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History of the Legion of Mary in Lagos, Nigeria
On the 18th of March 1968, some members of Regina Mundi Catholic Church, Mushin - Lagos (among them was Bro. Albert Fashina - now Bishop of Ijebu-Ode) and Bro. Abbey introduced the Legion of Mary into St. Leo's Parish Ikeja. During the Mass on that day, a summary of what the Legion entailed was explained to the parishioners in St. Leo. The response was swift with Twenty-one brothers and three sisters coming together to form a praesidium named "Our Lady Health of the Weak". Rev. Fr. Morrisson (SMA) was made the spiritual Director. In 1970, the first praesidium gave birth to another known as "Our Lady Queen of Heaven" with Rev. Sr. Harforts as its Spiritual Directress. The first Junior praesidium was also established in 1970.
With increased membership in St. Leo's, Legion activities spurred the emergence of several praesidia as follows: Our Lady Queen of Apostle, Ikeja 1975, Our Lady Mother of Reconciliation, Ikeja 1978, Our Lady Queen of All Saints, Ikeja, 1980, Our Lady Mother of Our Creator, Ikeja 1982, Our Lady Queen of Confessors Ikeja, 1985, Our Lady Virgin and Mother Ikeja 1987, Our Lady of Lourdes Ikeja 1987, Our Lady Virgin Most Powerful, Ikeja, 1988, Our Lady Mother of Good Counsel, Ikeja 1988, Our Lady Mary Mediatrix of all Graces, Ikeja 1988, Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted, Ikeja 1990, Our Lady Most Admirable, Ikeja 1992. At the Outstations, the Legion started Mass/Catechism centre at Alausa in 1981/82. At Oregun in 1983/84, Our Lady Mother of Christ praesidium was established, Our Lady Most Wonderful, Ojddu 1984/85, Our Lady Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Olowora, 1987 and Our Lady Queen of the Universe, Ogba 1992. |
In 1980, Ikeja Legionaries helped to establish a praesidium at NAF base and later handed same to Ladipo Curia, in Shogunle. They also helped to spread the Legion to C.K.C. Dopemu when it was under St. Leo's Parish.
Our Lady Cause of Our Joy Comitium, Ikeja - From the first praesidium, and spread to other parts of Ikeja, St. Leo's became the seat of Our Lady Cause of our Joy Curia comprising praesidia from Agege, Maryland, Ikorodu and Ikeja respectively. Rev. Fr. M. O'Kane was the first Spiritual director. As a Curia, it gave birth to Our Lady Morning Star Curia, Agege, 1988 and Our Lady Mother of Our Creator Curia, Ikorodu, 1990. As at 1993, the Ikeja Curia had 32 praesidia from Ikeja, St. Leo's out stations, Maryland and Military Cantonment lkeja; a junior Curia with 23 praesidia. At present, the Council has 6 Senior Curiae, 1 Junior Curia and 15 praeisidia. The Legion of Mary continued to spread and flourish in Ikeja and in the archdiocese of Lagos, this then resulted in the Concilium granting that several curiae be raised to the status of Comitium and the then Lagos comitium be raised to a Regia in the early 2002s. In December of 1998,Our Lady Cause of Our Joy was raised to a Comitium. The council has continued to be one of the foremost councils in the archdiocese, and it continues to justify her existence as a Comitium with grown in the spirituality of her members and extension of the Legion. At present she has 14 praesidia, 8 Curiae and 1 Junior Curia directly affiliated while giving support and training to councils within her jurisdiction. Our Spiritual Director, Rt. Msgr. J. K. A. Aniagwu was recently made the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Lagos. Some of the notable achievements include: Organising a record breaking Mass wedding (of 118 Couples in the 1990s); |
Celebrating Marian Week at Parish Level since 1998; Production of Legion Marian Calendar since 2003; grand celebration of Our Lady's Nativity with a solemn Novena, since 2004 at Parish level; holding an Annual New Year Novena since the 1990's; procurement of a beautiful Processional Vexilium in 2010 used for the first time in March 2010 Acies and operating a Website since 2009 and so much more. The 45th Anniversary of the Legion at Ikeja was marked along side the Annual General Reunion. It witnessed over 30 Legionaries with more than 20 years membership and those Legionaries who began their membership in Ikeja coming around tp be recognised. A short documentary on the activities of the Legion of Mary world-wide was shown on a projector screen, to boost the zeal of members. The council is preparing to take on a higher responsibility that the next couple of years will see her grow from strength to strength and bring blessing to the Legion and the generous members who support the work in Ikeja and the entire district.
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