The Marianist Charismatic Family
The Marianist Family:
One Charism – Many Vocations
The foundation date for the Society of Mary, Marianists is October 2, 1817. It was, however the second foundation of what at the time was called the Institute of Mary since the Marianist Sisters, the Daughters of Mary (Immaculate – FMI), had come into existence May 25, 1816, more than one year before, in collaboration with Blessed Adèle de Batz de Trenquelléon. Both had arisen out of the Marian Sodality – which had many affiliated sodalities throughout southwestern France – begun by Blessed Fr. William Joseph Chaminade in Bordeaux, France at the end of 1800 and the beginning of 1801.
The founder, William Joseph Chaminade, was a diocesan priest from the diocese of Périgueux where he had been born in 1761. At the beginning of the French Revolution he had come to Bordeaux (in 1790) and exercised his ministry there for the rest of his life except for a period of exile (and retreat) in Saragossa Spain (1797-1800) during the Revolution.
At the beginning of the French Revolution William Joseph went to Bordeaux where he exercised a clandestine ministry and managed to elude the police until there was a peaceful time beginning in 1795. After a period of public ministry laws against priests were reinstated, and he was forced to go into exile in 1797. He chose Saragossa Spain where there is the shrine of Our Lady of the Pillar (Mary appeared on a pillar to the Apostle James to encourage him when he was evangelizing Spain).
Following his return from exile in November 1800, he opened a small oratory and was exercising his ministry there when he proposed to some young men of Bordeaux to begin the Marian Sodality, what today might be something like the Small Christian Communities or a youth movement. Today Marianists call such groups Marianist Lay Communities. In the movement or organization he eventually included sections for young women, married men and married women and priests, and other groups. Within the Sodality, some groups of women took private vows and these groups are the inspiration for what is today, the Alliance Mariale. Fr. Chaminade was successful enough that other groups in other towns in southwestern France wanted to be affiliated to the Bordeaux Sodality and modelled themselves on its organization. Most of this activity was centered on the Chapel of the Madeleine. These were lay people providing support in living a Christian life to one another and acting as a means of re-evangelization after the Revolution by actively attracting others to join this interesting and active association.
The foundress of the Marianist Sisters, Adele de Batz de Trenquelléon, was the leader of one of the affiliated sodalities and had come into contact with Fr. Chaminade in 1808. By 1816 she and a number of her companions in the Association were interested in religious life and under Fr. Chaminade’s direction began the Daughters of Mary in May 1816 at Agen. The idea of the founders was to have a group which would continue the apostolate begun within the sodality and be a help and a support to the sodality group. A year later, a member of the Bordeaux Sodality group, Jean-Baptiste Lalanne (21 years old), went to Fr. Chaminade (who was 56 at the time) offering himself as his collaborator. From this meeting came the beginnings of the Society of Mary. Lalanne and Chaminade recruited four others from the Sodality to the idea. At the end of a discernment retreat they founded the Society of Mary on October 2, 1817, feast of the Holy Guardian Angels.
Marianists claim a devotion to the person of Mary and her mission rather than to single devotional practice. Members of the SM celebrate the feast of the Holy Name of Mary on September 12 as a patronal feast and say that it is in her honor that religious profession is made.
Fr. Chaminade died on January 22, 1850, after ten difficult years which included the succession to the second superior general. He was beatified on September 3, 2000 along with John XXIII, Pius IX, Columba Marmion, and Thomas Reggio.
Adele, known in religious life as Mother Marie of the Conception, died on January 10, 1828. Her beatification took place on June 10, 2018 in Agen.
Since the days of the Founders, Marianists have also been involved in a diversity of works. Today, in addition to their commitment to the apostolate of education, there is a great emphasis on work with Marianist Lay Communities, and many other ministries which help to develop personal faith and communities of faith in book publishing, parishes, spirituality centers, development programs, just to name a few.
The Marianist Family today is spread around the world in more that 40 countries and is comprised of about ten thousand members. The Marianist Family is comprised of separate, yet interconnected, branches: Lay Marianist Communities (MLC-CLM), the Alliance Mariale (AM), the Daughters of Mary Immaculate (Marianist sisters – FMI) and the Society of Mary (Marianist Brothers and Priests – SM).
Collaboration among the branches is a hallmark of Marianist life today with Marianist Laity, Brothers, Priests, and Sisters working together to
respond to the needs of our times and to address spiritual growth within the Marianist Family.
INTERNATIONAL MARIANIST FAMILY WEBSITE: www.marianist.org
Daughters of Mary Immaculate (FMI)
Guiding youth to become devoted followers of Christ with engaging activities.
Marianist Lay Communities (MLC)
Participate in scripture study to enrich your faith and discover spiritual wisdom.
Marian Alliance (AM)
Join us for an inspiring worship and a welcoming community every Sunday. Arrive as you are and leave spiritually refreshed.