The Legion of Mary Depends on the Spirit Which Animates it

The Legion Depends on the Spirit which Animates It -

JOHN NAGLE - REPRINTED FROM MARIA LEGIONIS 1935

We must ever be mindful of the fact that the permanence of the Legion depends solely on one thing, and that is the spirit which animates it. It was spirit, and not material resources of any kind, which has made the Legion a vital force in Catholic Action. That is why the Legion, starting in a very insignificant manner, without any worldly power behind it, and even in the face of many trials and difficulties, has been able to extend far and wide. Those connected with the setting of the foundations were able to discern in the Legion its wonderful spirit, so that in the first six months of its life they declared without hesitation that the Legion was destined for world conquest.

That conquest has begun in our time, and we are privileged - each one of us - to lend a helping hand in the great work. Despite the cry "the system is too severe: you will get no response", place after place takes up the Legion system and numbers flock to the standard. There is presented to us the universal feature of interest growing with time and quality with quantity.

Now some people have thought that the Legion was "too good to endure for long", and have asked us, "What of the future? What does it hold for you? How shall you emerge from the coming battle? - holding the palm of victory, or locked in the chains of defeat?" The answer depends on one thing - the quality of our spirit. We are ever reminded that the spirit of the Legion is that of Mary herself.

Hence, if we continue to aspire after her virtues and to make them the rule of our daily life, then the future will hold for us added proof of the manifestation of Mary's might and power. But it must be remembered that this spirit of the Legion is not just floating about in the air, waiting to be breathed in. No; labour and toil are necessary if we are to acquire it.

Grace and effort are the weapons we must take hold of - grace through Mary, and effort in union with her. Faith in Mary to such a degree as if nothing depended on us: the maximum of effort on our part as if everything depended on our toil. It will be "cruel work and a hard battle"; but, we boast of being her soldiers, do we not? We glory in the language of battle. We call ourselves an Army. Face the reality we must - "the hard battle" - or label ourselves as toy soldiers playing at mock war!

surest and simplest way of safeguarding and increasing our spirit lies in the perfection of our Legion membership. That perfection is measured by exact adherence to the Legion system, and not according to any satisfaction or apparent degree of success which may attend the efforts of the Legionary. Now this entails submission and a certain degree of surrender to that unified plan of prayer and work which proceeds from the weekly meetings of the Praesidium and which is given us by our Queen and leader.

Hence, at the Praesidium meeting, we acquire the legion spirit, or we lose it; we sanctify our souls and the souls of those committed to our care, or we betray them. At the Praesidium meeting we keep faith with those whole-time, generous workers who have given their all to the legion, and who have pinned their faith in us, or we make a mockery of their life service.

Is it any wonder that officers of Praesidia are taught the great duty of training their members so as to get out of them in work and spirit all that is in them? It may be said truly that the battles of the legion are won or lost at the simple meetings of Praesidia, and that there also each legionary of Mary is either made or unmade.

There is no insinuation in all this that our spirit is weakening and growing cold, for we have full reason to thank God and His Blessed Mother that the legion everywhere is proving itself worthy of its high vocation. But history teaches us how infinitely delicate is the spirit of a religious society; how hard it is to find and how easy to lose. Hence it is no harm for us to be mindful of the pitfalls which must be avoided if we are to continue our onward march, shoulder to shoulder and flank to flank, patrolling the world under the standard of Mary in high conquest for God.

JOHN NAGLE