The 100,000 Miracle

‘The stadium looked so big that I could not imagine it being filled with the people not to mention legionaries’, said Columban Fr. Aedan McGrath, the Legion’s representative from headquarters in Ireland. The sight of 100,000 Korean Legionaries gathered together has to be seen to be understood. So many processions of Legionaries carrying banners and flags streamed into the stadium that by the time the convention began, many had to be turned away and had to listen to the events relayed by loud speakers outside.

Amazing Growth

Korea is a non-Christian country, and it was only 35 years ago that Columban Archbishops Harold Henry gave the go-ahead for the small Legion group in Mokpo. He sensed then that there would be a great flow of people into the Church, and he knew that priests and sisters would be unable to cope. It was a task for the laity. The legion spread phenomenally and legionaries helped to bring about the mass conversions that have characterized the church in Korea. Today Korea’s catholics number nearly 3 million. Many priests are convinced that if it had not been for the Legion of Mary such a growth rate would not have occurred.

Proud Moment

The sports Stadium of Cheong Ju in Central Korea was the venue for 1988 National Legion Congress. Colourful Korean dresses sparkled in the sunlight as the Nuncio said that he was proud to witness such a moment in Korea. Fr. McGrath added his greetings from the Legion’s Headquarters

Prisoners in China

During his two-week visit, 85 year old Fr. McGrath, who spent time in the prison in China and who many claim to be the most traveled missionary in the world, was anxious to visit as many Legion groups as possible. Fr. Tony O’Brien Columban Director in Korea went along to interpret. One parish priest he met, told him that he had only 56 Legion groups in his parish. He is only half apologetic because many other parishes have over 60 of such groups. When asked if he had difficulty managing many, he replied: ‘I only wish I had more’. His parish is devided into 56 sections, and each legion group is responsible for its own area. ‘That means visiting, caring, coaxing, instructing, and eventually bringing people to the church.’ This was the favourite method of legion founder Frank Duff, and was also the practice of early Christians. ‘Getting the newly baptized to go immediately and tell others what they have understood themselves is the perfect method to make a Christians live what they have learned,’ commented Fr. McGrath.

Historic Group

He also visited one of the Columban parishes where two of his colleages were working, Fr. Sean Savage, who started the historic first Legion group in Mokpo village in 1953, and Fr. Charles Carolan. Both priests each have 25 legion groups in their charge. They visit all 50 regularly.

Even the Blind

‘My two weeks in Korea was truly an inspiration,’ said Fr. McGrath. To find 13,000 Legion groups in non Christian country after only 35 years, and constantly increasing, was something that I had not expected but the most notable achievement of the Legion in Korea has been the production of the Legion ‘s handbook in Braille for the blind. Some Legion groups are made up entirely of blind members. Even though the blind legionaries could not see the huge crowd they could hear them. The 1,000 voice choir was soon swelled by 100,000 other enthusiastic voices, as they joined the mass with the bishop of Cheong Ju.

Korean Missionaries to China?

Perhaps such big numbers and such wholehearted participation is a sign that Koreans who once got the faith from China will soon send missionaries back to China…

Koreans are already beginning to send out their own missionaries.