Name: Ramirez, Christine Ann S.
Course & Year: BSMT
Date: June 17, 2022
RE 111 - Worksheet 2: Introductory Lessons
I. Our Founder: St. Marcellin Champagnat
The Marist Brothers continue to be inspired by St. Marcellin Champagnat (1789-1840),
a young French priest who founded the order in 1817 to combat the illiteracy and
spiritual poverty in post-Revolutionary France. Marcellin believed God called him to
help young people, especially those in need. He responded by forming a religious
community of Brothers dedicated to educating youth and conveying the love of Jesus
Christ through Mary.
Like many youngsters of his day, Marcellin did not attend school regularly; the French
Revolution wreaked havoc on civic life in that period. Although gifted with natural intelligence, Marcellin’s
lack of formal education caused him to struggle as a seminarian. From those difficulties sprang his educational
philosophy, “To educate children you must love them and love them all equally.”
Realizing that many young people had little religious or academic education, Marcellin was determined to
combat the illiteracy and spiritual poverty caused by the violence and chaos of the Revolution.
While still in the seminary, Marcellin joined a small group of seminarians that pledged
themselves to form a new society dedicated to Mary and open to religious and laymen
and women alike. Six months after his ordination, after encountering a dying teenager
who knew little of the Catholic faith, Marcellin founded a religious community called
The Little Brothers of Mary — now called The Marist Brothers of the Schools. His
goal: to make Jesus Christ known and loved through the Christian education of youth,
especially the most neglected.
When Marcellin died in 1840, there were 280 Brothers evangelizing and supporting youth. In 1955 Marcellin
Champagnat was declared Blessed by Pope Pius XII. He was canonized a SAINT by Pope John Paul II on April
18, 1999.
(Retrieved from www.maristbr.com/about-us/our-founder-st-marcellin-champagnat/)
Reflection Questions:
What are at least three most admirable values of St. Marcellin you can infer from his
life story? How are these values demonstrated in his life? How can you apply or emulate these values in your life?
Values of St. Marcellin
How are you going to apply or
How he lived the values
emulate the values
1. Preference
favored
of
least
➢ St. Marcellin Champagnat, a teacher
➢ By Sense of community in our
and leader with simple manners and
environment
consistent quality of what he had to
communities, group of people,
say during the catechism lessons of
nor other people because having a
his Sunday sermon, linking faith and
sense of community brings us
life. Attracted other young people
together. Being a part of a group
and even adults to join in his
can make us feel like we're part of
catechism
something bigger than ourselves.
in
marlhes.
Also,
it
It
educate children, you must love
opportunities to connect with
them and love them equally” because
others to teach them such as St.
his
Marcellin,
to
relate
to
and
provide
to
us
our
reminds me about his quote “to
ability
can
between
achieve
with
our
communicate with others is one of
objectives, and feel safe and
the reasons for his success. People
secure. Every individual requires
1
became
attached,
inspired,
and
a sense of belonging, whether in
became the best ambassadors for his
the outside world, reality, or a
works as a result of his love,
group of people or friends.
openness, and equity
2. Family spirit
➢ St. Marcellin Champagnat enjoyed
➢ As the reason that a family spirit
warm and sympathetic relationships
necessitates a good relationship
with his first brothers, who were
with others, which requires love,
connected in his heart and mind. The
partnership, mutual support, and
"family spirit" was the Marist way of
shared duties, we must first create
communal living, it was developed
a relationship with others. The
not only by his brothers but also by
same can be said for St. Marcellin
his sisters and followers. The Love
and his brothers, sisters, and
and forgiveness, help and support,
followers. Each of us also requires
forgetfulness of self, openness to
love and forgiveness, support and
others, and joy motivate them to
assistance,
grow the family spirit.
openness to others, and joy to
self-forgetfulness,
keep the family spirit alive.
3. Compassion
➢ St. Marcellin Champagnat, truly
➢ By
encouraging
wanted to teach young people and
performing
others how to make Jesus known and
motivating others, and being open
loved. He also expressed personal
to everyone, like St. Marcellin
interest in each of his young
did, since compassion always
brothers, guiding them spiritually,
reveals kindness.
encouraging
them
to
acts
of
others,
kindness,
become
qualified, and entrusting them with
apostolic responsibilities
II. Our Marist Spirituality
As Marist Brothers (owners and managers of NDDU), we have
absolute trust in God and depend on Mary for support and
love. Marist spirituality is one of prayer, humility and
simplicity. Marcellin’s preferred ways of relating to God and
to Mary were through familial terms: Jesus in his “Sacred
Heart,” Mary as “Our Good Mother.” From our Marist sense of
family develops a spirituality that is strongly relational and
affective.
The relationships Marcellin encouraged among the Brothers in the religious community and between the
Brothers and their students were described in similarly fraternal and loving ways. Among today’s Marists,
with the expanded presence of women, the image of “sister” has enriched even more the ways Marists
relate and define their ministry. Essentially, our relationship to one another is that of brother and sister.
(Water from the Rock #31)
Our attitudes towards young people find their inspiration in Mary. By relating to young people in a Marial
manner, we become the face of Mary to them. (WFTR #27) In contemplating Mary in the Scriptures we fill
ourselves with her spirit…
Like Mary of Nazareth, who guided Jesus with tenderness and maternal love, we are called by her to bring
her love and guidance to those we serve by welcoming others into our lives.
2
Like Mary of the Cenacle, we approach our work with an unselfish spirit. We seek always to be open to the
Holy Spirit, working tirelessly for the communion of all people, encouraging all to go out to the world and
tell the Good News.
Like Mary of the Visitation, we go without delay into the “hill country” of the lives of young people,
bringing them news of the justice and faithful mercy of God.
Like Mary of the Annunciation, we reflect upon our experiences, listening for God’s voice and experiencing
God’s love for us. We place our trust in God and receive the spiritual energy we need as Mary did.
Like Mary of the Wedding Feast of Cana, we are attentive to the needs around us and “do whatever he tells
us.”
Since Marcellin’s time, the Church has deepened its appreciation of Mary as First Disciple. Marists,
therefore, have a growing relationship with Mary as our Sister in Faith, a woman with dust on her feet, a
woman who was disturbed and puzzled by God, who was challenged to trust and give without knowing all
the answers, whose faith life was a journey. (WFTR #29) (Retrieved from http://www.maristbr.com/about-us/maristspirituality/)
Reflection Questions:
As Marists students we are always invited to be inspired and emulate the virtues of
Mary. What are the virtues of Mary? How can you emulate these virtues in your own life?
Virtues of Mary
(the mother of Jesus)
How she lived the virtues
How are you going to apply or emulate
the virtues?
1. The Life of Grace
➢ The Virgin's constant, earnest
petitions to God in the temple, as
well as her meditations on the
kingly law, made her a chosen
receptacle for the Holy Spirit, the
source of perfection and all gifts.
She bore the fruits of the Spirit in
perfect love, deep joy, and
permanent peace in lowliness,
meekness, and chastity because
she was without blemish and
responded completely to the gift
of
grace.
Her
fullness
transformed her into a second
heaven, a dwelling place for the
Living God, and a Paradise for all
who believe. The Virgin's life as
a model chastises us because we
lack the Spirit and neglect to
have Christ within our hearts,
despite the fact that He gave us
His body and blood so that He
might abide in us and us in Him.
Each soul must thus have Christ
inside her heart, intellect, and
entire being, and be occupied
with that fullness throughout her
life, in order to become a chaste
virgin to Christ like St. Mary, the
mother of God.
➢ By making it a habit to remind
ourselves that our trial is only
temporary. When we are going
through a difficult struggle, one
of the worst things we can do is
freeze the moment. Do not
dwell on it as if nothing nice
ever happened before it or as if
it will never end. Also, because
we can choose to focus on the
past, present, or future, we can
employ our mind's ability to
think in three dimensions. We
should think about something
from our past right now. We
should be conscious that when
we dwell on the past, we lose
sight of the present. We should
Do not concentrate on the
present moment while we are
stressed. Consider the past and
remember that God has been
loyal to us through many
difficult times. Then, we should
look ahead and remind
ourselves
that
we
will
overcome
whatever
is
threatening to overwhelm us
right now.
2. The Life of Obedience
➢ She was, indeed, the Lord's
servant. She accepted the angel's
good news and surrendered
herself to God's great plan for a
baby born in a manger. In perfect
3
➢ To acquire obedience, I must
follow the guidelines provided
to me regularly. However,
following the guidelines will
not be efficient if I am not
3. The Life Of Devotion
devotion to the Lord, Mary
agreed that her only begotten
Son would leave her to devote
Himself to the message He
brought from the Father to us.
She escaped to Egypt in very
difficult circumstances
and
endured a life of poverty in
Nazareth without murmur or
complaint. Her obedience was
compassionate. Even if the
Divine purpose was beyond
human comprehension, she
knew it. It was love-based
obedience, similar to that of
children rather than slaves. As
the Son followed the Father and
offered Himself for the salvation
of the world, obedience receives
its power from the burning
obedience of love that resides in
the heart. It was obedience
within the framework of truth,
because Christian obedience is
not for a specific person. It is only
truthful obedience. As a result,
the Virgin obeyed her Son not
because He was her son, but
because He was the Truth and
the Life in Himself. The Lord
Jesus honored His mother not
because she was His mother, but
because she understood and
followed His will. The virgin's
obedience was held up as a model
by the fathers, in contrast to
Eve's. In the Garden of Eden, the
original woman was tempted by
disobedience, but the Second Eve
(Mary) paved the way for us to
reach the Tree of Life.
consistent.
Patience,
communication, and respect
are also required for future
command blunders to be
avoided.
➢ The word "devoted" implies
“separated for a certain task" and
the virgin was a Nazarite to God
and had been since birth. "A
garden closed is my sister, my
bride, a garden locked, a fountain
sealed," the Divine said to her.
The Virgin was devoted to God,
and no one could enter or leave
her but the Son of God, the
Word, the Second Hypostasis,
much as the Tent of Meeting was
devoted to the Lord, with
everything inside it, and no one
could enter it except the Levites.
➢ Consistency will aid me in
achieving a devotion to draw
closer to God since it will not
prevent me from practicing to
pray, which includes worship,
confession
of
sins,
and
gratitude. Reading the Bible or
the Word of God is also
essential, as it demonstrates our
willingness to learn from him
since we can find answers to
our real-life difficulties and
spiritual needs.
4
4. The
Life
Contemplation
of
"How shall this happen, since I
have no husband?" Mary asked
the angel Gabriel when he
delivered her the joyful news of
Christ's birth. Mary had spent
her infancy in the Temple with
God and had lived a life of
virginity. “As a result, Mary lived
a virgin life after giving birth to
Christ, and we title her the
Virgin of Perpetual Virginity."
The church disagrees with those
who believe Mary married
Joseph after Jesus' birth. The sons
of Claupa and Mary (St. Mary's
sister, who was given the same
name "Mary" after St. Mary left
for the temple) are Jesus' siblings
described in the Gospel.
Whoever
studies
Ezekiel's
predictions understands how the
virgin lived her entire life as a
virgin (Ezekiel 44:1, 2). She
exemplifies true commitment.
She was devoted in all aspects of
her life: body, virginity, intellect,
feelings, and soul. Before the
Lord, she was an acceptable life
offering.
➢ Contemplation is the act of
dedicating one's thoughts and
heart to God's Love, putting aside
worldly concerns in order to
merge with God such that one's
mind finds no joy in anything
other than prayer and seeing
God. Contemplation is a
wonderful way to interact with
God through personal prayers
and biblical comprehension. She
"preserved all these things,
contemplating them in her heart"
since the Virgin was a blessed
model (Luke 2:19). With the
Spirit of inspiration, she was
aware of the predictions of the
Gospel. She clung to God's
promises to Abraham in her
hymn.
She
recalled
His
faithfulness to Israel and His
benevolence to them throughout
the years. Hannah's hymn was
quoted by her (the mother of
Samuel). As a result, the Virgin
preserved both the spirit and the
text of the scriptures. She
5
➢ Contemplation necessitate the
same
level
of
intense
concentration or even attention
to God's presence as an intimate
meeting with a loved one. As a
result, in my opinion, silent
areas or anything else that can
help us focus wherever we talk
to God during our prayers is
required. We must always
remember that we are having
conversations with God, and
this
requires
effective
communication
because
contemplation is a wonderful
way to interact with God
through personal prayers and
biblical understanding. To
practice, one must have a strong
faith in God.
remembered all the events of the
New Testament in silence and
thinking as a holy vessel of the
events of church history to
which she was eyewitness,
according to tradition. The
virgin's history and life will
always be a lovely, splendid,
serene model for reflection and
deep comprehension, calling us
to understand God's truth.
5. The Life of Suffering
➢ The Virgin was encrusted with
both suffering and virtue. When
Joseph suspected her, she was
subjected
to
psychological
distress. She couldn't find a
suitable location to give birth to
her son. She spent at least two
years in Egypt without shelter,
putting herself in danger from
robbers. When she learned that
the disciples had escaped and
accused Him, and that one of
them had betrayed Him, she
suffered from (bodily) physical
pangs and her heart suffered
greatly under the cross. The Jews
were able to crucify her sole son
at the time. She went through a
lot at her burial and in the garden
when the stone was placed to
block the tomb. This is what
Simon the elder prophesied: “A
sword will pierce through your
own soul also”. The physical
sufferings were excruciating. Her
poverty in Nazareth drove her to
help the elderly Joseph. The
hardships of the trek to Upper
Egypt, giving birth to her baby in
an unsuitable location, and so on.
What is the Virgin's reaction to
all of this, she exhorted all
generations to exalt her. These
sufferings were a gift of love and
gratitude, as well as a test of
incredible patience.
End
6
➢ By consistently recalling God's
words, such as “And the God of
all grace, who called you to His
eternal glory in Christ, after
you have suffered a little while,
will Himself restore you and
make you strong, firm and
steadfast.” -1 Peter 5:10. And “I
will never leave you or forsake
you.” - Hebrews 13:5. Though
these words will remind us that
there is always a positive
exchange in any suffering we
go through that will make us
stronger and strengthen our
character in the future. Also,
God is always there for us; God
will not provide us with a
challenge or a hardship in order
to harm us, but rather to serve
as a means of future
preparation. This is a stepping
stone for all of us to improve
and strengthen our character.