Handbook, Chapter 5 — The Devotional Outlook of the Legion of Mary
The Legion of Mary’s spirituality is best understood through its devotional outlook, for the Legion is marked by distinctive devotions and prayers. The prayer texts themselves show that the Legion of Mary is founded on profound faith in God. Because we believe in God with our whole heart, we strive to live accordingly — without reservation or doubt — with wholehearted trust, perfect obedience, and profound humility, knowing that God is supreme. Even when questions arise, or when we do not fully understand, we continue to believe and submit ourselves to God’s providential will; this is true obedience. God desires all people to become His children. Whatever limitations we may face — and whether or not others oppose God — He is still willing to save them. These are precisely the people whom the Legion of Mary is called to reach. Therefore, we must not retreat in the face of difficulties; rather, the greater the difficulty, the more the Legion’s presence and witness are needed.
Handbook Point (5) — Legionary Devotion: The Root of the Legionary Apostolate
“A member’s devotion to Our Lady is the foundation of the Legion of Mary’s apostolate work.” If we desire a faith that is thorough and deeply rooted, then, within the Legion of Mary, the way God gives us is simple: to love Our Lady. If we find this difficult, even because of external circumstances, it may be a sign that our love for Our Lady is not yet wholehearted. The Handbook therefore calls us to: “Devote ourselves wholeheartedly to the Mother of God.”
If we focus only on Legionary work while our foundation is not love for Our Lady; or if, in daily life, our love for her is neglected, then we have not yet loved her as we ought to. No matter how much time and effort we spend, it will lack the meaning and spirit proper to this organization. We must ask ourselves: Do I love Mary with my whole heart? How deeply do I love her?
In the Handbook, Brother Frank Duff invites us to practise the devotion advocated by St. Louis-Marie de Montfort: a True Devotion to Mary — a complete surrender to Jesus through Mary, often referred to as “Total Consecration” or “Holy Slavery”. We should therefore examine ourselves: Do we love Our Lady with all our hearts? How did we express our love for Her? Can we do more? Praying the Rosary daily (though not strictly required as an obligation by the Handbook) is one way to express this love — but we should also ask whether our love is being lived in every circumstance. St. Louis-Marie de Montfort urged us to do everything, and in all aspects of life, out of love for Mary.
Beyond external considerations, we should also reflect on why we attend weekly meetings: is it out of love for Our Lady, or merely because we belong to the organization. Experience shows that some praesidia are clearly no longer viable, but yet, still refuse to disband. The Handbook deliberately uses military language to describe Legionary life, and it also warns that members may cling to what they do not wish to relinquish, such as reputation, people, or Legionary work. If we remain in the Legion of Mary not out of love for Mary, then our efforts, however great, will bear little fruit. This is not true devotion to Mary. As the Handbook indicates, such attitudes may, to some extent, sustain appearances, but they can also harm the Legion’s life.
The Church has entrusted this responsibility to us — how an individual member lives directly affect the life of the whole Legion of Mary. The Handbook expands our horizon and calls us to believe that God can work wonders. In Hong Kong there are several thousand Legionaries — how many people each year are brought to baptism through our apostolate? Why could we not reach out to a thousand people, and accompany them towards baptism? Do we truly believe in miracles? We must have faith. Our Lord Jesus Christ, in His earthly life, loved His Mother profoundly and redeemed the world. If we love Our Lady deeply, we shall repeat Jesus’ miracles.
Spiritual Director, Curia Regina
Fr. Cyril Cheung
18 January 2026