Ministries
See Our Schools and Other Educational Ministries
Good Lord, what a great work education is. There is nothing so arduous, nothing which requires so much tact. … But nothing is more meritorious, and nothing greater. I considered whether we would take a special vow in the Society to devote ourselves to education. It is the greatest work.' (Jean-Claude Colin (FS 13:10)
The Society of Mary has a century and a half long commitment to Catholic education in the United States. Both the Marist School in Atlanta, Georgia and Notre Dame Preparatory in Pontiac, Michigan are evident signs of this. In addition, the Marists also serve in campus ministries and with youth in a wide variety of ways.
Marists express their founding call to help educate the youth of America. They do it wherever they are and with the most important tool they have – compassion.
See Our School
Marist School, Atlanta, GA
Established 1901
An Independent Catholic School of the Marist Fathers & Brothers
The mission of Marist School, serving middle and high school students, is to form the whole person in the image of Christ through instruction grounded in religious values, the teachings of the Catholic Church and the spirit of the Society of Mary. This mission is advanced through communal pursuit of excellence in academic, religious, extracurricular, leadership, and service programs.
Marist Sponsored Schools: Growing in spirituality within a community strong in its Catholic and Marist identity
Notre Dame Academy, Duluth, GA
Established 2005
A Marist Catholic and International Baccalaureate World School
Rooted in our Marist, Catholic tradition, Notre Dame Academy is a Pre-K through 12 International Baccalaureate community that fosters individual academic growth, moral responsibility, and global mindedness. Inspired to know and love each child, Notre Dame Academy combines knowledge and faith to form wisdom and life vision. The goal of Notre Dame Academy is to integrate the teachings of the Gospel within the context of academic content. Students with faith have a desire to critically examine the world around them and not accept statements as truths. Knowledge of the Gospel gives power to the learner to remain objective and independent when faced with the attitudes and habits of society.
Notre Dame Prep, Pontiac, MI
Established 1994
Providing its economically diverse student body a Catholic-Christian and internationally recognized college-preparatory experience of lasting value. We are an International Baccalaureate World School.
Notre Dame Preparatory (NDP) provides an exemplary pre-kindergarten through high school educational experience to students from families of diverse socio-economic backgrounds. We affirm the Marist mission to “Work with God to form Christian People, Upright Citizens and Academic Scholars.”
NDP recognizes that the principles of the Gospel and the teaching of the Church are the educational norms upon which the Catholic school rests. We are to understand and to witness the Christian Good News of humanity’s redemption by the salvific work of Jesus Christ. The religious dimension of a young person’s growth must be addressed in the context of this Catholic Tradition. Thus, NDP assumes the responsibility of aiding in the development of a Christian conscience through an understanding and appreciation of Catholic doctrine, traditions and practices. Therefore, Notre Dame Preparatory strives to create an atmosphere where the student’s faith can grow and attempts to provide means and opportunities for participation in faith experiences.
Educational Enrichment Programs
Building Bridges, Pontiac, MI
Established 2004
Since 2004 Notre Dame Preparatory (NDP) in Pontiac, Michigan has partnered with a community organization, Building Bridges (BB), to provide bright and highly capable students from the area the benefit of a tuition-free NDP education. The BB/NDP partnership began as the creation of Notre Dame High School alumnus, Paul Housey ’88. Mr. Housey and Marist Leon Olszamowski, in conjunction with the leadership at NDP. They joined together with the goal of providing a life-changing Notre Dame education to highly motivated students from families in need of tuition assistance.
“DREAMers” GED Preparation Program
Centro Hispano Marista, Atlanta GA
http://www.centrohispanomarista.org/
Established 2012
Centro Hispano Marista is a program for adults that opened with the help of the Society of Mary at the Marist School in August 2012. Centro Marista offers adults educational preparation to obtain their GED diploma, so they can pursue higher education, aspire to better jobs, and secure a promising future from themselves and their families.
An important aspect of the Centro Hispano Marista mission is to reach out, in the name of Jesus and in the spirit of Mary, His Mother, to those who are forgotten or neglected by society. In the words of Fr. Jean-Claude Colin, the founder of the Society of Mary, Mary’s example inspires us “to think, judge, feel and act like her in all things.” For this reason, the Marists believe that the Center for Hispanic Young Adult Education and Faith Formation is not only a very much-needed work of the Church; it is truly a work of Mary.
Reach For Excellence, Atlanta, GA
http://reachforexcellence.org/
Established 2001
A program to change the lives of underserved middle school students through education and opportunity.
Reach for Excellence is a tuition-free academic and leadership enrichment program began in 2001. The program empowers determined learners and expands their possibilities in the classroom, in the community, and in life. Reach for Excellence offers students of limited income a mix of academic, cultural, and community-based experiences that prepares them for the challenges of college-preparatory programs and high schools. The program is hosted at Marist School.