The Legion in a Multi-cultural and Multi-religious Society

In many countries where the Legion is present there are deep divisions and differences that separate and alienate people. How should the Legion act in these situations? First of all the Handbook states that for entry into the Legion there shall be no social, racial, national or colour discrimination. The only ultimate requirement is that a person will try to live out faithfully the Legion Promise and live according to the spirit and directives contained in the Handbook. The Legion seeks to transcend all divisions and differences that exclude others. Members can come from different cultural and national backgrounds, different tribal or ethnic origins, from opposing political parties, from different sides of the generation gap, from radically differing economic and educational backgrounds. All are equally brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ and children of Mary, the mother of God and of every human person without exception.

The Handbook goes on to say: `If the entire community is to be brought fully under the influence of legionary action, it follows that the Legion’s ranks must contain representatives of every section of the community.’ We all remember how Edel Quinn with a deep legionary spirit was able to set up praesidia in several parts of Africa where people that socially would never mix or work together would join hands in the Legion in a spirit of mutual love and service and a common effort at evangelisation. This has thankfully happened in many other parts of the world too. So recruitment must be done in all sections of the community. We must invite immigrants, refugees, migrant workers, all who share our catholic faith into the Legion. And those of other religions, while they cannot become legionaries for obvious reasons, must come to know from personal contact that if there is any place of friendship and welcome in any country it will be in the Legion. The Legion always has and must always endeavour, if it is faithful to its basic principles and practice to set its face against every form of discrimination. In many societies today this spirit of the Legion is profoundly needed. In a multi-cultural and multi-religious society the first apostolate of the Legion must be the witness of our lives characterised by an all inclusive love and welcome for all people whatever their background of culture or religion.

The section of the Handbook that I am inviting you to reflect on today goes on to say: ‘Within its own ranks there should be an unaffected simplicity and sincere mutual charity among the members, all distinctions being non-existent. If love is due to those whom the legionary serves, it is no less due to one’s fellow members. The spirit of distinction is the evidence of the absence of the first qualification of membership, which is the spirit of love.’ Members may have different temperaments, come from functional or dysfunctional backgrounds, and have different interests, attachments, or antagonisms outside the Legion. But the praesidium must be an authentic school of charity. No one must be sidelined within the praesidium, and the mutual love must be not only in words but in deeds. If mutual love is not the major characteristic of a praesidium what hope is there of really loving and serving those whom we meet in personal contact outside the Legion.

We as legionaries must be totally dependent on and devoted to Mary. She is distinguished by her unconditional and maternal love of all her children without exception. We ask to share in her maternal love and therefore it should be an all- inclusive love beginning with our fellow members in the praesidium and in all the councils of the Legion. The Legion is called to be a sign in the Church and the world of how Christians should live in a culturally and religiously pluralistic environment.

Lastly, in this month of November, which is dedicated to praying for the holy souls in Purgatory let us remember that our love for our fellow legionaries does not end with death. We do not know for certain the state of our departed legionaries. They may still need our support and prayer of intercession. The Handbook asks us to have Mass offered for our departed legionaries around this time. To do this is a sure sign of our real and continued love for them. It is surely one of the great advantages of membership of the Legion that long after we have died and perhaps even been forgotten legionaries will be praying for us at every meeting that takes place in so many languages in every corner of the globe. And every year they will have the Holy Mass celebrated on our behalf throughout the Legion world. What a wonderful grace and consolation this will be for us.