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Tessera (Legion of Mary Prayers)
Drawing its inspiration from the True Devotion to Mary, as taught by St. Louis Marie de Montfort (1673 – 1716), the Legion of Mary is at the disposal of the Bishops and Priests for use in the mission of the Church. While essentially a lay association, legionaries look for spiritual and apostolic formation to priests and religious, who, as Legion Spiritual Directors, hold an honored place in the Legion system. The Legion requires ecclesiastical approval to work in a diocese or parish. Loyalty to the Magisterium and to Ecclesiastical Authority is a basic legionary principle. The Legion aims to bring Mary to the world as the infallible means of winning the world to Jesus, and legionary service is based on the doctrine of the Mystical Body of Christ, so that in their fellow members and in those they serve, legionaries seek to have the Person of our Lord once again seen and served by Mary, his Mother.
More about the Legion of Mary: www.legionofmary.ie/about
The Legion is organized using inspiration from the Roman Legions, the epitome of a disciplined, effective, well-ordered organized body–like the Body of Christ–but whose purpose is spiritual warfare, using the weapons of compassion, service, faith, and evangelization for the Glory of God. Members of the Legio Mariae (Legion of Mary) are called legionaries. The parish-level organization is called the praesidium (from the handbook: this Latin word was used to designate a detachment of the Roman Legion performing special duty, that is, a section of a military line, a fortified post, a garrison. The term praesidium is, therefore, appropriately applied to the branch of the Legion of Mary.)
The Legion was founded in 1921 in Dublin, Ireland, as a Catholic Marian movement by Frank Duff (since then elevated to Servant of God). Today, between active and auxiliary members, there are over 10 million members worldwide, making it the largest apostolic organization of lay people in the Catholic Church.
ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP is open to all Catholic men and women who offer their services to their pastor to aid him in performing spiritual works in the parish.
Ordinary active members…
- Offer the Tessera (legion prayers), including a daily rosary
- Participate in annual Legion events (the Day of Spirituality, retreats, the Acies, social gatherings)
- attend the weekly praesidium meeting
- perform two hours of apostolic work each week.
AUXILIARY MEMBERSHIP is open to all Catholics, and is the praying arm of the Legion of Mary, sharing in the work of the legion by their support of prayer and intercession, and in the grace given by God for the works done in cooperation with their prayers.
Auxiliary members…
- Offer the Tessera (legion prayers), including a daily rosary
- Participate in annual Legion events (the Day of Spirituality, retreats, the Acies, social gatherings)
PRAETORIANS are active members who also participate in daily Mass and prayer of the Divine Office (Liturgy of the Hours)
ADJUTORIANS (Adjutores Legionis) are auxiliary members who also participate in daily Mass and prayer of the Divine Office (Liturgy of the Hours)
The praesidium at Holy Trinity Church–the praesidium of Our Lady of Grace–is getting back on its feet over fifteen years after going inactive. Our praesidium is very busy not just with our apostolic works and reorganization, but also inviting parishioners to consider working as part of the Legion of Mary.
Legion of Mary activities include…
- Visits to parishioners’ homes after hospitalizations
- Hospital visits
- Nursing home visits
- Cheer visits
- Attending funerals
- Sympathy visits to families in mourning
- Visits for census information and updating
- Visits to families with new babies
- Visits to new parishioners
- Evangelistic visits
- Visits to lax Catholics
- Calls to Auxiliary Members regarding praesidium and curia activities
- Distributing Catholic faith literature/pamphlets and rosaries
We invite all our parishioners to prayerfully consider becoming involved in the Legion of Mary, at least offering the Legion the benefit of their prayers as Auxiliary members.
Interested individuals should contact the parish office or any active member.
- Darlene Herman, President
- Paulette Moore, Vice President
- Betty Mahan, Treasurer
- Rosanne Settino, Secretary
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?
Confer, O Lord, on us, who serve beneath the standard of Mary, that fullness of faith in You and trust in her, to which it is given to conquer the world. Grant us a lively faith, animated by charity, which will enable us to perform all our actions from the motive of pure love of You, and ever to see You and serve You in our neighbor; a faith, firm and immovable as a rock, through which we shall rest tranquil and steadfast amid the crosses, toils and disappointments of life; a courageous faith which will inspire us to undertake and carry out without hesitation great things for your glory and for the salvation of souls; a faith which will be our Legion’s Pillar of Fire – to lead us forth united – to kindle everywhere the fires of divine love – to enlighten those who are in darkness and in the shadow of death – to inflame those who are lukewarm – to bring back life to those who are dead in sin; and which will guide our own feet in the way of peace; so that – the battle of life over – our Legion may reassemble, without the loss of any one, in the kingdom of Your love and glory. Amen.