Why I Love theLegion of Mary

“You are a movement of lay people whopropose to make faith the aspiration of yourlife up to the achievement of personal sanc-

tity.” Pope John Paul II

“You know how much esteem and affection Ihave for you. I say you have anticipated theVatican Council — the future apostolate of theChurch .” Bishop Fulton Sheen

Frank Duff was born in Dublin, Ireland on June 7, 1889,the eldest of seven children. In 1916, at the age of 27 hepublished his first pamphlet “Can We Be Saints?”. In it heexpressed one of the strongest convictions of his life, namely,that all without exception are called to be saints and thatthrough our Catholic Faith we have available all the meansnecessary to attain this.

In 1917 he came to know the Treatise of St. Louis Marie deMontfort on the True Devotion of Jesus through Mary, a workwhich changed his life completely.

On September 7, 1921 Frank Duff founded the Legion ofMary. This is a lay apostolic organisation at the service ofthe Church, under ecclesiastical guidance. Its twofoldpurpose is the spiritual development of its members andadvancing the reign of Christ through Our Lady.

The Legion is to be found in almost every country in theworld with millions of active and many more auxiliary(praying) members.

In 1965 Pope Paul VI invited Frank Duff to attend theSecond Vatican Council as a Lay Auditor (an honor bywhich the Pope recognised and affirmed Frank Duff ’senormous contributions to the lay apostolate), where hereceived a standing ovation from all the bishops inattendance at St Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

On November 7th, 1980, Frank Duff died and isburied in Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin.

In July, 1996, the Cause of his canonisation wasintroduced by the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr.Desmond Connell.

Our Founder

SERVANT OF GOD FRANK DUFFheld that with enough faith in God andtrust in Mary’s mediation, Christ’s followerscould win the world for Him.

Produced by the Philadelphia Senatus, 5109 N. Broad St., Phila, PA 19141.Phone (215)457-6343 E-mail: mlmagsupplies@verizon.net

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Members meet together once a week for prayer,planning and discussion in a family setting; they doa couple of hours of definite work each week inpairs and under the guidance of a spiritual director.

WHO CAN BELONG?

No one – for the first three months! There is aneasing-in period so you can see how work or familyobligations blend with the tried and proven systemof the Legion. Any Catholic, young, not-so-young,single, married, retired, who would like to drawcloser to Jesus and His Mother is welcome to giveit a try.

HOW DO I START?

By being a guest at a meeting. You are invited tocome and see the Legion from the inside. And youcan go as a guest if you wish on one of the workassignments with an experienced member. Youwon’t need a lot of talent, or great intelligence oreven a feeling of being capable! What you will needis a willingness to sacrifice a little of your time andenergy for the greatest reason in the world: yourlove of God.

Day Time

Place

For more information call

We’ll be waiting to welcome you!

• Do you want to learn more about your Catholic Faith?• Do you want to deepen your prayer life?• Do you want to develop close Catholic friendships?• Do you want to grow closer to Jesus and His Mother?• Come as a guest to a Legion of Mary meeting. There’s no obligation.

The LEGION of MARY

WHAT IS IT?

The largest apostolic organization of lay people inthe Catholic Church with well over 3 million activemembers in most every country of the world. In2001 the Legion celebrated its 80th anniversaryworldwide. It has been active in the United Statessince 1931, has known continuous Papal approval,and was endorsed by the Second Vatican Council.

WHAT DOES IT DO?

It makes its members better Catholics, first of all,through a balanced program of prayer and service inunion with the Holy Spirit as he operates throughMary, Mother of the Church. Works include door-to-door evangelization, parish visitation projects,youth work and other spiritual needs of the parishand community. It gives Catholics from 8 years upan opportunity to do something positive for theChurch while at the same time deepening theirspiritual life and strengthening their Catholic Faith.

Don & Joan Taggart, Norristown, PA

Steve & Edel Lukens, Bridgeport, PA

Tinny Ouano, Havertown, PAThe Legion has been my ‘Way ofLife’. The love of the Legion is thelove I have for Mary and the BlessedTrinity. I have placed my trust in herand on many occasions she has helpedme as well as the people I contact. Asthe saying goes: ‘find time for Maryand she in turn will find time for youa hundredfold’.

The Legion is the foundation of our marriedlife. We met in the Legion and began ourmarried life by renewing our True DevotionConsecration to Jesus through Mary at ourwedding . It has given us a structure for ourspiritual life, while helping us to grow bothindividually and as a couple. Our time spentdoing Legion work together is among ourmost precious hours as a couple.

Bishop Herbert Bevard, U.S. Virgin Islands

Rev. Francis Lendacky, Spiritual Director, Phila Senatus

I started the Legion one year after arriving atSt. Athanasius in West Oak Lane, andimmediately sent the legionaries out visitingdoor to door to every house within the parishboundaries. With the help of the Legion, theparish grew in numbers and in faith. TheLegion also helped bring about the largenumber of converts we had every year,including forty in 1998.

We met in the Legion. Our individualconsecration to Jesus through Mary was thecommon bond we shared. On our first date,we knew we were meant for each other. Allthat followed - our five children, our elevengrandchildren, many of our closest friends,our home - all of life’s blessings, would nothave happened but for the Legion of Mary.

Gilda Shade, Glenmore, PA

Frank & Daisy Fernandez, Havertown, PA

The Legion is the best thing that has everhappened to me! It has changed and hasformed my life, and has given me anopportunity to be an apostle and amissionary: an apostle every week as I fulfillmy spiritual work obligation; a missionarywho has helped the Church and Legion growin Iceland, western Canada and northernPennsylvania.

Mary Bell, Philadelphia, PA

My assignments each week are acts ofperseverance, faith, and patience.What a blessing it has been to haveour Blessed Mother at my side as I goforth each week. Visits to hospitalsand nursing homes have taught memuch about humility.

Today, more than ever, there is agreat need to battle against theforces of evil that scourge the world.There is no evangelization methodmore effective and successful thanthe Legion of Mary, a world-wideorganization begun in 1921 underecclesiastical auspices, and theguidance of the Mother of God.

I have been associated with the Legionthroughout my forty years as a priestand it has been a stabilising influencein the weekly regimen of my life as apriest. I have found legionaries to bemy most persevering and consistentcollaborators in evangelization. TheLegion has extended the effect ofChrist’s priesthood by imitating theway Christ employed His disciples.

Katie Keil, Philadelphia, PA

Father Steve Delacy, Archdiocese of PhiladelphiaThe Legion transforms ordinaryCatholics into soldiers-evangelizers forMary. Devoting all to Mary, God’s graceis fully engaged. This empowers thedisciple to undertake this essential work.Just as Christ’s flesh was formed inMary’s womb, the Legion forms believersinto living images of Christ. Our Lorddirected me to the Legion to make mypriesthood more fruitful.

The Legion of Mary provides a structuredChristian way of life and prayer whichenables one to be a beacon of service toothers. In recruiting new members, Ialways tell them that the Blessed Motherdoes not choose the capable but makescapable the one she chooses, and what wedo as Legion members is for the glory andhonor of God and Blessed Mother.

Rev. Peter Welsh, Spiritual Director, Phila Spanish Curia

Joe & Eleanor Lang, Ocean City, NJBy our Baptism we are called to dosomething for JESUS. We have aprecious Faith to share and working forothers can give a new meaning in yourlife. The Legion for 85 years has taken toheart what Jesus and the popes have beenurging—we must go out to all souls. Wehave experienced the great joy of helpingpeople come back to Church after 20, 30and 40 years.

The Legion of Mary is a most reliableprogram of Catholic formation guidingits members to know, live, and sharetheir faith. The Legion is Mary’sworldwide school - training her childrenin holiness and apostolic activity. Herlegionaries have been my right arm inmy pastoral ministry.

Venerable Edel Quinn

Servant of God Alfie Lambe

She spent seven years and seven monthspromoting the Legion in ten vast diocesesof East Africa and the island of Mauritius,and died in Kenya in 1944. Her heroiclife and labors have been narrated in avibrant biography by Cardinal Suenens.She exemplified the missionary spirit ofthe Legion at its best. In 1994, Pope JohnPaul II declared her Venerable.

Alfie Lambe died in Buenos Aires in1959 after almost six years of apostoliclabors in South America. “If the Legion ofMary did nothing else but produce a manof the caliber of Alfonso Lambe, it is surelyblessed by God,” Archbishop Tavella ofSalta, Argentina, declared. Alfie Lambe’scause of Beatification was introduced bythe Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1971.

Spiritual father of the Legion in China, FrMcGrath started 2,000 Legion praesidia in90 dioceses in China within two years, andspent three years in solitary confinementthere. He once saved the women in histown from physical abuse by soldiersbecause he had once met the movie starLoretta Young and the commanding officerwas a fan of hers.

Fr Aedan McGrath, SSC

Our Saintly Members

Servant of God Fr John McKniff, OSA

Born in Media, PA in 1905, Fr McKniffworked tirelessly as a missionary amongthe poor most of his priestly life. InCuba and Peru, he started hundreds ofLegion groups and attracted thousandsof men and women to becomelegionaries. He visited families with hislegionaries, going door to door on thestreets of Peru.