What is the Legion of Mary?

The Legion of Mary is one of the largest apostolic organization of lay people within the Catholic Church. Membership extends to over 3 million active members in almost every country in the world. 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 in Mary's and the Church's work.

It was founded on 7 September 1921 in Dublin, Ireland by Frank Duff (1889-1980), who joined the St Vincent de Paul Society at the age of 24. Together with two other well-known legionaries, Venerable Edel Quinn (1907-1944) and Alphonsus Lambe (1932-1958), his cause for canonization is currently being advanced.

A praesidium (group) is the smallest unit, followed by the higher councils in ascending order of hierachy: Curia/Comitium, Regia, Senatus and the Concillium Legionis Mariae in Dublin. All praesidiums and councils are named after different titles of Mary.

More about the Legion

Spirit. The spirit of the Legion is that of Mary herself. Especially does the Legion aspire after her profound humility, her perfect obedience, her angelical sweetness, her continual prayer, her universal mortification, her altogether spotless purity, her heroic patience, her heavenly wisdom, her self-sacrificing courageous love of God, and above all her faith, that virtue which has in her alone been found in its utmost extent and never equalled. Inspired by this love and faith of Mary, her Legion essays any and every work and "complains not of impossibility, because it conceives that it may and can do all things." (Imitation of Christ, Book 3:5)

Devotional Outlook. The devotional outlook of the Legion is reflected in its prayers. The Legion is built in the first place upon a profound faith in God and in the love he bears his children. He wills to draw great glory from our efforts and he will purify them and render them fruitful and persevering. We swing between the opposite extremes of apathy and feverish anxiety because we regard him as detached from our work. Instead, let us realise that we only have the good purpose because he has implanted it and that we shall only bring it to fruition if he sustains us all the time. The success of the enterprise in hand is more by far to him than it is to us. Infinitely more than we, does he desire that conversion we are seeking. We wish to be saints. He yearns for it a million times more than we.

The legionaries' essential mainstay must be this knowledge of the companionship of God, their good Father, in their twofold work of sanctifying themselves and serving their neighbour. Nothing can stand in the way of success except want of trust. If there be but faith enough, God will utilise us to conquer the world for him.

Holiness of its members. The Legion proposes a way of life rather than the doing of a work. It gives a training which is meant to influence every department of life and every hour of that life. "All Christians in any state or walk of life are called to the fullness of Christian life and to the perfection of love... All the faithful are invited and obliged to holiness and the perfection of their own state of life." (Lumen Gentium 40, 42) Holiness is a practical attainment. "All of holiness consists in the love of God, and all of the love of God consists in doing his will." (St. Alphonsus Liguori)

Hence, the holiness of life which the Legion of Mary seeks to promote in the members is also its primary means of action. "I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me, and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me, you can do nothing." (Jn 15:5)

The Legion in the World

Legiao de Maria. Sheng Mu Jun. Legjun ta' Marija. Dao Binh Duc Me. From its humble beginnings 84 years ago, the Legion can now be found in most countries: from Austria to Lithuania (Europe), from Canada to the Dominican Republic (North America/West Indies), from El Salvador to Nicaragua (Central America), from Ecuador to Venezuela (South America), from Israel to Lebanon (Middle East), from Congo to Zimbabwe (Africa), from Korea to Sri Lanka (Asia) and from Australia to Papua New Guinea (Asia and Oceania). Monthly updates of the Legion from around the world can be read from the monthly Concillium Bulletin.

The Legion in Singapore

The 1st praesidium in Singapore, Our Lady, Gate of Heaven, was officially founded on 5 December 1947. Today, the Singapore Senatus has about a thousand members from 89 praesidia under its wing. >> more...