What are the Principal
Marist Ministries?

The Marists are an active or apostolic religious congregation. This means that unlike members of a monastic order they are not restricted to living in one monastery for their whole life. Rather they move from community to community depending on what ministry is asked of them.

Since they were founded, Marists have done many different kinds of ministries in many different countries of the first and third world. They helped set up the Church in primitive foreign missions, taught in schools at all levels, conducted parishes, preached missions, run retreat houses, etc. etc. In other words, the type of ministry is not limited, but tailored to the gifts and talents of each individual. One of our priests is chaplain of the port of Boston, ministers to the homeless, has a radio program, and celebrates Mass at a Church in South Boston.

The Marists have excelled in education in both the high school and university levels. The founder, Fr. John Claude Colin, was a successful educator and put into writing what he considered Marist principles of education. He emphasized the need for Marists to truly love the students, put everything else aside and have truly have their interest at heart.

Marists have also successfully undertaken missions in foreign lands. Without boasting it can be said that the Society of Mary was the Lord's principal instrument in setting up the Catholic Church in the South Pacific, in New Zealand, Australia and in the many islands which do the Pacific Ocean. In more recent years the Society has turned its hand to missions in Africa, the Philippines, Brazil, Peru and Venezuela. It has even sent men into Russia and is investigating possibilities in mainland China. God is blessing its efforts with many vocations from these newly established churches.

Marists also preach missions, conduct retreat houses, act as pastors and curates in parishes, and minister to the sick and the imprisoned as hospital and prison chaplains. Marists have conducted their own seminaries for training Marist candidates, but have also conducted seminaries in behalf of bishops for various dioceses throughout the world.

Two ministries near to the heart of Marists are the foreign missions and hearing of confessions. Marists cannot be not sent to the foreign missions without their personal consent, but many have volunteered. The ministry of hearing confessions is of special attraction to Marists, because it is a work that is so important and and yet is "hidden and unknown." Marists feel that confession work is a ministry dear to the heart of their mother Mary, whose name they bear. How can one be more like Mary than to help people come closer to Jesus in such a quiet and unassuming ministry of spiritual care?

The goal of the Marist is to move from place to place answering to the needs of bishops and of the people of God. They are especially keen to work among those who are poor either materially or spiritually. They prefer to go to those ministries which are difficult and which demand special skills of language or training. They place a great emphasis on study and learning so that they may be ever more effective ministers of the Lord's word.

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