MART
750
VABT
cepted at Pont-ChAteau, Diocese of Nantes, the direc-
tion of a seminary destined to furnish piriests to Haiti.
Pdre Denis also sent several of his missionaries and
brothers to Haiti. This was the company's first at-
tempt at forei^ missions.
So far the missioxiaries had been recruited from the secular clergy. This mode being too uncertain, too slow and more or less prejudicial to that unity of
?)irit which ought to characterize a religious family, dre Denis established a school in which boys, callea to the missionary Ufe, should be educated by and for the company. Together with the foreign missions and the foundation of mission schools, what hastened the spreading of the company, was the expulsion of the religious from France in 1880 and in 1901. In 1880 the French novices took refuge in the Nether- lands, where a novitiate and a scholasticate were es- tablisned . In 1883, a school was also begun at Schim- mert. The year 1883 saw the establishment of the first house m Canada. After the election of P6re Maurille as general, in 1887, the membership of the community doubled. The Beatification of Montfort, in 1888, gave a new stimulus to the company's ex- pansion. In Canada a novitiate and a scholasticate were founded near Ottawa (1890); a mission school at Papineauville (Quebec), in 1900; in Rome, a scholasti- cate; several missions in Denmark. In 1901 the com- pany took charge of the Vicariate Apostolic of Nyassa I^ind (Africa), which numbers at present 1 vicar Apostolic, 20 missionaries and 600 converts.
r^re L'Houmeau's Q903) administration as general has been marked by the foundation of two residences in the Diocese of Brooklyn: Port JefTei^on and Ozone Park (1904); the foundation of the Vicariate Apostolic of San Martino (Colombia, South America) having 1 vicar Apostolic, 12 fathers and a few brothers; the sending to Iceland of 2 priests and 2 brothers (1903), the only Catholic missionaries now evangelizing that country; several establishments in British Columbia; the dennite approbation of the Constitutions in 1904; the division ot the congregation into provinces; the acquisition of the Diocese of Port de Paix (Haiti), and the transfer of the French mission school to Romsey, England (1910). The company actually numbers about 500 members. The provincial of the American province resides in Montreal. The Initials S. M. M. which the missionaries affix to their signature are an abbreviation of "Socictatis Mariaj a Montfort", of the Company of Mary (founded) by Montfort.
Blessed Louis-Marie G. de Montfort, by a secular priest (Lon* don, 1860); Pauvert, Vie du ven&rable Louis Marie Orianton de Montfort (Paris and Poitiers, 1875); Laveille, Le Bienheureux L. M, Ortgnum de Montfort (Paris. 1907). See Icexjind.
John H. Bemelmans.
Mary, Sekvants of (Order of Servites). — ^This order was foimded on the feast of the Assumption, 1233, when the Blessed Virgin appeared to seven noble Florentines, who had repairea to the church to follow the exercises of the Confraternity of the L/aw- desif and bade them leave the world and live for God alone. On the following feast of her Nativity, 8 September, they retired to La Camarzia just outside the walls of the city, and later on to Monte Senario, eleven miles from Florence. Here a^ain they had a vision of the Blessed Virein. In her hands she held a black habit; a multitude of angels surrounded her, some bearing the different instruments of the Passion, one holding the Rule of St. Augustine, whilst another offered with one hand a scroll, on which appeared the title of Servants of Mary surroimded by golden rays, and with the other a palm branch. She addressed to them the following words: *'I have chosen you to be my first Servants, and under this name you are to till my Son's Vineyard. Here, too, is the habit which you are to wear; its dark colour will recall the pangs which I suffered on the day when I stood by the Cross of my only Son. Take also this Rule of St. Augustine, and
may you, bearing the title of my Servants, obtain the
palm of everlasting lif e. " Among the holy men of the
order was St. Phihp Benizi, who was bom on the dav
the Blessed Virgin first appeared to the Seven Found-
ers (15 August), and afterwards became the great
propagator of the order. The order developed rapidly
not only in Italy but also in France anci Germany,
where the holy founders themselves spread devotion
to the Sorrows of Mary. Their glorious son St. Philip
continued the work and thus merited the title of
Eighth Founder of the Order. The distinctive spirit
of the order is the sanctification of its members by
meditation on the Passion of Jesus and the Sorrows of
Manr, and spreading abroad this devotion.
The order consist of three branches. Concerning the First Order or Servite Fathers, see Servite Order. The Second Order (cloistered nims) was probably founded by Blessed Helen and Blessed Rose shortly after the death of St. Philip in 1285. This branch has houses in Italy and Austna as well as one at Bognor, England. The Third Order or Mantellate was founded by St. Juliana Falcon ieri to whom St. PhiHp save the habit in 1284. This branch occupies itself wiui active works after the example of its holy foundress. From Italy it spread into other countries of Europe. The Venerable Anna Juliana, Archduchess of Austria, founded several houses and became a Mantellate her- self. In 1844 it was introduced into France, and was thence extended into England in 1850. The sisters were the first to wear the religious habit publicly in that country after the so-call^ Reformation, ^niey are at present one of the leading religous orders for women in what was once "Mary's Dowry", having been active missionaries under Father Faber and the Oratorians for many years. In 1871 the ^gUsh province sent sisters to America, but they were re- called in 1875. The superior general bein^ very de- sirous to see the order established in the Umted States sent sisters a second time in 1893. They have now a novitiate at Cherokee, Iowa, and mission houses in other states. They devote themselves principally to the education of youth, managing academies and taking charge of parochial schools and workrooms. They also undertake works of mercy, such as the care of orphans, visiting the sick, and instructing converts etc. Above all, in imitation of their holy roundr^, St. Juliana, they do all in their power to instill into the hearts of those under their care a great love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. At the last general chap- ter held in London, 31 July, 1906, a vicaress general for America was appointed.
Hbimbuchsr, Oraen «. Konoreffotionsn, TL (Paderbonit
1907). 218 sq. rp^g Servants op Mart.
Mary, Sister of Martha. See Mart Magdalen, Saint.
Mary, Socjett op (initials S. M.), or Marist Fa- thers, a religious order of priests, so called on accoimt of the special devotion they profess toward the Blessed Virgin.
I. Foundation (1816-1 836) .—The first idea of a "Society of Mary" originated (1816) in Lyons, France, with a group of seminarians, who saw in the Restoration of 1815 an opportunity for religion, but the real founder was Jean-Claude-Marie Colin (<j. v.), the most retiring of the group. He began, amid his pastoral cares, by drafting a tentative nue and found- ing at Cerdon, where he was pastor, the Sisters of the Holv Name of Marv; Marcelhn Champa^at. another of the group, established at La valla the Little Broth- ers of Mary. On account of the cold attitude as- sumed by the ecclesiastical authorities in Lyons, the foundation of the missionary priests* branch coula not be made till Cerdon, Colin^s parish, passed from the jurisdiction of Lyons to that of Belley. Bishop De- vie of the newly restored See of Belley authorized (1823) Colin and a few companions to resign their
