HONG KONG (SE): The Legion of Mary can be a fertile ground for religious vocations, and the legionnaires should not forget to promote this while spreading the Word of God, John Cardinal Tong Hon, the apostolic administrator of Hong Kong diocese, told members of the Legion when he celebrated a Mass on September 5, to mark the group’s centennial, at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception, Caine Road.
In his homily, Cardinal Tong expressed gratitude to the Legion of Mary for its support for evangelisation. “As communities of faith, you gather regularly to receive formation and periodically support diocesan activities. Please keep up your good work,” he said.
The spiritual director of the Legion’s Hong Kong Comitium, Father Francis Tam Kam-wing; diocesan chancellor, Father Lawrence Lee Len; former spiritual director, Father Ferdinand Lok Hung-cheong; and other priests concelebrated the Eucharitic celebration.
In the opening prayer and recitation of the Glorious Mysteries of the rosary, led by Father Tam, he encouraged those present to learn from the spirit of the Blessed Virgin Mary and serve the Church with the same dedication. Father Tam along with Father Lok and the late Salesian Father Louis Lee Kwok-hung were members of the Legion prior to their entering the seminary.
Cardinal Tong recalled that after his priestly ordination in Rome in 1966, he had a chance to visit to Frank Duff, the founder of the Legion. He was impressed by the sincere and humble leader, who praised the zeal and the active participation of the legionnaires in China and Hong Kong. Duff formed the first branch of the first praesidium of the Legion of Mary in Dublin, Ireland, on 7 September 1921, the eve of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
In 1948, Bishop Enrico Pascal Valtorta agreed to establish the Legion of Mary in Hong Kong. The first senior praesidium, named Mystical Rose praesidium, was established at the Canossian Missions in Caine Road in 1949
Today, the lay organisation has four million active members and 10 million auxiliary members in nearly 200 countries. The celebrations concluded with a prayer for Duff’s beatification.
In 1948, Bishop Enrico Pascal Valtorta agreed to establish the Legion of Mary in Hong Kong. The first senior praesidium, named Mystical Rose praesidium, was established at the Canossian Missions in Caine Road in 1949.
At present, there are 13 curiae in Hong Kong—seven Chinese-speaking, five English-speaking and one Korean-speaking—with 194 praesidia with a total strength of over 1,700 legionnaires.
“The role of legionnaires is not only in rendering service, but in helping more people learn about God and glorify him,” Maria Tam, president of the Hong Kong Comitium told the Kung Kao Po after the ceremony.
Tam said the Legion recently established an extension team to support parishes in building up curiae. Last year it had helped to set up two junior curiae and one senior curia at Ss. Peter and Paul Church, Yuen Long.
Nancy Buladaco, a member of the Curia Immaculata, from St. Joseph’s Church, Garden Road, said that being a member is a great privilege and she always remembers the promise she made on 7 December 2003 to be committed to serving God.
There are 10 praesidia under Curia Immaculata and Curia rosarii at St. Joseph’s Church. She explained that they have apostolic works in four categories: evangelisation, pastoral work, charity services and formation activities.
They visit homes for the elderly, street sleepers, prisons and, before the pandemic, hospitals. She felt stronger when she visited the prisons, as the inmates shared their lives and family matters. “We followed up through letter-writing. They were very happy and I could felt joy in my heart every time I visited them,” she said.
They also pray for lapsed Catholics, encourage them to renew their faith by attending catechism classes, remind them to attend Mass and to receive the Sacrament of Confession. Legionaries serve as lectors, commentators and Extraordinary Eucharistic Ministers on Sundays.
Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, they have also helped in disinfecting the church, checking body temperature and reminding Massgoers to sanitise their hands.
They are also responsible for tidying up the washrooms as well the grotto in the parish.
Buladaco said they are committed to serve following the virtue and humility of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
During the pandemic, legionnaires held their weekly meetings online and looked into ways to perform new services such as offering online homework tutorial classes.
