Concilium Allocutio given May 2006 by Rev. Fr. Bede McGregor O.P. Titled “The Faith of Mary and the Legionary”
The spirit of the Legion of Mary is that of Mary herself. We will always gain something by reflecting on this statement of the Handbook no matter how often we do it. The portrait of a good legionary will always be to some extent a portrait of Mary. In the first place we look for a portrait of the character of Mary in the Gospels, a portrait drawn by the Holy Spirit Himself. And what stands out in the Gospel account of Mary is her faith: ‘Blessed is She who has believed.’ Faith is the fundamental act of Mary’s existence. It defines her whole inner life and is manifested in every detail of her outer life. It provides the key to every moment of her existence, the peak moments and the little unrecorded moments. No wonder the Handbook says: ‘Especially does the Legion aspire after her humility and above all her faith, that virtue which has in her alone been found in its utmost extent and never equalled.’ And it is the one thing each of us prays for every day: ‘Confer O Lord on us who serve beneath the standard of Mary, that fullness of faith in you and trust in her, to which it is given to conquer the world.’
