Two associations of the Vincentian Family have their origins in the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Saint Catherine Labouré: Vincentian Marian Youth and the Association of the Miraculous Medal.

It was in 1909 that, at the request of the Bishops of Poland, Pope Pius X gave approval to the Association of the miraculous Medal in a document intitled Dilectus Dei Filius (8 th July 1909).

In 1998 the Director General of the Association, Fr. Robert Maloney, revised the International Statures of the Association which were subsequently approved by the Holy See with the result that the Association is still alive and well, and at the service of the Church. From that time onwards we witnessed a movement of renovation and expansion in many countries. This expansion is due to a re-discovery of the charism seen in the light of the renewal instigated by the Second Vatican Council, which gave the laity its rightful place in the mission of the Church.

In 2001, the First International Encounter of the Association was organized, again at the request of Fr. Maloney. Some of the people who are with us for this Second Encounter were also at the First Encounter, a major event in the history of our Association.

These were the topics covered during the First Encounter:

• Re-reading the message of the Virgin to Saint Catherine Labouré
• Formation in the Association
• The spirituality of the Association
• Extending membership of the Association
• Funding for the Association

The First Encounter enabled us to discover the great diversity and wealth of the Association and provided a solid basis for the Marian and Vincentian spirituality of AMM. All these elements were included in the Final Document that showed the way for the Association in the first few years of the new millennium. The document also contains the commitments we made and which we have started to live out during the past four years. The motto of our First Encounter was: “AMM: a new image for a new millennium”.

I think it is true to say that the Association is getting the facelift that we dreamt of during the First Encounter.

Between 2001 and now, the Association has traveled a road which we will consider in more detail at another time, when we will assess the progress we made. For now I just want to tell you that the Association now has:

A Director General
An International Coordinator
A Council that guides the work of the Association in the various countries.

There have been very noticeable efforts to extend the Association over the past few years, and we have seen rapid growth in many countries. Today the statistics are as follows:

The Association is present in 57 countries. Of these:

15 countries have National Statutes approved by the Director General
13 countries are in the process of approval
There are 29 countries where the Association is already present.

The objective for this 2 nd International Encounter is:

To assess the road traveled since the first Encounter in 2001, in order to discover our vocation in the Church and to advance in our commitment to missionary service to the poor.

Our motto: Loved by the Father and guided by Mary, committed to the mission of the Church.

In order to achieve our objective, we will have lectures, and sharing of first hand experience of formation and the apostolate. Beside the plenary sessions, we will also have working groups during which we will be able to share our experiences and our concerns. We want to deepen our identity and make commitments that will allow us to renew ourselves and progress in our apostolate of service and evangelisation of the poor.

Dear brothers and sisters, with these words of welcome we want to invite you to unite all your efforts to work towards achieving our goals: we want to look back to see what progress we have made. We must be aware that we are members of an Association that is at the service of the Church . We must look at the present to discover the new forms of poverty that exist in our society in order to find new ways of service, and we must look for new ways to reach those who are in the greatest need. Our vocation is also a gift to be shared with others, specially with young people.

It is our wish that by the end of this Second Encounter we might make some tangible commitment which will set out the road to be taken over the next few years. That is why we have appointed a Committee to help us draft those commitments on the basis of our reflection.

The Encounter starting today is a wonderful opportunity for all of us. It is a moment of grace in the history of our Association. Let us make this Encounter a festive occasion. Let us share the best of ourselves, work together and take part in activities that will be enriching for all. Let us open ourselves to the grace and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Let us experience this Encounter together, as a blessing from God, as a gift from God. Let us become Good News for our brother and sisters.

Brothers and sisters, today's Church needs Christians who are mature, who are aware of their baptismal identity, of their vocation and their mission in the Church and in the world. The Church needs Christian communities that are alive, mature and fully committed. We and you, lay people, we can provide an effective response to the challenges of this new millennium and bring hope.

Thank you for being here, for your cooperation in preparing this Encounter and for participating in its work.

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