The Society of Mary is a Roman Catholic congregation of brothers and priests who are known as the Marianists or Marianist Brothers and Priests. Founded by William Joseph Chaminade, the Society is one of the four branches of the Marianist Family, which also includes the Daughters of Mary Immaculate (Marianist Sisters), the Alliance Mariale, and the Marianist Lay Communities, who are men and women who embrace the Marianist charism. Following the religious persecutions of the French Revolution, Father Chaminade and Marie Thérèse Charlotte de Lamourous gathered a group of men and women together to form a Christian community for outreach and support. The original group was known as the Sodality of Bordeaux, which was the forerunner of the Marianist Lay Communities. Father Chaminade placed the new ministry under the patronage and protection of Mary. With the guidance of Father Chaminade, Adèle de Batz de Trenquelléon established the Daughters of Mary Immaculate in 1816. The following year, Father Chaminade created the Society of Mary. Along with the other branches, the Marianist Brothers and Priests look to Mary as a model for faith and spirituality. They believe that the way to live a spiritual life is to share their faith with others, assist the poor, and educate the mind, body and soul. Those who seek a vocation with the Society of Mary undergo a formation process that stresses self examination and spirituality. Following a successful completion of the initial Contact, Aspirancy and Novitiate, the novice professes Temporary Vows, which must be renewed every three years, after which the Brother can enter into Perpetual Profession, vowing poverty, chastity, obedience and stability. Some Brothers study to become priests at the congregation's seminary in Rome. Today, there are Marianists on four continents and in thirty-eight countries. Topics related to any of the bodies within the Marianist Family are appropriate for this subcategory.
Recommended Resources
Association of Marianist Universities
The mission of the Association of Marianist Universities is to support, promote and advance Maraianisst higher education through cooperation and an exchange of experience and information. The characteristics of Marianist Universities are presented, along with the constitution and purpose of the association, MEA guidelines, employment opportunities, and employment opportunities.
http://www.marianistuniversities.org/
Marianist Family Retreat Center
Located in Cape May Point, New Jersey, the retreat center offers a wide variety of retreats for Catholic families and individuals who seek personal and spiritual growth, including family retreats, youth and young adult retreats, couples, individuals, and special programs. An annual retreat calendar is put forth, and an application may be accessed online, along with the core beliefs of the Marianists.
http://capemaymarianists.org/
Marianist Social Justice Collaborative
The MSJC is operated by the three branches of the Marianist Family (Society of Mary, Marianist Sisters, and the Marianist Lay Network) in North America. Its vision, focus, and goals are outlined, Its staff and teams are identified, and volunteer activities are posted to the site. Issues that the organization is dealing with are discussed, along with issue statements, and project reports are posted to the site.
http://www.msjc.net/
Established by members of the Society of Mary in Bangalore in 1987, the Trust has worked to help the poor through education, guidance in development, and other relief measures, which are highlighted here. Its history, purpose, and ministries are outlined, with details of its educational, social development, and skills training programs. Foreign contributions, project reports, and a gallery of photographs are included.
http://www.marianists.in/
Saint Martin de Porres Marianist School
Situated in Uniondale, New York, the K-8th grade Catholic school is operated by the Marianists, a Roman Catholic religious order of priests and brothers. Its history, curriculum, and grade-specific resources are put forth, along with a faculty directory, directions, a school calendar and school closure notifications, orchestra information, and the school honor roll are included.
http://www.stmartinmarianist.org/
The worldwide family of men and women, religious and lay, are consecrated to Mary, the Mother of God. The site offers information about the history, works and lives of prominent Marianists, including resources for the Society of Mary, the Daughters of Mary Immaculate, and the Lay Marianists. Information about the ministries of the Marianists, their locations throughout the world, and prayer requests.
http://marianist.org/english
The Marianist family is comprised of Catholic brothers, priests, sisters, and lay people, and includes the Society of Mary, the Daughters of Mary Immaculate, and the Lay Marianists. Its groupings, history and leadership are highlighted, and its founders and saints are introduced. Several articles on Mary and other topics are featured, online courses are available, and its ministries are outlined.
http://www.marianist.com/
The topic of this site is on the creation of a living legacy with the Marianist Misssion through wills and bequests, gift annuities, and gift options. Resources include an online will planner designed to gather the information that an attorney will need in order to plan for the future, the different types of gift annuities, and stories about how others have made an impact through giving the Marianist organization and others.
https://marianist.giftlegacy.com/
