This issue number 36, planned during the Bicentenary Year of the Institute and before the General Chapter of 2017, may by the time it appears in 2018 seem to be somewhat behind matters of more current interest in the Institute. Furthermore, unlike several of the preceding numbers of Marist Notebooks, this one does not contain a special theme (such as the laity, the Montagne myth, and so on) which could give it a clearly distinctive character.

In order to redress a possible impression of lack of focus, an effort has been made in the Table of Contents to define a structure. With the long articles, two axes have been discerned: one of reflection solidly grounded in spirituality and theology; the other offering new topics or stimulating reinterpretations of various aspects of the history of the Institute.

Among all this valuable material, the article by Brother Patricio Pino, with its supporting schemas, constitutes a truly noteworthy synthesis on the transmission of the Marist charism from its origins to the present day. In the historical domain, the article by Brother Juan Miguel Anaya presents a particularly innovative piece of research on the myth of the “Trois-un” (Brothers François, Jean-Baptiste and Louis-Marie, successors of Marcellin Champagnat between 1840 and 1860). The short articles are rather numerous and marked by the atmosphere of the Bicentenary; some among them refer to the Institute’s activity in research, while others are more clearly informative or commemorative.

It is hoped that this imposed organisation does not mask the diversity of authors and subjects in the issue. This diversity is a sign that Marist research is now less than in the past a matter concerning a small number of researchers and topics. It now involves both Marist Brothers and Marist Laypeople, is less focused on Marcellin Champagnat and the origins, and does not hesitate from opening up new areas of work, or offering different interpretations of material from our past which to date has been insufficiently critiqued or needs to be gone into in more depth.  In short, this number 36 of Marist Notebooks bears witness in its own way to a clear evolution in the capacity of Marists to engage in reflection on their identity.

Brother André Lanfrey

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