Marist Spirit
There are many options you can freely access
Articles on this web site and links to additional materials or books may help you get started. To be a lay Marist is to respond to Mary’s gracious choice, bringing her spirit into the world in the unique context of our daily lives. The Marist charism is the fruit of a dynamic relationship between an individual and Mary as a living person.
In coming to know Mary – her deep faith and her approach to life – lay Marists can participate in her spirit and her work of bringing the gospel of Jesus to our world through their ordinary daily lives.
You may also wish to contact us at some stage to connect with others or to take another step. The Marist community is a family and we build that community together in many ways always with open hospitality for others.
What is Marist Spirituality
as presented by Fr Denis Mahony sm at the Marist Training Centre in Tutu.
About Fr Denis Mahony
We recommend these highly as a guide to the role of lay people in the Society of Mary and the Church.
Click here for all the reflections
Part 1 Mary’s Dream
Two hundred years ago Mary shared her dream, her desire, to be present again in the Church today as she was at its beginning two thousand years ago. She wanted to be present through the men and women she would choose to represent her, take her place in supporting the growth of the Church now as she did when the Church was first coming into existence. continue …
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Part 2. Nothing is more urgent than for lay people to fulfil their role
Right from the beginning when Fr Colin presented the plan of the Society in Rome lay people were an essential part of it.
Fr Colin envisaged the Society of Mary as a tree with many branches. Fr Coste, the Marist historian, says there is nothing more urgent than to have the laity fulfil their part in the Marist project. In this Colin was prophetic. continue …
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Part 3 Mary in the Early Church
How do we draw our inspiration from the mystery of Mary in the early Church? The mystery of Mary beings in the Incarnation, is found in Nazareth, reaches a climax at Pentecost and continues in today’s world until the end of time. Let us look at each of these in turn. continue ….
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Part 4 Mary’s Choice
Let them always bear in mind that they belong by a gracious choice to the family of the blessed Mary, Mother of God, from whose name they are called Marists, and whom they have chosen from the beginning as their model and their first and perpetual superior. If therefore they are and desire to be true children of this dear Mother, let them try constantly to breathe her spirit. continue …
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Part 5 The Three No’s
Making decisions is at the heart of being human. Decisions regarding the truth confront us constantly in daily life. Each of the choices we make, whether great or small, are sacred moments, challenging us to love more deeply. continue …
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Part 6 Instruments of Divine Mercy,
Fr. Colin said: ‘Marists will be completely empty of themselves so that they may be filled with graces and become in the hands of God worthy instruments of divine mercy towards their neighbour.’ continue …
Part 7 Covenant,
We Marists have entered into a covenant agreement with Mary the Mother of God. The significance goes back to what a Covenant meant to the people of the Bible. The rite of making a covenant, or agreement, goes right back to the dawn of history. Most ancient civilisations had some form of covenant making. But for our purposes, we will look just at the Hebrew form of Covenant.
Living the Spirit of Mary
Mary has a special concern and care for those who come under her name and this special grace and gift is available to you. Our goal is to do what Mary wants – namely, gathering people into God’s family, helping them know and experience the love and mercy of God whatever their situation, bringing the Gospel message to everyday ordinary life, trying to live for the greater glory of God and the honour of his mother. (AMDG & DGH)In doing this we are not alone, we belong in a family of many branches and we all grow and encourage one another in our Christian journey. All the Marist family share the same three aims:
Nazareth - A place to stand
One of the first lessons given to someone beginning to learn the art of pottery is how to “centre” the clay on the potter’s wheel. It is delicate work, and it takes time to ensure that the solid and unformed lump of clay is balanced and centred on the wheel. But no shaping of the clay can take place until this is done; and unless it is done properly, no matter how long it takes or how difficult it may be to do, any subsequent shaping of the clay will end in failure. The Māori people of New Zealand are a people for whom land and ancestry are extremely important. They have a word in their language which expresses one of their deepest realities. Turangawaewae means literally “a place to stand”.
Living Ordinary Life as a Bridge to Souls
The Association of Mary offers lots of options
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Living a committed Catholic life is challenging!
We all need the support of others to live as disciples with joy and a lightness in our spirit sharing Good News humbly with those who are all too often allergic to what they think religion is. We need to have confidence and formation in who we are and whose we are and in these times we need to dare again to do great things for God alone in Mary’s way.
To be like Mary is to be like a bridge to souls, effective at touching people with the love and mercy of Jesus because we are alongside them to reach out in everyday ordinariness.
So that’s the invitation: To respond with a generous ‘Yes’ like Mary. To receive her help in being open to the Holy Spirit and gathered into the love of Jesus and his love for the world and to find in Mary’s way of being a disciple, the path for our life in every occupation or vocation.
If this has any appeal – read on, keep praying and contact us to know more.
Ponder our Logo: The symbolism of our logo is explained here
There are links to associated Marist Family sites or check out Marist Spirituality on the Marist Fathers site