# The name and origin of the Legion of Mary
*2019-09-20*

> Bill Young provides a spiritual reading from the official handbook of the Legion of Mary, exploring the organization's origins and its identity as an army for service in the Church.

## An Army for the Church

The Legion of Mary is an association of Catholics, sanctioned by the Church and under the powerful leadership of Mary Immaculate, the Mediatrix of all graces. It is organized on the model of an army, specifically drawing its terminology from the ancient army of Rome. However, the arms of this legion are not of this world. The Legionaries seek to render themselves worthy of the heavenly Queen through loyalty, virtue, and courage, engaging in the perpetual warfare waged by the Church against the world and its evil powers.

## Humble Beginnings

The organization did not begin as a thought-out plan; it sprang up spontaneously. On September 7, 1921—the eve of the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary—a small group gathered at Myra's house on Francis Street in Dublin, Ireland. They met around a simple altar featuring a statue of the Immaculate Conception, based on the Miraculous Medal model, flanked by flowers and lighted candles. This setting crystallized everything the Legion stands for: an army where the Queen is assembled to receive those she has adopted.

## The Purpose of the Legion

The first act of these early Legionaries was to kneel and invoke the Holy Spirit, followed by the recitation of the Rosary. From there, they discussed how they could best please God and make Him loved in His world. This humble beginning inaugurated a system designed to faithfully administer the power of Mary to bring life, sweetness, and hope to the nations. As St. Augustine noted, Mary is the living mold of God, and the Legion aims to reproduce her likeness to magnify the Lord.

## Devotion and Prayer

In the spirit of the Legion, we conclude with the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary, meditating on the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Birth of Jesus, the Presentation, and the Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple. We also join in the Catena, the beautiful prayer and anthem of the Legion. The anthem reminds us of the identity of the Legion: 'Who is she that comes forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army set in battle array?'

*The Legion of Mary serves as a spiritual army, united with Mary to bring the love of God to the world.*