In the great ensemble of religious orders, we have a family trait that distinguishes us essentially from all the others … All periods of the Church’s history are marked with the struggles and the glorious triumphs of the august Mary. Ever since the Lord put enmity between her and the serpent, she has constantly overcome the world and hell … Mary’s power is not diminished … She is today, as she was formerly, the incomparable Woman, the promised Woman who was to crush the serpent’s head … she is the hope, the joy, and the life of the Church and the terror of hell. To her, therefore, is reserved a great victory in our day: hers will be the glory of saving the faith from the shipwreck with which it is threatened among us.
Now, we have understood this design of Providence… and have hastened to offer Mary our feeble services in order to labor under her orders and combat at her side. … by a special vow, that of Stability, to assist her with all our strength until the end of our life, in her noble struggle against the powers of hell. And as an Order justly celebrated has taken the name and standard of Jesus Christ, so we have taken the name and standard of Mary and are ready to hasten wherever she calls us, in order to spread her cult, and through it the kingdom of God in souls.
This is certainly the distinguishing character and family trait of both our Societies: we are in a special manner the auxiliaries and the instruments of the Blessed Virgin in the great work of reforming morals, of preserving and propagating the Faith, and by the fact, of sanctifying our neighbor. She entrusts to us the projects which are inspired by her almost infinite charity, and we make a vow to serve her faithfully till the end of our life, to carry out punctually all that she tells us. We are glad that we can thus spend in her service the life and strength that we have pledged to her (1163 – 24 August 1839. To the Preachers of Retreats).
