Our Special Religious Character
Five Characteristics of a Marist College
Marist Colleges are renowned for their ethos founded on a sense of ‘family spirit’ which are discernible by five characteristics which particularly inform ‘how we do things around here’. The Five Characteristics of Marist Teaching are:
1. Presence
We care for students
We know each one individually
We seek relationship founded on love
We are attentive and welcoming
We earn trust, we foster openness
2. Simplicity
We are genuine and straightforward
We say what we believe and show it
We are honest before God and ourselves
We seek humility and modesty, ‘to do good quietly’
We use simplicity in our teaching
We encourage simplicity as a value in our lives, not seduced by possessions and fame
3. Family Spirit
We relate to each other and to young people in our care as the members of a loving family
We undertake to build community
We offer a warmth of welcome, acceptance and belonging
We share life’s successes and failures
We set clear standards of honesty, mutual respect and tolerance
We believe in each student’s innate goodness, not confusing the person with their actions
We give preferential attention to those whose needs are greatest
We encourage leadership based on collaboration and shared responsibility
4. Love of Work
We are people of work, ready to ‘roll up our sleeves’
We work with total confidence in God
We are generous of heart, constant and persevering in our daily work
We prepare classes, being visionary and decisive in meeting the needs of our students
We encourage our students to discover the dignity of work, a source of self-fulfilment
We view work as a way to bring purpose and meaning to life
We seek to develop strong character and resilience, balanced moral conscience and solid values
We foster motivation and teamwork
5. In the Way of Mary
We see Mary as a perfect model of the Marist educator – as an exemplar of the Christian life, as mother, as one who praised God
We see Mary as a woman on a journey of Faith
We believe Mary had a difficult life and ‘dust on her feet’
We consciously bring a Marial dimension to our teaching by prayer, imitating Mary’s tenderness, strength and constancy of faith
We care for students
We know each one individually
We seek relationship founded on love
We are attentive and welcoming
We earn trust, we foster openness
2. Simplicity
We are genuine and straightforward
We say what we believe and show it
We are honest before God and ourselves
We seek humility and modesty, ‘to do good quietly’
We use simplicity in our teaching
We encourage simplicity as a value in our lives, not seduced by possessions and fame
3. Family Spirit
We relate to each other and to young people in our care as the members of a loving family
We undertake to build community
We offer a warmth of welcome, acceptance and belonging
We share life’s successes and failures
We set clear standards of honesty, mutual respect and tolerance
We believe in each student’s innate goodness, not confusing the person with their actions
We give preferential attention to those whose needs are greatest
We encourage leadership based on collaboration and shared responsibility
4. Love of Work
We are people of work, ready to ‘roll up our sleeves’
We work with total confidence in God
We are generous of heart, constant and persevering in our daily work
We prepare classes, being visionary and decisive in meeting the needs of our students
We encourage our students to discover the dignity of work, a source of self-fulfilment
We view work as a way to bring purpose and meaning to life
We seek to develop strong character and resilience, balanced moral conscience and solid values
We foster motivation and teamwork
5. In the Way of Mary
We see Mary as a perfect model of the Marist educator – as an exemplar of the Christian life, as mother, as one who praised God
We see Mary as a woman on a journey of Faith
We believe Mary had a difficult life and ‘dust on her feet’
We consciously bring a Marial dimension to our teaching by prayer, imitating Mary’s tenderness, strength and constancy of faith