A Tree with Five Branches …

SOCIETY OF MARY

The new “Society of Mary” would have the spirit of Mary and be all encompassing. Those who planned the Marist project first saw it as a tree with many branches –

  • Marist Fathers,
  • Marist Brothers,
  • Marist Sisters,
  • Missionary Sisters of the Society of Mary and
  • a Third Order (the lay branch).

The Marist project was intended to spread everywhere, for it aimed “to take over the whole world, under the wings of Mary”, which meant “making the whole world Marist”. The inclusive Society of Mary, with its lay branch, would ideally be coextensive with the People of God united “with one heart and one soul” under the auspices of Mary.