Father William Joseph Chaminade founded the Society of Mary in 1817, in the aftermath of the French Revolution. Born in 1761, as a young priest he barely survived the Revolution’s carnage and terror. When the revolutionary government demanded every priest in the country swear allegiance to the new government or leave France, 80% of them made the pledge, but Chaminade did not. He also refused to leave France, risking his life as he donned disguises to continue ministering clandestinely to Catholics, often narrowly escaping death. Eventually forced to leave France, he went to Spain where, while praying before the shrine of Our Lady of the Pillar in Saragossa, he experienced a vision of what he was called to do. He helped Blessed Adèle de Trenquelléon establish the Daughters of Mary Immaculate a year later, then founded the Society of Mary to form lay leaders for the Church. Chaminade died in 1850, at the age of 89.

In 1849 a Marianist priest and brother arrived in Cincinnati, which had a strong presence of German-speaking Catholics. As a cholera epidemic was ravaging the area, the bishop sent them to help people in Dayton. The Dayton pastor was disappointed, because he wanted teaching brothers for immigrant Catholics’ children, so four more brothers who could teach were sent. The small community soon desired their own school and arranged to buy a small farm from John Stuart, a Presbyterian, who wanted to return to Scotland. Having no money, the brothers gave Stuart a medal of Mary and pledged to pay him the asking price. In a wonderful example of trust and early ecumenism, he accepted their pledge — which they eventually fulfilled. They founded a boarding school that became a College: St. Mary’s Institute and the University of Dayton (UD).

I joined the Marianists to be a teacher, like the brothers who taught me at St. Joseph High School in Cleveland. They were great teachers who took God seriously. There are many religious orders of priests or brothers, but only a few like the Marianists, with both priests and brothers. Priests are not superior to the brothers, and most brothers are not ordained. A brother who feels called to be a Marianist priest needs the support of those with whom he has lived. Why? Because Marianist priests are ordained to serve the brothers and then, with them, dedicate themselves to forming lay communities of leaders for the service of the Church and society. Clericalism has a hard time taking root in the Society of Mary. As one of our priests said, “I am a brother who happens to be ordained.”

At the heart of the Marianist story is Mary, who pondered everything in her heart. When she was a teenager, she consented to Gabriel’s invitation to be the mother of Jesus. She taught Him how to pray. She remained at the foot of the Cross when all but one of Jesus’ disciples left. Never giving up, she also prayed with those same Apostles in the upper room at Pentecost. She is the Mother of the Church who tells us to do whatever He tells us. Would that we all have friends who tell us that! True devotion to Mary directs us to Jesus, who sends Marianists on a mission to pray and form communities of faith and service for the Church and the world.

FATHER JAMES HEFT, SM is a priest in the Society of Mary and leader for over 30 years in Catholic higher education. During his many years at UD, he served as chair of the Theology Department, Provost of the University, then Chancellor. In 2006 he founded the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He is now a Scholar in Residence at UD