Legion of Mary

Legion of Mary

The Legion of Mary is the largest apostolic organization of lay people in the Catholic Church, with well over 3 million active members in almost every country of the world.  It has been active in the United States since 1931, has been approved by the last 6 Popes, and was endorsed by the Second Vatican Council.  The main purpose of the Legion is to give glory to God through the sanctification of its members.

What We Do:

Members become instruments of the Holy Spirit through a balanced program of prayer and service.  Works include, evangelization, parishioner visitation, visitation of the sick or aged, religious education, Pilgrim Virgin Statue rotations, and meeting other spiritual needs of the parish community.  Legionaries are under the guidance of a spiritual director named by the pastor.  The Legion is, in essence, an extension of the heart and hands of the pastor.


Who Can Belong?


The Legion of Mary is open to all Catholics who:

  • Faithfully practice their religion.
  • Are animated by the desire to participate in the Church’s apostolate through membership in the Legion.
  • Are prepared to fulfill duties which active membership in the Legion involves.


Who We Are


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, where prayer is intermingled with reports and discussion. Ascension has two local units that meet at two different days/times:

  Mary, Mother of Our Ascended Lord And
  Our Lady Queen of Angels


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 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.


We participate in visitation of the sick or aged, religious education, Pilgrim Virgin Statue rotations, and meeting the other spiritual needs of the parish community. Legionaries are under the guidance of a spiritual director named by the pastor. The Legion is, in essence, an extension of the heart and hands of the pastor.


Ascension Parish Legion of Mary


*The Ascension Legion of Mary celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2020. We celebrated in the summer of 2021 – click here to look at our video! 


Due to the success of the Legion, Ascension now has two praesidia: 


1) Mary, Mother of our Ascended Lord: This praesidium gathers Saturday mornings after 8:00 Mass (meetings start at 8:45) in the Parish Hall to pray for special intentions of the Legion, celebrating with a Rosary, Allocutio and the Catena Legionis. Many members join the 8:00 AM Mass celebration, sitting together on the left side of the church by the statue of our Mother. For more information, please contact Jan Naumann at naumann.janice.c@gmail.com

2) Our Lady Queen of Angels:  This praesidium is our newest addition to Ascension! The Legion gathers at 1:00 pm every Thursday in the Upper Parish Hall (after noon Mass). For more information, please contact Carol Murphy at carol@murphy.us


The ministry is part of the Evangelization Commission and open to all Parish members (men and women). There are 2 membership levels – Full and Auxiliary. All members recite the Catena Legionaries daily (and a daily rosary is strongly encouraged). Full members attend meetings regularly as well as participating in the weekly apostolate. Auxiliary members may not be able to meet the weekly requirements but are welcome at legion meetings/events whenever possible. 



2025-2026 Activities


Mary, Mother of Our Ascended Lord (MMAL): Meetings held every Sat at 8:45 in Parish Hall (after 8AM mass), unless otherwise noted. Every 3rd Saturday meeting held in Basement of Parish Hall.


Our Lady Queen of Angels (OLQA): Meetings held every Thursday, 1 PM in Upper Parish Hall after the noon mass.

 

West County Curia Meetings held 3rd Thursday of Month at 6:45 PM at St. Clare of Assisi in the Assisi house.  Fr. Foye is the spiritual director of the Curia.

May

MMAL meetings Sat 8:45 AM Parish Hall
(3rd Sat - Parish Hall Basement)
OLQA Meetings Thurs 1PM, Parish Hall

5/15 -  Curia mtg at SCA
5/24 - No MMAL Meeting, Memorial Day Weekend
5/26 - Patriotic Rosary


June

MMAL meetings Sat 8:45 AM Parish Hall
(3rd Sat - Parish Hall Basement)
OLQA Meetings Thurs 1PM, Parish Hall

6/19 - Curia mtg at SCA

6/28 - BBQ


July

MMAL meetings Sat 8:45 AM Parish Hall
(3rd Sat - Parish Hall Basement)
OLQA meetings Thurs 1PM, Parish Hall

7/3 - No OLQA meeting
7/4 - Patriotic Rosary

7/17 -  Curia mtg at SCA   (OLQA Report due to Curia)


August

MMAL meetings Sat 8:45 AM Parish Hall
(3rd Sat - Parish Hall Basement)
OLQA meetings Thurs 1PM, Parish Hall

8/21 -  Curia mtg at SCA
8/30 - No MMAL


September

MMAL meetings Sat 8:45 AM Parish Hall
(3rd Sat - Parish Hall Basement)
OLQA meetings Thurs 1PM, Parish Hall

9/1 - Patriotic Rosary Led by Legion of Mary, after 9am mass
9/18 -  Curia mtg at SCA   (MMAL Report due to Curia)

9/27 - Fair Ascension, Rosary in main church 

October

MMAL meetings Sat 8:45 AM Parish Hall (3rd Sat - Parish Hall Basement) OLQA meetings Thurs 1PM, Parish Hall


November

MMAL meetings Sat 8:45 AM Parish Hall
(3rd Sat -Parish Hall Basement)
OLQA meetings Thurs 1PM, Parish Hall

11/11 - Patriotic Rosary
11/27 - No OLQA meeting (Thanksgiving)
11/29 - No MMAL meeting (Thanksgiving)


December

MMAL meetings Sat 8:45 AM Parish Hall
(3rd Sat - Parish Hall Basement)
OLQA meetings Thurs 1PM, Parish Hall
12/27 - No meeting (Christmas)

TBD - Caroling at Friendship Village


January

MMAL meetings Sat 8:45 AM Parish Hall
(3rd Sat - Parish Hall Basement)
OLQA Meetings Thurs 1PM, Parish Hall

1/10 - Winter Social (Parish Hall)

1/15 - Curia Mtg at SCA


February

MMAL meetings Sat 8:45 AM Parish Hall
(3rd Sat - Parish Hall Basement)
OLQA Meetings Thurs 1PM, Parish Hall


March

MMAL meetings Sat 8:45 AM Parish Hall
(3rd Sat - Parish Hall Basement)
OLQA Meetings Thurs 1PM, Parish Hall

3/19 - Curia mtg at SCA

3/21 - Noon, Acies (Ascension)


April

MMAL meetings Sat 8:45 AM Parish Hall
(3rd Sat - Parish Hall Basement)
OLQA Meetings Thurs 1PM, Parish Hall

4/16 - Curia mtg at SCA


Apostolate in Parish

  • Home Visitation
  • Homebound visits and praying the rosary
  • Hospice Volunteers 


Work for the Most Wretched and Dejected

  • Food Pantry
  • Casserole Bakers
  • St. Peter/Paul Meals


Work for the Young

  • PSR
  • Confirmation packets


Individual Reach Out of Apostleship (Preserving the touch of one warm soul to another)

  • Faith in Action
  • Delivery of Meals


Practice of Daily Mass and Devotion to the Blessed Sacrament

* Less as a work, than as an activity to be kept in mind and pursued as a Legionnaire

  • Eucharistic Adoration 
  • Divine Mercy Chaplet
  • Rosary for Vocations


Work for the Missions

  • Prayer Shawl Ministry
  • Missionaries of Charity Work


Promoting Retreats

 For the purpose of formation of apostles

  • 33 Days to Morning Glory
  • Shrine Visitation