FEATURES OF LAY MARIST LIFE

Features of lay Marist life
be seized while the brothers are still in a position
to transmit it to us, and a heritage, a Spirit to be
made productive for the coming decades. That
is the mission of lay Marists in the coming years.
Let’s hope that we will succeed. As for me, my
new responsibilities as assistant director of the
College permit me, in unison with my colleagues
in direction and all the members of the staff of
this school concerned about the continuity of
the living out of Marist values, to work at realising
this mission. (Canada)
Even though I have not been in daily contact
with children (only with mine), I feel part of
a project developed for them. The enthusiasm
that I put in my work, day after day, nourishes me
in the dream of Champagnat, to live his charism
and to share life with all the people whom we feel
compelled to make this dream come true by our
presence, or in the Marist school or outside of it,
where life puts us at every moment. (Spain)
Now I feel more challenged as a Lay Marist
because of the new situation in our school
since the diocese has taken it over. I feel more
obliged to impart Marcellin’s spirituality and way
of thinking in the school and also in the Association
of Former Pupils. (Germany)
At the start, I was certain that a layperson
could never have the same presence as a
Marist Brother and I would often tell myself that,
if we needed to make a comparison, the best of
the laypeople would correspond to the worst of
the brothers, as a brother had consecrated his
life to God.
Today, I can say that each one of us, brother or
layperson, is called to a mission: to realise the
dream of Marcellin. Each one must overcome various
obstacles, carry his own cross. God, alone,
is in a position to know the weight of the cross
of each person.
Laypeople are a new force in the shared mission
as well as for the realisation of the dream of Marcellin
Champagnat. It is an occasion we must not
miss. We must find new means to strengthen the
lay presence and to profit from this force; a force
which must function in harmony with that of the
brothers. (Greece)
My dream then is that the charism’s vitality,
the vitality of the Marist mission dwells
as much within the Brothers as within the la-
Extended Bureau of the Laity
ity. At the present one must take as a goal that
the Marist laity become aware of their identity
and that they identify themselves with the mission
which makes the dream become a reality.
(Spain)
We have a dream: that we are making other
laypeople want to come and join us, that
we dare to challenge young people to reflect
on their vocation (why not, brother!) and that a
community of brothers, as small as it may be, be
the sign in our diocese that you can give all your
life to the Lord, and that one same mission, one
same charism can be lived in the various states
of life which are ours, religious, lay, or ordained
ministers. (France)
Relationship with Other
Marist Congregations
I taught at a Marist Sisters’ College for 6 ½ years
and my learning about the Marist charism
changed. Upon a discussion with a Marist Sister
on what is Marist, she said to me: “The Brothers
spend too much time on Marcellin. There are
other Marists in the family to learn about, we
don’t just focus on Marcellin like the Brothers
do”. It opened my eyes to a greater understanding
of what is Marist. The Pastoral Houses at the
College are Chavoin, Chanel, Colin, Jaricot, Marcellin
and Perroton. It was another opportunity
to learn more. (Australia)