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Mixed Composition
The
Marianist Family, composed of different but united groups of lay and religious
communities, is meant to image the Church. William Joseph Chaminade saw the
Society of Mary as "an association composed of all talents and all states,
priests and laymen...." In a radical departure from the construction of male
religious orders in his time, the ordained members were to have role but no
rank. This equality between lay and ordained members in our history has been
termed the gift of "mixed composition."
There is only one Marianist vocation, lived out in a variety of complementary
gifts and ministries. Marianist brothers express our commitment to God and to
Gospel values, according to our talents and the mission of the province,
primarily in the areas of education, parish ministry, the arts, social service,
health care, advocacy, and technical and manual labor.
Some of our members are ordained priests; but ordination among us is a ministry,
not a rank. Brothers are ordained primarily for the community and then are to
offer their talents with the non-ordained members to serve God's people within
the mission of the community and the province. Both brothers and priests serve
in the leadership functions of the community, the province, and the entire
Society.
In the mutuality between ordained and non-ordained members and in the mutuality
between professed religious and lay communities, the entire Marianist Family
seeks to portray for the Church a "discipleship of equals."
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