential” document that
leaves as many specific points as possible to local rules or bylaws that
can be changed without recourse to the Director General. Such rules are
strictly internal. How the rules are created and how they are revised is
something for the particular statutes to determine. |
5. The First International Encounter,
October 2001
Coming from 28 countries on five continents, 70 leaders of the Association
of the Miraculous Medal met in Rome for our first international encounter last
October. Note that our statutes do not provide for an assembly; however, we
can have an encounter or meeting.
That wonderful week provided the first real opportunity for the leaders of
the AMM around the world to come together and experience real sharing, discovery,
and affirmation of the good work God is doing in our midst. It led to a series
of convictions and commitments, which you can find in the book published after
the encounter, Asociación de la Medalla Milagrosa: Una nueva Imagen
para un nuevo Milenio. There were also five recommendations to the Director
General. The most important for us are the requests for an international organization,
formation materials, and an information bulletin. A very brief outline of the
encounter and the Final Document can be found in Vincentiana.*
6. The Period after the Encounter
6.1. New status in the Vincentian Family
It has been only eight months since the encounter. Because of the encounter,
our place as AMM within the Vincentian Family has become clearer. We are the
largest organization in the Vincentian Family. We in the AMM realize the wealth
to be found in our diversity as together we work toward our common mission.
We have a renewed dedication to serve the abandoned poor in the spirit of St.
Vincent, and we recognize that this mission comes to us from the Virgin Mary,
who herself was poor and served the poor in her life. With the rest of the
Vincentian Family, we seek greater formation resources. We are quite at home
here in this encounter, Vincentian Month 2002.
6.2. International Coordinator
The Director General was “creative to infinity” in responding to
the requests of the AMM International Encounter. He recently named an “International
Coordinator” to serve as his delegate in carrying out the function of
Director General. The Director General added a “Coordinating Council” to
assist his delegate. In this way he suddenly formed the “international
structure” that was requested of him. Since he put me in that position,
I now come before you to give this presentation. The task of the International
Coordinator is not a full-time job.
7. The Future
7.1. Communication
I have been the International Coordinator for less than three weeks. You are
the witnesses to the birth of a new service. Nothing is ready yet; everything
is just beginning to be planned. Since this job is not full-time, I must still
maintain my primary mission at the AMM in Perryville, Missouri, USA. A few
things will emerge in the next few months, and I hope there will be something
of value to the AMM everywhere by the start of 2003.
The first task of the International Coordinator is communication in the AMM.
In order communicate to the AMM as widely and as quickly as possible, much
of this task of the International Coordinator will be done electronically.
The Internet is a fast and inexpensive way to communicate. Personal communication
can easily occur through email. General communication can be done through a
web site.
a. General Features of the Web Site
The web site will be in English, French, and Spanish. It will include a calendar
of events and a document resource library. I will begin work on the web site
when I return from the Vincentian Month. It usually takes a few months to launch
a web site.
b. Electronic Newsletter
In order to reach the AMM everywhere in the world as quickly and easily as
possible, the international bulletin will be part of the web site. It will
be quarterly. There will be messages from the Director General and the International
Coordinator, features on the AMM in the different countries, announcements
submitted by the countries, and links to new formation materials on the site.
c. Practical Assistance for Leaders
The web site will also have information to help the AMM leaders serve their
members. Besides the documents resource library, there will be a section of
formation materials of whatever kind we can gather. And there will be materials
to help in the development of new groups of the AMM in the countries where
it is not established or not fully organized.
7.2. Formation
a. Sharing of existing materials
There are AMM formation materials available in different places. I hope to
be able to gather them in a form that I can publish on the web site and, in
that way, make them available as widely possible. As a service, I hope to prepare
translations of the materials in the three languages of the site. Collecting
and translating the existing formation materials will itself add to our supply
of formation materials.
There are also formation materials in the other branches of the Vincentian
Family. With their permission, we can adopt them in the AMM and adapt them
to our unique mission. In a similar way, our own materials may be useful to
the other branches of the Vincentian Family.
b. Development of new materials
As time passes, new materials will appear. If I learn about them, I can post
them on the web site for everyone. And if there are enough requests for a particular
type of material, I can serve as a contact point for the request.
7.3. Collaboration
a. Networking
I hope to add a section to the web site where leaders can sign in and carry
out interactive discussions. This would also be a way to show interest in some
new formation topic. If enough leaders want a resource, someone may be willing
to produce it.
I know from my own experience that leaders are busy people. Email will be a
simple way to communicate. And I can use email to send announcements and reminders
occasionally. My style is to send a simple message and refer to a page on the
web site for full information, available when it is convenient.
b. How can we work together?
Collaboration means working together. I want to work with the leaders of the
AMM and meet their needs so they can meet their members’ needs. Please
contact me with your ideas and hopes. We can discuss them together and work
together to make our dreams become a reality.
My job title is “International Coordinator.” The words do not mean
that I do everything. Rather, I work to bring together people and resources
so the Virgin Mary’s work can be done. The AMM is an association of us
all. To borrow an expression, together we can do more than we can ever do separately.
That is a brief glimpse into the future of the International AMM. I hope you
find it as interesting and exciting as I do. Thank you for your attention.
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