A tiny step forward?

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Tomorrow, God willing, at our 9 AM Mass for the children in our parish’s Catholic School, our Adult Legion of May will be giving a gift to each of the children who received the Sacrament of Confirmation. As some on CCF know, I’ve been trying to start a “Junior Legion of Mary” for nearly 4 years. We’ve tried to work with different pastors (since we had some turnover) with different principals (since we’ve had turnover there too) with teachers and parents, but while all are supportive and agree a Junior Legion would be good, no one has yet agreed to help us “Carry the ball downfield” to the goal line.

Last year, the principal suggested we work with the Confirmation class but teacher and youth director did not return e-mails, and efforts to meet never produced fruit. Twenty five youngsters were confirmed on April 24. It was sad to see another school year ending without the children being introduced to the possibilities of a Junior Legion. I kept telling myself – everything is Grace and God’s timing! The founder of the Legion of May was invited by someone to speak to her Bishop about the Legion in her Diocese, many years ago. It is the Legion’s custom not to enter a parish unless the Bishop and the pastor approve and welcome the Legion. When Servant of God Frank Duff left the Bishop’s Office and told the woman the Bishop did not give permission, he simply added (probably in seeing her disappointment) “Not yet”.

Tomorrow our pastor is going to bless Miraculous Medals - 2 for each youngster: one to keep and the second one to give away as an act of personal “evangelization”. Now that they are confirmed, they have special graces to share their faith and defend it. I’m not sure how God will work in and through these newly confirmed children, but I believe that if we in the Legion especially continue to pray for our youth and invite them into an apostolic organization such as the Legion, they will have a better chance of growing to know, love and spread the faith they were given at Baptism.

Please, let us pray for all our youth: in our families, parishes, and all over the world who are so in need of God, as the culture becomes more and more secular and more hostile towards God and our Mother Mary. Thanks.

PS For anyone unfamiliar with the Legion of Mary, see HERE And/or please feel free to ask questions on this thread – I’m happy to help. I have had experience being a Junior Legion Member and an Adult Legion Member. I also have organized a wonderful Junior Legion in a NY parish. I hope you will consider this possibility for any Youth you are concerned about – the Junior Legion is open to ages 8 to 18. Once 18 they are able to join an Adult Legion. Pope St. John Paul II told Frank Duff: “Remember Victory will come through Mary”.

 

[Dorothy]

About fifteen years ago I started attending first Saturday devotions to our Blessed Mother at a neighboring parish. At that time they had a Junior Legion and it was quite impressive. I knew the parents of one of the young girls that attended, and know that it affected her in a very grace-filled way.

The younger they start the better. They develop a relationship with our Blessed Mother and that brings them closer to Our Lord Jesus Christ. I so much liked to see them, with the help of some adults in the Legion of Mary, place roses, one at a time before our ladies statue while singing.

I hope you will be able to see the Junior Legion of Mary begin soon. I believe that when they had it for many years in the parish I spoke of, it was because the parents were very much on board with it.

 

[7_Sorrows]

I have been an auxilliary member of Legion of Mary.
I have been disappointed in how little contact we have with anyone. No one ever calls to say hi or how is it going or to encourage us in what we are doing. So I would hope if they do start a junior leage they will be more organized than the adult league seems to be - at least at my parish anyway.

 

[MariaChristi]

About fifteen years ago I started attending first Saturday devotions to our Blessed Mother at a neighboring parish. At that time they had a Junior Legion and it was quite impressive. I knew the parents of one of the young girls that attended, and know that it affected her in a very grace-filled way.

The younger they start the better. They develop a relationship with our Blessed Mother and that brings them closer to Our Lord Jesus Christ. I so much liked to see them, with the help of some adults in the Legion of Mary, place roses, one at a time before our ladies statue while singing.

I hope you will be able to see the Junior Legion of Mary begin soon. I believe that when they had it for many years in the parish I spoke of, it was because the parents were very much on board with it.

Dear Dorothy,

Thanks so much for your reply and your encouragement. At our Adult Legion Meeting this morning, we spoke about starting next year with possibly the third grade – hopefully we can get the “new principal” on board and most importantly, the parents. We have an interim co-principalship going on at present but the search is on for a new principal since the former one left.

I know first hand belonging to the Junior Legion as a young teenager myself, for four years, gave me the incomparable joy of consecrating myself to Jesus through Mary and begin my own devotion to Mary in a special way. I would love to see more children and teens have that experience and grow into the Adult Legion of Mary – a remarkable way of holiness for all who seek the Lord. Cardinal Suenens called the Legion a “saint-maker”.

 

[MariaChristi]

I have been an auxilliary member of Legion of Mary.
I have been disappointed in how little contact we have with anyone. No one ever calls to say hi or how is it going or to encourage us in what we are doing. So I would hope if they do start a junior leage they will be more organized than the adult league seems to be - at least at my parish anyway.

Dear 7 Sorrows,

Thank you for your reply and for your membership in the Legion of Mary as an Auxiliary Member. I know the Founder of the Legion, Servant of God Frank Duff called the Auxiliaries the “Prayer Wing” of the Legion. Your Daily Rosaries and praying of the Legion Tessera prayers are invaluable to all of us and in fact to the whole world.

I’m sorry your Praesidium is not keeping in touch. We try to contact our Auxiliaries by e-mail, by phone, and sometimes by a personal visit. We invite them to the annual Acies Mass on the Saturday closest to March 25 with lunch afterwards, and to our special parish Mass for all on Sept 7 followed by refreshments, as well. We have 108 Auxiliary Members so it is not easy to keep in touch, but we try to reach all.

Maybe if you got in touch with one of the Officers of your Parish Praesidium, you could let them know how much you would appreciate hearing more from them.

Yes, we are hoping our Junior Legion will be well organized and bring many blessings on the children, their families, the parish and the world. As one member of the Body grows spiritually, the whole Body of Christ grows. Let us continue to pray for one another, for the Church and for the world so in need of Jesus and Mary.

 

[therese14]

I have also been attending first Saturdays devotion to honor the blessed virgin Mary.

 

[7_Sorrows]

Dear 7 Sorrows,

Thank you for your reply and for your membership in the Legion of Mary as an Auxiliary Member. I know the Founder of the Legion, Servant of God Frank Duff called the Auxiliaries the “Prayer Wing” of the Legion. Your Daily Rosaries and praying of the Legion Tessera prayers are invaluable to all of us and in fact to the whole world.

I’m sorry your Praesidium is not keeping in touch. We try to contact our Auxiliaries by e-mail, by phone, and sometimes by a personal visit. We invite them to the annual Acies Mass on the Saturday closest to March 25 with lunch afterwards, and to our special parish Mass for all on Sept 7 followed by refreshments, as well. We have 108 Auxiliary Members so it is not easy to keep in touch, but we try to reach all.

Maybe if you got in touch with one of the Officers of your Parish Praesidium, you could let them know how much you would appreciate hearing more from them.

Yes, we are hoping our Junior Legion will be well organized and bring many blessings on the children, their families, the parish and the world. As one member of the Body grows spiritually, the whole Body of Christ grows. Let us continue to pray for one another, for the Church and for the world so in need of Jesus and Mary.

I haven’t even prayed the prayers in over a year because I don’t feel like I am part of anything since no one bothers to email or call.
Good luck with your junior league.

 

[MariaChristi]

I haven’t even prayed the prayers in over a year because I don’t feel like I am part of anything since no one bothers to email or call.
Good luck with your junior league.

Dear 7 Sorrows,

But you are spiritually united with all the millions of Mary’s Legion (past and present) in the world today. Those in heaven are praying with and for us, and those on earth need our daily prayers. Please resume your daily Rosary and the Tessera Prayers. The Prayers are at the Legion of Mary website HERE

The Concluding prayer of the Tessera is one of the most beautiful prayers I know. When I moved from NY there were few Legion groups down South , but when the Lord finally provided one for me and I joined our Queen of Peace Praesidium, I realized as we prayed together at my first meeting that I had almost memorized the prayers – they all came back so easily. Let me post it for anyone who may be interested in learning about the Legion of Mary, an apostolic Lay organization which has proved so fruitful since it was founded in 1921.

Pope St. John XXIII said “The Legion of Mary presents the true face of the Catholic Church”, I believe that is because it welcomes all clergy, religious, lay men, women and children into its ranks. I hope you will begin to pray the prayers again and get in touch with your Praesidium in the parish.

Concluding Prayer from the Legion prayers contained in the Tessera (Prayer Leaflet) :

Confer, O Lord, on us, who serve beneath the standard of Mary, that fullness of faith in You and trust in her, to which it is given to conquer the world. Grant us a lively faith, animated by charity, which will enable us to perform all our actions from the motive of pure love of You, and ever to see You and serve You in our neighbor; a faith, firm and immovable as a rock, through which we shall rest tranquil and steadfast amid the crosses, toils and disappointments of life; a courageous faith which will inspire us to undertake and carry out without hesitation great things for your glory and for the salvation of souls; a faith which will be our Legion’s Pillar of Fire - to lead us forth united - to kindle everywhere the fires of divine love - to enlighten those who are in darkness and in the shadow of death - to inflame those who are lukewarm - to bring back life to those who are dead in sin; and which will guide our own feet in the way of peace; so that - the battle of life over - our Legion may reassemble, without the loss of any one, in the kingdom of Your love and glory. Amen.

May the souls of our departed legionaries and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen.

What an added consolation to think of the millions of Legion Members praying this prayer for us if we are to spend time in Purgatory! I hope you’ll click on the link to the Legion of Mary if you can’t find your Tessera and begin to resume your Legion prayers. If you contact the Legion at your parish I’m sure they’ll be happy to give you a new Tessera.

PS If our Junior Legion is ever to begin in our parish it will be through prayer.

 

[7_Sorrows]

I love the Tessera and the prayers. Yes I did feel spiritually connected at the beginning. When I had to quit my job I even attended some meetings and read the book which gave me a better understanding of what the Legion was about. I love the book and think it is a wonderful organization. They told me I could not attend the meetings anymore. There are a lot of rules. Gas money was a problem anyway for me trying to get into town once a week and I was looking for another job and wasn’t sure what my schedule would be, but I attended 3 or 4 meetings. The ladies do really nice things like visiting nursing homes and the hospital. I loved the Tessera prayers.

 

[MariaChristi]

I love the Tessera and the prayers. Yes I did feel spiritually connected at the beginning. When I had to quit my job I even attended some meetings and read the book which gave me a better understanding of what the Legion was about. I love the book and think it is a wonderful organization. They told me I could not attend the meetings anymore. There are a lot of rules. Gas money was a problem anyway for me trying to get into town once a week and I was looking for another job and wasn’t sure what my schedule would be, but I attended 3 or 4 meetings. The ladies do really nice things like visiting nursing homes and the hospital. I loved the Tessera prayers.

Thanks again for your reply, 7 Sorrows,

I’m so happy that you also love the Tessera Prayers. Please continue to pray them daily along with your Rosary. Our Blessed Mother will bless you abundantly with graces from her Son. Your prayers will also help others whom you may not meet until you mart them in heaven when they are able to thank you!

Yes, the Legion Handbook is beautiful – it was written mostly by Servant of God Frank Duff, the founder of the Legion and his cause has been introduced for beatification. I would love to see him and the other two legionaries whose causes have been introduced ( Venerable Edel Quinn and Servant of God, Alphonsus Lamb) recognized as Saints in my lifetime. Nevertheless – it is all in God’s Hands so I’m content to wait.

I don’t understand why you couldn’t attend meetings. We welcome our Auxiliaries anytime they can make it to a meeting. If you are working it can be difficult or if you are not working and need to save on gas money it can be a problem too. Keep praying to Our Lady and she will help you in everything. Visiting the sick was the first work of the Legion but it soon branched out to help those not only sick in body but sick in soul. It seeks to help all those who are in need of God. Like Mary, the Legion seeks to bring Christ to the world that needs Him so much.

May we all grow closer to Jesus through Mary.

 

[MariaChristi]

I have also been attending first Saturdays devotion to honor the blessed virgin Mary.

Dear Therese,

Good for you!!! That step of attending First Saturday devotions is a grace God has given you and you are wise to receive that grace and honor our Blessed Mother in such a beautiful way. I try to make every Saturday a special day of Reparation to Our Lady offering her some little sacrifice and lots of loving prayer with attention and devotion.

Let us continue to love Jesus thorough Mary, and console their Hearts – pierced by our sins and the sins of the world. Thanks so much for your reply.

 

[7_Sorrows]

Thanks again for your reply, 7 Sorrows,

I’m so happy that you also love the Tessera Prayers. Please continue to pray them daily along with your Rosary. Our Blessed Mother will bless you abundantly with graces from her Son. Your prayers will also help others whom you may not meet until you mart them in heaven when they are able to thank you!

Yes, the Legion Handbook is beautiful – it was written mostly by Servant of God Frank Duff, the founder of the Legion and his cause has been introduced for beatification. I would love to see him and the other two legionaries whose causes have been introduced ( Venerable Edel Quinn and Servant of God, Alphonsus Lamb) recognized as Saints in my lifetime. Nevertheless – it is all in God’s Hands so I’m content to wait.

I don’t understand why you couldn’t attend meetings. We welcome our Auxiliaries anytime they can make it to a meeting. If you are working it can be difficult or if you are not working and need to save on gas money it can be a problem too. Keep praying to Our Lady and she will help you in everything. Visiting the sick was the first work of the Legion but it soon branched out to help those not only sick in body but sick in soul. It seeks to help all those who are in need of God. Like Mary, the Legion seeks to bring Christ to the world that needs Him so much.

May we all grow closer to Jesus through Mary.

I didn’t understand either why I couldn’t attend anymore. The president was really by the book and was getting ready to move out of state so maybe she wanted to set an example. I think it is good to include the auxilliary members because when they can attend a meeting now and then they can see how the meetings work and what is expected of the permanent members. I enjoyed the meetings and the ladies and was thinking of becoming a permanent member once I found a new job and knew the schedule I would have.

 

[MariaChristi]

I didn’t understand either why I couldn’t attend anymore. The president was really by the book and was getting ready to move out of state so maybe she wanted to set an example. I think it is good to include the auxilliary members because when they can attend a meeting now and then they can see how the meetings work and what is expected of the permanent members. I enjoyed the meetings and the ladies and was thinking of becoming a permanent member once I found a new job and knew the schedule I would have.

Wonderful! If you get a job that allows you to become an Active Member of the Legion, that would be great. Not everyone is called to the Legion of Mary, it seems to me. I think it is a particular grace which God gives to some of us that we might learn more of Him through Mary and become more like her in sharing Him with others.

May the Holy Spirit guide you. Let us, please, pray for one another, for the Church and for all the world to whom Jesus sent us as Church. If you remain an Auxiliary you still do much by your prayers. As an Active member, I believe God will enable you to make contact with others and help them in ways you have not been able to help others before this. As Jesus said to His first disciples (including our Mother Mary): “As the Father has sent Me, so I send you.” (John 20:21)

Like Mary, may we be docile to the Holy Spirit and bring Jesus to others by remaining in His Love and sharing that love in whatever way we can.

“O Jesus, living in Mary, come and live in your servants, in the spirit of holiness, in the fullness of your power, in the perfection of your ways, in the truth of your virtues, in the communion of your mysteries. Rule over every adverse power, in your Spirit, for the glory of the Father. Amen.” – Prayer of Father Jean Jacques Olier, S.S. (1608-1657)

Thanks again for your reply, dear sister in Jesus and Mary. Happy Vigil of Pentecost today and Happy, Holy Feast of Pentecost tomorrow. Our Lady of Light, Spouse of the Holy Spirit, pray for us.

 

[7_Sorrows]

Wonderful! If you get a job that allows you to become an Active Member of the Legion, that would be great. Not everyone is called to the Legion of Mary, it seems to me. I think it is a particular grace which God gives to some of us that we might learn more of Him through Mary and become more like her in sharing Him with others.

May the Holy Spirit guide you. Let us, please, pray for one another, for the Church and for all the world to whom Jesus sent us as Church. If you remain an Auxiliary you still do much by your prayers. As an Active member, I believe God will enable you to make contact with others and help them in ways you have not been able to help others before this. As Jesus said to His first disciples (including our Mother Mary): “As the Father has sent Me, so I send you.” (John 20:21)

Like Mary, may we be docile to the Holy Spirit and bring Jesus to others by remaining in His Love and sharing that love in whatever way we can.

“O Jesus, living in Mary, come and live in your servants, in the spirit of holiness, in the fullness of your power, in the perfection of your ways, in the truth of your virtues, in the communion of your mysteries. Rule over every adverse power, in your Spirit, for the glory of the Father. Amen.” – Prayer of Father Jean Jacques Olier, S.S. (1608-1657)

Thanks again for your reply, dear sister in Jesus and Mary. Happy Vigil of Pentecost today and Happy, Holy Feast of Pentecost tomorrow. Our Lady of Light, Spouse of the Holy Spirit, pray for us.

Thank you for your concern and encouragement. There is a 3rd new president in less than a year. I am going to contact her and ask they do a better job of keeping in touch with the auxiliary members.
God bless!

 

[MariaChristi]

Thank you for your concern and encouragement. There is a 3rd new president in less than a year. I am going to contact her and ask they do a better job of keeping in touch with the auxiliary members.
God bless!

Dear sister in Jesus and Mary,

Yes, make the effort to contact the new President. She may need to ask other Legion members to help her. It is actually the Vice-President’s responsibility to keep records of membership but I’ve worked with the Vice-President and some of our active Members to help in contacting all our Auxiliaries. It is a big job – but an important act of love which we want to do.

It is not easy to hold an Office in the Legion. Believe me, I know. I am finishing my second term as President of our Praesidium. Our first President moved away and no one else “volunteered”. I didn’t want the Legion to disband for lack of any leadership and so I offered to be President. I dedicated my service to St. Joseph because I knew how much he loves Jesus and Mary, and if I wanted to serve them in this way he would surely help me. He has and I am grateful.

The founder, Servant of God Frank Duff was wise in stipulating that anyone who holds an office can only do so for 2 terms of 3 yrs. each. I’m now praying to St. Joseph to send more members and inspire persons to be willing to take the offices which will be vacant. We will need a new President and a new Secretary in 2 years.

Keep praying for and with our Legion of Mary members all over the world. I read in the magazine “Maria Legionis” that the President of a Praesidium in Africa was killed recently by terrorists there. Many of our Legion members have died for the faith all over the world, but we don’t hear about all of them. It was the Legion of Mary that kept the Catholic Faith alive in China when the missionaries were all expelled years ago. Even now it is very dangerous for Catholics in some places – the Middle East in particular.

Please keep in touch, and let me know how the new President responds to you.

 

[7_Sorrows]

Dear sister in Jesus and Mary,

Yes, make the effort to contact the new President. She may need to ask other Legion members to help her. It is actually the Vice-President’s responsibility to keep records of membership but I’ve worked with the Vice-President and some of our active Members to help in contacting all our Auxiliaries. It is a big job – but an important act of love which we want to do.

It is not easy to hold an Office in the Legion. Believe me, I know. I am finishing my second term as President of our Praesidium. Our first President moved away and no one else “volunteered”. I didn’t want the Legion to disband for lack of any leadership and so I offered to be President. I dedicated my service to St. Joseph because I knew how much he loves Jesus and Mary, and if I wanted to serve them in this way he would surely help me. He has and I am grateful.

The founder, Servant of God Frank Duff was wise in stipulating that anyone who holds an office can only do so for 2 terms of 3 yrs. each. I’m now praying to St. Joseph to send more members and inspire persons to be willing to take the offices which will be vacant. We will need a new President and a new Secretary in 2 years.

Keep praying for and with our Legion of Mary members all over the world. I read in the magazine “Maria Legionis” that the President of a Praesidium in Africa was killed recently by terrorists there. Many of our Legion members have died for the faith all over the world, but we don’t hear about all of them. It was the Legion of Mary that kept the Catholic Faith alive in China when the missionaries were all expelled years ago. Even now it is very dangerous for Catholics in some places – the Middle East in particular.

Please keep in touch, and let me know how the new President responds to you.

Thank you. I know being president has a lot of responsibilities.
We have 2 groups. One is pretty small. They need more members. They meet on different days. It sounds like you have a good group.

 

[MariaChristi]

Thank you. I know being president has a lot of responsibilities.
We have 2 groups. One is pretty small. They need more members. They meet on different days. It sounds like you have a good group.

Dear 7 Sorrows,

Your parish is blessed to have two groups meeting on different days. May God help all the Praesidia in the USA and in the world continue to grow. As one member of the Mystical Body grows, we all grow. I keep praying to St. Joseph and Last year he brought 3 new members into the Active ranks and our Auxiliaries continue to grow, so I am very grateful. we have a group of 8 women and our Deacon who is our Spiritual Director. It would be good to have some men also.

Let me share a sweet incident. At the end of a recent meeting, we were about to leave when a visitor who came to the meeting (a sister of one of our members) asked if she could say something. Of course, we all said: “Yes”. She said that she just wanted to say how beautiful it was that we all got along so well! She thought it was a beautiful meeting.

She came back twice before she had to return home to the northern part of our state where she lives. I told her Our Lady does it all – she makes everything more beautiful, and helps her children to be good to one another. Mary really does all – as only a Mother can!