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What is Marist? Part 2
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Marcellin Champagnat was born on the 20th May, 1789,
at a small hamlet called "Le Rosey", near the city of
Marhles. At the time of his birth, a revolution was taking place in
France, and it was this setting that elicited his response in
founding the Institute of the Little Brothers of Mary, known as the
Marist Brothers. When Marcellin answered God's call to be a priest, he was virtually illiterate. However, he more than made up for this with a abundant common sense, strong piety, strength of character, practical skills and an unshakable determination. It was during his priestly training at Lyons, that the idea of the Society of Mary was conceived and promoted by a group of seminarians, including Marcellin. From the start Marcellin expressed his conviction that the Society should include Teaching Brothers to work with children deprived of a Christian education in remote rural areas because others were not going to them. |
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Pictured at left is the village of La Valla, where the young Fr Marcellin was first appointed. At the end of October 1816, Marcellin was called to the bedside of Jean Baptiste Montagne, aged just 17, about to die, and who had heard very little about God. This event spurred him into action, and on on January 2nd, 1817, Marcellin brought together his first two followers. La Valla is recognized as the birthplace of the Marist Brothers. |
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The first Brothers were young country boys, but
Marcellin was able to enthuse these young men with an educational
and apostolic zeal, sending them out into remote parishes and hamlets
as teachers, after first having taught them reading, writing,
arithmetic, how to live and pray the gospels, and how to be teachers The hermitage, (left) built by Marcellin himself as the numbers of Brothers grew, became a house of formation and a teacher training centre for the Brothers. |
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What do we know about this man Marcellin Champagnat?
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Marcellin Champagnat. "A
Heart That Knew Canonized "St Marcellin Champagnat" on
18 April, 1999, |
Young
men, have you thought of "sharing the dream"
of St
Marcellin?
...of serving God and needy youth as a Marist
Brother?
In the Pacific, contact the following:
| Samoa: Br Bernard O'Malley Marist Brothers Mulivai P.O. Box 4 Apia Ph. (685) 21-441 |
Fiji: Br Jone Seduadua Marcellin Centre P.O. Box 5448 Raiwaqa, Suva Ph: (679) 3383-337 |
Kiribati Br Afaese Afaese Marist Brothers P.O. Box 246 Bikenibeu Tarawa Ph: (686) 28-208 |
Tonga Br Samisoni Talia Alafua, Samoa| P.O. Box 527 Apia, Samoa Ph: (676)25-471 |
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Lord Jesus In a special way we lift
up to you in prayer Mary, our model of
courageous faith, |
O LE TATALO IA SAGATO MASELINO SAGATO MASELINO, E O OE E
SILISILI LOU ALOFA I TAMAITI. FESOASOANI MAI I LA'U AOGA. FAAMANUIA
I O'U MATUA, FAIAOGA AEMAISE TAMA MALISI UMA. |
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