WHO ARE THE MARIANS?

The Congregation of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary is a religious community of consecrated priests and brothers in the Roman Catholic Church. In America, the members of the Congregation are perhaps best known for their work promoting the message of Divine Mercy from Stockbridge, Massachusetts. They are also known for their devotion to Mary Immaculate, dedication to praying for the poor souls in Purgatory, and active service to the Church.

The Marian Founder

Founded in Poland in 1673 by St. Stanislaus Papczynski, today the Marian Congregation has well over 500 priests and brothers who labor in 20 countries, including: the United States, Argentina, Australia, Belarus, Brazil, Cameroon, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Rwanda, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.

The Marian Congregation is unique in that it has not only a Founder, St. Stanislaus, but also what the Marians call a “Renovator”: Lithuanian-born Blessed George Matulaitis.

Blessed George is credited with saving the Marian Congregation from annihilation when he renovated and refounded it in 1910. Prior to the Renovation, the Marian Congregation had been reduced to just one member due to relentless persecution by Russian authorities. With the support of the Pope and bishops, Blessed George rewrote the Marians’ Constitutions, gathered new members, and unleashed the renovated Marian Congregation as a zealous army for Christ and the Church in the modern world. Today, they continue this tradition of spreading the message of God’s Divine Mercy to a world so in need of it.