The Heart of Mary
The Revolution of Tenderness
CONGREGATION OF JESUS AND MARY (Eudist Fathers), C.I.M.
Congregation of Jesus and Mary (Eudist Fathers), C.J.M.
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Foundation : march 25th,1643 - Douvres.la Délivrande (France)
Founder : Saint Johni Eudes (1601-1680)
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The Eudists have received from their founder a dual mission: the evangelization of the people of God and the formation of those who fulfill this proclamation of the Good News of the Lord’s mercy. This is visible in a diversity of apostolates that all seek to offer members of the Church a formation for life with Christ: seminaries, universities, schools, spiritual centers, parishes ... The forms are multiple because it isfirst to accompany the faithful - laypeople, consecrated and ordained ministers - on the path of their vocation and their mission. St. John Eudes speaks after St. Paul about the inner formation of Christ, which summarizes the attitude of the Eudists in the multiple forms of their apostolates.
St. John Eudes was proclaimed by Pope Pius X "Father, Doctor and Apostle of the Liturgical Cult of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary". Our founder is indeed the first in history to write and celebrate a Mass in honor of the Heart of Mary, it was February 8, 1648. The whole end of his life was devoted to the writing of a master book "The Admirable Heart of the Mother of God", an unequaled sum on the Heart of Mary, combining contemplation and theology, biblical allegories and spiritual elevations, with finally a chapter entirely dedicated to the Heart of Christ.
As of March 31, 2018, the Congregation of Jesus and Mary, Society of Apostolic Life, has 367 members, including 8 bishops, plus 137 candidates in probation. The Congregation welcomes associates - laity and priests - to the current number of 594 engaged. The Congregation is present in 20 countries and has 85 communities.
The Spiritual Family of St. John Eudes includes the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd (Saint John Eudes and St. Mary Euphrasia Pelletier), the Sisters of the Good Savior (now united to the Missionaries of the Gospel), the Little Sisters of the Poor (Saint Jeanne Jugan), the Sisters of the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary (Venerable Amélie Fristel), the Faithful Servants of Jesus (Mercedes Ricaurte and P. André Basset).
The Eudists belong to the French School of Spirituality with the Oratorians, the Sulpicians, the Lazarists and the Foreign Missions of Paris.
MISSIONNARIES SONS OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY (Claretian Missionaries) C.M.F
Foundation: july 16th ,1849, Vic (Spain)
Founder : Saint Anthony Mary Claret (1807-1870)
Our Congregation of Missionaries was founded by St. Anthony Mary Claret in Vic, Spain on the 16th July 1849 and approved by Pope Pius IX on the 22nd December 1865. We are called Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary or Claretian Missionaries.
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According to our Constitutions, the object of the Congregation is “to seek in all things the glory of God, the sanctification of our members and the salvation of people throughout the world, in keeping with our missionary charism in the church”.
Consecrated for the service of the Word, we, the Claretian missionaries, value every means possible to bring the Good News to those who do not know it, to form Christian communities and to transform society according to the values of the Gospel. In communion with our Bishops, we are a missionary community of “witnesses and messengers of the joy of the Gospel”.
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In our family life and in the evangelising mission, the Claretians have as mother, formator and patroness, the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of her Immaculate Heart. Being and calling ourselves Sons of her Heart, we venerate her with love and trust and we give ourselves to her so as to live fully the mystery of Christ and to cooperate with her maternal service in the apostolic mission.
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In the first quarter of 2018, the statistics of our Congregation were: 2,938 members, 20 bishops, 2,204 priests, 1 permanent deacon, 132 brothers, 455 professed in formation and 125 novices. We have a total of 467 communities spread over 67 countries in the five continents.
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Together with us, the Claretian Family is made up of various Congregations, Institutes and Associations founded by St. Anthony Mary Claret or inspired by his same missionary charism: Religious of Mary Immaculate, Missionary Sisters of St. Anthony Mary Claret, Missionary Sisters of Mary Immaculate, Cordimarian Missionary Sisters, Missionary Sisters of the Claretian Institute, the lay institute Cordimarian Filiation and the Lay Claretian Movement.
CONGREGATION OF OUR LADY OF CHARITY AND THE GOOD SHEPHERD
Foundation : January 16, 1835 - Angers, France
Founders : Saint Mary Euphrasia Pelletier. She was canonized May 2, 1940. The Congregation has its origin in the Order of Our Lady of Charity, founded by Saint John Eudes in 1641.
Following a process for integration of the two Congregations, there was a reunification celebrated on June 27, 2014.
The Church entrusts to us a share in her mission of reconciliation. This demands an awareness that we ourselves are always in need of conversion. In our unceasing return to our compassionate God, we discover the depth of our sinfulness and in openness to God’s initiative of love we find mercy. United with all people in their struggle with sin and in their need for reconciliation, we witness among them to the power of this mercy.
The continued experience of mercy in all aspects of our lives sends us to be a presence of Jesus, the Good Shepherd. We are envoys for him; God is appealing through us and the appeal that we make in his name is: be reconciled to God.
Our relationship with those we meet should be for them a means of encounter with Jesus the Good Shepherd. We seek to approach them as he does. Each person is present to him in human uniqueness, and he calls each one friend. Our love should awaken in them a sense of their worth and dignity as children of God. At the same time, we are aware that we receive mercy from them and that we cannot separate our salvation from theirs.
The influence of St. John Eudes on St. Mary Euphrasia along with the scriptural image of Jesus the Good Shepherd is reflected in the Congregation. The biblical image of the Good Shepherd and the Heart of Jesus and Mary, express the love and mercy of God for all people. For the Congregation this love and mercy is especially directed to women and girls whose self-worth has been reduced or damaged.
We have a special relationship with the Heart of Mary that comes from Saint John Eudes. He was the initiator and promoter of the liturgical worship of the Heart of Jesus and Mary. In 1648 he celebrated for the first time in the Church the liturgical feast of the Heart of Mary. “This liturgical celebration given to the Heart of Mary thus opened a new light on the mystery of the Incarnation which has continued to be deepened.” (Luc Crepy, Eudist, Marie-Francoise Le Brizaut, Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd. , Saint John Eudes p. 101
On October 20th, 1672 the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, authored by Saint John Eudes was celebrated for the first time with the approval of numerous Bishops of France.
“Our Lord Jesus Christ, teacher of the devotion to the admirable heart of Mary: We have every reason to consider the adorable Heart of Jesus as the second foundation of the devotion to the admirable Heart of Mary. The supremely ardent love for the Heart of His dearest Mother, burning in the Sacred Heart of Jesus, makes Him the herald of this devotion, which He teaches to us both by word and example”. (Divine Perfections Mirrored in the Admirable Heart of Mary. Chapter I)
Presence in the world: The Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd has two lifestyles, apostolic and contemplative. We are present in 73 countries. We have 40 provinces, 484 communities and we are 3392 sisters.
Other branches of the family: The Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd is influenced by the spirituality of Saint John Eudes and we are considered as part of the Eudist Family.
