St. Columba ParishThe Legion of Mary was founded in Dublin in 1921 by Frank Duff and is now in almost every country on earth. Members — "legionaries" — commit to a weekly meeting and a weekly assignment of active work, done in pairs, under the guidance of Mary. Our praesidium, Our Lady of Knock, was founded in 1959 and has eighteen active members and about seventy auxiliaries who support the work by prayer.
Meeting
- Mondays
- Meeting room B
- About 75 minutes
Membership
- Activemeeting + 2 hours' work weekly
- Auxiliarydaily prayers only
- Juniorages 10–17, Saturdays
Contact
- President: Josephine Okonkwo
- legion@stcolumbatoronto.ca
- Spiritual director: Fr. Nguyen
The meeting
Every praesidium in the world follows the same order: the opening prayers and the rosary, a short spiritual reading, reports from each pair on the week's work (five minutes each, and confidential), an allocutio — a brief talk by the spiritual director — the assignment of next week's work, and the closing prayers. A secret bag collection covers expenses. The structure is old-fashioned and the effect is remarkable: people who joined for the prayer find they have become visitors of the sick.
The work
- Visiting the housebound and the residents of the two long-term-care homes, praying the rosary with them, and bringing Communion where a member is a commissioned minister.
- Hospital visits to parishioners at the local hospital, in cooperation with the Catholic chaplain.
- Calling on newly registered parishioners with a welcome pack, and on families after a baptism or funeral.
- Door-to-door visits in the parish each May and October, inviting lapsed Catholics back — gently.
- Leading the rosary before weekday Mass and at wakes, and organizing the May crowning and the October rosary rally.
- Enrolling children in the Miraculous Medal and the Brown Scapular after First Communion.
Joining
Come to a Monday meeting as a guest — there is no commitment for the first three months, after which a new member makes the Legionary Promise. Active members must be practising Catholics who have made their First Communion; all complete high-risk screening because the work is with vulnerable people. Auxiliary members promise the daily Legion prayers (the Catena and rosary) and are invited to the annual Acies in March and the Christmas social. A junior praesidium for ages 10–17 meets on Saturdays at 10:30 AM and helps with the children's rosary and the Christmas hamper deliveries.
How much time is it really?
The meeting plus about two hours of work a week, usually one visit with your partner. Members who travel or fall ill simply report it; the Legion has been doing this for a century and understands life.
I'm shy about knocking on doors.
Most legionaries were. Work is always done in pairs, new members go with experienced ones, and there are plenty of works that involve no doors at all.
Josephine Okonkwo, President — legion@stcolumbatoronto.ca.