Current meeting days / times:
Seniors’ Praesidium (Mary Help of Christians): Tuesdays, 6:30-8:00pm, in the parish library
Juniors’ Praesidium (Our Lady of Victory): Tuesdays, 4:15-5:15pm, often the meeting is followed
by a one hour work activity, both in the Maurer Room.
(See bottom of page for contact information.)
INFORMATION FROM ARLINGTON SENATUS (formerly Regia) WEBSITE:
https://arlingtonregia.com/category/faq/
Q: What is the purpose of the Legion of Mary?
A: The primary purpose of the Legion of Mary is to lead people to Jesus Christ so they can
benefit from the love and mercy of God. Specifically, the Legion of Mary seeks to lead the
people we encounter in our works to a greater knowledge and faith in God and to increase the
faith and holiness of our own members through prayer and service to Our Lord.
Q: Who is eligible to join the Legion of Mary?
A: The Legion of Mary is open to all Catholics in good standing with a desire to serve Our Lord
Jesus Christ through the intercession of his Blessed Mother Mary.
Catholics 18 years of age or older can join adult praesidia. Catholics who are
interested in joining the Legion will start with a three- or six-month probationary
period before taking their Legionary Promise to become Legion members.
Whereas Catholics younger than 18 years of age can join the junior Legion of
Mary praesidia. (Note: Juniors do not take the Promise.)
Q: What different types of Legion membership exist?
A: The two primary classes of Legion membership are active members and auxiliary members.
Active members attend a Legion prayer and business meeting once a week (1.5 hours)
and perform works of service (typically about 2 hours a week).
Auxiliary members instead pray the rosary and the prayers of the Legion of Mary (the
Tessera) for the intentions of the Blessed Mother and bolster the efforts of the active
members through their prayers.
Higher grades of membership include
o For Active members – ‘praetorians’, who are active members who also pray the
Tessera daily, attend Mass daily, and daily recite an Office approved by the
Church.
o For Auxiliary members – ‘adjutorians’, who are auxiliary members who attend
Mass daily and daily recite an Office approved by the Church in addition to
praying the rosary and the prayers of the Tessera daily.
Q: What works does the Legion of Mary undertake?
A: Regular works for the Legion of Mary include door to door evangelization, teaching CCD,
RCIA and other religious education classes, crowd contact and distributing Catholic literature,
bringing the Pilgrim Virgin statue of the Blessed Mother to houses to consecrate them, and
Enthronements of homes to the Sacred Heart of Jesus nursing home visitation, prison ministry,
visiting new parishioners and parish families with newly baptized babies.
There is also opportunity to do “True Devotion to the Nation (TDN)” works:
–Services for the elderly or infirmed such as driving them to doctors and being with them in
hospice situations. This cannot be an assignment if you are being paid to do this.
Also, TDN works such as:
–Helping the infirmed or low-income elderly with home and yard maintenance issues.
–Staying with such persons in the hospital or nursing home when there is no one to assist them.
–Efforts to help ready or cleanup for Legion retreats or train for such Legion retreats held at
“Holy Trinity Jubilee Park” or other church settings.
–Other works done to restore the beauty of a community such as cleaning up a graveyard that
has been forgotten and is in disarray (See Maria Legionis article, Feb., 2023, p. 26).
Another type of event is a Parish Evangelization Project, which is a one or two event by
legionaries from several parishes to evangelize a nearby parish. The Legion also periodically
organizes events for Legion work, such a Peregrination Pro Christo, which is typically a one- or
two-week Mission trip by legionaries from several parishes to another state or even to another
country (traditionally sponsored at the Regia / Senatus level). The Legion also staffs a booth at
county fairs to answer questions from people who may want to know more about the Catholic
faith.
All Legion works are approved by parish pastor or spiritual director and in all of its works, the
Legion works in obedience to the bishops and the parish priests.
Works are typically done in pairs so that legionaries can learn from each other and encourage
each other in service to Our Lord.
If a weekly praesidium meeting (for “Active” members) cannot be held due to weather or
some other circumstance, must it be rescheduled? The answer is yes! According to the
Legion of Mary Handbook, Chap 14, #6, the praesidium shall hold a meeting every week.
“This rule is absolutely invariable.” If a meeting cannot be held on the scheduled day, it must be
rescheduled for a different day of the same week.
Legion of Mary – link to Tessera Prayers:
https://www.legionofmary.ie/images/uploads/files/Legion_of_Mary_Tessera_EN.pdf
Beatification Prayers for SoG Frank Duff, Venerable Edel Quinn and SoG Alphie Lambe:
https://legionofmary.ie/causes/profile/frank-duff
https://legionofmary.ie/causes/profile/edel-quinn
https://legionofmary.ie/causes/profile/alfie-lambe
Legion of Mary Officers at St. Raymonds:
Officers: Mary Help of Christians “Seniors” Praesidium
President: Tom Delaney
tdelaney51@verizon.net
H – 703-690-1930
Vice President: Judy Mayer
jmayer9014@aol.com
H – 703-690-5827
Secretary: Sheila Swenson
sheila_swenson@aol.com
H – 703-495-0407
Treasurer: Jose (Joe) Salas III
jsalasthird@outlook.com
C – 720-216-3232
Officers: Our Lady of Victory “Juniors” Praesidium
President: Judy Mayer
jmayer9014@aol.com
H – 703-690-5827
Vice President: Patty Miller
Pamiller35@gmail.com
C – 703-663-0480