catholic dialogue

by Isabella R. Moyer

An example of community: the Marianist tradition

Jean Lawrent Fournier, Director of Stewardship for the Diocese of Prince Albert, wrote a challenging response to my recent column on parishes and parochialism: “I would be very interested in knowing how we, as a church, define what it means to ‘be community.’ ” I wrote that column conscious that my view of community was formed through the lens of a Marianist spirituality.

The Marianist Family was founded in post-revolutionary France. Blessed William Joseph Chaminade in collaboration with Adéle de Batz de Trenquelléon and Marie Thérèse de Lamourous, had a vision to rebuild the church through sodalities, (small faith communities), gathered around Mary as their model and guide. They were to be a joyous spectacle of saints, spreading the faith by contagion. Today, these sodalities are known as Marianist Lay Communities.

There were many religious communities formed during this time. The Marianists are unique in that we began with lay communities, followed by a religious order for women (Daughters of Mary Immaculate, FMI) and then a religious order of brothers and priests (Society of Mary, SM). The religious orders had their roots in the sodalities. A secular institute for women, the Alliance Mariale, constitutes a fourth branch. Today, we continue to collaborate in a spirit of family and interdependence.

Here is a Marianist perspective on being in community. It is not a definitive perspective. I offer it as one view from the multifaceted prism that is our Catholic heritage and tradition.

What do our communities do? This is how one Marianist friend describes it. We gather to pray, but we are not just a prayer group. We study, but we are not a study group. We support each other, but we are not a support group. We work for justice and peace, but we are not a social justice group. We celebrate and play together, but we are not a social group. We try to be all of these things, while recognizing that each community will have its own, unique mission based on the gifts, needs and life stages of its members.

Marianist communities are organized on a holistic system of Three Offices: religious life (prayer, liturgy), education (formation) and temporalities (stewardship, social justice). A person of faith is formed by praying (heart), studying (mind) and doing (hands). The Three Offices also acknowledge the need for a diversity of gifts within leadership. It does not expect one person or leader to be a specialist in all areas.

Marianist leadership is unique in that it is founded on a concept called “mixed composition” or a “discipleship of equals.” Within the Society of Mary, leadership roles are given to both religious brothers and priests.

Historically this was unheard of, but Blessed Chaminade insisted on a spirit of unity within each community.

Representatives from all four branches make up our Marianist Family Councils. In these councils, all have an equal voice and vote — whether lay, vowed religious or ordained.

Equality does not mean whitewashing all persons with a brush of sameness. A spirit of equality requires respecting and empowering the unique gifts of each — gifts given not for honour or prestige, but for the service of all. Vowed religious brothers and sisters have a rich spiritual formation, making them valuable teachers and mentors of prayer. They also have the freedom to do works not accessible to those with family responsibilities. Some brothers are called to ordination to serve the sacramental life and needs of the community. Lay women and men have the perspective and experience of work and family. Our challenge is to bring the gospel into the heart of the world in our daily lives.

A favourite Marianist image for collaboration is that of a round table, where all gather as one with no seat of honour. The round table is the opposite of a hierarchical ladder, where everyone is neatly placed on rungs, one on top of another.

For Marianists, community is both gift and task. It is not just a filling station of feel-good emotions. Community nurtures us and forms us both spiritually and intellectually, and then calls us to mission. We are gathered and sent. We are called to bring Jesus into a world hungering for justice, peace and joy. We do this not by preaching from a soap-box, but by genuinely living the gospel in our own place and time.

Community also requires intentionality. We do not necessarily choose the persons within our community. But, we do choose to be in community with them. This means remaining at the table when conversations become difficult. This means learning how to dialogue so all voices have a chance to be heard. Intentionality is also required to form a community of communities, acknowledging that we are a part of the Body of Christ. Together, we are part of a much greater One.

This is the Marianist model of community. This is the spirituality that has formed me and nurtured me. I offer it as one view, with the hope that it will add to the dialogue.

What does community mean to you?

Moyer is a Catholic blogger (http://catholicdialogue.com) who lives with her husband David in Neepawa, MB. She is president of the International Organization of Marianist Lay Communities, a canonically recognized, private association of the faithful whose charism promotes a Marian model of church that is inclusive, egalitarian, participatory and concerned with social justice.