Legion of One Thousand West
“A visit a week is all we seek.”
“The Eucharist is the consummation of the whole spiritual life.” St. Thomas Aquinas
Cardinal Ritter established the Legion of One Thousand Men in 1958, hoping to enlist a thousand men who would make a weekly visit to the Blessed Sacrament to increase the blessings and graces of Eucharistic Adoration in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. He asked the contemplative religious orders of women to establish times of adoration in their public chapels, creating different locations for the adorers to fulfill their pledge. The Carmel of Saint Joseph opened the Chapel of the Precious Blood for daily adoration on June 1, 1959, becoming the home for what is now the Legion of One Thousand- West.
In 1979, membership in the Legion was extended to include women. Today hundreds of people of various creeds continue to come to our chapel to pray in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament between 8:00 A.M. and 8:30 P.M. daily. You can join the Legion of One Thousand-West by filling out a pledge card located in the vestibule of our Chapel. The only requirement for membership is the commitment of making a weekly visit to the Blessed Sacrament in our chapel, when possible. The benefits for your relationship with the Lord and communion with His Body, the Church, are incalculable. On the other side of the Blessed Sacrament, there is always a nun keeping Jesus company, so that the public may feel free to come and go as their schedule allows. She is both praying with you and for you, interceding for the entire Church and world. What a beautiful way for the Body of Christ to come together in the Eucharist.
Monsignor Timothy Cronin serves as the as Spiritual Director of the Legion of One Thousand.