Michael Eking
Michael Eking was a founding member of the Legion of Mary in Africa and the President of the first Praesidium in the entire African continent. This praesidium was started by the Most Rev. Dr. Moynagh, then bishop of Calabar. The date was September 7th, 1933 – the 12th anniversary of the Legion’s birth in Dublin.
Michael Ekeng was Bishop Moynagh's right hand man in the task of extending and perfecting the Legion of Mary in the Calabar diocese. He was described as "a man of God" or more accurately, as a "free man of God", for Michael had tasted the bitter experience of slavery, had bought his freedom by his own industry, and had then found his way into the Catholic Church via Protestantism in which he had been instructed by his former “master”.
Michael Ekeng's capacity for work was amazing. He would start from Calabar at 1 A.M., travel to Oran 18 miles by canoe, go on from there to a Legion meeting 55 miles away, and after the meeting cycle on 12 miles to the nearest mission, fasting all the time, to receive Holy Communion.
During the Holy Year of 1950 Bishop Moynagh sent Michael on a pilgrimage to Rome, and then to Ireland. Mr. Ekeng addressed the Concilium of the Legion of Mary, attended many Legion functions and took part in a pilgrimage to Lough Derg.
Thomas Moorehead
Thomas Moorehead was consecrated to Jesus through Mary, wore Mary’s brown scapular, prayed numerous rosaries every day, belonged to the Carmelite Third Order and was active in the Legion of Mary.For 40 years he served our mother in the Legion, and with the exception of his last night on earth, never missed a weekly meeting. Such was his dedication and obedience. When Tommy was asked to do something that would call attention to himself, he would say”…place me under obedience and I will do it…” He was always seeking God’s will in a situation, and not his own, by the path of obedience.
Tommy began his day with the 6:30 Mass every morning. He was indefatigable in his efforts for our mother Mary and the service of Christ in others. His apostolate was in the hospital, taking the patients to Mass and talking to them about Jesus and Mary.
His total consecration to Jesus through Mary was according to the formula of St. Louis Marie De Montfort in the treatise “True Devotion to Mary”. In that consecration, Tommy gave Mary all his worldly and spiritual goods past, present and future. He lived that consecration. He read Butler's "Lives of the Saints" every day and never ceased to be amazed at what they had accomplished.
From an article by Joanne D’Alessio in Maria Legionis