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Legion HANDBOOK D10944_1 26/02/2014 15:53 Page 332

332 PAPAL LETTERS AND MESSAGES APPENDIX 1
POPE PIUS XII to the LEGION OF MARY

Dal Vaticano,
July 22nd, 1953.

Dear Mr. Duff,
It is my honoured charge, at the august direction of the Holy
Father, to convey a message of greetings and encouragement to the
Legion of Mary, founded some thirty years ago on the fertile soil of
Catholic Ireland.
His Holiness has followed with paternal interest over the years the
progress of the Legion as it swelled the army of those devoted and
stalwart clients of Mary who are combating the forces of evil in the
world to-day; and he rejoices with you in now beholding the Legion’s
standard set up in the four corners of the globe.
It is thus most appropriate that the Legionaries of Mary should
receive at this time a word of grateful appreciation for the good
accomplished, and as well, of exhortation to persevere with
increasing zeal in their generous co-operation given to the Church in
her divinely committed mission to bring all men under the headship
of Christ, Who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
The effectiveness of their contribution to this apostolate will be
measured in great part by their sound spiritual formation which,
under the prudent guidance of their spiritual directors, will
conspicuously develop in them a truly apostolic spirit and cause all
their activities to be characterised by a ready obedience to the
directives of the Holy See and a loyal submission to the local
Ordinaries, whose direction they will seek and faithfully carry out.
Imbued with this supernatural character of the genuine lay apostle,
they will go forward with holy courage and continue to be a powerful
auxiliary to the Church in her spiritual warfare against the powers of
darkness.
While invoking Mary’s intercession on behalf of her Legionaries
throughout the world, His Holiness would have me convey as a token
of his special benevolence to you personally, to the Spiritual
Directors, and to all the active and auxiliary members of the Legion,
the Apostolic Benediction.
With sentiments of high esteem and religious devotion, I am,
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Mr. Francis Duff,
Concilium Legionis Mariae,
De Montfort House,
North Brunswick Street,
Dublin, Ireland Pro-Secretary.