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Legion HANDBOOK D10944_1 26/02/2014 15:53 Page 143

CHAPTER 24 THE PATRONS OF THE LEGION 143
yet explained all the modes of Our Lady’s joint rule with Christ the
King. But it is clear that her royalty is a principle of action and that the
effects of this action reach out to the confines of the visible and
invisible universe. She rules the good spirits and controls the bad.
Through her is made that indissoluble alliance of human and angelic
society by which all creation will be led to its true end, the glory of the
Trinity. Her queenship is our shield, for our mother and protectress has
the power to command angels to help us. For her it means active
partnership with her son in the loosening and destruction of Satan’s
empire over men.” (Dr. Michael O’Carroll, C.S.Sp.)

8. ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST
It is a strange fact, not easily explained, that it was not until
18 December, 1949 that St. John the Baptist was formally
placed among the patrons of the Legion. For he is more
intimately bound up with the devotional scheme of the Legion
than any of its other patrons, with the exception of St. Joseph.
(a) He was the type of all legionaries, that is, a forerunner of
the Lord, going before him to prepare his way and make
straight his paths. He was a model of unshakable strength and
devotion to his cause for which he was ready to die, and for
which he did die.
(b) Moreover, he was formed for his work by Our Blessed
Lady herself, as all legionaries are supposed to be. St. Ambrose
declares that the main purpose of Our Lady’s considerable
stay with Elizabeth was the forming and appointing of the
little Great-Prophet. The moment of that formation is
celebrated by the Catena, our central prayer, which is laid as a
daily duty on every legionary.

(c) That episode of the Visitation exhibits Our Lady in her
capacity as Mediatrix for the first time, and St. John as the
first beneficiary. Thereby was St. John exhibited from the first
as a special patron of legionaries and of all legionary contacts,
of the work of visitation in all its forms, and indeed of all
legionary actions — these being but efforts to co-operate in
Mary’s mediatorial office.
(d) He was one of the essential elements in the mission of
our Lord. All those elements should find a place in any system
which seeks to reproduce that mission. The precursor remains