To the Church has been given the mission of spreading the Gospel. 'Go teach all nations' is the sanction inscribed on the standard of the missionary, but the religious teaching orders are the reserves of the missionary army, subject to call, and for them the word is rather 'come and teach.'
Such has been the experience of every body of religious teachers, and such is particularly the experience of the Society of Mary. It is a very simple method of expansion and a sure one as well. There is no pretense of a world outlook, no vast planning to spread afar the Kingdom of God, but only the pious uplook to heaven and a simple devotion to the work at hand, doing the present duty faithfully, fervently, skillfully; until, by little and little their success becomes more generally known and requests for new foundations comes in.
The good work spreads by its own devotedness and skill; by apostleship of duty done, rather than of intentions proclaimed; by a kind of auto-porpaganda.
John Garvin, S.M.
The Centenary of the Society of Mary
1917
