The Council
THE CONGRESS
By Father Francis G. Lendacky
As a consequence of Baptism, every Catholic is called to be a disciple and an
apostle of Christ, and to share in the three-fold role of Christ as Priest, Prophet,
and King. In striving to provide a balanced and complete expression of this
Christian way of life for the layperson, the Legion of Mary, born from the fires of
True Devotion to Mary, has developed an apostolic way of life for its members by
which they give glory to God through preserving personal holiness and serving
the Christ in others in imitation of Mary.
From the very beginning, the Legion required of its active members two weekly
exercises: one was the meeting, the other, the work assignment. In time, the
meeting came to be regarded as a spiritual formation exercise, well-suited for the
laity. In addition, the work assignment came to be seen as a definite work of an
apostolic missionary character. Following such a routine faithfully, a legionary
could readily fulfill his Baptismal Promises.
Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and Mary, his immaculate spouse, the
Legion grew, and it became fitting in some situations and necessary in others,
that something more than the two weekly exercises was required. Gradually,
one by one, more events took shape within the spirit and scheme of the Legion,
under the category of functions.
At present, there are five functions for the general welfare of the members. Four
are held annually; one is to be held at least once every third year. Among the
annual functions, the Acies Ceremony is the most emphasized. Every active
member is reminded that deliberate non-attendance at the Acies reflects a less
than satisfactory membership. And even though the same emphasis is not
placed upon the remaining three functions, legionaries are urged to give faithful
attendance to them.
The December Reunion, the Outdoor Function, and especially the Acies, are to
be sponsored by the most proximate branch of Legion jurisdiction, the curia.
That council has the primary responsibility of convoking these functions. The
September Function is sponsored by the praesidium for its own active members;
in some situations, two praesidia may plan the function together. The purpose of
these annual events is to bring the legionaries of the curia together in a
devotional and social atmosphere. There is a certain need to assemble in this
manner every so often; it gives the members opportunity to sustain camaraderie
beyond the apostolic intensity of weekly legionary duty.
Perhaps, because the Legion legislates a certain turn-over in officers every three
years, and envisions a certain change-over of members, the Legion sees the
need for on-going instruction and review of its devotional system and its
methods. The Legion also sees the need for stressing the qualities of the
legionary and for defining the requirements of active, substantial works. Of all
the five functions, it is the Congress which is primarily instructional and
academic. It is precisely because the Congress does not occur every year, that
this important function may receive less attention than it ought. But the curia
must not neglect to arrange a Congress at the appropriate intervals.
The handbook informs us that the first Congress in the Legion was held on
Easter Sunday, 1939. Because of its success, the Legion adopted it into its
system, and the Congress has been promoted ever since.
As in the case of three of the annual functions, the Congress is sponsored by the
council, in its curial capacity. In order to accomplish the particular purposes of a
Congress, the legionaries attending the Congress should be members of the
curia. One is inclined to make such an observation because of the format which
the handbook advises, especially that it utilizes the “patrician” method of
discussion – the Legion’s preferred manner of instruction. A Congress sets out
to develop the members in its own council: The presenters and the participants
ought to be members of the council conducting the Congress. If some officers or
members of a higher council are invited to the Congress, they could assume
some low-profile roles, although one “guest speaker” from another council can be
requested to give the summary talk at the conclusion of the Congress.
As in the case of three of the annual functions, the format for the Congress can
be found in the handbook, and the format should be followed closely. As in the
case of the Outdoor Function, the handbook encourages flexibility, and even
“ingenious planning,” in the presentation of the topics at the Congress; however,
it does not permit alteration of the format of the Congress. Every function of the
Legion, however, always includes all the prayers of the Tessera.
The key to doing justice to any function of the Legion is to know its general
purpose and specific goal. The general purpose of each annual function is to
maintain or to revive the over-all spirit of the Legion and to achieve that in an
atmosphere less rigid than the two weekly exercises. The Legion describes the
tone as devotional in regard to the prayers, and informal in regard to the social.
The specific goal of the Acies is to renew the member’s individual and communal
Consecration to the Queen of the Legion and the Mother of us all. The specific
goal of the December Reunion is to rejoice in the glories of Mary as the fairest
daughter of the eternal Father and the highest honor of our race. The Outdoor
Function may take on almost any form of relaxing and gainful fun, which can be
enjoyed by the assembly of all the praesidia present. The Praesidium Function
honors Our Lady around the Feast of her Nativity.
The Congress may be described as the curia’s most academic assembly, and
can serve as “a particular examen” for the council. Even as a praesidium report
to curia may be called a “self-portrait,” the Congress may be considered a curia’s
“mirror image.” The curia can see its faults and delinquencies; it can assess its
strong points and greatest assets. Against the standard which is described in the
handbook, the council can discover what it must do to improve itself.
The Congress, therefore, serves a unique purpose. It assembles the members
of the council for the purpose of learning – mostly about itself. A member of the
curia presents some opening comments before each session. All the legionaries
share ideas concerning the topic which has been presented and through the
Patrician process of expression and exchange, the fabric of the council is
explored and exposed. Often, in the process, hidden resources of the council
are uncovered, or potential officers are discovered.
It is part and parcel of Legion wisdom not to hold the Congress every year. Of all
its function, the Congress is a council’s self-scrutiny, which can be painful and
may demand critical adjustments in the future. But this must be done for the
sake of striving for excellence. The Legion of Mary is a presence of Mary in the
world, and Mary is the most perfect human being ever created. Consequently,
the Legion must strive to be a perfect reflection of her in the world, and holding
the Congress is a proven means to that goal.
From Insights of a Legion of Mary Priest