Marcellin Champagnat was born in 1789 in France to a farming family. He felt called to become a priest and entered seminary, overcoming challenges through hard work and faith. Witnessing the lack of education available to children, he founded the Little Brothers of Mary in 1817 to educate youth. Though the order grew rapidly, the work exhausted Champagnat. He died in 1840 at the age of 51, leaving the Brothers to continue his mission of providing education in a spirit of faith, family and friendship.

1. St. Marcellin
Champagnat’s
Life

2. It’s 1789. The French Revolution begins.
People take to the streets, shouting : “
Liberty, Equality, Fraternity! ”.

3. On May 20th, the ninth Child of a simple
country family is born At his baptism, he
is given the name, Marcellin.

4. The boy’s father, John Baptist
Champagnat is a leader in the area. The
people appreciate his good judgement,
and friendly spirit.

5. His mother, Mary Therese, takes care of
the house and raises her children with
love. She teaches them to love Mary.

6. Their aunt Louise, a religious, lives with
them at home because of the religious
persecution going on. She prepares
Marcellin for his First Communion. Her
example stays in his mind.

7. Marcellin will always remember his first
day at school. The teacher slaps a boy in
front of all the children. Marcellin
refuses to return there. He prefers to
look after his sheep.

8. From his father he learns the skills of a
farmer. Since he is very clever and is
smart in doing business, he succeeds in
saving a little money from selling sheep.

9. At that time there was great ignorance in
France. The children do not have schools
or they go to schools that do not function
well. The country needs good teachers
and many priests.

10. One day a priest
stops at
Champagnat’s family
house and asks if
any of the boys
wants to go to the
seminary. The older
son says no. Then
the priest turns to
Marcellin.

11. After seeing how
open-hearted and
friendly the boy is,
the visitor asks him
to be a priest.
Marcellin says, “Yes,
I want to be a
priest because that
is what God wants
me to do ”.

12. Just as Marcellin is preparing to leave for
the seminary, his father dies. Marcellin is
fifteen years old. He suffers greatly
from this loss because he loved his
father very much.

13. At sixteen, Marcellin enters the seminary
at Verrières. He stands out from the rest
because his is so tall. Some laugh at him.
But little by little, he earns their respect
and friendship.

14. In the beginning,
not everything goes
well for him. He
starts behind his
classmates in the
seminary. He has to
study long and hard
to catch up with
them.

15. His conduct and
schoolwork
improve, and he is
put in charge of
the dormitory.
This gives him
more time to
study. He tries to
live up to the trust
people have in him.

16. Marcellin’s mother, his greatest support
in difficult times, dies when he is twenty
years old. He will always remember her
with love.

17. Marcellin moves on to study theology at
the major seminary in Lyons. He is
already a man, twenty four years old. His
dream of becoming a priest is getting
closer all the time.

18. During summer vacations, he rounds up
groups of children from his village. He
organises games, and tells them about
God’s love for them. It’s something they
look forward to each year.

19. Marcellin has another concern. He sees a
great need for teachers for the children.
He keeps telling them: “We need
Brothers to teach them!”.

20. The big day arrives.
Marcellin is
ordained a priest,
along with fifty-two
companions. The
cathedral of Lyons
is overflowing with
people. It is 22nd
July, 1816.

22. He is sent to the parish of La Valla, a
little village in the mountains. When he
first sees the houses, he kneels and
prays to God and to his Good Mother.

23. The parish is in a bad way. It will take a
priest who is strong and understanding to
tackle the drunkenness and other serious
problems. Marcellin is such a man and he
soon starts to make an impact.

24. His catechism classes become a joy for
the children. Many have to walk long
distances. He treats them all with
affection. He prefers to encourage
rather than to punish them.

26. One day, Marcellin
is called to the
bedside of a boy
who knows nothing
of God’s love. He
speaks to him about
Jesus and Mary,
telling him how
much God loves him.
His name is Jean-
Baptiste Montagne.

27. Marcellin taught
him to pray. Then
he prayed for him.
After a while the
boy died in peace.
Marcellin felt so
moved by the
expereince that it
made him realize
something.

29. The situation
requires an answer.
A short time later,
on 2nd January,
1817, he begins the
Little Brothers of
Mary. Two young
men move into
rooms near the
parish Church.

30. The Brothers are
not priests. They
dedicate their lives
to God and in the
service of the
people.

31. To carry out their
life’s work they
must get ready.
They live simple
lives, pray, study
and earn a living
making nails. They
also take time for
relaxing and having
fun.

32. The Brothers in
turn gaves their
lives in order to
educate young
people in a Christian
way, through their
presence among
them.

33. More and more
villages want to have
a school run by the
Brothers but
Marcellin doesn’t
have enough
Brothers. As always,
he prays Mary : “
Good Mother, help
us! This is your
family ”.

34. Many young people
came to join the
Little Brothers of
Mary.

36. The moment arrives when Marcellin is
completely exhausted and can’t go on
anymore. He can no longer stand and is
bedridden. He’s on his deathbed.

37. Days before he
dies, Marcellin
dictates his last
wishes for his
Brothers. “ Love one
another. Love our
Good Mother and
teach others to love
her. Give good
example to young
people… ”

38. He dies at the
Hermitage at 4:30
a.m. on Saturday,
6th June, 1840,
while the Brothers
are singing their
daily hymn to Mary,
“Hail, holy Queen”.
He is 51 years old.

39. Today, throughout
the world, the small
seed that Marcellin
planted is bearing
fruit in over seventy
countries of the
world.

40. Brothers work
closely with young
people and children,
especially those who
are most needy: in
schools, on the
sports field, on the
street, under atree,
in good times and
bad… They offer
them the presence
of a friend.

41. They make their
schools places
where all can feel at
home and learn to
live together
happily: centres for
good education,
sports, prayer and
friendship. That is
to say, a true
family.

42. The Marist Brothers have chosen to be
Marcellin Champagnat’s followers.