Prayers

Have you thought about improving your prayer life, but don't know how to begin?

The Legion of Mary provides daily and weekly accountability. At each meeting, we pray the Holy Rosary together. It forms part of the Tessera, a card which contains our daily Legion prayer.

How to Pray the Holy Rosary

The Tessera, our Legion Prayers

Prayer for the Founders of the Legion of Mary

How to Pray the Holy Rosary

The Prayers of the Rosary

Begin with Sign of the Cross, followed by Apostles' Creed recited on the Cross, one Our Father, three Hail Marys & Glory Be

Then we contemplate significant events in the lives of Jesus and Mary as we pray the five decades. Each decade consists of one Our Father, ten Hail Mary's, and one Glory Be. The Rosary is concluded by praying the Hail, Holy Queen.

The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth;

and in Jesus Christ His only Son, Our Lord; who was conceived by

the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into Hell;

the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven,

and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty;

from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church,

the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection

of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

Our Father

Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou among all women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Glory Be

Glory be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end. Amen.

Hail, Holy Queen

Hail! Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness

and our hope. To you do we cry, poor banished children of Eve.

To you do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this

valley of tears. Turn then, O most gracious advocate, your eyes

of mercy towards us; and after this our exile, show unto us the

blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus. O clement! O loving!

O sweet Virgin Mary!

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy

of the promises of Christ.

The Tessera, our Legion Prayers

The Tessera is the prayer leaflet of the Legion of Mary. Active members pray the Catena, or middle portion, daily.

"A leaflet called the Tessera, containing the Prayers of the Legion and bearing a reproduction of the Legion Picture, shall be issued to every member, active and auxiliary. In Latin, Tessera had the particular meaning of a tally or token which was divided among friends in order that they or their descendants might always recognise each other." (Handbook p. 148)

In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. †

Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful, and enkindle in them the fire of your love.

V. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created.

R. And you shall renew the face of the earth.

Let Us Pray

God Our Father, pour out the gifts of your Holy Spirit on the world. You sent the Spirit on your Church to begin the teaching of the Gospel: now let the Spirit continue to work in the world through the hearts of all who believe, through Christ Our Lord, Amen.

V. You, O Lord, will open my lips.

R . And my tongue shall announce your praise.

V. Incline unto my aid, O God.

R. O Lord, make haste to help me.

V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

R. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be world without end. Amen

Then follows five decades of the Rosary, with the "Hail, Holy Queen."

V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let Us Pray

O God, whose only begotten Son, by his life, death and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal salvation; grant, we beseech you, that meditating upon these mysteries in the most holy rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain, and obtain what they promise. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. †

The Catena Legionis (said mid-way through the meeting and daily by every legionary)

Antiphon. Who is she that comes forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army set in battle array?

My soul glorifies the Lord † my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.

He looks on his servant in her lowliness; henceforth all ages will call me blessed.

The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy his name!

His mercy is from age to age, on those who fear him.

He puts forth his arm in strength and scatters the proud hearted.

He casts the mighty from their thrones and raises the lowly.

He fills the starving with good things, sends the rich away empty.

He protects Israel, his servant, remembering his mercy,

the mercy promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his sons for ever.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end, Amen.

Antiphon. Who is she that comes forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army set in battle array?

V. O Mary, conceived without sin.

R. Pray for us who have recourse to you.

Let Us Pray

O Lord Jesus Christ, our mediator with the Father, who has been pleased to appoint the most Blessed Virgin, your Mother, to be our mother also, and our Mediatrix with you, mercifully grant that whoever comes to you seeking your favors may rejoice to receive all of them through her. Amen.

The Legion Prayer (said at conclusion of meeting)

In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

We fly to your patronage, O Holy Mother of God; despise not our prayers in our necessities, but ever deliver us from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin.

The following is to be said in unison.

Confer, O Lord, on us, who serve beneath the Standard of Mary, that fullness of faith in you, and trust in her, to which it is given to conquer the world. Grant us a lively faith, animated by charity, which will enable us to perform all our actions from the motive of pure love of you, and ever to see you and serve you in our neighbor; a faith, firm and immovable as a rock, through which we shall rest tranquil and steadfast amid the crosses, toils and disappointments of life; a courageous faith which will inspire us to undertake and carry out without hesitation great things for your glory and for the salvation of souls; a faith which will be our Legion’s Pillar of Fire - to lead us forth united - to kindle everywhere the fires of divine love - to enlighten those who are in darkness and the shadow of death - to inflame those who are lukewarm - to bring life to those who are dead in sin; and which will guide our own feet in the way of peace; so that - the battle of life over - our Legion may reassemble, without the loss of anyone, in the kingdom of your love and glory. Amen.

Prayer for the Founders of the Legion of Mary

Frank Duff, founder of the Legion of Mary, once said,

"The Legion makes saints, and makes them by the bushel."

Prayer for the Beatification of the Servant of God Frank Duff

God our Father, You inspired your servant Frank Duff with a profound insight into the mystery of Your Church, the Body of Christ, and of the place of Mary the Mother of Jesus in this mystery.

In his immense desire to share this insight with others and in filial dependence on Mary he formed her Legion to be a sign of her maternal love for the world and a means of enlisting all her children in the Church's evangelising work.

We thank you Father for the graces conferred on him and for the benefits accruing to the Church from his courageous and shining faith. With confidence we beg You that through his intercession you grant the petition we lay before You ...............

We ask too that if it be in accordance with Your will, the holiness of his life may be acknowledged by the Church for the glory of your Name, through Christ Our Lord, Amen.

with ecclesiastical approval

Prayer for the Beatification of Venerable Edel Quinn

Eternal Father, I thank you for the grace you gave to your servant, Edel Quinn, of striving to live always in the joy of your presence, for the radiant charity infused into her heart by your Holy Spirit and for the strength she drew from the Bread of Life to labour until death for the glory of Your name in loving dependence on Mary, Mother of the Church.

Confident, O Merciful Father, that her life was pleasing to you, I beg you to grant me, through her intercession, the special favour I now implore ..........., and to make known by miracles the glory she enjoys in Heaven, so that she may be glorified also by your Church on earth, through Christ Our Lord, Amen

with ecclesiastical approval

Prayer for Beatification of Servant of God Alphonsus Lambe

God, who by your infinite mercy inflamed the heart of your servant, Alphonsus Lambe with an ardent love for you and for Mary, our Mother; a love which revealed itself in a life of intense labour, prayer and sacrifice for the salvation of souls, grant, if it be your will, that we may obtain, by his intercession, what we cannot obtain by our own merits.

We ask this through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen †