90TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LEGION OF MARY
ST CATHARINE’S CONVENT, EDINBURGH
HOMILY PREACHED BY CARDINAL KEITH PATRICK O’BRIEN
SATURDAY 10TH SEPTEMBER 2011
INTRODUCTION:
It is indeed a privilege being here with you today as we thank God on this the 90th anniversary of the foundation of the Legion of Mary in Dublin. At the beginning of my words to you I would simply ask the following questions:
Obviously all of you as members, active or auxiliary of the Legion of Mary realise that the answers to the above four questions exist in the Legion of Mary itself – spread quite literally throughout the whole world; calling the lay faithful to realise the value of their own vocation in the Church and in the world; having its existence in order to evangelise at home and abroad; and answering that question recently posed by Pope Benedict XVI in our own country with regard to having always realised that the organisation exists to help the members achieve a holiness of life.
EARLY HISTORY OF THE LEGION OF MARY:
Obviously you know of the early history of the Legion of Mary – founded on 7th September 1921 in Myra House, Francis Street in Dublin by the late Servant of God Frank Duff. Frank having been an active member of the St Vincent de Paul Society realised that so many of his fellow countrymen, materially poor, were also spiritually poor and needed a specific organisation to help them.
From these small beginnings in Dublin in 1921 the Legion of Mary soon came to Scotland following on a meeting between Frank Duff and the then Archbishop of Glasgow, Archbishop Mackintosh in Glasgow in 1927.
The first meeting of the Legion of Mary outside Ireland was held in St Peter’s Partick on 26th April 1928, soon to be followed by a second presidium in St Aloysius Jesuit Church in Garnethill. The apostolate from Glasgow than spread to the Cathedral Parish in Aberdeen in June 1928 followed by groups being established in Edinburgh and Dundee in January 1929.
The first apostolates undertaken were visitation of Catholic homes, running girls guilds, and the visitation of mental, maternity and cancer hospitals. Obviously also involved was home visitation – and socials for the poor in the area visited leading to the growth of a greater community spirit.
GROWTH OF THE LEGION OF MARY:
The Legion of Mary grew quickly and various other apostolates were undertaken including helping pregnant women and Catholic domestic workers. Model lodging houses were visited where living conditions were terrible.
Hostels were soon established through the Legion of Mary – one for materially destitute women in 8 Park Circus Place with permission of Archbishop Mackintosh of Glasgow; and then, following on the establishment of the first men’s Presidium, Our Lady of the Wayside, in August 1932 a club named the Wayside Club was opened – with the hostel of that name still running to this day.
The apostolate of the Legion of Mary was outward going also – and in 1958 following on the work of 11 Irish university students, who cultivated a missionary spirit within themselves and then continued apostolic work outwith their own country in cafes, restaurants, public houses, buses queues and the streets of London.
They were soon joined in 1960 by Scottish people – and eventually in 1963 1,500 volunteers including 120 Scots engaged in this evangelisation process overseas now called Peregrinatio pro Christo.
I think it is worthy of note that in the past five years the number of active members of the Legion of Mary in our own Archdiocese has doubled. Perhaps more attention is indeed being paid to the way in which the apostolate of the Church and the call of the Church to the lay faithful at this present time is fulfilled through membership of the Legion of Mary.
VOCATION OF THE LAY FAITHFUL:
And what is that apostolate of the Lay Faithful?
Throughout history the Church has always relied on the assistance of the laity in fulfilling her mission. Hence, the foundation of organisations such as the St Vincent de Paul Society and the Legion of Mary.
However, the calls of the Second Vatican Council and the Popes of our own time have indicated that all of the laity should be involved in some way or another in the mission of the Church. I often think of those words of Blessed John Paul II, addressing the lay faithful of the world at the time of the Synod of the Bishops on the Laity, when he said: “You have an exalted vocation – and there are many and varied forms of mission open to you”.
And then, only last year, Pope Benedict XVI established a new Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelisation. He emphasised the need for such a New Evangelisation at this present time and stated that: “The Church has a duty everywhere and at all times to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ”. It is this New Evangelisation that we are all being involved in at this present time – and I see this theme as being vitally important to the Legion of Mary and its members whether active or auxiliary. Remember those words of Pope Benedict XVI when he established the new Pontifical Council last year and emphasised the need for a New Evangelisation at this present time when he said: “The Church has a duty everywhere and at all times to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ!”.
CONCLUSION:
I know that in speaking to you today as active and auxiliary members of the Legions of Mary, I have no need to emphasise the importance of the role of this lay organisation founded by that wonderful man Frank Duff for whose beatification and canonisation we all pray.
A growing organisation number-wise; one which has anticipated the Second Vatican Council with regard to the role of the lay faithful; one which has always and still does involve itself in New Evangelisation at home and abroad; and one which issues calls to holiness for all its members.
No wonder there is that growth in the membership of the Legion of Mary; and no wonder the Church has always recognised the value of this organisation at home and abroad.
I thank God for all that you have been accomplishing here in this Archdiocese over the past 90 years. So many saints have been produced from the membership of the Legion of Mary – and so many people have appreciated that ongoing holiness through the active apostolate of the members of the Legion, supported by the prayers of the auxiliary members.
May God indeed continue to inspire you all in your valued apostolate and continue to help you in your growth in holiness. As much has been achieved over the past 90 years, may God indeed bless you in all of your endeavours at this present time and help you as you continue that apostolate for the years which lie ahead.