Concilium Legionis Mariae’s Theme for 2011

“The Charism of Frank Duff and the Legion of Mary”

In 2011, we celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Legion of Mary and  it is a year of grace for all legionaries. To focus our attention and efforts during this year, the Concilium Legionis Mariae has proposed the theme: “The Charism of Frank Duff and the Legion of Mary”

Charism in the Catholic sense means the spiritual graces and qualifications granted to every Christian to perform his or her task in the Church. The Founder of the Legion of Mary, the Servant of God Frank Duff, was granted a charism i.e. a gift from the Holy Spirit of extraordinary graces for the good of others. He put this gift to great use by founding and guiding the Legion of Mary. It is best described in the words of Most Rev. Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin:

“Frank Duff died thirty years ago. This quiet, personally unassuming man, in quiet simple external circumstances in Dublin, on 7th September 1921, established a  movement of prayer, Christian care and Marian spirituality. The Legion of Mary is a  movement which has spread worldwide and has enriched the Church in many parts of  the world, especially at moments in which the Church was experiencing difficulty and persecution. We have come to thank God for the charism of Frank Duff; a charism recognised in a special way by the Second Vatican Council, which he attended. We thank God for the spiritual enrichment that that charism has brought the members of the Legion of Mary. We thank God for the Christian care and spiritual formation that millions have encountered through their contact with the Legion of Mary. We remember especially the tenacity of this outwardly retiring man: tenacity in reaching
out unashamedly to bring the message of Jesus to people in the varied circumstances of their lives, a tenacity driven not by human ambition but through a devotion to Mary who in every aspect of her life opened her heart to understand and to do the will of God.” (Introduction to 30th Anniversary Mass in Commemoration of The Servant of God Frank Duff in the Pro Cathedral Dublin on 20 November 2010).

               In 2011, the Concilium urges all legionaries to focus on this theme by:

1. Promoting with greater vigour the Cause of the Servant of God, Frank Duff.

2. Asking every legionary to always have on their person, Frank Duff Beatification Prayer leaflets to give to people they     meet in the course of their daily lives. In  praying for him, he, in turn, can intercede for them. This prayer can be     obtained from the Legion of Mary website www.legionofmary.ie

3. Recommending to Legion Councils to organise an Anniversary Mass in commemoration of Frank Duff to be      celebrated, if possible, by the Bishop in their Diocese, to which all local Catholics would be invited.

4. Praying to our Founder for new active and auxiliary members to join the Legion and unite with Our Lady in      the Church’s evangelising work.

5. Marking the 90th Anniversary of the Legion of Mary through an appropriate event or undertaking e.g., could every      praesidium start a new praesidium?

6. Putting this theme on the Agenda of Council and praesidium meetings and seeking regular feedback on how it and the     above are progressing.

• Studying the Legion Handbook, daily if possible, to absorb the Charism of Frank Duff and the Legion of Mary. Please copy and circulate to all praesidia.
  
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