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BASIC INFORMATION CONCERNING THE SOCIETY OF MARY

For the Greater Glory of God and Honour of the Mother of God Society of Mary (Marists)

  • 15 August 1812, at Le Puy - Name and first idea of the Society
  • 23 July 1816, at Fourvière - Promise of setting up the Society.
    The Marist priests, the Marist Brothers, the Marist Sisters, and the Third Order of Mary recognize in this first external act their common origin. This day is considered to be the foundation date of the society of priests.
  • 9 March 1822 - Letter of Pope Pius VII to Jean-Claude Courveille. This is the first document of the Holy See concerning the Society
  • 10 January 1836 - Western Oceania was entrusted to the Society
  • 29 April 1836 - Pope Gregory XVI approved the Society
  • 24 September 1836 - Jean-Claude Colin was elected superior general.
    Together with him, the following took the religious vows:
    Marcellin Champagnat (1789-1840)
    Étienne Terraillon (1791-1869)
    Étienne Déclas (1783-1868)
    Pierre Colin (1786-1856)
    Antoine Jallon (1782-1854)
    Étienne Séon (1803-1858)
    Jean-Marie Humbert (1795-1873)
    Jean-Antoine Bourdin (1803-1883)
    Pierre Convers (1806-1855)
    Jean-Baptiste Chanut (1807-1874)
    Denis Maîtrepierre (1800-1872)
    Pierre Chanel (1803-1841)
    Claude Bret (1808-1837)
    Jean Forest (1804-1884)
    Jean-Antoine Séon (1807-1878)
    Catherin Servant (1807-1860)
    Claude-Marie Chavas (1807-1874)
    Claude-André Baty (1811-1851)
    Pierre Bataillon (1810-1877)
  • 28 February 1873 - Pius IX approved the Constitutions
  • 12 September 1987 - The Holy See approved the new Constitutions
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The Superiors General
  • 1. Jean-Claude Colin, founder of the Society (1790-1875), elected for life 24 September 1836, resigned 9 May 1854.
  • 2. Julien Favre (1812-1885), elected for life 10 May 1854, was given a vicar general 14 August 1884, died 25 March 1885.
  • 3. Antoine Martin (1822-1905), became vicar general 14 August 1884, was elected for life 21 August 1886, died 25 March 1905.
  • 4. Jean-Claude Raffin (1841-1922), elected for life 7 August 1905, died 31 July 1922.
  • 5. Ernest Rieu (1868-1953), elected for life 11 August 1923, resigned 20 September 1947, died 12 February 1953.
  • 6. Alcime Cyr (1882-1973), from the province of Boston, elected for life 21 September 1947, resigned 26 August 1961, died 15 March 1973.
  • 7. Joseph Buckley (1905-1981), from the province of Washington, elected for eight years 26 August 1961, died 11 September 1981.
  • 8. Roger Dumortier (b. 1928), from the province of France, elected for eight years 8 December 1969.
  • 9. Bernard Ryan (b. 1924), from the province of New Zealand, elected for eight years 19 September 1977.
  • 10. John Jago (b. 1932), from the province of Australia, elected for eight years 21 September 1985.
  • 11. Joaquín Fernández (b. 1943), from the province of Spain, elected 14 September 1993 for eight years beginning 24 December 1993 (three months after the closing of the general chapter).
  • 12. Jan Hulshof (b. 1941), from the province of the Netherlands, elected 20 September 2001 for eight years.
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General Chapters
  1. 1842, Puylata, 18-24 April.
  2. 1845, Puylata, 9-18 September.
  3. 1854, Puylata, 5-15 May.
  4. 1858, Puylata, 9-12 August.
  5. 1860, Puylata, 11-15 December.
  6. 1866, first session, Puylata, 5-21 June; second session, Sainte-Foy, 27 August-5 September
  7. 1870-1872, first session, Sainte-Foy, 5 August-4 September 1870; second session, Sainte-Foy, 11 January-6 February 1872; third session, Sainte-Foy, 16 August-1 September 1872.
  8. 1873, Sainte-Foy, 12 August-11 September.
  9. 1880-1884, first session, Sainte-Foy, 9-20 May 1880; second session, Sainte-Foy, 9-17 August 1884.
  10. 1886, Sainte-Foy, 17-25 August.
  11. 1893, Sainte-Foy, 1-18 August.
  12. 1900, Sainte-Foy, 16-29 October.
  13. 1905, Differt, 3-9 August.
  14. 1907, Differt, 10-21 August.
  15. 1914, Lyon, 14-19 August.
  16. 1921, Differt, 4-12 August.
  17. 1923, Differt, 7-13 August.
  18. 1928, Rome (Monteverde), 15-25 July.
  19. 1935, Rome (Monteverde), 15-22 October.
  20. 1947, Rome (Monteverde), 13-25 September.
  21. 1954, Rome (Monteverde), 8-20 September.
  22. 1961, Rome (Monteverde), 22 August-16 September.
  23. 1969-1970, Rome (Marist Brothers, EUR) first session, 1 October-12 December 1969; second session, 31 August-22 October 1970.
  24. 1977, Rome (De La Salle Brothers, via Aurelia), 22 August-30 September.
  25. 1985, Rome (De La Salle Brothers, via Aurelia), 1 September-5 October.
  26. 1993, Rome (De La Salle Brothers, via Aurelia), 1-24 September.
  27. 2001, Rome (De La Salle Brothers, via Aurelia), 3-29 September.
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Some of the main characters

Fourviere JEAN-CLAUDE COURVEILLE
Born 15 March 1787; had the idea of the Society 15 August 1812; ordained priest 22 July 1816; left 1826; professed as a Benedictine 21 March 1838; died 25 September 1866.

VENERABLE JEAN-CLAUDE COLIN
Born 7 August 1790; ordained priest 22 July 1816; elected superior general and professed as a Marist 24 September 1836; resigned 9 May 1854; died 15 November 1875; cause introduced 9 December 1908.

SAINT MARCELLIN CHAMPAGNAT
Born 20 May 1789; ordained priest 22 July 1816; founded the Marist Brothers 2 January 1817; professed as a Marist 24 September 1836; gave up leadership of his institute 12 October 1839; died 6 June 1840; cause introduced 9 August 1896; declared blessed 29 May 1955; declared saint 18 April 1999.

JEANNE-MARIE CHAVOIN (MOTHER SAINT-JOSEPH)
Born 29 August 1786; foundation of Marist Sisters 1817; elected superior general and took habit 8 December 1824; professed 6 September 1826; resigned 29 April 1853; died 30 June 1858.

SAINT PETER CHANEL
Born 12 July 1803; ordained priest 15 July 1827; joined staff in Belley school September 1831; professed as a Marist 24 September 1836; left for Oceania 24 December 1836; was killed in Futuna 28 April 1841; cause introduced 24 September 1857; declared blessed 17 November 1889; declared saint 12 June 1954.

SAINT PETER JULIAN EYMARD
Born 4 February 1811; ordained priest 20 July 1834; professed as a Marist 16 February 1840; dispensed from his vows 14 May 1856; founded Priests of the Blessed Sacrament 1856; died 1 August 1868; cause introduced 12 August 1908; declared blessed 12 July 1925; declared saint 9 December 1962.

BLAISE MARMOITON
Born 16 March 1812; professed as a Marist 11 March 1843; left for Oceania 4 May 1843; was killed 19 July 1847; cause introduced 14 May 1919.

Prayer for the Society

God, source of every perfect gift, we implore you, through the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ and the intercession of blessed Mary, of Saint Joseph and Saint Michael, of Saint Peter Chanel and Saint Marcellin Champagnat, to govern our Society, increase it, defend it from all error, and keep it in peace, modesty, and fervor of spirit. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen.


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Last updated 14th September 2004 by An Turas