Provida Mater Ecclesiaopens a new avenue in the life of the Church: secular institutes. 

Ever since, secular institutes for men and women have been sanctioned by the Church

The Oblate Missionaries of Mary immaculate (O.M.M.I.) a The Oblate Missionaries of Mary immaculate (O.M.M.I.), a secular institute for women, was founded by Father Louis-Marie Parent, O.M.I. The group Volontaires de Dieu (Volunteers of God) are affiliated to this Institute. 

Father Leo Deschâtelets, O.M.I. Superior General of the Oblate Fathers, asks Father Parent to found a secular institute for men. 

In response to his Superior general’s request,Father Parenthas the inspiration to call the new groupVoluntas Dei. He met a few young men interested in the project and prepared the foundation of the Institute.

The Voluntas Dei group receives the approval of Bishop Henri Routhier, O.M.I., Vicar apostolic of Grouard, Alberta  (Canada), and the Church’s official recognition of the group as a Pious Society.

The Voluntas Dei Institute (I.V.Dei), a secular institute for all the baptised, was founded by Father Louis-Marie Parent, O.M.I., in the chapel of our Lady of LaSalette (Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada). 

At its founding, the Institute numbered ten young men, of whom four were received into profession, five began probation, and one started aspirancy.

The I.V.Dei reaches out to the world, first in Laos, then in the United States, Bolivia, Ecuador, Sri Lanka, India, Chile, Mexico, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Colombia.

Laotian married catechists (men) are accepted in the Institute.

The I.V.Dei is raised to the canonical status of an Association of Perfection by Bishop J.-Romeo Gagnon of Edmundston, New Brunswick (Canada).

The I.V.Dei is canonically erected a secular institute of diocesan right by the same Bishop, and obtained thenihil obstatfrom the Sacred Congregation for Religious and Secular Institutes

The Voluntas Dei Institute is officially recognised as a Secular Institute of Pontifical right by Pope John Paul II.

TheI.V.Dei officially incorporates married couples as associate members with commitments.

OurConstitutionsare approved.

Rome grants the Director General the faculty of granting dimissorial letters to members of the Institute who are candidates to holy order (diaconate and priesthood).  

Spiritually affiliated persons are accepted in the Institute.