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 Monsignor Stanislas Courbe, the auxiliary Bishop 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 René 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 Episcopal Council, with which it coordinates its work in South America. It is recognised by the Holy See as a Catholic International Organisation and as an NGO has consultative status with Ecosoc. On 25 March 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 John Paul II, and the guidelines of the Pontifical Council for the Laity (cf. Dignity and Mission of Older People in the Church and in the World, Vatican City, 1998).

ORGANISATION

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 as follows: Africa (14), Asia (3), Europe (9), North America (8) and South America (10).

PUBLICATIONS

Vie Montante Internationale, a newsletter published twice a year in French, English, Portuguese and Spanish.

HEADQUARTERS

Vie Montante Internationale

15, rue Sarrette -75014 Paris (Francia)

Tel. [+33]1.43200822 - Fax 1.43200857

E-mail: vie_montante_int@hotmail.com