by Therese Horvat
Special to The Leaven
Around the globe, the several million members of the Legion of Mary strive to bring Christ to the world through his Blessed Mother. Committed to this goal, leaders of the 19 Legion of Mary groups in the archdiocese are seeking to expand the number of parishes with active units.
Irene Tastove, president of the Legion of Mary of four parishes in the southern part of the archdiocese, believes that a first step toward accomplishing this goal is helping priests and laypersons understand the purpose, ministry and practices embraced by legionaries.
“Just as Christ included the apostles in his mission to teach all nations, legionaries at the local level are available to assist priests in spreading the word and performing works of mercy,” she explained. “We carry out our marching orders through dependence on the Mother of God and in cooperation with our priests.”
This purpose dates to 1921 when the Legion of Mary began in Dublin as a lay organization approved by the church as a pastoral tool for use by priests and bishops. Frank Duff, a layperson, was its founder and introduced the structure, protocols and expectations still in place today.
Membership is open to men and women, 18 and older. Two archdiocesan parishes have junior units for youth 17 and under. Active adult members commit to a balanced program of prayer and service. They attend weekly meetings that include prayer, reflection, reports on their apostolic works and discussion. Auxiliary members support legionaries through prayer.
Gus Torrez is president of the unit at Most Pure Heart of Mary Parish in Topeka and of the archdiocesan group made up of representatives from parish units. At the parish level, a Legion of Mary is called a praesidium; at the archdiocesan level, a comitium.
Joleen Hallouer, vice president of the praesidium at Divine Mercy Parish in Gardner and of the comitium, said that legionaries visit the sick and homebound in different settings; distribute Communion to them; transport parishioners to Mass and appointments; and evangelize. They lead rosaries at weekend Masses, make and distribute rosaries and are involved with other parish ministries.
Evangelization — by example and by focused outreach — is an important dimension of their work. Deacon Vince Hallouer, spiritual director of the Divine Mercy unit, said, “People see the works legionaries do, and this may interest them in Catholicism.”
The Hallouer husband-and-wife team cited the experience of a staff person at a nursing facility. His spouse had encouraged him to join the church; witnessing the good works of the legionaries at the facility convinced him. He and his brother are currently enrolled in the OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) program.
Evangelization on a larger scale occurs in some communities as legionaries go door-to-door inviting people to attend church. Meghan Barlow, president of the Our Lady of Fatima praesidium of St. John the Evangelist Parish and the St. Lawrence Campus Center in Lawrence, is drawn to this outreach.
The Legion of Mary is about connecting with people,” she said. “People are starving for this.”
Legionaries conduct outreach in pairs. They knock on doors, greet residents, invite them to come to church or, if they already have a church, offer to pray in unity with them. They may leave literature on Catholicism, miraculous medals or prayer cards. These visits often result in conversions or the return of persons formerly disconnected from the church.
In summer 2024, Divine Mercy hosted a large-scale outreach that brought legionaries from around the country and state who visited half of the homes in Gardner in a concentrated effort. Members of the Lawrence praesidium are currently doing outreach as schedules and weather permit. In the past, the four parishes in southern Kansas each took a weekend for door-to-door outreach within their respective communities: St. Francis Xavier, Burlington; St. Patrick, Emerald; St. Joseph, Waverly; and St. Teresa, Westphalia.
Local Legions of Mary reflect the culture of the parish. Holy Cross Parish in Overland Park has both English-speaking units and Spanish-speaking units. Itzhell Hester, president of the Maria Llave Espiritual de la Fe unit, credits the Blessed Mother with changing her personal and family life for the better. She finds joy and peace in visiting the sick, making rosaries and staying close to the Virgin Mary.
Phil Gough, president of the Mary, Mother of the Church praesidium at Holy Cross, often recruits parishioners who are already performing works of mercy. He invites them to join for the spiritual benefits of membership.
Instrumental in establishing the praesidium in Lawrence and currently its vice president, Alma Moreno Lahm encourages people to pray about joining the Legion of Mary for their spirituality and for service to others. Lahm believes this work is Spirit-driven and for the glory of God with legionaries serving as disciples of Christ.
“What better way to grow closer to God than under the tutelage of Mary,” Tastove concluded.
For more information about the Legion of Mary or establishing a parish unit, contact Torrez at (785) 224-5460 or by email at: gjtorrez@cox.net.
