A Roman Catholic breakaway group from the Legion of Mary are on a mission to help people to find happiness in God.
While remaining great friends with the Legon of Mary, members of Mary’s Followers of the Cross differ, they have a uniform, 'the cowl' and live in community. The group is part of the Roman Catholic Church and financed through benefactors and by the wages of some of the community’s members.
The group came together under the leadership of Kevin Jacobsen, originally from Denmark. He and another member of the group Michael are interviewed in St Stephen’s Green about the mission of Mary’s Followers of the Cross.
We help a lot of people to become happy, we help a lot of people to get back maybe their faith again.
As with volunteers from the Legion of Mary members of Mary’s Followers of the Cross approach people on the street and public places, offering prayers and talking about God.
Michael preaches on the street and specifically targets young people because,
They’re the ones that are losing the faith, they’re the ones that are under pressure, they’re the ones that are finding it hard to be happy.
A large percentage of young people the group encounter have given up practising their faith. They admit this on the street, but would be afraid to tell their parents. Fundamentally young people are
Disappointed with the church.
Kevin Jacobsen strongly believes what they lack,
Is that they haven't really discovered the beauty of God and the happiness of experiencing God.
Mary's Followers of the Cross eventually became known as the Servants of Love and the group permanently settled in County Wicklow.
Hindsight ‘n’ Things was a series of magazine programmes from RTÉ’s Religious Programmes Department exploring ideas in religious and social matters. It was first broadcast on 6 July, 1973 and was presented by Sean Egan.
This episode of ‘Hindsight ‘n’ Things’ was broadcast on 10 August 1978. The reporters are Peter McNiff and Larry Masterson.
