The National Meeting of the VMY Croatia was held on October 29, 2016 in Lužnica – Zaprešić. It was attended by 80 members of VMY and their sisters advisors from Rijeka, Zadar, Split and Kistanje. Also, our guests were VMY members from neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina (Livno).

The meeting began in the Motherhouse of the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul in Zagreb. The VMY met Sr. Miroslava Bradica, the General superior of the Sisters of Charity. They attended mass in the convent church of St. Vincent de Paul, and continued their meeting in Lužnica. The president of the VMY Croatia Petra Štokić read the letter of Yancarlos Carrasco entitled “Let us give life to the Vincentian charism” which he sent to the VMY Croatia on the occasion of their fifth year of existence. The letter outlined the important directions which VMY Croatia should take on the national level. Petra also announced the Second General VMY Assembly which will follow the approval of the National Statutes by the International Secretariat.

Jelena Beno, the representative of VMY Croatia in Vincentian Family Croatia National Council, announced the Vincentian Family Collaborative Action Programme (VFCAP) which is planned in 2017, and called the VMY members to attend the National VF pilgrimage to the grave of the Vincentian martyr sister Žarka Ivasić, SC, on 13 May 2017. These activities are planned by VF Croatia as a way to celebrate 400 Year of the Charism. Sr. Blanka Jeličić, gave a presentation on the World Youth Day in Poland, which she attended with the members of the VMY Bosnia and Herzegovina, and met the Superior General Fr. Tomaž Mavrič.

The meeting was concluded by making a video of Hail Mary which was a reply to the invitation of the International Secretariat in Madrid.

Author: Fr. Joe Agostino, CM