Legion of Mary

FAIRFIELD  In the year leading up to the 100th anniversary of the Legion of Mary, which will take place on Sept. 7, 2021, Legionaries from around the Diocese and the neighboring Newark Archdiocese are encouraging the faithful to make a “Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary” according to the method of St. Louis Marie de Montfort. There will be an introductory workshop at St. Thomas More Church here to explain the meaning, history and the process of consecration Sept. 28.

The full-day training event begins with Mass at 9 a.m. and the day will feature breakout sessions in English, Spanish and French, a holy hour of Eucharistic adoration and veneration of a first-class relic of St. Louis de Montfort. The day is expected to end at 3 p.m. Admission is free and it includes a continental breakfast and lunch. Father Frederick Miller, spiritual director at the Immaculate Conception Seminary at Seton Hall University in South Orange, is the keynote speaker. At the introductory training, leadership materials will be available for parishes who wish to do this as a group.

Jennifer Murphy, a member of the Legion of Mary, who is a parishioner of Immaculate Conception Church in Franklin, is part of the team planning the day. She said, “Consecration is setting yourself up to do something for sacred purpose. You give all you have to Mary, who brings you to Jesus. Jesus came to this earth through Mary and she is the surest, quickest and even the gentlest way to him.”

According to the method of St. Louis de Montfort, the process of total consecration to Jesus through Mary takes 33 days. The Legion of Mary plans to do a northern New Jersey-wide preparation beginning Nov. 5, which will conclude on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8. On this day, participants will make their act of total consecration to Jesus through Mary at their parishes. For those who have previously made this act of total consecration, they are encouraged to make the consecration again as a renewal. St. John Paul II himself was influenced by St. Louis De Montfort and made this act of consecration.

For Murphy, making this act of consecration has been a life-changing experience for her faith. She said, “I felt a very exquisite tenderness in my soul. I wanted to sit with that feeling for a while and I longed to be with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Little by little, I became very aware of certain areas in my life where I needed to make changes. I started going to confession. I felt a great deal of peace and joy experiencing the beauty of God’s love.”

Even for those who find themselves busy, Murphy said, “Many might think this may be a big task to complete for the next 33 days but it really just takes 15 minutes a day.”

Each day, during the 33-day period, there are daily prayers and reflections. The first 12-day period enables participants to “free themselves from the spirit of the world.” Next, the second period takes place for three weeks. The first of these three weeks is devoted to the knowledge of oneself, the second to that of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the third to that of Jesus. Following those weeks, the consecration takes place. The date of making the consecration usually occurs on a Marian feast.

For those who are unable to attend the workshop on Sept. 28, there are several books and online resources available for those interested in making a total consecration to Jesus through Mary. St. Louis Marie de Montfort, who created the preparation, wrote several Marian books. In addition, Murphy recommends works and videos by Hugh Gillespie or Michael Gaitley.

Murphy said, “We hope everyone gets involved in making this act of consecration. Help us prepare for the year 2020 and the 99th anniversary of the Legion of Mary.”

To register, visit https://totalconsecration.eventbrite.com, call (862) 684-0984 or email [email protected]