Began in Paris in 1950s
VATICAN CITY, 8 JUNE 2006 (ZENIT)Here is the description of Life
Ascending International which appears in the Directory of International
Associations of the Faithful, published by the Pontifical Council for
the Laity.
* * *
Official name: Life Ascending International
Acronym: VMI (Vie Montante Internationale)
Established: 1985
History: The Vie Montante (Life Ascending) experience began in Paris in
the 1950s when groups of elderly Christians began to meet with André
d'Humières.
It was founded as an association in 1962 thanks to the support of
Auxiliary Bishop Stanislas Courbe of Paris and the first
secretary-general of French Catholic Action. It soon spread from France
to Belgium, Switzerland, Canada and a number of African countries.
In 1985, under the advocacy of Rene Tardy and the encouragement of the
then president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, Cardinal Eduardo
Francisco Pironio, "Vie Montante Internationale" was founded in Rome, to
expand the association to every continent.
VMI has the support of the Latin American bishops' council, with which
it coordinates its work in South America. It is recognized by the Holy
See as an international Catholic organization and as a nongovernmental
organization has consultative status with the U.N. Economic and Social
Council.
On March 25, 1996, the Pontifical Council for the Laity decreed
recognition of Vie Montante Internationale as an international
association of the faithful of pontifical right.
Identity: VMI is made up of national associations of pensioners and
elderly people, who promote the pastoral care of the third age, in
accordance with the teaching of the Church, the magisterium of Pope John
Paul II, and the guidelines of the Pontifical Council for the Laity
("The Dignity and Mission of Older People in the Church and in the
World," Vatican City, 1998).
Organization: VMI is governed by the General Assembly that meets every
four years in a different continent and lays down guidelines for action
to be followed by the association; the International Management
Committee, which implements the decisions of the General Assembly,
comprising the president and the treasurer elected by the General
Assembly, and the continental leaders, from among whom is elected the
vice president and the ecclesiastical assistant; the Permanent
Secretariat, whose members
—
all Europeans
—
are appointed by the president whom they assist.
In recent years, in order to meet the new needs of the association, the
post of general secretary has been instituted.
Membership: VMI has a membership of about 250,000 people in 44
countries, in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America.
Publications: Vie Montante Internationale, a newsletter published twice
a year in French, English, Portuguese and Spanish
Headquarters:
Vie Montante Internationale
80, rue de la Tombe-Issoire
75014 Paris
—
France
Tel. (33) 1.4320.0822
—
Fax 1.4320.0857
E-mail: vie_montante_int@hotmail.com
© Copyright 2006
—
Libreria Editrice Vaticana [adapted]
ZE06060820
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