Maryknoll Society

This article is about the Catholic religious organizations, the magazine, and the hill in New York. For the Australian town, see Maryknoll, Victoria.
Maryknoll Society
AbbreviationM.M.
Formation1911; 113 years ago (1911)
Founders
TypeSociety of Apostolic Life of Pontifical Right (for Men)
Headquarters(Fathers and Brothers) P.O. Box 303, Maryknoll, NY 10545-0303
Membership (2017)
317 (268 Priests)
Key people
  • Raymond J. Finch, Superior General, Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers
  • Ted Miles, Executive Director, Maryknoll Lay Missioners
Websitewww.maryknoll.org Edit this at Wikidata

The Maryknoll Society is (also known as the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers and officially as Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America; Latin: Societas de Maryknoll pro missionibus exteris) is a Catholic society of apostolic life for men founded in the United States to serve as missionaries to the poor and marginalized.

The society was founded in 1911 by Thomas Frederick Price, James Anthony Walsh, and Mary Joseph Rogers. The name Maryknoll comes from the hill outside the Village of Ossining, Westchester County, New York, which houses the headquarters of all three.[1] Members of the societies are usually called Maryknollers.[2]

Maryknollers are sometimes known as the "Marines of the Catholic Church" for their reputation of moving into rough areas, living side-by-side with the indigenous peoples and learning the language.[3][4] Maryknollers focus on "combating poverty, providing healthcare, building communities and advancing peace and social justice" in the countries they serve and have built numerous orphanages, primary schools and secondary schools.[5] Because of the way in which Maryknollers have especially engaged in social justice, Maryknoll is also sometimes seen as a movement that represents missionary service concerned with positive action for indigenous people.[6][7][8] In the mid-20th century, this movement came to be associated with liberation theology.[3]

The Christophers and The Maryknoll Affiliates[9] are both associated with the Maryknoll Movement. Maryknoll is also the current name of the semi-monthly magazine which the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers publish.[10]

The Maryknoll name is shared by a number of related Catholic organizations, including the Maryknoll Sisters, and the Maryknoll Lay Missioners. The organizations are independent entities with shared history that work closely together in the joint focus of the overseas mission activity of the Catholic Church particularly in East Asia, the United States, Latin America, and Africa.[3]

  1. ^ Kashuba, Cheryl (October 12, 2012). "Local History: Maryknoll Fathers trace roots to Hill Section". Scranton, PA: The Scranton Times-Tribune. Retrieved 8 June 2014. The Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America, commonly known as the Maryknoll Fathers, was in its infancy. In 1911, deeply convinced of the need to train Catholic priests for foreign missions, Father Thomas Price, a native of North Carolina, and Father James Walsh of Boston received permission to travel to Rome, where Pope Pius X granted their request to found their new society. The following year, 1912, the Maryknoll Fathers opened their first major seminary at Maryknoll, a hill on the outskirts of Ossining, N.Y., dedicated to Mary, Mother of God.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference knolligram was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c deChillo, Suzanne (March 19, 1985). "Maryknoll Pursues Its Vision of Mission". The New York Times. Retrieved 15 June 2014. Located across the road from each other, the Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic, as they are officially called, and the Maryknoll Society – which is officially known as the Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America and includes priests, brothers and lay missionaries – are separate organizations but often cooperate on projects. Their work in 27 countries – in churches, schools and orphanages and with lepers, factory workers, farmers and the homeless – rarely makes the headlines. Founded in 1911, the Maryknoll Society was the first Catholic Church missionary society in the United States;...The members of the society quickly became known as the Marines of the Church.
  4. ^ Fraser, Barbara J. (September 28, 2011). "The church's Marines: Maryknollers older, fewer, but still going strong". Catholic News Service. Catholic News Service. Archived from the original on 17 October 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
  5. ^ "Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers". The Maryknoll Society. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
  6. ^ "Maryknoll Lay Missioners – Our Mission". Maryknoll Lay Missioners. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  7. ^ "Maryknoll". Maryknoll. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  8. ^ Powers, George C. (1926). The Maryknoll movement (1st US ed.). Catholic foreign mission society of America. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  9. ^ "The Maryknoll Affiliates". Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  10. ^ "Maryknoll Magazine". Maryknoll Magazine/. Maryknoll. Retrieved 12 June 2014.