Faithful to the vision of our Founder
We live our apostolic mission with simplicity and availability, responding to the needs of the world. Our service embraces education, evangelization, dialogue, and accompaniment—always seeking to make Christ known and loved in the style of Mary.
“… They attend especially to the mot neglected, the poor, and those who suffer injustice. They are ready to carry out these tasks anywhere and at any time.”
EDUCATION
The education of children, adolescents and young people has long been a focal ministry for Marists. Fr Colin described young people as “God’s children that are entrusted to us” and he described the formation of the human person as “a sublime task”. Further, to educate a person in a Christian way was “a heavenly work”, a kind of “second creation”. He showed himself to be a wise and gifted teacher who had a special love and affection for young people and a deep admiration for the work of education. This ministry continues today through those Marists who work in schools and those with whom they work. Marists minister as administrators, teachers, counselors and chaplains in schools in a number of countries. In recent years Marist have also become involved in less institutional ways of ministering to youth, especially with concern for those in special need, those marginalized by society, for example: children of asylum seekers, street kids, the handicapped. Another branch of education that Marists have served in over many years has been the education of adults in universities, colleges, and seminaries.
EVANGELIZATION
Today the Church calls for a new evangelization of those lands where once the Word of God flourished but is now being choked by the thorns of secularism, consumerism and neglect. Into this world the Society of Mary is called to bring the saving Word of Christ in the spirit of Mary.
MISSIONARY PARISHES
Marists work in parishes alongside their diocesan and religious brother priests. They endeavor to bring to their ministry of service an explicitly “missionary” focus. This shows itself in the way that Marist parishes are:
• Communities of faith
• Based on a partnership of laity and priests
• Living out the mission of Christ, particularly in evangelization and in service to the poor and marginalized
• Reaching out to and entering into dialogue with all persons of good will
• Having a keen sense of social issues, particularly at the local level
• And in close contact with the missionary efforts of the worldwide Church.
MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES
Marists are present among migrants and refugees in many corners of the world, offering a ministry that embraces welcome, education, practical assistance, and spiritual accompaniment. Marists walk alongside those who are displaced and searching for dignity. Rooted in the spirituality of Mary, this mission reflects her compassion and attentiveness to those most in need. By choosing to be present with migrants and refugees, Marists embody the call to “be a sign of God’s mercy,” creating spaces of hope where people can rebuild their lives and rediscover their worth. This mission is not only a work of service but also an invitation: to see in the faces of migrants and refugees the face of Christ himself, and to let their journey shape our own discipleship.
YOUTH
In many places where Marists are present, special attention is given to youth. There are youth groups linked to local parishes, or chaplaincy groups in our schools and colleges. Every four years an international Marist Youth Meeting takes place somewhere in the world, and young people join together for some days in a joyful atmosphere. Many young people worldwide are seeking God, seeking for meaning, seeking for mission, seeking for friendship. Discovering not to be alone, and to be able to continue this fascinating journey in the company of many other youngsters proves to be encouraging and inspiring.
HOSPITALITY
Inspired by Mary’s openness and maternal presence, Marists embrace hospitality as a way of revealing God’s love in the world. Hospitality for us is more than offering a place to stay — it is creating spaces where people feel accepted, valued, and renewed. In various parts of the world, we have shelters where we seek to welcome, listen to, and accompany people. These places, though different in culture and setting, share the same mission: to welcome each person as Mary would, with simplicity and joy. Hospitality remains a vital expression of our Marist vocation today.
ECOLOGY
In today’s world, care for creation has become an urgent call, and the Church invites all the faithful to live in harmony with nature and to respect the gift of our common home. Pope Francis, in his 2015 encyclical Laudato si’, reminds us: “I urgently appeal for a new dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet… The environmental challenge we are undergoing, and its human roots, concern and affect us all” (n.14).
Responding to this call, the Superior General of the Society of Mary established the Marist Commission for Ecology in 2018. Its mission is threefold: to deepen professional expertise through education, research, and advocacy; to foster awareness and concrete initiatives at the local level; and to inspire Marists everywhere to live their vocation more authentically by caring for creation as part of their missionary identity.
Ecology, then, is not just a challenge—it is a way of embodying our Marist mission today.
INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE
The Catholic Church seeks to foster respect, understanding, and collaboration among people of different faiths. In today’s globalized world, encounters between diverse religions are not only more frequent but also essential for building peace and mutual enrichment. In 2018, the Superior General of the Society of Mary established the Marist Commission for Interreligious Dialogue and Reconciliation. Through its work, the Commission encourages a spirit of professionalism in missionary engagement by promoting education, research, teaching, publishing, and advocacy. At the same time, it contributes locally by offering programs of formation, seminars, and awareness-raising initiatives that inspire dialogue and cooperation within each cultural and religious context. Most importantly, the Commission helps us to live our Marist missionary vocation more authentically, guiding Marists and their communities to embody reconciliation and dialogue as a core dimension of our mission in the world today.
Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation
Our Marist mission is closely linked with issues of “Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation”. Living the Gospel means to bring more Justice and Peace there were we live. Marists worldwide do so by serving the poor, to help migrants and refugees to integrate, to work for social justice, to create awareness for ecology and to implement concrete systems to live in harmony with nature. Some Marists are active in prison ministry or in interreligious dialogue.
The General Chapter of 2017 decided that “The general administration shall establish ways of communicating information on matters of peace, justice, and the integrity of creation”.
One of the results of this decision was to generate a “jpic blog”, which publishes every week articles covering a wide range of themes in the field of JPIC.
