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AdèleClick on Image to Order Born in 1789, the same year the French Revolution began, Adèle de Batz de Trenquellèon was a woman of great zeal. She empowered many women to grow in faith, community, and service to others while deepening their relationship with God. This biography by Father Joseph Stefanelli, SM, allows the reader to truly know Adèle by walking through her childhood experiences, her spiritual journey, her visioning of the Daughters of Mary Immaculate, and her faith-filled years. Father Stefanelli uses her abundant letters to support the successes and challenges of her life's ministry. Her collaboration with Blessed William Joseph Chaminade and Marie Thérèse de Lamourous was fundamental for the Marianist Family. Father Stefanelli includes significant details of their shared mission. This biography offers an in-depth look at Adèle's spirituality, personality, and the numerous ways she responded to God's call. Click to view: ExcerptTable of Contents 
The Armbruster CollectionClick on Image to Order This monograph provides the deep background into Chaminade's spiritual thought, a thought that is to be pondered with the heart. This collection is an excellent resource for seasoned Marianists who seek a deeper understanding into the mind of the Founder. Armbruster examines the spiritual life and formation based on Chaminade's writings on direction, as well as Chaminade's affection for and use of the Three O'Clock Prayer and the Apostle's Creed. Click to view ExcerptTable of Contents 
The Chaminade LegacyClick on image to order To prepare for its bicentennial of 2017, the Society of Mary has produced a critical edition of the writings and words of Blessed William Joseph Chaminade. Now the initial offering of this multivolume French work Ecrits et Paroles is available in English under the title The Chaminade Legacy. The reader follows step by step the evolution of Chaminade's thought and activity and examines the dynamism of a spirituality that, while remaining always open to God's inspiration, must often adapt itself to the human condition, both political and cultural. This edition follows both a chronological and an historical methodology.. . . more Click to view: 
The Chaminade Legacy, Volume 2Click on image to order The next three volumes (2, 3, and 4) of The Chaminade Legacy gather together Father Chaminade's notes for conferences and sermons. In his own words to the police of Bordeaux. These eight notebooks contain very incomplete notes, and some extracts or partial extracts of other works. There is little order or connection among them . . . he jotted down his thoughts on loose sheets of paper. When he thought he had sufficiently grasped his subject, he stopped writing. The majority of these writings were never revised. All of these loose sheets were gathered together by his secretary a few months ago; two of the notebooks are not even yet covered. The same observation may be made for Father Chaminade's other small notebooks. He never wrote out a speech or a conference, only notes to focus his ideas. Most of the time, he did not even record his final thought . . . An earlier edition of these notes, as the Notes d'Instruction, was published at Fribourg between 1963 and 1967 in 13 mimeographed volumes. With few exceptions, these notes are usually autographs. They may be dated between 1800 and 1809, and almost all were intended for lay people. They are published in the order of the classification in the General Archives (AGMAR) of the Society of Mary in Rome. It may be asked what profit we may draw from reading these notes for conferences and sermons. A person interested in theology and the history of theology can find here a living insight into what the Church was teaching during the first quarter of the 19th century, right after the French Revolution. Click to view: ExcerptTable of Contents 
Chaminade's Message TodayClick on Image to Order Late in the 18th century, during the French Revolution, Blessed William Joseph Chaminade was inspired at the feet of Our Lady of Pillar in Saragossa to found the Marianist family. Are the aspirations and inspirations of William Joseph Chaminade still relevant in the 21st century? This question is thoroughly addressed in Father Eduardo Benlloch's Chaminade's Message Today. Father Benlloch explores the influences and experiences of Father Chaminade's lifetime, but not in a biographical context. Father Benlloch's purpose is far more long reaching. Father Chaminade's unfailing faith, devotion to Mary, and dedication to prayer life are timeless qualities that are inspiring, and Benlloch suggests even necessary, for today's Marianists. Father Benlloch unites Father Chaminade's message with the problems facing the world as the 21st century precariously unfolds. Blessed William Joseph Chaminade was unique in his forethought and devotion to sharing Christ's message with future generations. Chaminade's Message Today inspires today's Marianists to continue in this mission. Click to view: ExcerptTable of Contents 
Commentary on the Rule of Life of the Society of MaryClick on Image to Order This book includes 52 articles that reflect the major themes in the life of Marianist religious. For a listing of subject matter in this work, please click on the link below for the contents page. Table of Contents
Confidential MemorandumClick on Image to Order During his last years when Father William Joseph Chaminade might have looked for respite from all the turbulent periods of his life with serene and unfettered days, he was subjected to a malicious attack. His closest associates betrayed him. Narcisse Roussel, a member of the General Administration while Chaminade was Superior General, wrote the Confidential Memorandum. His purpose was to remove Chaminade from any influence in the Society of Mary and to position himself to assume the leadership. To those living in an age where fair and just treatment under the law is fiercely guarded, the story is even more disturbing because Father Chaminade never saw the document with damaging and false testimony against him. . . . more Click to view: ExcerptTable of Contents 
Early Members of the Society of Mary (a researcher's tool)Click on Image to Order Early Members of the Society of Mary is a reference book that lists all the members of the SM from 1817 to 1854. They are arranged alphabetically by name in a master list which traces the succession of places to which each member was assigned year by year. Then there is a reconstruction of the Personnel assignments by place for each year between 1818 and 1854. This reconstruction is due to the superb research of the late Father Emile Weltz. During this early period of the Society of Mary, up to the year 1853, there were no printed Personnels issued in the SM. This work fills in the lacuna. Finally, there is a year-by-year alphabetical listing of the names of the SM members for each year together with lists of the members who died or who withdrew from the Society for each year. This work can serve as a reference for persons studying the biography of Chaminade and early Marianist history or who are reading Chaminade's letters and other writings and would like some brief background information on the early members whose names occur in such documents. At then end of the book, there are statistics for the Society of Mary for the early years. Click to view Table of Contents
A Christian Educator of Youth in the Nineteenth Century: Father John
Baptiste LalanneClick on Image to Order The parameters of this biography are set forth in the Preliminary Note; This biography emphasizes both [Lalanne's] philosophy and his achievements as a Christian Educator of youth. Although some biographical information touches on Lalanne, the Marianist, those looking for a better or deeper understanding of Lalanne as Marianist will not find it here. Those, however, who are interested in the pedagogical ideas and philosophies of an esteemed Marianist educator need look no further. Click to view: ExcerptTable of Contents 
JalonsClick on Image to Order This four-volume work by Joseph Verrier, SM, presents the life of William Joseph Chaminade from 1761 to 1816, ending with the foundation of the Society of Mary. The French title images following the guide markers along the road which William Joseph Chaminade has taken. We see the early influences of Chaminade, his courage during the French Revolution and exile to Spain. We witness his enduring belief in his work as a missionary to young and old alike, men and women, in the Sodality, in the religious orders, in schools and cities throughout France. Father Chaminade wrote, You are all missionaries. The scholarship and dedication of Father Verrier provide us with this detailed biography, which is based on original sources and includes detailed notes. This book is for the serious reader, someone willing to follow the path of Chaminade step by step. Click to view ExcerptTable of Contents 
Last Years of Father Chaminade: Click on Image to Order Unwittingly, for over 100 years, any person telling the story of the final period of Father Chaminades life misrepresented it. In fact, the clouds that formed during the stormy events of 1841-1850 hung over members of the religious institutes he founded For a half century,Chaminade was relegated to little more than a footnote in the annals of SM history. The calumny threatened to truncate the progress of his Cause toward being declared a saint. Complicating the matter is the fact that 50 years after the drama, a major biographer of Father Chaminade's found it a problem of conscience to disclose the whole truth and couched the sequence of events in a framework that was more palatable, but still not truthful. All this changed with the work of Father Vincent Vasey, SM. In 1966 he was elected Procurator General of the Society and Postulator of the Cause of Father Chaminade. He researched notes, letters, and legal documents related to the case. In 1970, he published the remarkable findings on the actual course of this aspect of Father Chaminade's history. . . . more Click to view: 
Letters of Adèle de Batz de TrenquelléonClick on Image to Order Father Joe Stefanelli, SM, says the number of letters from Adèle was “certainly in the thousands. Of them, only 737 have come down to us.” Because her companions in service were scattered over a large geographical area, she developed a system of letter writing. She wrote, “It is not so much the style that should preoccupy us, but rather our own improvement.” We gain insights into Adèle’s personality, her spirituality, her deep faith, her mission, and her desire to live for God alone. Although her life was short—she died when not quite 39—Adèle worked diligently to spread the faith to all around her. The primary work of the Daughters of Mary continued to be the development and guidance of young women of the Sodality and the Association. During her life as a religious, she founded convents at Tonneins, Condom, Agen, Arbois, and Bordeaux. Click to view: 
The Marianist Person at the Dawn of the Twenty-first CenturyClick on Image to Order Brother Hugh Bihl’s work is a study of the theology of the human person in relationship to Marianist spirituality. The Marianist Person also includes Trinitarian, liberation, and feminist perspectives and builds a view of the human person who is free and who participates in God’s creative reality. Click to view: 
Marianist SoundingsClick on Image to Order Contains short articles of interest to Marianists, both lay and vowed
religious. Published fall and spring; in an easy-to-use Click to view contents of each issue 
Mlle de LamourousClick on Image to Order This biography of Marie Thérèse is intriguing in the variety and number of “hats” she wore during her long life. She was from the aristocratic class and had lived on a country estate; during the Revolution, she bravely ministered in Bordeaux; when she fled to the country at Pian, she served as spiritual leader of the townspeople. She began a long association with William Joseph Chaminade and was instrumental in the development of the Sodality, the foundation of the Daughters of Mary, and the early years of the Society of Mary. Her major work was the Miséricorde, a refuge for women who wanted to reform their lives. Click to view: 
NACMS Cumulative IndexClick on Image to Order TheNACMS Cumulative Index provides members of the Marianist Family with a guide to materials published by NACMS, the Marianist Resources Commission, and other groups for whom we provide a distribution service. All the listings are available from NACMS. The NACMS Cumulative Indexhas four sections: a title index, an author index, a numerical index for publications issued in series (such as the MRC Bulletin, Marianist Soundings, andThings Marianist), and a subject index. The index is available in two formats: on a CD in Word for $3.50 or in 8 1/2 x 11" copied pages for $3.50, plus shipping. 
The Promised Woman
Click on Image to Order If one wishes to know the wide array of perspectives in the Marianist world about our common spirituality, this collection of papers will be of interest. Some are remarkable for their scholarship; others are touching in their ability to capture the spirit of a particular culture and how Marianist spirit interfaces with it. While the richness of the work lies in the expansive scope of thought and experience contained in its pages, individuals and groups might find that focusing on a set of papers from a cluster of writers will provide much grist for the reflective mill. . . . more Click to view 
Reading the Signs of the Times, Speaking to a Changing World: An
Overview of Catholic Theology from 1800 to 2000Click on Image to Order Father John A. McGrath has surveyed the main elements of Catholic theology of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries in this book. He concentrates on currents in Western Europe, especially France, Germany, and Italy, to show connections with Marianist life in this period. He begins with the stream of French traditionalism after the French Revolution and then follows the liberal line of thought of Felicité de Lamennais. He treats the Tübingen School and the developments in English Catholicism, especially as seen in the work of Cardinal Newman. . . . more Click to view 
A Short History of Marianist SpiritualityClick on Image to Order A Short History of Marianist Spirituality is exactly that—short. Yet within its 139 pages, Cada captures the essence of the origins and development of Marianist spirituality. Ever attentive to language, Cada examines the evolution of many phrases and concepts dear to Marianists and carves a solid analysis for why Marianist spirituality is fundamentally “lay,” “adaptive,” and “Modern.” This work is an essential primer for anyone wishing to enter more fully into the history of our charism. Click to view: ExcerptTable of Contents Reading Guide 
Suppression of Religious Orders in France
Click on Image to Order This is a fascinating history of what happens when a government promulgates laws promoting anticlericalism. Sr. Lucia situates the struggles of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Immaculate not only in the historical perspective of the French government’s repressive attitude towards religious institutes, she also deals with the consequences of these attitudes. Relying on interviews and archival material, Sr. Lucia objectively reports the failings and mistakes unavoidable when anyone is forced to grapple with laws and attitudes that threaten an institute’s very survival and, by extension, one’s own “survival” or way of life. Another interesting part of this history describes the providential merger of the Third Order of Auch, a merger that assured the survival of the Daughters of Mary. Click to view 
Venerable Chaminade’s Etat: A Forerunner of Secular InstitutesClick on Image to Order Venerable William Joseph Chaminade (1761-1850) was one of the very few forerunners of today’s Secular Institutes. Born in Perigueux, France, he devoted half a century after the French Revolution to the expansion of a prosperous Marian Sodality and to the direction of two religious congregations, the Institute of the Daughters of Mary and the Society of Mary. But his true plans had been to unite certain young men and women within the ranks of his Bordeaux Sodality in the observance of the traditional vows of evangelical perfection while remaining in the secular world. . . . The time has come however for his pioneering initiatives to be presented to the modern Church in which Secular Institutes have become an approved vocation to evangelical perfection. That is the purpose of the present study. Click to view 
William Joseph Chaminade, His Apostolic Intent and His Engagement with
Schools, Instruction, and Education: An Historical PortraitClick on Image to Order If you are seeking material on the educational vision of Father Chaminade and an exploration of the historical realties that shaped his and the first brothers', approach to education, this treatise is for you. It contains material on early Marianist methods of education, as well as the Founder's spiritual wisdom on instructing youth. Because of the nature of William Joseph Chaminade, His Apostolic Intent, this work is recommended mostly for school administrators and for those who seek to deepen their philosophy of Marianist education. (This work is an excerpt from Father Lackner’s dissertation on Marianist education.) Click to view 
Writings on FaithClick on Image to Order Throughout his lifetime, Father William Joseph Chaminade continually made references to faith, so NACMS is pleased to announce a new two-volume set in English devoted to the words of the Founder in this area, Writings on Faith. This work, produced by Jean-Baptiste Armbruster, SM, has been translated from the original French by Joseph Roy, SM. The first volume contains selections from Chaminade’s letters from 1796 to 1849, 53 years of his active life in the service of the Church. Time and time again he urges his correspondents to allow the spirit of faith to transform their entire being, their intelligence, their heart, their will, and their decisions. Volume two is divided into two sections: faith in the writings for lay people and faith in the writings for religious life. Beginning with his writings on the Marian Sodality, the collection then moves to extracts from Manual of the Servant of Mary and selections from retreats for sodalists in which Father Chaminade often developed ideas to strengthen them in their Christian faith. Notes d’Instruction were brief texts he used for preaching and teaching. Many biblical texts on faith enrich these passages and allow us to realize more fully to what extent Father Chaminade knew, used, and taught the Bible. This section includes writings from 1801 to 1844 . . . more Click to view |