As Catholics, we believe in the powerful intercession of Mary, the Mother of God. Our devotion to her — as we ask her to take our prayers to her Son — is an important aspect of our faith. The members of the Legion of Mary, an international lay apostolic association of Catholics, commit to offering daily prayers to Mary and serving the Church on a daily basis. This association was founded in 1921 by a man named Frank Duff in Dublin, Ireland. In the century since its founding, the reach of the Legion of Mary has spread through over 170 countries. It is the largest society of lay apostles in the world.
Linda Shuster and Karen Hepburn are founding members of the church’s association. Karen currently serves as the president and Linda as vice president. Currently, there are nine members of the group.
“Being a part of the Legion of Mary is a commitment,” Linda says. “We commit to praying the Rosary each day along with saying the prayers from the prayer book. We also attend the weekly meetings and actively seek out works of mercy. These acts of mercy range from evangelization to bringing communion to the homebound.
“We are seeking to educate others and be active witnesses in our community,” she adds. “It is all so spiritual. When someone asks you to pray for them, it is so powerful. We are soldiers and we put on the armor of prayer.”
The important part of this association is to commit to praying for the intentions of Mary who is the guiding force of this group. For those who wish to be a part of the group but feel unable to commit to the lifelong requirements of daily prayer, weekly meetings, and acts of mercy, there is an option to be auxiliary members. Auxiliary members pray for the committee and pray for the world. They commit to the same prayers but they are not carrying out the physical activities or meetings.
“As a group, we have grown together spiritually and we are so close to each other,” Karen says. “We actually call each other every day to say our Rosary and prayers before we go about our day. We have grown in friendship and having someone else depend on you to continue your commitment was something that I needed.”
The witness of evangelization and its effects on others has had a profound impact on all of the members of the group as they have grown closer to Christ and His mother.
“The Legion of Mary is a prayer warrior-ship,” Karen says. “Through our prayers and our actions, Mary and the Holy Spirit work through us to bring people closer to Jesus.”
The group meets on Sundays at 5 p.m. in the cry room at St. Patrick’s.
All parishioners are welcome to attend a meeting. Contact Karen Hepburn at 573-466-9294 or Linda Shuster at 314-313-0282 for more information.