The whole of Nature presents us with lines and demarcations. The line of a river plays capriciously through a territory, creating diversions through which the water gently flows. There are many other lines. The line of the beach, where the sea meets the sand. The line of the horizon where the sky meets the sea. In some instances it is hard to distinguish where one begins and the other ends. The mountain chains. This is all a part of nature, since lines introduce distinctions and with distinctions, the richness of diversity. The world was created in this way by the hand of God.

The history of humankind reminds us of the fact that we corrupted nature when we turned the lines into boundaries, the demarcations into hidden enclosures. To maintain boundaries, or to widen them, wars have been started, much blood has been shed, enemies have been created, millions of human lives have been lost. Creation is unity. Boundaries create division, hatred, domination. Differences lead to discrimination. It is important to know to which side of the boundary you belong: you are either for us or against us; you cannot walk along the fence like a tight rope walker. Boundaries must result in discrimination. Basically, boundaries are the scars of history. They vary according to the results of wars.

“Marcellin Champagnat; a heart that knows no bounds”, aims to turn us once again towards God’s creation. When a person lives his life from this perspective, he acquires a prophetic dimension because the love which unifies is the key to his existence.

Marcellin affirmed that “all the dioceses of this world enter into our plans”. There are no geographical boundaries which can resist the force of his charism. He sent Brothers to Oceania, a crazy and adventurous journey for that time.
There are no social boundaries because the marginalised are the privileged. Because of that he fought religious ignorance and poverty through holistic education. Conscious of the danger produced by boundaries, the pain and suffering which they generate... he took the risk of crossing them to dedicate himself to the most needy.

The Marist presence in 74 countries is an indication of the international dimension of the Institute. But even more importantly is the spiritual sense and the pastoral mentality. The canonization in St. Peter’s Square is a call for us to live without boundaries. For the Church, it will be the official recognition of the sanctity of Marcellin and it will be launched throughout the world ignoring boundaries. Mary did not look on the mountain chains as insurmountable barriers. She hurried to the aid of her cousin, who was in need of her.

The heart, in biblical language, refers to the essence of the person. That is where vital decisions are taken, dialogue is maintained with God and where is found the unquenchable fountain of love... A love which, in Marcellin Champagnat, knows no bounds!

On the logo for the Canonisation, there are three interwoven elements: the letter M, the unfurling of that letter, and a sphere representing our world. Usually, illiteracy is considered as an indicator of the shortcomings in a system of education. We acknowledge that well–educated people, in developing their qualities to the maximum, are blessed with the capacity to understand and deal effectively with the world in which they live. Coming upon the ignorance of the Montagne boy, Marcellin, a 27–year–old parish priest at the time, was prompted to bring into being the Institute of the Marist Brothers. An M has been selected for the logo to symbolize Marcellin, Mary, and the Marist Brothers. In Champagnat’s view, a person’s well–being reaches its highest expression when it is steeped in its spiritual dimension, in holiness. Holiness is like a pleasing fragrance that makes its way through the world.

A sense of well–being, just like Marcellin’s heart, knows no bounds. His mission is not designed to be self–serving, bound up in self–gratification. Rather, it joyfully opens itself up to our world in all its fullness: “All the dioceses in the world enter into our vision and planning!” Holiness, the spiritual expression of love, is what unites an individual to his or her world. In a ceremony on April 18th, the Church will take the momentous step of officially proclaiming the holiness of Marcellin. Champagnat’s heart will penetrate the innermost recesses of our world, because he allowed God to take root in his own inner being. A model and an invitation for all of us.