Legion of Mary members attend Mass outside the Minor Basilica of Mary of the Immaculate Conception on Sept. 19. (Photo: tonggiaophanhanoi.org)
Thousands of Legion of Mary members from Vietnam’s northern dioceses were set a challenge to evangelize as they marked their centenary this week.
On Sept. 19, over 5,000 members from Hanoi archdiocese and 10 dioceses in the country's north attended a special Mass to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the apostolic organization of lay people and the 75th anniversary of their establishment in Vietnam.
The Mass took place at the Minor Basilica of Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Ha Nam province. Many of those present had to follow the Mass from outside the basilica.
Archbishop Joseph Vu Van Thien of Hanoi presided at the Mass joined by 20 priests.
“We are invited to set out with Mother Mary’s feelings to bring Jesus to all people and that is our lofty ideal,” Archbishop Thien said.
The prelate said that they should always have Jesus in themselves and courageously tell others about the marvels God does for them by recognizing good things from God, renewing their spiritual life and improving their ways of evangelization.
He said their duties are to commit themselves to have a dialogue with all people with their intelligence, strength of the heart and implicit trust in God. They should carry out God’s plans through their daily activities so that they can glorify God and help other people to recognize and love him more.
Before the Mass, participants went to confession and shared their advantages, difficulties and challenges in their apostolic task during the past year.
Legionaries meet to pray, make plans and discuss apostolic work on a weekly basis. Their activities include visiting and tending to the sick, homebound and homeless, helping hold funerals, attending Masses and Eucharist adorations, cleaning church facilities, offering faith education to catechumens and those with lapsed faith, and do other charitable work at parishes.
Founded in Ireland in 1921 by Frank Duff, the Servant of God, the Legion of Mary is the largest apostolic organization of lay people in the Church with several million members around the world.
The first Legion of Mary group was founded in Ham Long parish in Hanoi in 1947 by Father Joseph Mary Trinh Nhu Khue, who served as the first spiritual director of the group.
Hanoi archdiocese and 10 northern dioceses are home to 25,545 active members and 17,762 auxiliary members. This year, legionaries in the archdiocese have set up new groups with 1,381 seniors and juniors at 52 local parishes and sub-parishes as a way of fostering evangelization.
Vietnam’s 27 dioceses have a total of 74,000 active members and 98,000 auxiliary members.