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| This altar contains the remains of founder Blessed William Joseph Chaminade |
Blessed Chaminade's devotion to Mary resulted in the foundation of two religious families to assist in her Apostolic Mission in modern times, which means bringing divine life to all her children, a particular aspect of her Spiritual Maternity. It was the conviction of her Apostolic Mission that inspired these foundations.
Marianist Father Emil Neubert explained further:
Father Chaminade did not begin with thinking about a new apostolic society that he would place under the auspices of Mary. Rather, the very idea of Mary's Apostolic Mission gave birth in him to the idea of a new religious family totally dedicated to her as her ministers for the accomplishment of this mission. At the feet of Our Lady of the Pillar he meditated long hours on Mary's Mission. There he understood that her mission is a predominantly apostolic one. God had given him the conviction that this mission was to be especially manifest in modern times.
