All is set for the Centenary Celebrations of the Legion of Mary
Come 7th September 2021, one of the lay apostolate movements in the Catholic Church will be celebrating 100 years of apostolate-Legion of Mary.
According to the President of the Senatus of Uganda, Legion of Mary governing council in Uganda, Ms. Susan Maria Nsubuga, “The Centenary will not just be a look at the history – while thankful to God and Mother Mary for the graces but also with a focus on the future”.
Background
Legion of Mary started on 7th September 1921 at 8pm in Dublin, Ireland. The now Servant of God, Frank Duff, envisioned the role the Lay apostolate could play in evangelization before the Church could emphasize it in the Vatican Council II four decades later.
The Legion of Mary known for its humble nature had one the humblest of beginnings-not thought-out organization but has sprung up spontaneously to all corners of the World.
Legion of Mary in Uganda
Legion of Mary in Uganda was brought by now a Venerable, Edel Quinn who arrived at Nsambya on 22nd July 1938. She was received at Nsambya Parish and later travelled to Nkokonjeru where she started the first Praesidium at the then Holy Ghost Normal School (TTC) on 24th September 1938 according to the copied verbatim by Rev. Sr. Kyomukama Immaculate (L.S.S.O.S.F). Uganda marks 83 years this year.
Since then, Legion of Mary has expanded to all the dioceses in Uganda. Very strong in Kampala and Mbarara Ecclesiastical provinces. According to the President of the Senatus of Uganda, the future plan that starts with this Centenary is to strengthen Legion of Mary in Northern and Eastern Ecclesiastical Provinces.
Organisation of the Legion of Mary
In Uganda, Legion of Mary is supervised by a council called Senatus. According to Victor Nashaba, the 1st Assistant Secretary of Senatus of Uganda, Legion of Mary is organised in an order of Praesidium, Curia, Comitium, Regia, Senatus and Concilium. A praesidium is the basic unit of Legion of Mary which is normally based in a sub parish. Praesidia hold a weekly meeting lasting at most one and a half hours in which they are assigned work to do in the course of the week. Two or more Praesidia in a city, town, or district form a Curia. In Uganda, most Curia are situated at the Parish. Different Curiae in an area may have one of them raised to form a Comitium. In Uganda, there are 25 Comitia that report directly to Senatus of Uganda.
Next to Comitia is the Regia, a title designated to a Council that exercises authority of Legion of Mary in a Large area. In Uganda, there are two Regie i.e. Regia of Western Uganda supervising Legion of Mary in Mbarara Archdiocese, Fort portal Diocese and Kasese Diocese and then Kabale Regia that supervises Legion of Mary in Kabale Diocese.
In Uganda, Legion of Mary has a total of approximately 400,000 members.
To join Legion of Mary
Legion of Mary is open to all practising Catholics that have the desire to take part in the Church’s apostolate through being members of the Legion of Mary. Membership is voluntary and no fee is charged.
To join Legion of Mary, talk to any member of the Legion of Mary or approach your Parish Priest.
Centenary Celebrations
Legion of Mary will be marking 100 years of the apostolate worldwide and as such, Uganda is not left out.
The inauguration will take place at Nsambya Catholic Parish, Kampala, where the now Venerable Edel Quinn, the envoy to East and Central Africa was received on arrival in Uganda on 22nd July 1938. The Mass will start at 10:00 hours presided over by Rt. Rev. Paul Ssemogerere, the Chairman of Lay Apostolate Commission of the Uganda Episcopal Conference, Ordinary of Kasana-Luweero Diocese and Apostolic Administrator of Kampala Archdiocese. Due to CoVID-19 restrictions, a few will be invited but Mass will be live on different media of the Catholic Church.
To attend live, Click on this LINK.
Tuesday 7th September 2021 will mark the beginning of the year long celebrations that will run on the theme “Remember, Renew, Rejoice, Recruit. 1921-2021”.
The inauguration will mark the beginning of the Celebrations that will take place in all the 19 Catholic dioceses of Uganda