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Marianist Schools
The Society of Mary ( la, Societas Mariae) abbreviated SM is a clerical religious congregation of Pontifical Right for men ( brothers and priests) commonly called the Marianists or Marianist Brothers and Priests. Its members add the nominal letters "'S.M.'" to their names to indicate their membership in the Society. The Society was founded by William Joseph Chaminade, a priest who survived the anti-clerical persecution during the French Revolution. The Society is one of the four branches of the Marianist Family. Along with the other branches, the Marianist Brothers and Priests look to Mary as a model of faith and spirituality. They believe that the best ways to live a spiritual life are to share their faith with others, work with the poor, and educate and nourish the mind, the body, and the soul. Marianists around the world There are about 1,200 Marianists: 405 priests, two bishops, and 800 brothers on four continents and 38 countries. The Marianists say that they "devote t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Superior General
A superior general or general superior is the leader or head of a religious institute in the Catholic Church and some other Christian denominations. The superior general usually holds supreme executive authority in the religious community, while the general chapter has legislative authority. History The figure of superior general first emerged in the thirteenth century with the development of the centralized government of the Mendicant Orders. The Friars Minor (Franciscans) organized their community under a Minister general, and the Order of Preachers ( Dominicans) appointed a Master of the Order. Due to restrictions on women religious, especially the obligation of cloister for nuns, congregations of women were not initially able to organize with their own superior general. In 1609, Mary Ward was the superior general of a religious institute that imitated the Jesuit model, but the institute was not accepted by the Roman Curia. It was not until the nineteenth century that relig ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |