OFFICIAL NAME
Militia Christi
ACRONYM
MJC (Militia of Jesus Christ)
ESTABLISHED
1209
HISTORY
MJC was founded in 1209, influenced by St Dominic and the Dominican friars. Encouraged across the centuries by numerous popes, it developed as an order of chivalry whose members, courageous faithful members of the laity, placed themselves at the service of the Church to defend the faith. In 1870, the chivalrous Order of the Militia of Jesus Christ was reorganised in Rome around a group of papal officials assisted by the Master General of the Dominicans, and with the encouragement of Pius IX, to relaunch the spirit of the ancient institution directing its members towards creating the Kingdom of God in society. During the period of reform between 1959 and 1973, the Order was transformed into an association of the faithful and its purposes were geared to meeting the needs of the lay apostolate according to the teachings of Vatican II. On 21 November 1981, the Pontifical Council for the Laity decreed recognition of the Milice de Jésus-Christ as an international association of the faithful.
IDENTITY
MJC is open to membership by lay men and women from all backgrounds and states of life, who wish to commit themselves individually and as an association to fostering the spirit of faith and Christian values in the world. Its members live the Evangelical counsels according to their specific state of life and in a renewed spirit of chivalry, practising works of doctrinal and ecumenical education, Marian piety and social justice. In order to support these three areas of action, MJC has three departments, each led by a Director: the Department of Truth, which guarantees the formation of its members based on Thomist philosophy and theology, by teaching and guidance towards reliable sources; the Department of the Rosary, which corresponds to the Marian vocation of the association and fuels the interior life and the piety of the individual members, through spiritual retreats, prayer vigils and moments of meditation; the Department of Hospitality, which not only guarantees mutual assistance among the members and organises hospitality for them at meetings and chapters, but more particularly to support and promote works of solidarity and charity which are inseparable from evangelisation.
ORGANISATION
MJC is governed by the Master General, assisted by an Assistant General, and who has responsibility for taking decisions on the life of the association. The Assistant General is assisted by the Magistral Council comprising the General Secretary, the Provincial leaders, the departmental Directors, and members appointed pro-tempore. The ecclesiastical ordinary is the Archbishop of Sens (France). Membership of MJC is divided into affiliated members, committed members, and consecrated members. The affiliated members are persons who live the spirituality of the association without being bound to it; committed members bind themselves in a sequence of stages to the spirit of service and militancy specific to the chivalrous vocation and Dominican spirituality; consecrated members vow to live the Evangelical counsels of poverty and chastity in a special way according to their specific state of life, or the demands of special obedience to the Pope and to defend our Lady, taking one or more temporary vows and subsequently final vows. The members are grouped together in houses headed by local Delegates. Houses in the same country constitute a Province, which is entrusted to the Provincial Delegate.
WORKS
MJC manages two civil associations: 1- Opere Militia Christi for the support of charitable projects, particularly the education of young people and the care of the sick and disabled (Benin, Burkina Faso, France, Haiti, Madagascar and Togo).; 2. Militia Christi Education, an association that collects religious books in French and sends them to institutions of education: seminaries, monasteries, diocesan centres, catholic universities, etc. (Benin, Burundi, Chad, Congo, Egypt, Lebanon, Madagascar, Rumania, Senegal, Vietnam).
PUBLICATIONS
Militia Christi, published in French three times a year.
WEB SITE
HEADQUARTERS
Milice de Jésus-Christ
4, rue Albert Samain
75017 Paris
France
Tel. [+32] (0)83699800
E-mail: militiachristi.france@gmail.com
