The Legion of Mary Praesidia

Mary invites you to join her Legion! “I am all yours, my Queen, my Mother, and all that I have is yours.” The Legion of Mary is an Association of Catholics who, with the sanction of the Church and under the powerful leadership of Mary Immaculate, Mediatrix of all Graces, have formed themselves into a Legion for service in the warfare which is perpetually waged by the Church against the world and its evil powers.  The unit of the Legion of Mary is called a praesidium, which holds a weekly meeting, where prayer is intermingled with reports and discussion. The …

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The Legion Prayers – The Tessera

The Prayers of the Legion of Mary  – The Tessara Pamphlet Opening Prayers (Make the Sign of the Cross) In the name of the Father, etc. Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful, and enkindle in them the fire of Your love. v. Send forth Your Spirit, O Lord, and they shall be created. R. And You shall renew the face of the earth. Let us pray. God our Father, pour out the gifts of Your Holy Spirit on the world. You sent the Spirit on Your Church to begin the teaching of the gospel: now let …

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Why I Love The Legion of Mary

“Why I Love the Legion of Mary in a Special Way” Cardinal Suenens of Belgium is probably the most ardent supporter of the Legion among the hierarchy. He is the author of “Theology of the Apostolate of the Legion of Mary,” commended by Pope Pius XII. He also authored a best seller on the life of Edel Quinn. It was due to the urgent insistence of Cardinal Suenens that the Council Fathers of Vatican II proposed the Virgin as the model of the apostolate. The following tribute to the Legion is a condensation of a talk, which he gave to …

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The Heart of the Legion of Mary

The Heart of the Legion of Mary Priests and lay people that are not in the Legion sometimes ask me if I would sum up in a few words what the Legion of Mary is all about. This is not easy because the Legion is like a multifaceted diamond that sparkles in every way you look at it. But normally I tell them about the Standing Instruction that is read after the signing of the minutes at the first meeting of every month by the President of the praesidium. If my listener is in a hurry and wants me to …

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The Art of Home Visitation

THE ART OF HOME VISITATION A successful Praesidium By William M. Thompson, Jr. The art of home visitation pertains to all the many times that you and I as legionaries have occasion to go to a private home i.e., Auxiliary call, sick or condolence call, a specific case call as a fallen-away/marriage validation or simply on a house to house basis.  It is this last category that I would like to explore first. Many times we are asked for a specific approach that maybe memorized and used by all legionaries.  Actually, the making of an approach at a home is …

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Questions on the Legion of Mary

How do I start a Legion of Mary group in my parish? Each praesidium must, either directly or through an approved council, be affiliated to the Concilium Legionis. Permission to start a new praesidium must first be formally obtained from a Curia or the next-highest council, or in the ultimate resort, from the Concilium Legionis. Otherwise there is no Legion membership. No praesidium shall be established in any parish without the consent of the parish priest or of the Ordinary. In places where the Legion already exists, the effort should be made to provide the officers and a fair proportion …

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Legion’s Latin Words

Legion’s Latin Words – Pronunciations Acies (AH-chee-ace) – The great annual re-consecration of Legionaries to Mary. Adjutorian – An Auxiliary who is willing to attend daily Mass and receive Communion and who recites an approved Office of the Church. Allocutio (ah-lo-COOT-see-o)- a talk by the Spiritual Director. Auxiliary – A praying member of the Legion who is willing to recite a daily rosary and the prayers of the Tessera. Catena (ca-TAY-na) – the chain of the Legion. Comitium (co-MIT-see-um) – plural is Comitia (co-MIT-see-a) – a council governing 2 or more Curiae. Curia (COO-ree-a), plural is Curiae (COO-ree-ay) – the …

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Members’ Duties

Active membership is open to all Catholic men and women. Those over 18 years of age are in Senior Praesidia, and those under 18 are in Junior Praesidia. Duties of Active Membership 1. Attendance at a weekly meeting of the Praesidium 2. Daily recitation of the Catena (Magnificat) 3. The performance of a substantial assigned apostolic work weekly 4. An obligation to respect the confidential nature of many matters learned in connection with the Legionary work Duties of Auxiliary Membership 1. The daily recitation of the Rosary 2. The daily recitation of the prayers contained in the Tessera (Legion prayer …

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Members

Praesidia: Mary, Mother of the Church St. Andrew Church Inactive Our Lady of the Assumption St. Margaret of Cortona Church President – Rose Duer Immaculate Heart of Mary St. Matthew, the Apostle Church President – Manuel Xavier Madonna of the Sacred Heart Sacred Hearts Church President – Diana Honzo Our Lady of Mercy St. Dominic Church President – Charla Sheppard Our Lady of Nazareth Holy Family Church Inactive Korean Praesidia Mary, Seat of Wisdom St. Leo Catholic Church President – Jungmin Theresa Lee Our Lady of Peace St. Leo Catholic Church President – Jinsook Ceilia Kwak Our Lady of Holy …

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History of the Legion of Mary

THE HISTORY OF THE LEGION OF MARY ORIGIN AND HISTORY In a poor and old part of Dublin, in a property known as Myra House, in Francis Street, the Legion of Mary began. The St. Vincent de Paul Society owned the house and the local conference held its meetings there. Sometime about 1917 some women were asked to assist this conference in serving free breakfasts on Sundays to poor children. When, later on, the free breakfasts were discontinued, the women remained to form, with a number of the brothers, a recruiting-center for the well-known Irish temperance society, the Pioneer Total …

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