The Marist Family shares about its common patrimony
The brothers who are members of the Patrimony Committee, André Lanfrey, co-ordinator (France), Paul Sester (France), Henri Réocreux (France), Michael Green (Australia), Aureliano Brambila (Mexico), Ivo Strobino (Brazil) and Jaume Parés (Spain), met in Rome to share about the past and future work of the Committee.
On this occasion, there was a daylong meeting with other representatives of the Marist Family, the fathers, sisters and missionary sisters, to share on the works that each congregation is carrying out.
This meeting gave Brother André Lanfrey the opportunity to present a reflection on a common theme: Marist Brothers of a Society of Mary of the Hermitage? The definition of the Society of Mary as being the Society of Marist Fathers ?made the Society of Fathers the guardian of a level of authenticity that made the brothers, sisters and the third order of laypeople collaborators,? according to Brother André Lanfrey. This definition led the other branches to specify the nature and extent of their links with the Marist Fathers. Brother André Lanfrey suggests that Champagnat was thinking of a distinct association, without merging with the Marist Fathers, where brothers and fathers would live together at the Hermitage in total equality. In fact, it happened that the fathers were freed from a union that threatened their identity and, in their turn, the brothers were freed from a possible tutelage of the fathers. Brother André Lanfrey concludes that Champagnat founded the Little Brothers of Mary as being the Society of Mary of the Hermitage, the reason for which the brothers have never disputed the name of the Society of Mary with the Fathers.
This idea of Brother André Lanfrey would make an interesting subject of debate on the origins of the congregations and could occupy some future exchanges, especially amongst researchers.
During this meeting, the future research and publications by members were itemised. They would also like to publish an up-to-date catalogue of computerised historical sources.