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Frequently Asked Questions Q: What does the Marist way of life have to offer a world torn by individualism, corporate greed, and injustice? How does it enrich a world that is impoverished materially and spiritually? A: In all they do, Marists go about their lives so as not to appear self-important. They seek to minister collaboratively so that people can see through their words and gestures to Christ speaking and acting through them. Just as the Gospels actually say little about Mary herself, Marists prefer to act in such a way that little is said about them but a lot is said about Christ. This approach stands in stark contrast to our culture that values being noticed and standing out in a crowd. Celebrities often dress or act outlandishly, hoping to draw attention to themselves. Companies are always looking to distinguish themselves from the competition. Name recognition is often the name of the game. Marists prefer not to draw attention to themselves but instead to minister in such a way that the contribution of others is recognized and celebrated. Marists can still be about doing great things, but they take their satisfaction from knowing that their work is pleasing to God. Q: I have accumulated a large amount of educational debt. Can I still become a Marist or do I have to wait until my loans are paid off? A: The Society of
Mary is willing to pay off the interest on an educational loan while
a candidate is in initial formation. Should he take perpetual vows,
the Marists would pay off the entire loan. Should a candidate leave
before taking perpetual vows, he would assume payment of the loan. A: This question is similar to one that is often asked by young couples who are contemplating marriage: "How do we know if we are right for each other?" Eventually, they have to admit that they really do not know with certitude that they are, indeed, meant for each other and that their marriage will last. The reality is that they are making an act of faith; both of them believe that that they are meant for each other and are willing to make that act of faith together. Yet, it is not a "blind faith," but an act of faith based on their experience of being together, their knowledge of each other and the belief that their mutual love will be infused and strengthened by the same love that Christ has for his Church. The same holds true for a decision to choose religious life. Ultimately a person makes an act of faith-- but it is not a "blind" act of faith. Just as couples spend time getting to know each other and learning if they would be suitable partners for marriage and raising a family, a candidate for the Marists needs to take time getting to know them. This involves learning about the Marist mission, spirituality, charism, and history. It also means taking the time to visit the communities -- to see first-hand how the community prays, worships, ministers and recreates together. An initial test might be to investigate our characteristics in In the Spirit of Mary and see whether some of them resonate with you. At some point, a person might find himself feeling "at home" and comfortable with the Marists. Our founder, Fr. Jean-Claude Colin, did not have the original inspiration for the Society of Mary. When the idea of the Society was presented to him, he said instinctively, "That’s me." In other words, the vision of the Society of Mary resonated in the depths of his being so much so that he could easily identify himself as belonging to such a group. By becoming familiar with the Society of Mary, a person may find himself feeling comfortable and "at home" with this community. He may begin identifying with the mission and spirit of the Society to such an extent that he finds himself saying, "That’s me. I can see myself living with these men being fulfilled and content." There are no guarantees in life. No matter how highly favored one sports team is over the other, the game must still be played -- and the outcome will only be decided on the playing field. At some point, we all have to commit to something or to someone without knowing with certitude how it will all work out. That is what it means "to walk by faith and not by sight." Q: Why do Marists remain celibate? A: In general, people today have many reservations about celibacy. They often associate being celibate with being lonely and, in turn, with being unhappy. Unlike the diocesan priesthood (for which celibacy is a discipline of the Church), a Marist freely chooses celibacy because it is an intrinsic part of being a religious. In other words, you can’t be married and lead the consecrated life as a religious. The two states in life are mutually exclusive. Being celibate does not mean that you cease to be a loving person. It means that instead of focusing one’s love on one person and dedicating one’s life (time and energy) to one particular relationship, a person is free to love; that is, to offer one’s friendship and help to many people. For a Marist, the community has the first claim on his love. A Marist devotes a generous measure of his time, energy, presence, and support to the community members with whom he lives. The community spends time in prayer, sharing meals, celebrating, laughing—and occasionally getting on each others nerves. But when Marist community is lived well, it can be a tremendous source of energy with which to witness to the Gospel when engaged in ministry. Being a Marist is not without its challenges. People who are successful in life usually love their way of life. But they will be the first to tell you that their life is not without moments of frustration, being misunderstood, being tired, and failure. Yet, they wouldn’t trade the way they live for anything else in the world. Why? Because they love how they live. All their struggles pale in comparison to the exhilaration that comes from knowing that they are in the right place and doing "what they were meant to do." The same holds true for being Marists. Q: Why do Marists choose to live a vow of poverty? A: Marists seek to live simply. They try to see people as Christ would: more concerned about a person’s heart than how a person looks or what a person owns. Aware that possessions have the power to actually possess the owner, Marists seek to be as free as possible from material things so as to value people over possessions. This they do in imitation of Christ who reminds us that just as our heavenly Father provides for the lilies of the fields and the birds of the air; how much more so will God care for us? Marists are invited to trust in God’s providence as did Mary; thus freeing themselves to devote their time and energy in the pursuit of the spiritual life and of service to others. What possessions Marists do have are seen as gifts from God for which they are to be good stewards. Good stewardship extends to caring and reverencing the environment and towards sharing more equitably the earth’s resources. In all that they do, Marists strive to maintain solidarity with the poor. At the same time, Marists provide for the essential needs of the members in order to maintain their good health and to have the necessary tools with which to effectively perform their ministries. They hold their possessions in common; that is, while they have use of personal items such as clothing, books, monthly allowance, etc., they do not own what would be called "private property." Whatever income Marists receive is given to the community which, in turn, provides for the members’ material needs. Q: Why do Marists give up their personal freedom when they vow obedience to God through the community under the leadership of its superiors? A: Marists take a vow of obedience. It means sincerely seeking to discern God’s will as it is expressed through the interplay of one’s desires, prayer and opinions with that of the wisdom of the community as expressed through its leadership and through its understanding of its mission and charism. A Marist is not free to do as he pleases any more than would be any other adult. It can be said that Marists give up a certain kind of individual freedom in order to find a more profound freedom in community. They obey the decisions of the community and its superiors in order to respond to the needs of others more effectively and to unite themselves with their fellow Marists. Q: What is the relevance of Mary and of a religious order that bears her name for our modern world? A: We Marists believe that the Blessed Mother has a particular care and concern for this age in which we live -- this age some describe as being secular. People who live in this secular age guard their freedom jealously. They tend to be suspicious of institutions, especially religious ones. They do search for the truth, but they must be persuaded and convinced before giving their consent. Fr. Jean-Claude Colin, our founder, understood that God had asked the Blessed Mother to intervene in this secular age; that is, to become personally involved and to reach out to people who have grown suspicious and distrustful of the Church. Like her Son, she has a special concern for the poor and the marginalized of our world -- the weakest who are also the most vulnerable. Fr. Colin understood that the Society of Mary was to bring her spirit to the Church and to the world. Marists should live the Gospel in such a way that people who are alienated from the Church or have no Church affiliation observe the grace of God at work in us but think of us simply as good and decent people. They begin to desire to be "just like him or her" and at some point they begin to think to themselves, "If being associated with the Church can produce people like that, then, I want to be a part of that experience." Slowly they begin their journey to the Church, either returning to it or approaching it for the first time. In this way of living the Gospel, people are not judged. They are not criticized. They are not threatened but rather invited to live another way. By seeing what it looks like to live the Kingdom of God right here and right now, they implicitly judge their own lives to be lacking. They can then freely take up the invitation to explore how the Gospel can bring them new life and "new life to the full." This is what it means to be like Mary: not necessarily out in front to be seen, but working quietly and effectively behind the scenes. •Discernment •Beginning
the Path •Using
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