THE MARIST BROTHERS.

North Otago Times, Volume CVI, Issue 13975, 12 September 1917, Page 3

THE MARIST BROTHERS.

CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS. HISTORY OF Till! ORDER AN INTERESTING SERMON WELLINGTON, Sopteml.ct 1 The Manst Biother->' (cntcinn ce'e bratioos in Wellington wove commenced yesterday. In the morning there was Solemn High Mass at St. Mary of the Angels, Bouloott street. Rev. Father G. M.nhoney was the celebrant, Rev. Father Outrim deacon, and Rev, Father B. All of these are old boys of Mavist schools. Archbishop Redwood was present. Tlic service was attended by men only, and tile church was crowded, There were about. 500 at Holy Communion, The music .for the service was provided by the Mavist Boys' Cjioir.

In the evening the church was again crowded. An interesting sermon, appropriate to the occasion, was preached by the Rev, Father S, Mnhoney. Father Mahoney dealt at length with I lie life of Father Champagnat, the founder of the Marist Order. Father Champagnat, lie said, was not one of the world's heroes; he was not eloquent, nor.a great writer; he was not-noble, but lowly; he was not wealthy, and .lived in seclusion; yet, after the lapse of a century-' his memory.was green. Father Champagnat was bom on May 23th, 17812, in a village in the diocese if Lyons, His early lays were spent amongst religious but illiterate people, so that later in life He, knew the wants that should be provided for, When he was growing up he intended to go into business, but lie changed his mind and entered a seminary. France then had just emerged from the horrors of the Revolution, and was in sore need of priests to fill tlio places of those who had been martyred and : done to death during the awful carnage of the period. Throughout his student career ho was highly industrious and was a model of virtue. While he was studying in a seminary at Lyons- he founded a society and placed it under the patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was called the Societv of Mnrv.

! • To Teach Neglected Children, First of all Father Chnmpngn.it's scheme was to train brothers who were destined for the- teaching of children in the country districts. Most of his companions who had decided with him to form the order were ordained with him, a lid all were scattered to different parishes, but they decided to keep in communication on the subject of the new society. Father Champagnnt's parish work was strenuous and difficult, but he never lost sight of Iris project for the establishment of the teaching brothers. Such was his enthiisif|asm that on the day of his arrival in his parish he broached the project to a voting and trained for the work. Some and trained for the work. Some little time after that Father Champngnat was called to a sick, child, lie found that although the child was twelve years of age he was ignorant of the truths of religion, and even of the existence of God. The priest realised that there must be many others iu the same state of ignorance, and he said that immediate action was. necessary in order that such as these might have Christian education. He communicated a scheme to Granjon, the young man he had trained in his parish, and Granjon and Jean Baptist Andres were the firs,' Marist Brothers. A small house was socured and fitted merely with indispensable articles of furniture, The brothers took posesssion and began community life on January 2, 1.517. j Other brothers joined the Order, and, after preparation, they made their firs, efforts among the.poor and neglected children of the outlying parts of the parish. The work of the brothers was so appreciated that they took charge of the parish school, and soon had 10 find a larger building. Father Champagnnt's heart was still in the work, and lie obtained permission to leave his presbytery and guide the new under-

taking. Difficulties Overcome, The founder was not without his hours of trial, but difficulties were overcome and the organisaiion endured through every ordeal. The rapid growth of the society necessitated the building of what was known as the Hermitage, with accommodation for 150, This was to be a novitiate and house of training for the brothers. In IS.'IG the priests of the Society of Mary went into retreat at Be'lley, and at the close of the retreat Father Colin was chosen as first Superintendent-Genera! of the Maris; Fathers, with Father Champagiint ns Assistant Superintendent, On March 11, LSHfI, the Marist Order was definitely constituted by brh?f of Pope Gregory XVI., who approved their establishment, and con fided to them the Missions of Oceania Several of the Marist Brothers accom panicd the first missionaries. Tin health of .Father Champagnnt. had lieoi gradually- undermined by hard work and in '18,19, shortly before -his death Brother Francois was elected firs Supervisor-General. The Holy See de finitely approved the society by decrc on, January 9, 1863; under the till "Marist Brothers of the Schools." A the time of the death of Father Chan pagnat there were 280 brothers, ?. postulates, and 48 schools. To-day ther were about 6,000 brothers teaehin

about 100,000 children in England, Ireland, Scotland, Franco, Belgium, Ger-> many, Italy, America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, China, Africa, the South Sea Islands, and so on. .What a glorious result, from! the humblo foundation laid' by Father Champagnat one 'hundred years ago! And the work still went 'on, Trials abounded, but because it was God's work .it would prosper'and increase,, despite the machinations of the emissaries of Satan, The Mnrist Brothers had been in New Zealand for forty years, and their good works were well known, Their lives were noble'and solf-sncrificing, and were devoted to tho. service of the.children, It was the business of the \MaVist Brothers to' take into their careful hands the tender hearts of the-cWl^n

to bung out blight and clem the image ot God that was upon then souls, to sanctify the opening intellect and the young will, to mould them to God's sqi vice, to fit them toi the battlp of life. The biotheis saw to the education'ot tho pooi, and altogethei weie a gieat factoi in Catholic life. Fathei Mahoney appealed to the Catholic people to do then utmost to help the biotheis thiough the luaN <lun weie now enduring