The Legion of Mary is a global lay Catholic organization founded on September 7, 1921, in Dublin, Ireland, by Frank Duff, a layman and civil servant. With over 10 million members worldwide, including active and auxiliary (praying) members, it is the largest apostolic organization of laypeople in the Catholic Church. Its mission is to glorify God through the sanctification of its members via prayer and active apostolic work, under the guidance of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and in service to the Church.
What’s It About?
- Spirit: It’s all about loving Mary and seeing her as a guide to Jesus. Members try to live like her—kind, humble, and faithful.
- Setup: Think of it like a team with a cool structure, kinda like the Roman army. The smallest group is a praesidium (usually tied to a parish), and bigger groups like curia or senatus oversee them. The main HQ, called Concilium Legionis, is in Dublin.
- Members:
- Active Members: Show up to weekly meetings, pray daily (including a prayer called the Catena), and do at least two hours of volunteer work a week, usually in pairs. You gotta be a Catholic 18 or older, but kids can join a junior version.
- Auxiliary Members: Just pray daily (like the Rosary) without going to meetings.
- Special Members: Some folks, called Praetorians or Adjutorians, step it up with extra prayers or Mass.
- What They Do: Members help out in lots of ways, like:
- Visiting sick or lonely people at home or in hospitals.
- Sharing the faith, like teaching catechism or handing out Catholic books.
- Spreading devotion to Mary with stuff like the Rosary or a traveling Virgin Mary statue.
- Some even go on mission trips (Peregrinatio Pro Christo) or run discussion groups (Patricians).
- Meetings: Weekly get-togethers include prayers (Rosary and special Legion prayers), a spiritual reading, updates on volunteer work, and planning. They set up a little Marian altar with a statue and candles.
How It Started
Frank Duff kicked things off in Dublin, inspired by groups like St. Vincent de Paul. He wanted everyday Catholics to spread the faith. They began by helping poor women and unwed moms. It grew fast, even though some Church folks were skeptical about laypeople doing this kind of work. Popes, like Pius XI, gave it a thumbs-up, and it’s now in 170+ countries.
How to Join
Any Catholic can check it out. Just find a local praesidium through your parish or a Legion website (like legionofmary.ie). You can visit a meeting, tag along on some volunteer work, and try it for 3–6 months. If you like it, you make a Legionary Promise. No fees, and auxiliary members just pray and join a yearly ceremony called Acies.
If you want to see or experience for yourself the Legionary meeting in Jesus Caritas Church which meets every Tuesday 8pm, you can contact our group leader Maria Carmel 016-614-2043 or Brother Louis 011-2825-6344
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