Marist Brothers
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The Marist Brothers is a Roman Catholic religious order of brothers and lay people. The order was founded in France, at LaValla near Lyon in 1817 by Saint Marcellin Champagnat, a young French priest.
In 1863 the Marist Brothers institute received the approbation of the Holy See.
The Marist Brothers are not clerics, but are devoted to educational work throughout the world and now conduct primary and secondary schools, academies, industrial schools, orphanages and retreat houses in 77 countries on five continents including Europe, Africa, the United States, the United Kingdom, Asia, and Oceania.
Marist Brothers first travelled to Australia in 1872 where they now number over 300 Brothers working with young people in schools as teachers and administrators, in retreat houses and camps for young people and in other areas of ministry. Australian Marist Brothers also serve in welfare ministries working with young adults in outreach programs in Australian Aboriginal communities and also in missions in nearby Papua New Guinea, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, and East Timor. Marists from Australia also serve communities in Cambodia and India.
In America, "Maristas" are also very active in the following countries: Puerto Rico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Argentina, Brasil, Colombia, Paraguay and other countries as well. Brother Seán Sammon is the current Superior General in Rome. The largest number of brothers currently are natives from Spain and France.
In October 31, 1996, four Brothers were killed by refugees and martyrized in a mission in Nyamirangwe, Zaire. These brothers were all Spanish: H. Fernando de la Fuente de la Fuente, H. Miguel Ángel Isla Lucio, H. Servando Mayor García, and H. Julio Rodríguez Jorge.
See also
External links
- Los Maristas (http://www.champagnat.org/en/220000000.htm)
- Marist Australia (http://www.maristoz.edu.au/index.shtml)
- Marist Brothers (http://www.maristbr.com/)
- Our Lady of Lourdes HS, Poughkeepsie, NY (http://www.ollhs.org)