Legion of Mary
Melbourne Senatus
Prayer with Action
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Legion of Mary
Melbourne Senatus Prayer with Action |
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Legion of Mary Celebrates 80 years of Service. Nov 2001 About 350 people filled St.Michael's Church, North Melbourne, on Saturday 10th November 2001, to celebrate the 80th.anniversary of the beginning of the Legion of Mary in Dublin. On September 7th 1921, a group of fifteen women, a St.Vincent de Paul man Frank Duff and a Diocesan priest Father Toher, gathered at Mena House to pray together. They set up a small altar with a statue of Mary, some flowers and candles, and invoking the aid of the Holy Spirit, said the Rosary. After some weekly meetings, they decided to give practical expression to their growing spirituality. Material aid was handled by St.Vincent de Paul Society, at that time purely male in character, so they arranged to visit, in pairs, the poor, aged and often friendless sick in the workhouse infirmary under the care of the Sisters of Mercy. They would bring friendship and encouragement to return to religion. Later they began to approach the many prostitutes in Dublin, venturing into areas where police were loathed to go, and were able eventually to take a group of twenty girls on a weekend retreat. That small group grew into a Legion based on prayer under Mary's banner, and dedicated to continuing Mary's nurturing work of bringing souls to God.
The Legion began to formulate rules, and as each rule was to be grounded in devotion to Mary, explanations were added from the writings of theologians, saints and spiritual writers. The rulebook became not only a constitution, but a spiritual treatise as well. Frank Duff was determined that the Legion should be approved by the Church, but was unable to persuade his Bishop to give the Handbook an Imprimatur. In 1934 the Legion in Australia had begun in Melbourne, brought by Father Bakker and Ruth Gavan Duffy. Frank Duff wrote to Mrs. Gavan Duffy, asking her to approach Archbishop Mannix for his Imprimatur. "He is just the sort of courageous soul to do it." he wrote. After studying the Handbook, Archbishop Mannix readily gave the much-wanted Imprimatur, the 1st Bishop in the world to do so. Other Bishops followed suit, even Dublin, and the way was opened for the Handbook to be printed in many different languages as the Legion spread worldwide. As attitudes to lay participation altered with Vatican 11, which Frank Duff was invited to attend, the Handbook was revised to contain excerpts from the Council documents. At a Mass and Vigil of Prayer that took place at St.Nichola’s Church, Dublin on September 7th & 8th 2001, His Holiness, Pope John Paul, sent his warm greetings to all present and assured them of his prayerful support in their apostolate. He joined the Legionaries in giving thanks for all that has been achieved in different parts of the world and in various social situations. His Holiness encouraged all legionaries to take up the challenge, with renewed enthusiasm, of bringing the light of the Gospel to the men and women of our time, relying with confidence on the Holy Spirit's guidance. He entrusted all legionaries throughout the world to the protection of Mary, Mother of the Redeemer. He gladly imparted his Apostolic blessing to all taking part in the anniversary celebrations. We were especially happy to have as our celebrant Monsignor Christopher Prowse as the personal representative of our Archbishop Denis Hart |
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