Pastoral – Legion of Mary Centenary, 7th Sept 2021

On this day in 1921, past-student Frank Duff (Class of 1907) founded the Legion of Mary. The Legion is the largest lay Apostolic organisation of the Catholic Church with a presence in 181 countries and a membership of 10 million. Our Duff House Captains supported Fr. O’Brolchain in a liturgy to mark the occasion. Frank Duff was a remarkable man. Biographer León Ó’Broin described him as a man with a “remarkable blend of tenderness and toughness, compassion and conviction with the finger of God perceptible in it. He gave his heart to the poor”.

Frank Duff was a man of action. He opposed the separation of unmarried mothers from their babies. Duff also opposed industrial schools where children could be sent as young as two years of age. He argued that committal was too easy an option without sufficient effort at remedy of family poverty. He was a man ahead of his time.

Frank Duff in his pamphlet ‘Can we be Saints?’ suggested one simple rule: ”Look only for good qualities in anyone you meet, you will find them. Never look for fault for you will find them”.

We thank Mr Madden, Mr Orrock and Fr. O’Brolchain for their preparation of the Duff Captains, the music and the liturgy which was streamed into the classrooms during period 1.