Word of the Day: Legion of Mary

LEGION OF MARY. One of the largest lay organizations in the Catholic Church, founded in Dublin in 1921. Its purpose is entirely spiritual, namely, the sanctification of the members and their practice of charity toward others. +++++ I mention in my 'biography' in my sidebar that I am an Auxiliary of the Legion of Mary. The Legion has five types of members. Active members regularly attend the weekly sessions of their Praesidium and pray daily the prayer of the Legion, the Catena Legionis, which consists essentially of the Magnificat and some shorter prayers. Their main role lies in active apostolate for the legion and the church. Active members under 18 are not allowed to give the "Legion promise" until that age. They are considered Juniors and may hold any office except President in their Praesidium. Above the level of the Praesidium, no Junior may serve as an officer. Auxiliary members support the legion through their prayer. They pray the whole booklet of Legion prayers, the Tessera, every day. The Tessera consists of the Invocation, prayers to the Holy Spirit, the Rosary, the Catena, and the concluding prayers of the Tessera. Praetorians, a higher grade of active membership, pray, in addition to their duties as active members, pray the Rosary, the Divine Office and go to Holy Mass daily. Adjutorians, A higher grade of auxiliary membership, additionally pray the Divine Office and go to Holy Mass daily. Praetorians and Adjutors do not have higher status or higher rank inside the legion system. The meaning of the grades is only a desire for a more devotional life, not for higher status. Entering the grade is done by registering with a list of Praetorians/ or Adjutors and by subsequently observing their duties. The Legion of Mary consists of two totally-different memberships, active and the auxiliary members. Both are essential to the Legion: "Just as a bird cannot fly without one wing, so also the Legion cannot exist without any of the other members," said Ráinel Lobo of Mumbai, India. Since there is no Presidium in Wilber, I cannot be an Active Member, and the lack of daily Holy Mass prevents me from being an Adjutorian, so I support the Legion's Apostolate with my prayers.