a Congregation founded to follow Christ ‘in Mary’s Way’ THE MARIST SISTERS

OUT OF THE CHAOS GREW ‘THE MARIST ENTERPRISE... Sometimes likened to a tree with many branches…

Who nurtured the seeds of this tree? Pioneers of the Marist Enterprise Chavoin 1786 Champagnat 1789 Perroton 1796 Colin 1790

And these seeds?

LE PUY- THE BEGINNING The first seeds of the Marist Enterprise seem to have been discovered at the Marian shrine of Le Puy by a young man called JEAN – CLAUDE COURVEILLE

WHAT HAPPENED AT LE PUY? 1809: COURVEILLE CURED OF HIS BLINDNESS 1810: HE DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO MARY 1812: 15 TH AUGUST HE ‘HEARD’ MARY’S VOICE CALLING HIM TO FOUND A RELIGIOUS SOCIETY IN HER HONOUR.

MARY’S REQUEST “ THIS IS WHAT I DESIRE… A SOCIETY CONSECRATED TO ME, WHICH WILL BEAR MY NAME, BEING CALLED THE SOCIETY OF MARY. ITS MEMBERS WILL BE KNOWN AS MARISTS..”

PLANTING THE SEED 23 RD JULY YOUNG MEN SOME JUST ORDAINED CLIMBED THESE 800 STEPS TO THE SHRINE OF FOURVIÈRE

HERE THEY CELEBRATED THE EUCHARIST and made their pledge

SO, THE TREE HAD TAKEN ROOT ….

Tradition : Vision Spirituality Culture

Our Marist spirituality is based on the core values of our Founders

Mother St Joseph led her young congregation with Openness to God’s will Readiness to change Forgetfulness of self Patience & tolerance

Prayer Simplicity Community Mercy & Compassion Hospitality Christ centred Unity Mary –think, judge, feel,act Nazareth Love of Work

TRANSMITTING THE CHARISM IS ABOUT knowing the Story... witnessing it as a lived reality among the members... experiencing it as a ‘faith’ which influences all aspects of community living To embody the charism is to live it!

A way of living & serving God’s people handed on a spiritual vision A focus for action... The Work of the Blessed Virgin Mary