Short Marist laitys history
This history should start from Father Champagnat and the first brothers. But while waiting for one of the Marist researchers(1) to help us with this, we are publishing a brief chronology of the most important facts since 1985. So far, the references to laity found in the Chapter documents of the Institute are the following ones:
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XVIII General Chapter (1985) |
Brother Charles Howard, (Province of Sydney-Australia), was elected Superior General.
âThe General Chapter officially recognises the Marist Family Movement, which consists of people who wish to live their Christian life according to the spirit of Marcellin Champagnat and who undertake to follow the statutes of the Movement.â (Acts, chapter 10.1) âThe General Chapter asks the General Council to form a commission, composed of brothers of the different countries where we are established with the task of drawing up the Statutes of the Movement, âThe Marist Familyâ.â (Acts, chapter 10.4) |
TOWARDS THE âCHAMPAGNAT MOVEMENT OF THE MARIST FAMILYâ |
The General Council appointed the said commission formed by Brothers Benito ArbuĂ©s, V.G., Eugenio Magdaleno, C.G., Richard Dunleavy, C.G., Antonio EguĂa (Venezuela), Carlos GarcĂa (Norte-Spain), Anthony Hunt (Sydney-Australia), Alexandre Lefebvre, (Beaucamps-St-Genis-France), Roque Salet, (Sainte Marie-Brazil), and TomĂĄs Tizziani (LujĂĄn-Argentina). They worked during 1987-89, requesting suggestions from a lot of other brothers, laypeople, former students, lay associations, etc. âŠ
From the 29th July to the 1st August 1989, a European Colloquium of the Champagnat Marist Family was held at Lyons (Francheville) during the celebration of the Champagnat Year (the bicentenary of his birth). In the V General Conference of Provincials, celebrated at Veranopolis (Brazil) from the 21st September to the 15th October 1989, the text of the âLife Project of the MChFMâ was presented for final suggestions and recommendations. Circular of Brother Charles Howard: âChampagnat Movement of the Marist Familyâ (October 1991 |
XIX General Chapter (1993) |
Brother Benito Arbués, (Province of Catalonia-Spain), was elected Superior General.
âThe Chapter was, in addition, marked by a dialogue with some laypeople involved in implementing Marist spirituality and invited for that reason to spend a few days with the Capitulants.â (Acts, Introduction.) â⊠were certainly an historic moment(3). With them, and thanks to them, we became more conscious that the only way for us to take on our mission in the Church is in close communion with them.â (Message. 14.) âLetâs make real partners of everyone who wants to share in our spirituality and our Mission. Letâs take the risk of losing a little power and be daring enough to collaborate freely with lay people, not because there are far fewer of us now, but because we recognise their vocation and mission as baptised Christians.â (Message 19.) âWe commit ourselves to develop and deepen our âpartnershipâ with laypeople, both in our community practices and in our apostolic work. This implies:
âEach Administrative Unit will prepare and develop a project to promote the Champagnat Movement of the Marist Family.â Â (Our Mission, 36c.) âThe XIX General Chapter reaffirms the determination of the capitulants to share, ever more and more, their spirituality and their mission with lay people. The Chapter requests the Brother Superior General and his Council to invite the brothers and communities of the Institute to travel further along this path of communion. The XIX General Chapter recognises that the Champagnat Movement Guidelines offer a sure path for laypeople who are seeking to live a Marist spirituality. The Chapter asks the Brother Superior General and his Council to assist the consolidation and the autonomy of the Movement, particularly by encouraging the formation of its members and communication among the Groups.â (Sharing with laypeople, 1-2.) During the term of office of the General Council (1993-2001), Bro. Pedro Marcos was appointed as a link councilor for the Champagnat Movement of Marist Family. In the second part of Bro. Benitoâs term of office (1998-2001), different international meetings at a regional level took place (meetings of the Provincial councils in a region, meetings of Brothers according to life stages to discuss specific matters), some lay people being invited to them to reflect together with Brothers. |
Document âIN THE FOOTSTEPS OF MARCELLIN CHAMPAGNAT â A VISION FOR MARIST EDUCATION TODAY (1998) |
The XIX General Chapter (1993) requested the new General Council to create âan international commission to describe the characteristics of a âMarist Education Projectâ.â (Our Mission, 35a.)
On the 15th August 1998, Brother Benito ArbuĂ©s, S.G., presented to the Institute the new document âIn the footsteps of Marcellin Champagnat â A vision for Marist education today.â It is âan official document of the General Council to orientate the educational mission of the Institute.â In the International Commission that developed it, ten brothers and two laypeople Alberto Oliveira, Bolivia, and Emma Casis (Philippines) were interviewed. âThere is a very significant change here from previous Marist documents: the âweâ in the text addresses both Brothers and Laypeople who are the Marist educators of today.â (Introduction) The title of the second chapter says it clearly: âBrothers and Laypeople, together in mission, in the Church and in the world.â The XIX General Chapter requested of the leaders of Administrative Units âthat, in every ministry within the Institute, the document âIn the Footsteps of Marcellin Champagnat: a Vision for Marist Educationâ be studied, reflected on and put into practice.â (Choose life, 45.1. |
XX General Chapter (2001) |
 Brother Seån Sammon, (Province of the United States of America), is elected Superior General.
For the first time in a General Chapter, two of the five calls to the Institute are for the brothers and laypeople at the same time:
In the Chapter message, âChoose Lifeâ, there are twenty recommendations and requests in the subject of the laity to the brothers, communities, Administrative Units and to the General Counci One of these says:
XXI General Chapter (2001) What this Chapter decided on refers as much to the brothers as to the laity. The second  horizon of the fundamental call refers explicitly to « a new relationship between Brothers and lay people, based on communion, searching together for a greater vitality of the Marist charism for our world today ». The Chapter recognizes the value of the lay Marist vocation. It regards the Marist future as a communion of persons in the charism of Champagnat, in which the specific vocations mutually enrich one another. It wishes to promote the development of local communities of brothers and laity, where Marist life, spirituality and  mission are shared. It also wishes to continue to support the  Champagnat Movement, work with other persons who feel drawn by our charism to explore new ways, and to give new vitality to the vocations ministry through the joint work of brothers and laity. Brothers and lay people hear the call of God to go to a new land, which promotes the birth of a new epoque for the Marist charism. Both are asked to be capable of moving, of engaging in an itinerary of personal and institutional conversion. |
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Footnotes 1. The most important document that we have found on the history of the Marist Laity is the essay by Brother Alexandre LefĂšbvre: âLe Mouvement Champagnat de la Famille Mariste. Ses causes.â (The Champagnat Movement of the Marist Family. Its causes.) (Mulhouse France), 1997. It covers the time span from âLes Amicales Maristesâ (1865), until the XVIII General Chapter (1985.) 2. The genesis of that proposal has been accurately investigated and registered by Bro. Alexandre Lefebvre in the work mentioned in the former footnote. 3. Except for the presence of the Marquise de La Grandville, benefactor of the Institute, in a session of the Second General Chapter which took place at the Hermitage in 1852-54, this is the first time in the history of the congregation that laypeople have participated actively in a General Chapter. 4. In reality, it could be considered as the second European meeting, but the one that took place at Lyons, (Francheville), in 1989, was organised by the fraternities of France and bore the name of âColloquium of the Champagnat Marist Family.â |