Legion of Mary Celebrating Centennial

During the month of September the Legion of Mary is celebrating its centennial of helping people grow in holiness and then bring others to Christ under Mary’s leadership in the Diocese of Baton Rouge and throughout the world.

Frank Duff founded the Legion of Mary on Sept. 7, 1921, in Dublin, Ireland. A member of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul since the age of 24, Duff was led to a deeper commitment to the Catholic faith and was sensitive to the needs of the poor and underprivileged. 

He worked with a priest and group of laity to form the LOM, which has grown to approximately three million members worldwide, with large numbers in South Korea, the Philippines, Brazil and central Africa. 

The organization is officially approved by the Holy See, and listed as belonging to the International Associations of the Faithful.

The objective of the LOM is “the glory of God through the holiness of its members developed by prayer, study and active cooperation in the work of Mary and the church’s work.”

The LOM has been active in the Diocese of Baton Rouge since 1973. It is organized into groups call praesidiums at the local church parish level, and the praesidiums across the diocese form what is called the curia. 

Although COVID-19 has impacted the the LOM activities, its members commit to prayer and spiritual and corporal works of mercy. Members are expected to pray the rosary daily as well as the Tessera, which is the daily prayer booklet.

Members gather regularly for meetings that incorporate prayer. Just like the Catholic Mass, the meetings are the same no matter where in the world they occur.

“This is our family,” said Carole Ackman, who is treasurer of the Baton Rouge Curia. 
 

“You can’t do something over and over together and not get close. I can’t
imagine my life without it.” 

Cheryl Jeanmard

Legion of Mary Curia President

She said the brothers and sisters also go out as apostles performing corporate works of mercy. This includes visiting the nursing homes, homebound, widows and widowers, refugees (particularly Vietnamese), going door to door evangelizing and inviting people to learn more about the Catholic faith and attending Mass. 

They are active in their church parishes and assist the pastors however they can. They also particularly honor Mary through May crownings and Jesus through Sacred Heart enthronements.

This year, the Baton Rouge Curia honors Anh Dung Joseph “Brother Zoom” Nguyen, who dedicated his life to serving the Legion of Mary. He recently died of COVID-19.

“Brother Zoom joined the LOM as a teenager in Vietnam. He even promoted it while serving in the South Vietnam Army,” said Frank Jeanmard, who has been part of the LOM since its beginning in the diocese.

“When they evacuated and came to the United States he was anxious to be in the Legion of Mary again. When he ended up in Baton Rouge he immediately founded the (Baton Rouge) curia and started the Vietnamese praesidium (who are largely from Sts. Anthony of Padua and Le Van Phung Church in Baton Rouge).”

Nguyen was also well known for his leadership in the Parish School of Religion program at St. Anthony. 

Jeanmard noted that “Brother Zoom was an evangelist” and talked to Buddhists as well as people of other religions and denominations. His theory was to “make friends first” before trying to bring them to the Catholic faith. Despite COVID, St. Anthony was packed with people from various faith backgrounds at Brother Zoom’s funeral.

Jeanmard and his wife, Cheryl, current curia president, have served in various offices through the years. They are members of the Our Lady of Perpetual Help praesidium whose members are primarily from St. Gerard Majella Church in Baton Rouge and St. Isidore Church in Baker.

The Jeanmards were drawn to the LOM when their youngest son was diagnosed with a heart murmur and was facing potential major surgery. They prayed a rosary novena, and on the last day of the novena the doctors told the Jeanmards the hole in their son’s heart was gone. 

When medical tests confirmed it, the Jeanmards knew “it was the hand of God.”

“That rosary drew us to the Legion of Mary,” said Cheryl.

Having worked together as a pair, the Jeanmards have gotten to be a part of peoples’ lives, handing out bulletins, talking about the faith, celebrating good news, encouraging people to come to the faith and praying for people who might be facing end of life issues.

“It’s a person-to-person ministry,” said Cheryl.

Frank added, “Our Lady goes with us.”

They are eaager to get back to this ministry as well as meet regularly again with their LOM brothers and sisters, praying from their laity handbook and fellowshipping together.

“You can’t do something over and over together and not get close,” said Cheryl. “I can’t imagine my life without it.” 

The LOM will celebrate its centennial with a Mass on Sunday, Sept. 19 at 10 a.m. at St. Anthony, 2305 Choctaw Dr., Baton Rouge. The Mass is dedicated to Brother Zoom.

For more information about the LOM in the diocese, contact the Jeanmards at 225-261-2124.