On Thursday March 27, 2014 Bishop Josef Clemens, Secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, consigned the Decree of recognition to the Legio Mariae in Rome. Legio Mariae (The Legion of Mary) was recognized as an international association of the faithful with juridical personality and its Statutes were approved.

Legio Mariae started in 1921 in Dublin on the initiative of a small group of people under the guidance of Frank Duff, officer of the Ministry of Finance and then personal secretary of the Irish Minister of Finance. In the 93 years since its foundation the association has spread all over the world.

The association has reached thousands of people in all Continents. The identity of Legio Mariae is strongly rooted in Marian spirituality and commitment to the Holy Spirit. Priority objectives of this association are the sanctification of its members and the participation in the evangelizing mission of the Church by direct apostolate among those who are needy and far from the Faith.

Bishop Josef Clemens affirmed in his address that in this way Legio Mariae becomes a tangible sign of “how a spirit of missionary zeal among the laity, often lived in conjunction with everyday family or professional life, can go hand-in-hand with a deep understanding of the nature of baptismal holiness”.Rec