Legion of Mary ACIES 2026

Welcome everyone, especially dear members of the Legion of Mary,

Each year, the Acies gathers us into something both simple and profound: we stand before Our Lady and renew our promise — “I am all yours, my Queen, my Mother, and all that I have is yours.” It is a moment of consecration, of belonging, of quiet but resolute offering.

And today, the Word of God speaks into this moment with striking clarity.

In the first reading, the prophet Jeremiah finds himself under threat. He has spoken God’s truth, and now there are those who plot against him. He discovers—painfully—that fidelity to God does not always lead to comfort or approval. It can lead to misunderstanding, even opposition.

Yet Jeremiah does something remarkable. He does not defend himself. He does not harden his heart. Instead, he entrusts himself to God: “to you I have committed my cause.”

There is a deep Marian echo in that.

For this is the path Our Lady walked. She did not fully understand all that God was asking of her. She could not foresee where her “yes” would lead. But she entrusted everything—her future, her reputation, her very life—into God’s hands.

And that is the spirit of the Acies.

To stand before Mary is not simply to honour her. It is to place our lives, like Jeremiah, like Mary herself, into the hands of God—trusting that even when we do not see clearly, God is faithful.

The Gospel today shows a community divided about Jesus.

Some say, “He is the prophet.” Others say, “He is the Messiah.” And still others reject him outright. There is confusion, argument, uncertainty. Even those who are learned and powerful struggle to recognise who he truly is.

And in the midst of all this noise, there is a quiet voice—Nicodemus. He does not yet fully understand, but he senses that something deeper is at work. He begins, gently, to defend what is right.

It is a small moment. But it matters.

Because faith often begins that way—not in grand declarations, but in quiet fidelity. In a willingness to stand, even hesitantly, on the side of truth.

So too for the Legion of Mary.

You are not called to dominate the world, but to leaven it. Not to shout, but to witness. Not to win arguments, but to make Christ present.

And you do this in ways that are often hidden: through visits, through prayer, through patient listening, through the Rosary, through acts of quiet charity. Like the gentle refrain of a love that does not fade, your service speaks not loudly, but persistently—of God’s enduring care.

There is something deeply Eucharistic about this. Each time we gather at the altar, we remember—not simply recalling the past but entering into the living mystery of Christ’s self-giving love. As we come closer to the end of Lent and Holy week, we note that the Legion has always understood that devotion to Mary leads us to Jesus—and to his Cross.

Mary stood at the foot of the Cross. She did not turn away. She remained—faithful, present, loving—even when all seemed lost.

And so, when we entrust ourselves to her today, we are asking for that same fidelity.

That is not always easy. Like Jeremiah, like Nicodemus, like Mary, we may at times feel uncertain, or even alone. The world around us may be divided, distracted, or indifferent.

But we are not without hope.

For the One to whom we entrust ourselves is faithful. His love is not fleeting or fragile, but enduring—an everlasting love that does not waver, even when we do.

And Mary, our Mother, does not stand apart from that love. She leads us into it.

She gathers us, as we are gathered today, into a communion of prayer, of service, of quiet strength. She teaches us that holiness is found in daily fidelity—in the steady offering of our lives to God.

And so today, as you renew your consecration, do so with confidence.

Place again into her hands your prayers, your works, your struggles, your hopes.

Let her form you more deeply as apostles of her Son.

And then go forth—with conviction and trust.

For if you remain close to her, if you remain faithful in the small and hidden things, your lives will become a hymn of praise.

And through you, others will come to know the beauty of Christ, the tenderness of his Mother, and the quiet, transforming power of grace.

Most Rev. Anthony J. Ireland
Archbishop of Hobart
21 March 2026