Our Lady of Guadalupe Praesidium - Event hosting Auxiliary Members
October 13, 2012
On the feast of Our Lady of Fatima, 13 Oct, 2012 The Good Shepherd Parish Praesidium of the Legion of Mary
(Our Lady of Guadalupe) welcomed sixteen auxiliary members to an event where all learned of the important
role auxiliary members have in daily praying for the work done by active legionaries. The time together
was spent in prayer, learning about the Legion of Mary and all enjoyed fellowship and hospitality. Please
see accompanying pictures of the Legion of Mary altar and our Praesidium banner which provided the main
focus in the room.
The day got underway with Legion of Mary opening prayers and a brief history of the Legion of Mary from
its roots in Dublin Ireland in 1921 to the opening of Our Lady of Guadalupe Praesidium at our parish in 2009.
A sign that our blessed Mother called our parish to start a praesidium was that once approval was received
from our pastor, Father V. Boyd, SJ, the first meeting was held within the week and happened to fall on the
First Friday of our Lady's month: October. A spiritual reading taken from an article by Father Shenan J.
Boquet, "Into the Year of Faith" was read by the president.
A continental breakfast was offered as the group settled in to watch an enriching and fun filled discussion
between Father Francis Peffley, Mother Angelica and Raymond Arroyo. The video was previously aired on the
Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) in 2000. In the video Father Peffley took us along his journey as the
son of Legion members, to his membership, and then to his ordination to the Priesthood. Father pointed out the
important role played by the Legion of Mary in assisting Pastors to evangelize within parish communities.
Father shared a conversion story where a recent convert to the Catholic Church serves as the president of the
Praesidium in his parish.
A question period and discussion ensued and everyone was encouraged to browse an array of Catholic literature
on display. During the day, new friendships were made, old ones renewed and new Legion of Mary members were
discovered. A spiritual closing ended the day but not before something very special happened. As a beautiful
reflection of the joy filled atmosphere, the group broke into a spontaneous Marian Hymn.
Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us, Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us.
Jennifer Snell
President
Our Lady of Guadalupe Praesidium