LEGION OF MARY O Mary conceived without sin

LEGION OF MARY O Mary, conceived without sin, Pray for us who have recourse to thee.

IRISH ROOTS The Legion of Mary was founded in Dublin, Ireland on September 7 th, 1921 and gives service to the Church on a voluntary basis in nearly 190 countries throughout the world. The object of the Legion of Mary is the glory of God through the holiness of its members, developed by prayer and active cooperation in Mary’s and the Church’s work.

WHAT IS IT? � The Legion of Mary is the largest apostolic organization of lay people in the Catholic Church, with over 14 million active and auxiliary members in almost every country of the world. It has been active in the United States since 1931, has been approved by 6 Popes, and was endorsed by the Second Vatican Council.

WHAT DOES IT DO? � Legion of Mary members become instruments of the Holy Spirit through a balanced program of prayer and service. Some of the activities include: visitation of home–bound parishioner ; nursing home and hospital visits; communion for the sick, shut-in and home bound; praying the Rosary at wake services and/or funerals; religious education, visiting the newly baptized, and meeting other spiritual needs of the community. Legionaries are under the guidance of a spiritual director named by the pastor. The Legion is, in essence, an extension of the heart and hands of the pastor.

OBJECT OF THE LEGION OF MARY �The glory of God through the holiness of its members developed by prayer and active cooperation in Mary’s and the Church’s work. �The Legion sees as its priority the spiritual and social welfare of each individual. �Every legionary is required to carry out a weekly apostolic work in the spirit of faith and in union with Mary.

LEGION OF MARY - USA

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE The Legion of Mary is organized on the model of an army, principally on that of the army of ancient Roman Army, and has adopted its Latin terminology. 1. Presidium – The basic unit of the Legion of Mary; usually formed at the parish level. 2. Curia – Governs two or more praesidia 3. Comitium – Acts as a Curia to govern its own presidia in addition to one or more Curia. 4. Regia – Ranking next in status to a Senatus; governs a large area, may affiliate with a Senatus or Concilium 5. Senatus – Exercies authority over LOM in a country and affiliates directly with Concilium. 6. Concilium Legionis Mariae- Supreme governing council located in Dublin, Ireland.

MEMBERSHIP ACTIVE - The Legion of Mary is open to all Catholics in good standing with the church who are: Catholics 18 years of age or older (adult praesidia); younger than 18 years of age (junior praesidia). Degrees of Active Membership: • Ordinary Active Member - An active Catholic that adheres to the Legion of Mary system of practice and recites daily the Catena. • Praetorian Member – In addition to the above, daily recitation of prayers contained in the Legion Tessera; attends daily mass and receives holy communion.

MEMBERSHIP AUXILIARY - Auxiliary members supply prayer that supports active members. Auxiliary members are not required to attend meetings and perform active work. Degrees of Auxiliary Membership: • Ordinary Auxiliary Member- religious or laity who recite daily all the prayers contained in the Legion Tessera. • Adjutorian Member - priests, religious and laity requires prayers said by the ordinary auxiliary (as above) and additionally: 1. Daily Mass and Holy Communion. 2. Daily recitation of an Office approved by the Church (i. e. , Liturgy of the Hours).

LEGION TOOL KIT Rosary Vexilium Altar Handbook Tessera

WHAT OTHERS SAY ABOUT THE LEGION OF MARY “The Legion of Mary reflects the true face of the Catholic church, ” Pope John XXIII “I say you have anticipated the Vatican Council, the future of the church. ” - Archbishop Fulton Sheen “You are a movement of lay people who propose to make faith the aspiration of your life up to the achievement of personal sanctity. ” - Pope John Paul II

NOTABLE LEGIONARIES Frank Duff Edel Quinn Alphonsus Lambe

Venerable Edel Quinn September 14, 1907 – May 12, 1944 Edel Quinn is one of the most outstanding Missionaries of the Legion of Mary, bringing the Catholic Faith, and the Legion, to the Continent of Africa. Under her guidance and intense labors, thousands in Africa joined the Legion, and hundreds of praesidia were established. Her life was so courageous, and so filled with selfless sacrifice and kindness, that Frank Duff , founder of the Legion, believed that she would be canonized.

Edel Quinn continued…. . Proclamation of Pope John Paul II, on Dec. 15, 1994 "It is certain that the Servant of God, Edel Mary Quinn, secular virgin of the Legion of Mary, practiced to a heroic degree, theological virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity towards God and her neighbor, and the cardinal virtues of Prudence, Justice, Temperance, and Fortitude"

The Servant of God -Frank Duff Founder of the Legion of Mary June 7, 1889 – November 7, 1980 Frank Duff was born in Dublin, Ireland, the eldest of seven children. In 1913, he joined the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. As a member, he gradually came to have a great love for the poor and underprivileged, in whom, as in everyone he met, he recognized and honored Christ. In 1916, aged 27, he published his first pamphlet "Can We Be Saints? " In it he expressed one of the strongest convictions of his life, namely, that all without exception are called to be Saints, and that through our Catholic Faith we have available the means necessary to attain this.

Frank Duff continued…. . � In 1917, he came to know the Treatise of St. Louis Marie de Montfort on the True Devotion to Mary, a work which changed his life completely, and resulted in his founding of the Legion of Mary. The Legion is found in 196 countries. In 1965, Pope Paul VI invited Frank Duff to attend the Second Vatican Council as a Lay Observer, and honor by which the Pope recognized and affirmed his enormous work for the Lay Apostolate.

The Servant of God Aphonsus (Alfie) Lambe June 24, 1932 – January 21, 1959 � Alfie Lambe, born in Tullamore, Ireland, was an Irish-born Roman Catholic activist and Envoy of the Legion of Mary to South America. As a youth he considered a vocation with the Irish Christian Brothers but withdrew due to chronic poor health. As the Legion's Envoy beginning in 1953, he went to serve in Colombia, Ecuador, Uruguay, Brazil, as well as Argentina, where he died in Buenos Aires at age 26 from stomach cancer. He is interred in the vault of the Irish Christian Brothers, in Buenos Aires's Recoleta Cemetery. A Cause for Canonization for Him was introduced by the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires in 1978 and concluded on 26 March 2015.

The Three “Cs” of Evangelization �Conversion – the offering of the fullness of revealed Truth of our Faith to those who are without it. �Conservation – bringing back the lukewarm and lapsed Catholics to the practice of the Faith; �Consolation – Visiting the elderly, the sick, the handicapped, the bereaved.