Six more chapters from book about Marist founder released by author

In 2012, the superior general of the Society of Mary, better known as the Marists, asked Fr. Justin Taylor, s.m., of New Zealand, to write a new biography about Marist founder, Jean-Claude Colin, who died in November of 1875 in La Neylière, France. 

The Marists currently sponsor Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy.

During the past year, the first six chapters of the book have been available on the Marist website. Last month, Taylor released the draft of six more chapters, covering the years 1834 to 1845 of Fr. Colin’s life, when he was superior general of the Society of Mary. 

The new chapters give readers “more insight in the complex situation Colin was facing while he was laying the first stones of the Society of Mary in France and when the first missionaries left for the Pacific,” said Marist officials. 

Chapter 13: From central superior to superior general (1834-1836)
Chapter 14: The challenges of a superior general (1836-1838)
Chapter 15: The end of the beginning (1839-1840)
Chapter 16: Not so Pacific (1840-1842)
Chapter 17: The watershed (April-September 1842)
Chapter 18: Oceania from 1842 to 1845

The chapters can be viewed and downloaded through the Marist website at: maristsm.org/en/founder.aspx. They are also available on the website dedicated to Colin: jeanclaudecolin.org/resources/biographies-resources/official-biography-j-taylor.

According to Marist officials, because the book is still only in a provisional state, the available chapters can be used for private circulation only. No part of it may be quoted or reproduced in any way without the express permission of the author.

More about Marist founder Jean-Claude Colin (1790-1875) from the Society of Mary – Marist Fathers and Brothers:

The Founder of the Marist Fathers, Fr. Jean-Claude Colin, was born on August 7, 1790, in Saint-Bonnet-le-Troncy, a town in the Beaujolais region of France. He was reared in the atmosphere of the French revolution and during a time of persecution of the church. His father had been imprisoned for his faith, and sometimes had to go into hiding, taking great risks by sheltering priests. Young Jean Claude was only two when both his mother and father died. As he grew up the desire for the priesthood became strong in his mind, and later in the seminary along with some others he made plans for a religious congregation bearing the name of Mary.    
     On July 23, 1816, Colin, with other young priests and seminarians, pledged to establish a Society of Mary, in the chapel of Our Lady of Fourviere in Lyons, France. In the same year he was ordained and joined a country parish in Cerdon as curate. He did not seem a likely candidate to found a worldwide religious congregation, as he was shy and retiring. Yet there he began his work which eventually led him to attracting hundreds of men to his side and sending some of them across the world to die even, for the ideals he set before them. This young curate was busy putting onto paper plans for the future Society of Mary.
     In 1824, Colin along with his brother Pierre and two other priests were allowed by the bishop to form themselves into a little band and to preach missions in the diocese (Marist Fathers). At the same time, a number of young women started the Sisters of the Congregation of Mary (Marist Sisters). The first beginnings of the third Order of Mary for lay people (Marist Laity) had also taken shape. Yet another group, under St. Marcellin Champagnat, (Marist Brothers) was being formed for teaching. The original seed sown in the group of seminarians was growing into a tree with various branches.
     In 1830, Colin was elected "superior" of the group of Marist aspirants as they endeavored to attain approval for their group from Rome.

The tower of the shrine of Notre-Dame de Fourviere overlooking Lyon, France, where Marist aspirants, on Jul 23, 1816, promised to form the Society of Mary.

     In January 1836, the pope confided the missions of Western Oceania in the South Pacific to this new group of Marist Fathers and the following April, Rome approved the Society of Mary, Marist Fathers. The following September, the first twenty Marist Fathers made their profession and Fr. Colin was elected as the first superior general of the order. On Christmas Eve 1836, the first group of Marist missionaries left for the missions in Western Oceania in the South Pacific.
     That little band of pioneers was the first of 15 waves of missionaries that Colin sent into Oceania. Altogether there were 74 priests, 26 Little Brothers of Mary, 17 coadjutor brothers, three laymen and one laywoman. Of these, 21 would die before 1854.
     During the 18 years of his generalate (1836-1854), Colin saw his little society grow from 20 to 258. In that time, apart from the missionaries to the Pacific, he sent many men into the countryside of France to preach missions, hear confessions, give retreats, visit prisoners, teach catechism and give spiritual care to religious sisters. He opened three pilgrimage centers in France and accepted the parish of St. Anne's in Whitechapel, London, ("mission territory" for Fr. Colin). Marists took up teaching ministries in four seminaries and six schools for boys.
     In 1854, Colin resigned as superior general of the Marists and retired to a community house in the country outside of Lyons, La Neyliere, where an atmosphere of prayer allowed him to work on the Constitutions.
     Fr. Colin died on November 15, 1875.  

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