On 23rd July 1816 in Lyon, France, a group of twelve men made the Promise of Fourvière, laying the foundations for the Marist project. Today, as we remember this important moment, we reflect on what this pledge means for us now.
In the Marist places of origin booklet published in 2025, Fr. Faustino Ferrari, sm, reflects on why the Promise remains deeply relevant today. Here are a few key takeaways:
For the Christian, the foundation of promises is God himself […] Experiencing the fidelity of God allows us to find an anchor of salvation within the emptiness and fluidity that surround our existence. Recalling the promise made two centuries ago by the small group of Marist aspirants, means actualising this dynamic of faith that opens us to the future of God.
The Promise [of Fourvière] is presented to us not as an individual work, but a collective one. […] From its earliest beginnings the Society of Mary was understood as a group, as an ensemble, as a consortium and not as a sum of single individuals. The term does not appear in the text, but is as it were a sub-plot, the watermark of the entire project. To form the family of Mary. Yes, it is a group. It is not a first. There is recognition as sons of the same Mother. If it is true, as is often noted from the outside, that one of the traits that characterise the Marist experience is a certain lived family dimension, then the seeds of this aspect are already present in the Promise.
From a Biblical, Liturgical and celebratory point of view, to remember means to actualise. How can we remember the Promise of Fourvière, today? […] As Marists, we are called to celebrate moments in our history to remember God's action and faithfulness. Our faithfulness is rooted in the ability to make what we remember relevant today. We are Marists because we have the opportunity to live a faith and spirituality embodied in the lives of those who came before us. Because we can see it lived and actualized in the experiences of so many of our brothers and sisters. Because we can share it with them.
Therefore, we do not remember something that happened in the past, but we are invited to become spiritual people who seek to live today what has been passed down by previous generations. […] Remembering the Promise [of Fourvière] becomes a moment of celebration and, at the same time, demonstrates our willingness to welcome God's future as it comes to us. That future, for us Marists, is accompanied by the presence of Mary, the One who reminds us: "I was the support of the nascent Church; I will be again at the end of time."
The full commentary by Fr Faustino Ferrari on the Promise can be found in the Marist places of origin booklet (pp. 10-14) available on our website at:
Happy Fourvière day!
