Une Minute avec Marie
Faire connaître et aimer Marie
Saint Marcellin Champagnat (1789-1840) is the founder of the teaching congregation of the Marist Brothers. It was Mary who made Marcellin a founder. One of his brothers, Brother Jean-Baptiste, wrote:
"It was in one of his frequent visits to the Blessed Virgin that the thought came to him to found a congregation of devout teachers and to give it the name of the one who had inspired him." In fact, in a letter to King of France Louis-Philippe, to obtain the legal authorization for his Institute, Marcellin said: "I thought of creating a society of teachers which I believed should be dedicated to the Mother of God, being convinced that the name of Mary alone would attract many candidates." (Letter of January 28, 1834)
He asked his first members, in addition to the daily Rosary, to recite the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin, for the success of the schools. He insisted that his disciples carry a rosary with them: "He who loves Mary is never without some object that reminds him of his divine Mother," he told them.
The Founder trained his Brothers to know and love Jesus so that they could make him known and loved by their students. This is the purpose of their vocation and the reason for the existence of the Institute. He told them: "Mary receives us only to give us to Jesus" and he gave Mary to them as the educator who would teach them to love Jesus.
He looked upon her as the First Superior of the Congregation. In a letter of 1835 to Bishop Gaston de Pins, Apostolic Administrator of the diocese of Lyon, Marcellin wrote: "I do not dare refuse the postulants who present themselves; I consider them as sent by Mary herself."
And to Bishop Jean-Baptiste Pompallier, Vicar Apostolic of Oceania, on May 27, 1838, he confided:
"Mary shows her protection with regard to the Hermitage in a very visible way ... Mary, yes Mary alone is our prosperity; without Mary we are nothing and with Mary we have everything, because Mary always has her adorable Son either in her arms or in her Heart."