A Life Given to God
Marist religious consecrate all that they are and have to the service of the Gospel. Their life is not solitary: they live and serve together, as brothers, carrying forward the mission entrusted to the Society of Mary.
Religious Vows
Through the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, Marists commit themselves to Christ and the Church. These vows are not only a personal promise but a prophetic sign, witnessing to the new world opened by the risen Jesus.
CHASTITY
Chastity is a gift freely embraced, rooted in faith and nourished by prayer. It is not a renunciation of love, but its transformation: the love of Christ becomes the source of joy and freedom. In this choice, His service liberates the heart, opening it to a deeper intimacy with God and a wider love for others.
POVERTY
Poverty, freely embraced, brings joy through sharing what they have with others. By placing their time, talents, and education at the service of all. Marists learn to rely on God alone, rather than personal resources, discovering in this trust both freedom, simplicity, and peace of life.
OBEDIENCE
Obedience establishes the unity of the Society and draws Marists into the common mission of renewing the Church. Inspired by Mary’s attentiveness to God’s Word in every circumstance, it means living with a readiness to listen and to discern the Father’s will through the voices and actions of others.
Marists follow Mary, the woman of prayer who pondered everything in her heart and prayed with the first Christian community. Prayer gives rhythm and depth to Marist life: the Eucharist, the Prayer of the Church, daily meditation, spiritual reading, examen of conscience, and annual retreat.
“Be men of prayer, learning to taste God”
Fr. Jean-Claude Colin
Community Life: Brothers in Mission
Community life is at the heart of Marist identity. Fr. Jean-Claude Colin desired that renewal of the Church begin within communities where faith is lived and shared. Inspired by the first Christian believers of Jerusalem, Marists seek to grow together in prayer, mutual support, and mission. Living in fraternity not only strengthens their witness but also becomes a source of joy and encouragement for their service to the world.
