The village of Cerdon, in the northern Bugey mountains
Detail: Official icon of Jean-Claude Colin, with Blessed Virgin and Child
Barbery: Cross on the site of the Colin home
Forest of Barbery: hiding place for priests during Revolutionaries' raids - and of quiet for the young Jean-Claude
St Bonnet-le-Troncy, boyhood home of Jean-Claude Colin
River Loire, which flows past the minor seminary of St Jodard
Lyon, Fourvière: ancient chapel of the Blessed Virgin and Basilica
Fourvière: sanctuary of the ancient chapel of the Blessed Virgin.
Cerdon: Fr Colin's first appointment as assistant to his brother, Pierre.
Cerdon: statue in the church of St John the Baptist
Presbytery at Cerdon: home for the first nine years of Jean-Claude's priestly life.
Belley: Minor seminary high school where pioneer Bugey missioners lived
Bugey mountains: village of Lacoux
Bugey mountains: church at Innimont
Bugey mountains: church at Innimont
Bugey mountains: statue at Arandas
Rome: The Quirinale, residence of the Popes at the time of Fr Colin's first visits
Rome: Odescalchi Palace, from the church of the Apostles where Fr Colin stayed in 1833
Belley: Chapel of La Capucinière, first Marist professions, 1836
Lyon, Puylata: General House of the Society of Mary from 1838
Rochefort du Gard: one of the shrines undertaken by Fr Colin and the Marists
Toulon, La Seyne: One of the first high schools established by the Marist Fathers
Marcellange: established by Fr Colin as a place of retreat for his missioners
Trappist monastery at Aiguebelle: Fr Colin would make private retreats here
La Neylière: planned by Fr Colin to be a place of silence and retreat
La Neylière: book belonging to Fr Colin
La Neylière: Fr Colin's study
La Neylière: winter sunset, from the room of Fr Colin
La Neylière: bedroom of Fr Colin
La Neylière: crucifix laid in the hands of Fr Colin upon his death
La Neylière: resting place of Fr Colin

Sharing the story of Jean-Claude Colin

The story of Fr Colin needs to be told.
For his Beatification Cause to be advanced,
an awareness of Jean-Claude Colin's goodness and holiness will lead naturally
to seeking his intercession with God, especially for the graces of healing,
perhaps miraculous.
 
Marists throughout the world suggest the following practical ideas
for telling the story ('spreading the fama') of their Founder... 

          
Our Marist parishes, schools, communities
  • Check that all our churches, schools, communities have an image of Fr Colin promonently displayed.
  • Discuss with pastors and school personnel re the availability of printed resources in each place of workship and school facilities.
  • Supply Colin-, anniversary-related inserts for newsletters and bulletins.
 
Promoting the Colin website, www.jeanclaudecolin.org
  • ‘His Life’ series of pages   Go to first page
  • ‘Seeking graces’ and ‘Prayers for Graces’ (under ‘The Cause’ menu)   Go to first page
  • ‘Resources’: an extensive selection of Colin-related material   Go to first page
 
Distributing resources
  • Plan to print and distribute hard copies* of selected resources to our communities, parishes, schools, Marist Laity and other Marist works.
  • Digital copies of most resources are available from the Colin website.
  • Many resources are in multiple languages.
  • (* current research suggests that up to 94% of emailed attachments are unread, so there is a strong case for supplying hard copies of material we want to be read.)
 
Resources about Fr Colin
  Leaflets eLeaflets eJCC bmk prayer graces x4 lp
 
  • ‘On Whatever Distant Shore: The Story of Jean-Claude Colin, Founder of the Society of Mary’.(short biography in DL sized leaflet format)   Go to page
  • 'Founder and Father' (small leaflet, available tin 50 languages)   Go to page
  • 'Who is Jean-Claude Colin?' (small page)   Go to page
  • Images of Fr Colin  (official icon and other photos)   Go to page
  • Prayer bookmarks (‘Prayer for graces’, ‘Prayer for a miracle’)   Go to page
 
Life story of Fr Colin - books
  Reluctant FounderReluctant Founder 0918 JCC bio 18Reluctant Founder 0918 JCC bio 110921 Cover final approved
 
  • Investigate sourcing copies and distribution of:
  • ‘Jean-Claude Colin, Reluctant Founder’ (Biography, Justin Taylor)   Go to page
  • ‘A Short Life of Jean-Claude Colin, Marist Founder’ (Abbreviated biography, Justin Taylor; available in four languages)   Go to page
 
 Other resources
  Marist Way EN 1 coverEducatorThemes 10 Cdts 1Coste to ColinOct 29 DL0324 Marist Family DL 1
 
  • 'The Marist Way' : elements of the Marist spirit.   Go to page
  • Fr Leon Olszamowski's article, ‘Fr Jean-Claude Colin SM, a saintly educator for his time and ours.’    Go to page
  • Fr Colin's 'Ten Commandments for Missioners'   Go to page
  • 'Jean Coste speaks to Fr Colin'   Go to page
  • 'The Society of Mary has begun'   Go to page
  • 'The Family of Marists'   Go to page
 
Colin calendars
  2025 Calendar cover 0824
 
  • Ensure supplies are available for parish, school, community and lay group use.
  • There is an order form at the foot of the 'Calendar' page (under 'Resources' menu)   Go to page
 
Colin-related anniversaries
  • These are recurring opportunities to celebrate a Colin event or resource distribution
  • See Colin website 'Anniversaries' page (under 'Resources' menu).   Go to page
  • Check related liturgy, prayer resources and language options.
  • Distribute anniversary list for communities, parishes, schools and lay groups.
 
Develop a Jean-Claude Colin ‘App’
  • For use on hand-held devices (phones, tablets…)
  • Quotes from Fr Colin
  • Anniversary-related item