A Certain Way
There is a certain way of living the Gospel, the way Mary lived it, as understood by a group of people called Marists.
This is the story of those men and women who in the 1800’s committed themselves to what they called “The Work of Mary” and began a movement which is still developing today. It is also the story of what makes today’s Marists think, judge and act.
Over the years, many people have provided scholarly research into the origins and spirituality of the Marist project. Many have added to it. Resources such as “A Certain Way” come alive only when they are sought, searched and used. By reading this, you have already brought further live to the Marist project, but how will you let it speak?
This website can be read from start to finish, as a continuous text, or on the other hand each resource title is self-contained and can be used as a single unit for reflection.
The pages here can be opened at any part in to get a taste of this way of life in the Church.
Origins
There’s only one Gospel: the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But there are different ways of living the Gospel. Francis of Assisi, Dominic, Ignatius of Loyola and many others found different ways of applying the Gospel of Jesus to the needs of their times. In 19th century France a group of people found a way of living the Gospel that answered some of the spiritual needs of their post-Revolution world. This was new and refreshing in their day. It’s still fresh today. Read More…
Life from within
The Marist project was described as “a tree of many branches”. There were branches of priests, brothers, sisters, and lay people. Within a year of the death of the founder of the brothers, 421 young men had become brothers. At the death of the founder of the priests’ branch, 258 priests and religious were working in France, Oceania and London. Within a year of its approval 16 young women from one small village had joined the sisters’ group. What was the secret? Read More…
On mission
When the 12 seminarians began the Society of Mary, they didn’t have a clear idea of what exactly the group would do, but they said they would dedicate themselves “in every way” to help people “in any part of the world.” Marists prefer to work where others do not or cannot or will not work. They are missionaries, and they prefer to work on the margins of society, in the cracks where people have fallen, and outside the walls of the Church. Read More…
Making it happen
The original idea of the Marist project was never to see the light of day. The plan of a vast group of people all working together under one superior general was too complicated for the authorities in Rome to understand. But despite that, the dream has become a reality in another way. The Marist way is not just a certain way of living the Gospel, one way among many others. It’s also a way that will certainly lead to a fulfilled life. Read More…