By Ann Wong En Hui
KUCHING — On 22 July 2026, the Legion of Mary, Kuching Comitium, successfully organised the 5th Annual Legion of Mary Junior Praesidia Gathering 2026 at St. Joseph’s International School, Kuching. The programme was planned and coordinated by the ‘Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted’ Junior Praesidium, bringing together 98 junior legionaries from six Junior Praesidia for a joyful and spiritually enriching day of prayer, faith formation, fellowship, and fun.
Held in conjunction with the 75th Anniversary of the Legion of Mary Kuching Comitium, the gathering adopted the theme “Glory to God, Honour to Mary.” The theme invited young legionaries to glorify God, honour the Blessed Virgin Mary, and courageously live out their Catholic faith in today’s world through prayer and service.
The Junior Praesidia that participated in the event were ‘Our Lady Queen of Virgins’, ‘Our Lady of the Star’, ‘Our Lady Seat of Wisdom’, ‘Our Lady of Mercy’, ‘Immaculate Heart of Mary’, and ‘Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted’. The gathering provided an opportunity for junior legionaries from different parishes and schools to strengthen their faith, foster new friendships, and grow together in the true spirit of the Legion of Mary.
The day began with a welcoming address delivered by Bro Nicholas Hu, Vice President of the Legion of Mary Kuching Comitium. He also led the Legion prayers before the celebration of the Holy Mass. The organising committee was honoured by his presence and thankful for his participation.
The Holy Mass was presided over by Fr Nicholas Ng, Spiritual Director of the Legion of Mary Kuching Comitium. In his homily, Fr Nicholas reminded the young legionaries of the importance of loving, respecting, and honouring their parents, emphasising that the family is the first place where faith is nurtured. Reflecting on the love and devotion shown by St Mary Magdalene towards Jesus, her teacher and Lord, he encouraged the young legionaries to cultivate the same spirit of love and gratitude within their own families.
Following the Holy Mass, participants were divided into two age groups for specially designed formation sessions. The senior legionaries, aged 11 years and above, attended a sharing session conducted by Fr Delphin Kahemba Ndungu. During his talk, he invited our legionaries to reflect on the life and virtues of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Fr Delphin invited the young legionaries to honour Mary by following her example of faith and discipleship, while remaining committed to living out their Catholic faith.
Meanwhile, the younger legionaries, aged 7 to 10, enthusiastically participated in a creative arts and crafts session where they made their own prayer wheels. This interactive activity was specially designed to help children cultivate the habit of daily prayer while becoming more familiar with the beautiful prayers of the Church in a unique and meaningful way.
After the formation sessions, all participants gathered for exciting team-building games. Filled with laughter, teamwork, and friendly competition, the activities enabled the junior legionaries to build new friendships across different Praesidia while developing cooperation, communication and leadership. The winning teams were awarded with attractive prizes during the prize-giving ceremony at the end of the day.
Following the games, Br. Nicholas Hu led everyone in the Catena Legionis, allowing all the legionaries to have a moment of silence and prayer before enjoying a fellowship lunch where everyone had a chance to share conversations and get to know one another.
The gathering concluded with the Concluding Prayer, Thanksgiving Prayer, the prize-giving ceremony, and the final blessing, bringing to a close a memorable day. In conclusion, the gathering successfully fulfilled its objectives of strengthening the spiritual lives of the junior legionaries, fostering unity among the various Junior Praesidia and inspiring them to continue serving Christ faithfully under Mother Mary’s loving guidance.
