Legion of Mary? Is it considered as Rosary Ministry?

[DamianOoi1989]

Hello, i have discovered Legion of Mary and didnt know this exist in catholicism till now. i wondered what is it all about and is it considered as rosary ministry?

For those who got involved in this ministry, can you tell me what did you do on regular daily basis?

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Damian,

Welcome to CAF! So happy to read that you have discovered the Legion of Mary. It began in the Catholic Church on Sept. 7, 1921 when the layman Servant of God, Frank Duff met with his parish Priest and a small group who wanted to live their “Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary” as outlined in St. Louis de Montfort’s treatise on “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin”

They prayed first to the Holy Spirit and then prayed the Rosary, and every Legion Meeting from then on has begun the same way! The Legion of Mary is the largest Lay Apostolate in the Church comprising both Active and Auxiliary members. Active Members meet weekly and perform at least 2 hrs of Legionary work each week. Auxiliary Members have only one work and that is to pray the Rosary every day and the small leaflet of Legion Prayers.

For much more information on the Legion which is in almost every country of the world, see their website HERE. Thanks for your post this morning. The Rosary is significant in the Legion but there is far more to learn about the Lagion of Mary and the different works it does in the world today. To qurote from the Handbook written by the founder Frank Duff:

The object of the Legion of Mary is the glory of God through the holiness of its members developed by prayer and active co-operation, under ecclesiastical guidance, in Mary’s and the Church’s work of crushing the head of the serpent and advancing the reign of Christ.

The Official Handbook of the Legion of Mary is also online, see HERE and can help you appreciate all God has worked in and through the Legion of Mary since 1921.
I began as a Junior Legionary in High School and my works varied from helping the Sisters who taught me, in their work with children in an orphanage. As an Adult I joined a parish Legion of Mary and visited the sick in their homes. Today I am working on CAF to help others increase in their devotion to Jesus through Mary.

I hope you will “discover” a parish Legion of Mary Group you can join. Please let me know if I can help you further. Thanks again for cooperating with God’s Grace in seeking to know more about Our Blessed Mother and her Legion!

 

[OurLadyofSorrows]

We are a Catholic group , an Appstolate recognized by the Vatican and listed as a Public Association of the Faithful.
There are Associate Members who are listed and pray the prayers of the Association and the Rosary daily. Then there are the Active Members who meet weekly and do works like going out into the community where there is a need , and organizing Parish prayer groups of the Legion.
When a person joins their name is then sent to Rome to list as a member.

It is not required to do the extended Montfort consecration to Mary.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear OurLadyof Sorrows and Damian,

Just need to clarify that while it is not a “requirement” for any Legion Member to practice the True Devotion to Mary , as St. Louis wrote about it in his treatise on"True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin" — It seems only logical that since the servant of God Frank Duff, who founded the Legion of Mary and his first group of “Legionaries” had all read De Montfort’s treatise met to pray to the Holy Spirit and Mary that they might discern how to “LIVE” the “Act of Total Consecration” they had prayed, it would remain an important resource for Legionaries.

When one reads the official Handbook of the Legion of Mary, one can recognize how much of St. Louis de Montfort’s teaching is incorporated in the writing of Frank Duff and his organization of the Legion of Mary.

The extended Montfort Consecration is not “required” but It has been recommended not only by those in the Legion who have been blessed by it but also recommended by Pope St. John Paul II and St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta. If anyone reading this thread has not read St. Louis de Montfort’s treatise you may be interested in reading an article written by Servant of God Frank Duff which is on the Official Legion of Mary website see HERE. The title of the article is: “Frank Duff reveals his thoughts on the True Devotion to Mary.”

Frank Duff did not think too much of it at first, but …read the article and see how God works.

 

[OurLadyofSorrows]

I am in the Legion and find this is one of the most confusing points to people who look at joining . Montfort himself whilst a wonderful saint , is extremely difficult to read for many, and the lengthy process can be too much. There are more gravitating towards the Fatima saints, the Japanese and Rwandan Saints and St Faustian, and others who had Apparitions of Mary. They are more relatable especially for the younger people in writings. Mary gives us what we need to understand her message.
We can ask Mary to look after us (consecrate ourselves to her) in a simple sincere prayer , as my religious community does, or in a process of 30/33 days. The true spirit of the Legion is Rosary and good works. My group does late night early morning street walks to homeless and increasingly more drug affected and street women out at night

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Our Lady of Sorrows, and Damian,

Thanks for your reply. I believe that your words are true and perhaps precisely why the Servant of God Frank Duff did not make reading “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin” by St. Louis de Montfort a “requirement”. He did however as I mentioned yesterday incorporate so much of St. Louis de Montfort’s teachings and often this saint’s own words in the Legion Handbook that it is hard not to recognize how significant the words of De Montfort were to Frank Duff, and therefore would become significant to many of his Legionaries.

Certainly each soul God creates is unique and unrepeatable. Each one will respond in his/her unique way. God alone knows the heart and soul of every soul and we trust in His Will for bringing each of us into the perfection of Charity. Legionaries all over the wrld will soon be celebrating the “Acies” on or near the Feast of the Annunciation (Mar. 25) as Frank Duff describes in the Legion Handbook, Chapter 30, page 172:

…Bearing in mind the importance of devotion to Mary in the Legion system, each year there shall be a consecration of legionaries to Our Lady. The consecration — which shall comprise both an individual and a collective consecration — will take place on the 25 March or on a day close thereto, and will be known as the Acies. This Latin word, meaning as it does an army ranged in battle array, is appropriate to a ceremony in which the legionaries as a body assemble to renew their fealty to Mary, Queen of the Legion, and from her to receive strength and blessing for yet another year’s battle with the forces of evil…The essential idea of the Legion, upon which all else is built, is that of working in union with and in dependence on Mary, its Queen. The Acies is the solemn expression of that union and dependence, the renewal—individual and collective—of the legionary declaration of fealty. Hence it is manifest that any legionaries who can attend, and yet fail to do so, have little or none of the spirit of the Legion in them. The membership of such persons is not an asset to the Legion.

Note: The entire procedure for the Acies ceremony is also given in the Handbook and on p. 173 it specifies the individual act of consecration, is made with the following words: “I am all yours, my Queen, my Mother, and all that I have is yours."

I’m happy to know you are in the Legion of Mary and are doing the works you have been called to do. I’m grateful to the Lord for His work in each member of His Body the Church. The Legion of Mary has been for almost 100 years now (celebrating in 2021, its founding in 1921) God’s gift to His Church. Let us pray for all who serve Him beneath the standard of Mary, continuing to do God’s Will which is our sanctification.

If you, or others reading this thread, (especially Damian) haven’t read the article Frank Duff wrote-- revealing his thoughts on “True Devotion” I hope all will read it. It is such a beautiful testimony of God’s Work in his heart and soul. Thanks again for your reply, OurLadyofSorrows.