It was through contact with the English Movement of Vie Montante Internationale (Life Ascending in Australia; Ascent in England) that the Australian group commenced in Sydney, October 1999.

The Movement itself was founded in France and from there has spread to fifty other countries as diverse as Rumania, Taiwan, Spain, Burundi, England and now Australia.

Since its inception there have been conferences in Europe as well as in individual countries. However international conferences have been a source of great bonding between the members. These have taken place in Rome, Panama, Miami, Dakar and Bangkok in 2002. At the latter conference three members attended from Sydney and the Australian group was officially welcomed into the Movement together with eleven other countries.

On 25th March, 1996 the Movement received the Decree of recognition from the Holy See and this was ratified in 2001.

Of Vie Montante Internationale an African student wrote:

"Don't forget that you are perhaps the only living Church, the only sign of God that your grandchildren can see and meet regularly. You don't have the right to keep silent. You are the breath of God, His smile, His welcome, the reflection of His tenderness and mercy."

Life Ascending is based on three qualities of life

1. Spirituality: Helping older people to deepen or recover their faith, with an absolute confidence in God, despite any anxieties or disabilities.
   
   
2. Mission: Christians never retire; they are apostles to the end of their lives, in accordance with their own particular circumstances of life. In the past, retired people were often treated as passengers rather than crew in the ship of the apostolate. Today, their collaboration is increasingly essential for the church's mission of spreading the faith.
   
   
3. Friendship: As we grow older some of us find that more of our time is spent alone; sometimes we feel lonely. Here again, Life Ascending comes to our help with its call to friendship.

Friendship links us all together. We all need to grow in the knowledge and love of God and so all Group members benefit from discussion on Scripture and prayer together.

We all have joys, problems and anxieties in our lives and it is good to be able to share these in prayerful understanding with like-minded people especially when the sharing is known to be within the confidence of the group.

To achieve these ends most members meet regularly within parish Life Ascending groups. Others known as Associates share all the other benefits, being part of a powerhouse of prayer, receiving the Life Ascending Newsletter two or three times per year, and meeting other members at Reflection Days, Retreats and other gatherings.

"God grant that you may live this part of your life to the full, supporting one another throughout all the years he grants you in this world."
- Pope John Paul II