Miraculous medal placed around bullet proof vest
MEMBERS of a local lay apostolate group are calling on the mothers of those involved in the city’s feud to invoke the assistance of Our Lady of Limerick.
“There is no doubt that Our Lady has a plan for Limerick and she is the solution to the gang warfare in this region,” Eithne Egan, a member of the Legion of Mary’s Divine Mercy presidium told the Limerick Post.
“Once the mothers of Limerick turn to Mary in prayer, their request will be responded to,” said Carlow-born Eithne, who claims to have had a re-conversion to her faith six years ago.
The Legion, founded by Frank Duff in 1921, has sprung into media attention recently with a member of the notorious criminal gang, the Westies in Dublin, turning his back on a life of crime and becoming an active member of the Catholic lay organisation in the capital..
Members of this city’s St Patrick’s parish-based presidium have already had a failed attempt to set up a Legion of Mary group in Moyross, although they maintain that it has been a worthwhile effort.
“A good crowd turned up for the first few meetings but they found difficulty with having to attend a meeting every week and spending two hours a week on house visitation or hospital visitation work,” Legion member Esther McDonagh, from the Dublin Road told us.
“There were some promising signs,” added Eithne Egan. “We were very well received by people of all ages and one young man, who claimed that he was wearing a bullet-proof vest for protection, was pleased to accept a miraculous medal from us which he pinned onto his jacket”.
The Legion of Mary have been conducting a recruitment drive in the city over the past few weeks with Eithne Egan addressing the congregation at five Sunday Masses in St John’s Cathedral.
“Recruitment, particularly of men, is difficult,” Eithne told the Post, “and at present the Legion has 50 members in Limerick, only four of which are male. The public perception of the Legion is one of a bunch of holy Marys who go around telling people to say their prayers, but that is not accurate.
“Recent years has seen more young people joining the Legion and the vast majority of the membership now is in the region of mid to late 30s and early 40s. Our Lady continues to play a big role in this world and we have to answer the call to do her work”.
The Legion of Mary is the largest apostolic organisation of lay people in the Catholic Church, with well over three million active members in almost every country of the world. It has been active in Ireland since the 1920s, has been approved by the last six Popes, and was endorsed by the Second Vatican Council. The main purpose is to give glory to God through the sanctification of its members.
The organisation in Limerick hit peak membership in the 1960s with one all-male presidium having close on 20 members.
Efforts to bring back the Legion’s book barrow to Limerick’s streets, have, however, so far failed.
“We made a major effort this year to have the barrow in the Parkway Shopping Centre, but the fee for one day was beyond our means,” Eithne told the Post.
The Limerick Legion of Mary lost one of most devoted members recently with the death of Phyllis Connaughton, who had held a variety of officerships in the organisation over almost six decades.
Ms Connaughton was a former manageress of the Saxone Shoe Shop, which was on the corner of O’Connell Street and William Street, Anybody interested in joining the Legion of Mary should contact Eithe at 087 4126639.
