ATLANTA-A Mass celebrating the joining of the San Francisco and Washington D.C. provinces of the Society of Mary will be held Feb. 2 at 5:30 p.m. at Marist School.

On Jan.1, the former San Francisco and Washington D.C. provinces of the Marists joined to become the San-Francisco-Washington D.C. Province of the Society of Mary.

The creation of this province of priests and brothers is a response to the needs of the church at a critical time when fewer young people enter into ministry or Religious life. Father Joaquin Fernandez, SM, superior general of the Marists, made the official announcement from the order's house in Rome, Italy.

"This is a courageous step forward and one which demonstrates faith and hope in the future," Father Fernandez said.

The headquarters of the new province are located in Atlanta at Marist School. Father William Rowland, SM, provincial superior of the new province, said that this is "a time that calls for greater creativity and flexibility and that usually results in greater vitality and generosity."

The Society dates from the early 1800s when a group of seminarians and priest in Lyons, France, felt the call to establish a new congregation dedicated to Mary with the goal of proclaiming the Catholic faith to the most neglected and the most in need. The Marists arrived in the United States in 1861. Marists in the new province minister to 15 states from Georgia to Hawaii and from Texas to Minnesota. They serve as parish priests, teach in high schools and colleges, are chaplains in schools, work in prison ministry and undertake foreign missions.

To prepare for the creation of the new province, members of the two former provinces met this past June in a week-long assembly in Phoenix, Ariz. During the gathering, the entire group shared their common hopes and dreams for the new province. All present then signed a pledge to work together in the new province to do God's work in Mary's name.

"This was a wonderful and stirring moment," Father Rowland said. "It reminded me of the bold vision of the first Marists in France, as well as the courage and faith of those Marists who first came to this country."

Officials and representatives of the new province as well Archbishop John F. Donoghue will celebrate the Feb. 2 Mass. In the months that follow, province members will come together to plan how their gifts and talents can further serve the church in this new century.

"We are energized by the journey God is calling us to," Father Rowland said. "And we look forward with great anticipation to the new initiatives we will undertake."

For more information, call Father Rowland at (770) 458-1435.