The Society of Mary (Marist Fathers and Brothers) was approved by Pope Gregory XVI on the 10th of January 1836 and entrusted to their care the vicariate of Western Oceania.

In summary this Vicariate covered the southern Cook Islands, Tonga, Samoa, Tokelau, Phoenix islands, Gilbert Islands (Kiribati), Marshall Islands, Loyalty Islands, New Zealand, New Caledonia, New Hebrides (Vanuatu), Santa Cruz Islands, Trobriand Islands, Solomon Islands, Bismark Archipelago, New Guinea, parts of Molucca and the Caroline Islands. Such a vast area was quickly subdivided into various other Vicariates Apostolic:

In 1842 the Apostolic Vicariate of Central Oceania was established (New Caledonia, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji); In 1844 the Apostolic Vicariate of Melanesia (New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Bismarck Archipelago), and the Vicariate Apostolic of Micronesia for Carolines, Marshalls and Gilbert Islands.

The story of the Marist work in each of these areas is a complicated and long one, but by the start of the 20th century, Marists in Oceania were mainly working in the following eight areas (Vicariates) of Oceania: Bougainville (PNG), Solomons Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa. The first arrival of Marists into each of these areas is as follows:

The Marists working in these areas were formally constituted into the Province of Oceania in 1898. The provincial administration was established in Sydney and remained there till 1971 when it was transferred to Suva where it remains up to this day.