Greetings, VM's!
As a Member of VMM, you join others in committing yourself to the VMM movement and strengthening our unity in this divided world and have the opportunity to become more involved with other Members and missioners. The new program more clearly defines what it means to be a Member, and provides new benefits of Membership, at an annual Membership due of $40** (set forth in VMM’s bylaws approved by membership in 2009).
We are delighted that you are staying in touch with all that we are trying to do to bring justice and hope to our world. We really need and appreciate your prayers, your presence and your participation. Thank you for your on-going support and commitment. YOU ARE VMM!
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VMM invites you to join us for the VMM Assembly 2011 - a weekend to reminisce with old friends, meet new ones, share your stories, and hear Edwina Gateley and Tony Gittins, CSSp speak! The event will take place July 8-10, 2011 at Techny Towers in Techny, IL.
Click here for more information about the event!
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UPDATES:
We've added reflections from Maggie Mattaini, Danny Burridge and letters from Gabe Hurrish on the Notes from our Missioners page.
Click here to read an article by Danny Burridge published on The North American Congress on Latin America's website.
Click here to read about an award received by former missioners - the McLeods.
See the latest media coverage! Click here to read an article about the Slindes.
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View the VMM Calendar below
where you'll find important dates and events.
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April's Member of the Month
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Every month, VMM will feature news, updates, and photos from some of our members! April's member update is from Cecily Mills - VMM member since 1995. Read more about Cecily below.
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| Cecily Mills |
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In the fall of 1995, on the way home from Nicaragua after serving three years with Witness for Peace, I joined a VMM introductory weekend in Milwaukee. VMM's mission director, Phil Leonard, had fallen in love with Chahal, an isolated Mayan village in Guatemala and longed to place VMs at the medical clinic with the School Sisters of Saint Francis and at the large boarding school for boys run by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart but I wasn't so sure. Six months later, at the VMM assembly in Estes Park, Colorado, moved by the testimonies of returning VMs and Gabe Hurrish's reassurance of the need for experienced teachers in Chahal, I suddenly knew God was calling me.
In June 1996, we had a wonderful training session in Milwaukee and Chicago. Dawn Williams and I needed a summer in Alaska and the Canadian Rockies, respectively, before heading to Guatemala together on September 10. Gabe Hurrish met us and led us to the annual VMM retreat in San Salvador and then through our initiation in Guatemala. October and November, I struggled with Q'eqchi, not learning much but still appreciating the insights language gives on Mayan culture and values.
December 8, I headed for Chahal to get to know the place before classes started. What a great day in January when Dawn joined me! Other volunteers arrived from Spain, Mexico and Nicaragua. Challenging describes the two years in Chahal: hard, really hard but exuberantly wonderful. November 1998, Dawn and I ended up in Costa Rica after being caught up with Hurricane Mitch in our last weeks of travel after our fourth VMM retreat in Antigua. We made our way back to Guatemala to catch our December 10, 1998 flight to Miami. Little did we know that we would both be back in Guatemala: Dawn as VMM Central American coordinator and I back in Chahal when a volunteer for 2000-2001 didn't materialize. It was a wonderful year!
VMM presented me with a great opportunity to make wonderful friends. I served on the VMM board for two years (2004-2006), attended assemblies and one training session. Since February 2003 have written the weekly reflection. I plan to attend this July's assembly as well as the June 24-26 Catholic Network for Women's Equality conference in Fredericton, New Brunswick where Edwina will speak on Women Mystics, Rebels & Prophets.
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