Legion of Mary

The life of our parish community continues to thrive through many organizations and ministries as well as many planned activities throughout the year. These groups and activities enrich the parish family by providing opportunities get to know each other, to grow stronger in our faith, to use our talents in service to our parish community, and to convert our faith into action.

You are invited to join these activities and organizations in helping bring grace and charity to our parish.

The Legion of Mary is a lay apostolic association of Catholics who, with the sanction of the Church and under the powerful leadership of Mary Immaculate, Mediatrix of All Graces, serve the Church and their neighbor on a voluntary basis in about 170 countries. Currently, St. Benedict’s Parish has three Legion of Mary groups, each one known as a praesidium:For information about the Legion of Mary at St. Benedict’s Parish, please contact Steve Scheerbaum, Vice President of Stella Matutina and President of the Tidewater Senior Comitium (Mother of Good Counsel). Text preferred – 724-816-1518.

Mater Dei
Mother of God

 Sedes Sapientiae
Seat of Wisdom		 Stella Matutina
Morning Star

Virgo Fidelis
Faithful Virgin
(For ages 7-12)

Meets Tuesdays, 7:00pm

 Meets Thursdays, 9:15am Meets Saturday, 7:00am

Meets Monday, 9:15am

Some Substantial Works:
Mary Table

Chesapeake Rehab Patient Visits

Willow Creek Visits

Crowd Contact at CHKD/ Sentara/ EVMS Campus in Norfolk

Door to Door Evangelization

Crowd Contact in Ghent, at the Norfolk Tides, Wells Theater, ODU, Sandler Center, VB Oceanfront
Extension at other parishes (assist in the creation of a new praesidium)

 Some Substantial Works:
Mary Table
Pilgrim Virgin Home Visitation

Chesapeake Rehabilitation and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Patient Visits

Crowd Contact at Kroger, Chesapeake City Park

Catechism – Little Flowers
Facilitate Patricians Meeting

 Some Substantial Works:
Mary Table
Pilgrim Virgin Home Visitation

Chesapeake Rehab Patient Visits

Door to Door Evangelization

Crowd Contact in Norfolk, Chesapeake City Park
Catechism – Little Flowers
Extension at other parishes (assist in the creation of a new praesidium)

Some Substantial Works:
Junior Mary Table
Assisting senior praesidia (door to door packets, Rosary bags, crowd contact)

Rosary Making

Making Birthday Cards for the infirmed

Pilgrim Virgin Home Visitation

Visiting elder care and rehabilitation facilities

An Introduction to the Legion of Mary

The object of the Legion of Mary is the glory of God through the holiness of its members developed by prayer and active co-operation in Mary’s and the Church’s work. The unit of the Legion of Mary is called a praesidium, which holds a weekly meeting in the presence of a spiritual director and where prayer is intermingled with reports and discussion. The Legion sees as its priority the spiritual and social welfare of each individual. The members participate in the life of the parish through visitation of families, the sick, both in their homes and in hospitals and through collaboration in every apostolic and missionary undertaking sponsored by the parish. Every legionary is required to carry out a weekly apostolic work in the spirit of faith and in union with Mary.

The general and essential means by which the Legion of Mary is to effect its object is personal service acting under the influence of the Holy Spirit, having Divine Grace as its moving principle and support, and the glory of God and the salvation of souls as its final end and purpose. Evangelization, especially the seeking of conversions to the Church, should be a priority for the Legion. Through the visitation of homes and by other means, the Legion must, as a first principle, set out to establish a contact of some sort with every soul everywhere. Seeing and serving Christ in the sick and marginalized is another vital part of the legionary apostolate. While not engaging in the giving of material relief, legionaries will often find opportunities to do works of service for the needy.

Membership in the Legion of Mary
To be an active legionary, it is necessary to apply for membership in a praesidium which holds a weekly meeting and allocates a weekly apostolic task to the members, who generally work in pairs. After a successful period of probation, members are called to make the Legionary Promise (this is only applicable for members over 18 years) which is directed to the Holy Spirit. Realizing the necessity for a strong support of prayer, the Legion has Auxiliary members, who associate themselves with the Legion by undertaking a service of prayer in its name. The administration of the Legion is carried out through its various councils at the local, regional and national level. The central council, the Concilium Legionis Mariae, meets monthly in Dublin.

Reference: Concilium Information about the Legion of Mary

Please click on the links below for more information about the Legion of Mary: