"How happy would I be if I could teach and devote my life to the education of children and young people."
These are the words of St. Marcellin Champagnat, a man of our times, a man with a heart that knew no bounds - a priest of the Society of Mary and the founder of the Little Brothers of Mary - recognized worldwide as Marist Brothers of the Schools or Fratres Maristae A Scholis (FMS).
Born on the 20th of May 1789 at Le Rosey, a hamlet near Marhles, France, Marcellin Champagnat was baptized 24 hours after his birth on Ascension Thursday in 1789. Marcellin's life of 51 years was lived between insurrections in France as the intervening period saw successive revolutions and uprisings. The capricious socio-demographic nature in France, the hard winters and terrain which at times were extremely dangerous, and the strong influence of his father, taught Marcellin the virtues of tenacity, adaptability and toughness. With countless disappointments, difficulties and setbacks, he experienced the cross in his life, yet his hope and vision remained strong.
Not only once in his life did Marcellin experienced the solicitous care of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our Good Mother, as no mother forgets her children in difficult times.
An unwavering confidence relying completely in Mary and in her protection, together with his simplicity and humility in awareness of God's presence nurtured his passion for life and shaped his spirituality. He loved young people who in turn found his enthusiasm and energy contagious.
Saint Marcellin's encounter with a dying 16-year old boy Jean Baptiste Montagne, who was entirely ignorant on matters of faith, spurred Marcellin to action as he saw in the eyes of the young boy the calls for help of other youngsters who were victims of tragic human and spiritual poverty. The encounter transformed Marcellin as he was convinced that God was calling him to find a congregation of Brothers to evangelize the young, particularly the most neglected.
Marcellin's charism made him discover a fresh way of living the Gospel as a concrete response to the needs of young people in time of crisis. At the core of Marist charism is the love of Jesus and Mary for each person and for others, the openness and sensitivity to the needs of the times and the practical love for young people.
To proclaim the Word of God directly to the young, particularly to the most neglected, Saint Marcellin gave this clear mission to his Little Brothers for it was this principle that his life and work were guided and he expected his Brothers to do the same. He knew too well that to teach young people, one has to love them first. It had been Mary's way with Jesus, and Jesus' with his disciples.
Even after Marcellin's death in 1840, his story is not over as he continues to live today in the Congregation he founded. He continues to live on as Marist Brothers and their lay partners take up Marcellin's projects with enthusiasm in a similar spirit of faith and apostolic zeal.
Marist education has made history and has established a common educational heritage as an international family. At the dawn of the 21st century, it is timely to set a fresh expression of the great gift of educational institutions of St. Marcellin and those of Marist education, as we point out new ways of living out the charism of St. Marcellin in the light of diversity and insights of contemporary educational and church thinking.
"All to Jesus, through Mary," was his motto, and perpetuated in his greeting: "Praise to Jesus Christ and Mary His Mother."
Marcellin Champagnat was canonized on April 18, 1999.
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