EUROPE/ITALY - Spanish born Fr Manuel Cortes elected Superior General of the Society of Mary, Marianists

Saturday, 22 July 2006

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Rome (Agenzia Fides) - On 21 July the delegates of the Society of Mary (Marianists), holding a general Chapter in Rome, elected Fr Manuel Cortés their 15th Superior general. Fr Cortes was born in Valencia, Spain, in 1945. He entered the Marianist Novitiate in 1961 and made his first vows on 12 September 1962. He was ordained a priest in Fribourg, Switzerland, 24 March 1974. During his life a member of the Society of Mary Fr. Cortés has been community superior, chaplain, novice master and parish priest. From 1989 to 1997 he was Marianist Superior provincial in Saragozza and attended the general chapter as an elected member. He has written various books and speaks four languages. In the coming days the Chapter members will elect a new general council to flank the Superior General and guide the Society of Mary for the next six years.
The Society of Mary was founded in 1817 by Blessed Guillermo José Chaminade (1761/1850) at Burdeos in France. Today it has 1,300 members, priests and religious, in 200 communities on thirty different countries. Their field of apostolate is education, in schools and universities, animation of youth and adult groups, parish pastoral service, cultural animation, presence among people with a disability and marginalised people. The Society of Mary (SM) is a branch of the Marianist Family which includes the Daughters of Mary Immaculate (FMI), Lay Marianist Communities (CLM) and Marian Alliance (AM) a secular institute.
The general chapter, 9 - 30 July, is discussing the needs of the Society and identifying areas and priorities for the next six years. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 22/7/2006 - righe 22; parole 322)