It’s Christmas again, that lovely season when we can forget for a while the troubles of the year. For Christians it is the greatest day of the year, when God broke into human history and walked among women and men. In times of war and hardship people have always found a way to remember the…
The quiet revolutionary
Frank Duff was a truly Catholic revolutionary, in his own quiet way, writes Fr John S. Hogan In a 1943 correspondence with Fr Michael Toher, a collaborator with Frank Duff in the foundation of the Legion of Mary, Archbishop John Charles McQuaid offered his assessment of Frank Duff’s character. The archbishop accepted that Frank was…
Frank Duff – ‘I was a civil servant’
He was part of a new generation of public servants in the new State, writes Finola Kennedy W hen EP McCarron, former Secretary of the Department of Local Government and Public Health, died in 1970, Frank Duff wrote an Appreciation in The Irish Times. He said that his aim was to cast a true light…
Frank Duff – ‘Pioneer of the New Evangelisation’
The Irishman had key insights about the lay vocation ahead of his time, writes Fr John Harris OP In this age of synodality within the Church, it is opportune for us to recall the importance of the laity in the Church and there is no better champion or challenger of this cause that Frank Duff,…
Duff’s insight into the beauty of womanhood
Frank Duff treated women with absolute equality in his relationships and his views, writes Dr Evie Monaghan Frank Duff’s outreach to marginalised women has long been recognised. Perhaps the most enduring legacy of the Legion of Mary, the organisation founded by Duff and a group of lay women in 1921, was its mission to ‘street…
‘One of God’s dearest friends’
Fr Bede McGregor OP on Frank Duff’s vision of a laity called to sainthood On September 7 2021, the Legion of Mary celebrated 100 years of existence. Of course, we will also be celebrating the life and message of the Founder of the Legion, the Servant of God Frank Duff (1889 – 1980). In this…
Alfie Lambe – Our Lady’s devoted son
Former envoy to South America, Noel Lynch reflects on one of the Legion’s brightest lights Alfie Lambe was a typical youth of his day. When he was a teenager, he joined the Irish Christian brother’s novitiate, but after a few years he was asked to leave. He used to get fainting fits. He returned home…
Tom Doyle – An icon of the Legion
Raymond Mulrooney writes about the longest serving manager of the Morning Star Hostel In this year of the Centenary of the Legion of Mary, it is right and proper to remember the many stalwart members who forged the way that led to the solid foundation of the future Legion of which we are proud to…
Edel Quinn’s heroic journey into the unknown
Annette Mulrooney tells the story of the famous legionary’s valiant mission to Africa The story of Edel Quinn (September 14 1907 –May 12 1944) and her apostolic work in Africa as envoy of the Legion of Mary is now well known, but what sort of person was she in herself? The impression given by Cardinal…
Maynooth carol service to go ahead on December 15
Staff reporter The traditional highlight of the Maynooth year will go ahead later this month with people being invited to join the carol service online from the historic college chapel. Following revised public health guidance, a much-reduced congregation will attend this year’s carol service, which will be livestreamed on Wednesday December 15 at 7.30pm on…