Letters 09.04.16

Memories of Mother Teresa

Regarding the upcoming canonization of Blessed Teresa of Kolkata:

While reading the articles about the upcoming canonization of Mother Teresa in the April 3-16 issue of the Register, it occurred to me that I had an indirect connection with her.

Back in the mid-1990s, I was working in Moscow on a couple of projects the company I worked for had with USAID — the U.S. Agency for International Development. We were constructing living facilities akin to American private ownership that the people of Russia could also have. Here is an excerpt from a book I wrote that shows the connection:

“In contrast to the comment our translator, who had been the head of Komsomol in Moscow, made about God and the state, I used to go to Mass in a church that was a stone’s throw from the KGB building. I would take the subway from the station close to my apartment to the station close to Lubyanka Square in the center of Moscow, which brought me to the surface close by the building. Walking to the church took me along one side of the building around to the back, and then I would cross the street and go up a smaller street a couple hundred feet to a nondescript building that did not look anything like a church, least of all a Catholic one.

“But inside there was no doubt. It looked like any church I’d seen and attended Mass in wherever in the world I had been. The building was old, though, and except for an apparent cleaning routine, had not been kept up. The center aisle sagged down noticeably, due to, I suppose, weakened or rotting floor supports, and there was no heat during winter.

“The priest would wear a heavy coat under his vestments during the sacrifice of the Mass. The church was always packed at every Mass I attended. In fact, I had to get there early if I wanted to have a seat. There was a side altar on the right side of the church, where the Blessed Virgin’s statue was stationed. A long line of Russians were always standing silently, waiting for their turn to kneel at the railing. As Mass proceeded on a very cold day, there would be a faint collection of the vapors from each person’s breath rising. Sometimes the organ would break down or squeal out a discordant note. The singer, always of Bolshoi quality, would continue in spite of the organ’s antics. The people attending spanned the ages of children to the elderly. I volunteered to do the readings at some of the Masses. It was obvious to me that Lenin through Brezhnev were not able to erase what the Russian people held in their hearts.

“I would always sit on the right side of the church. That was the Blessed Virgin’s side, and I was partial. On the other side, I always saw two or more sisters of the Missionaries of Charity, Mother Teresa’s order. I occasionally had a few extra dollars in my pocket, some of which I was able to give to one of the sisters at the end of a Mass. One day, they asked if I would like to visit their convent and see what they were doing with the money I gave them. I jumped at the chance. The sisters took care of the homeless and destitute Russians that mostly came from the streets of Moscow. I remember that six sisters were handling around 40 men at the time I visited.”

Richard Irwin

Wolcott, Connecticut

 

Mary’s Legion

Relevant to your ongoing coverage of Marian devotions and organizations: If someone asked you what the largest Catholic apostolic organization of laypeople was, would you know the answer? And if you didn’t, would it help if you were given a clue that the Blessed Mother has something to do with it? If you are still scratching your head, you may be surprised to learn that it is the Legion of Mary, which has captured the hearts of so many Catholics throughout the world. This venerable organization — which was founded in Ireland in 1921 by Frank Duff, a “Servant of God” — has grown to more than 10 million active and auxiliary members worldwide.

Essentially, the Legion is a prayer and service organization whose members, referred to as Legionaries, hold a deep affection for the Blessed Mother of Jesus. Her strong influence, coupled with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, directs them on how to glorify God through prayer, love and acts of service towards others.

 It should surprise no one that the Rosary naturally holds a special place in the hearts of all Legionaries and its recitation is how every Legion of Mary meeting begins.

The Legion of Mary is a very structured organization, with a hierarchy and order of business that Duff specifically defined in the “Handbook of the Legion of Mary.” Legionaries, based in a local parish, meet once a week for about one hour and are given a weekly work assignment, which can generally last for about one or two hours. 

And it is in these assignments where the real beauty of the Legion of Mary can be found. For it is in these prayerful and loving acts of service where the Legionaries can be so fruitful and experience the power of Christ acting through them.

These work assignments can involve regular visits to hospitals and nursing homes, where Legionaries will pray with those who are ill or lonely and bring Jesus in the Eucharist to those who are Catholic.

They can include leading prayer services at local jails, reaching out to the homebound or teaching young children.

Oftentimes, these assignments are opportunities for Legionaries to live out the beatitudes that Christ taught us in the Sermon on the Mount. And of special importance, their work is an excellent tool for evangelization, as their consistent examples of faith can lead others to wonder who this Jesus is that can inspire them to reach out to those who are often forgotten, ignored or shunned.

The reason many people may not have known or heard about the Legion of Mary is because their members value the importance of humility, and it is fundamental to their success in serving Christ. 

Legionaries will “walk the walk” sooner than they will “talk the talk” — and that is a good thing, because most people recognize that actions speak louder than words.

Tom Wetzel

Legion of Mary at St. John of the Cross

Willoughby, Ohio