[2] The Society was founded by William Joseph Chaminade, a priest who survived the anti-clerical persecution during the French Revolution.

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.

The Marianists say that they "devote the major part of their efforts to inculturation to become rooted in new countries, in Asia and Africa, and also to be in tune with the surrounding cultures that challenge us and that we call modern or postmodern.

"[3] Men who pursue a vocation with the Society of Mary follow an intense formation process that leads them to examine themselves and their spirituality.

The Marianists are active in Canada, where the late Archbishop Raymond Roussin, S.M., D.D., one of their number, was head of the archiepiscopal see of Vancouver from 2004 to 2009.

[7] Since the Province of Meribah was created, it has maintained in common the life of prayer, the educational apostolate, and religious garb.

[8] The Province of the United States recently updated their mission statement as follows: Empowered by the Holy Spirit and inspired by the dynamism of Blessed Chaminade's charism, we – brothers and priests – vowed religious in the Marianist Family, live in community as equals.

Wherever we are sent we invite others to share Mary's Mission of making Christ present in every age and culture by forming persons and communities of apostolic faith that advance justice and reconciliation.

They also run three spiritual centers (at La Madeleine, St. Avold, and Le Vic), two residences for university students, and an extensive scholarship program for Marianist schools.

In 1967, Archbishop John Charles McQuaid of Dublin invited Marianists from the United States to establish a mission in Ireland.

Still part of the Province of the United States, the Irish Marianists operate St. Laurence College in Loughlinstown, Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown.

[12] They operate the Colegio del Pilar in Madrid, the Santa Ana y San Rafael, and 15 more schools, some of which are considered among the best in Spain.

François Kieffer, a French Marianist priest, established the Villa St. Jean International School in Fribourg, Switzerland, in 1903, which operated until 1970.

[17] The Marianists' projects are the Chaminade Secondary School and MIRACLE, a rural job-training service for youths orphaned by AIDS.

Based on his reports, the General Administration decided to establish the first Marianist religious community on the island of Mindanao, in Davao City.

[19] The community in Davao City was formed on 2 October 2004 by the arrival of Bros. Oscar Kerketta and Victor Sahayaraj from India, Fr.

The local parish priests of the western suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, purchased a large block of 8 hectares in Altona that was transformed into the setting for St Paul's by the parents of the first students.

The names of the College Houses also reflect Marianist heritage: Winters (green), Cassidy (red), McCoy (navy), McCluskey (yellow), Chaminade (sky blue).

Meanwhile, the Marianists were invited by a committee headed by Father Joseph Kealy to establish a boys' college in the southern Melbourne suburb of Frankston for years 7 to 12 (then forms 1 to 6).

Marianist College opened in February 1973 with 166 boys and a staff of six under the direction of Brother Don Neff, SM.