The Founder of the Society of Mary

New Zealand Tablet, 24 December 1908, Page 14

The Founder of the Society of Mary

The founder of the Society of Mary, who has just been declared Venerable by tne Congregation of Rites 'at Rome! and who will henceforth be known as the Venerable Jean Claude Colin, was born in France, and While at the great seminary in Lyons studying for the. priesthood" he conceived the idea of founding an Order bearing the name and under the patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This was about the year 1816. Whilst at the seminary JeaiT Claude Colin was greatly admired by his teachers and his fellowstudents for his piety, his modesty, and his love of study, and especially for his devotion to the Blessed Virgin. During tho days of his preparation for the priesthood Jean Claude Colin confided to his spiritual director and softie of his fellow-students his wish to see established a Congregation of priests under the standard of the Blessed Virgin Mary. All listened to his proposals with great sympathy, and showed their eagerness to assist him in the realisation of his hopes.' The day of ordination at length arrived, and before the newly-ordained departed -for the various missions to which they were assigned, they assembled in the celebrated sanctuary of Our Lady of Fournieres. and promised that as soon as circumstances would permit they would form a community, the members of which would devote themselves to preaching and teaching, and that community would be the nucleus of the Society of Mary. In the midst of their many -missionary duties many of the young priests forgot the promise they had made, but Father Colin and his brother, who were doing great work in a small parish, continued to work at a redaction of the rules of the proposed Society. In the year 1822 he submitted his rules, with" a full account of his work, to the Pope, Pius VII. The Sovereign Pontiff replied to him on March 9 of the same year by a Brief in which he highly praised the work that had been undertaken. Some time after this Father Colin was given charge of a college by the Bishop of Belley. In the meantime, and as often as the work of education allowed him, he went with one or two of his companions to catechise the children and preach the Word of God to the people in country- villages whereservices had not been held since the time of the Revolution. When we, read an account of these missions, of the wonderful work performed, the sufferings and hardships endured by the missionaries, we are reminded' of the times and works of the Apostles. For years/the services of these holy men under the direction of Father Colin were in demand everywhere. Then the Cardinal Prefect of the Propaganda wrote to the Archbishop of Lyons asking if he knew of some priests in France who would nndertake the perilous task of evangelizing the natives of the South Pacific, including New; Zealand. The Archbishop informed Father Colin of the request of the Cardinal Prefect of the Propaganda. He embraced with eagerness the opportunity of consolidating his work, of extending his sphere of labor, and; of making known the name of Christ in. heathen lands! Before engaging in such a responsible undertaking, fraxight with so many difficulties arid-dangers and much suffering, he made one request — the approbation of the Holy See which constituted them a religious Society. This-appli-cation was granted on April 29, 18361" When the Papal Brief reached Belley, where the Marist Fathers had established their, first-residence, it was received by the members of the community with the greatest joy. 7 The day of the' first religious profession and of the election of the first Superior-General was fixed for September 24, 1836. It was Father Colin' s desire that the position of SuperiorGeneral would be conferred on a distinguished priest who had given up the title of Vicar-General of the archdiocese of Lyons in order to join his former pupil and become a

member of the infant society. Imagine Father Colin's dismay on finding that all the votes, save his own, had been given for himself as Superior-General. So grieved was lift at the choice made that he declared he would never have had the courage to found the society had he foreseen the result of the election. Yet, he at once submitted to the will of 1 rovidence as clearly manifested by the votes of the members of the Society. On that date, September 24, 1836, the Society of Mary numbered- onlyV-20' members, but they were aIT endoweit with those gifts and qualities such as God bestows on those whom Be destines to perform great works. Among the founders of ._the Society were Father Champagnat, the. founder of the Marist Brothers, well known. as great educators of youth m every part of the world; Blessed Peter Chanel, the first martyr of the Society and of Australasia; father Bataillon, the great apostle of Wallis; and Father Servant, who was selected to accompany Bishop Pcmpallietto New^Zealand, and was the. pioneer Catholic missionary i? *5« Dominion.- In obedience to the call of the Sovereign 1 ontiff seven missionaries were selected to nroceed to the islands, of the South Pacific, and there preach the Gospel m countries on which a priest had never set foot.. 'In addition to those -whose names are given above the partv included Father Bret and three. lay .Brothers.- Prior to their departure for the far distant and" little known scene of their spiritual labors they all. assembled in the sanctuary oti< ouruieres, where. Bishop Pompallier celebrated Mass after which they set out for the vessel which was to take them to the unknown islands of the South Pacific. Bishop lompalher^ Father Servant, and one of the lay Brothers(Brother Colombon) arrived at Hokiahga on Wednesday, January 10, 1838. •■ " - . The constitutions of the Society were definitely approved by the Holy See in 1873, and on November 11, 1875, Father Colin received the last Sacraments from his nephew/Father Eugene .Colin, in. the presence of the whole community, and on the fifteenth of the same month the founder of the Society of Mary departed this life.