Concilium Bulletin January 2012
Concilium Bulletin January 2012
REPORTS
Africa
BENIN REPUBLIC
Cotonou Regia: The Porto-Novo Comitium has 1,172 active members and reported 22,335 visits in a three-month period with 214 catechumens enrolled, 154 new members recruited, 39 Baptisms, 31 returns to Sunday Mass and 23 Marriages regularised. Two praesidia, founded in 1973, gave their reports at the Regia meeting. One legionary who is a catechist has charge of 143 catechumens.
BURKINA FASO
Ouagadougou Comitium reported 30 new members making their Promise in a period of 5 months. Visitation is undertaken to hospitals, health facilities and family compounds where they meet Catholics, Protestants and Muslims. Young people are informed of the dangers of immoral living. Fr. Guigma, Comitium Spiritual Director, advised praesidia to work in close harmony with the clergy. Lack of literate officer material being a problem, Ouagadougou officers held Legion workshops for the Council Officers.
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
Bangui Senatus: Abbé Serge-Hubert has been appointed Spiritual Director by the Hierarchy to succeed Fr. Francis Athimon now returned to France. The Legion’s apostolate in this Senatus area includes regularisation of Marriages, prevention of abortions, saving women from prostitution and helping youth. The Senatus has launched a programme of Legion nurseries where families are encouraged to have meetings in their homes to train children for the legionary apostolate.
GABON
The Legion councils of this country are maintaining contact with the Regia of Cotonou in Benin Republic. As a result of the recent visitation, proposals to upgrade some councils are due for consideration.
CONGO
Our Lady of Congo Regia:Brazzaville: The Regia reports 91 lapsed returned to the practice of the Faith, 165 agreed to take instruction, 229 couples were reconciled, Marriages blessed and 73 people received Confession and Holy Communion at home. A day of formation for legionaries was held on the theme ‘Legionary members and their mission’. Officers of the Regia attended Curiae meetings where elections of new Officers took place.
TOGO
Lomé Regia: A new Comitium has been set up in Kara. One Curia in Lomé reported on 3 Exploratio Dominicalis projects during the Summer, a Patrician meeting with 22 in attendance and contacts made with Muslims. Another Curia reported on having 40 praesidia and a junior Curia of 20 praesidia with a total of 886 active and 464 auxiliary members. One Curia has a praesidium in the prison and the Adamova Curia is endeavouring to start a praesidium among the refugees from the Ivory Coast; 27 people came back to Mass and were congratulated on organising their first Congress. Mention was made of two Peregrinatio Pro Christo projects, both in Ghana. Some Regia Officers attended the National Legion Conference in Kpando, organised by Accra Senatus, Ghana.
CAMEROUN AND CHAD
Many Councils in Cameroun organised events to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Legion, including Masses concelebrated by the Archbishops of Douala and Yaoundé. Among the festivities was a football match in Yaoundé between priests and legionaries. There was no mention of who won! Recruiting efforts in Eseka resulted in the setting up of two new praesidia with a total of 19 senior and 9 junior members. A number of councils reported on Congresses being organised. In Buea Comitium 25 people were accepted into the Church and 16 brought back to the Sacraments.
MEXICO
Mexico City Senatus
An attached Curia, as well as making contact with taxi men and the sick in Health Centres, also offers them religious papers and pamphlets. 208 children made their First Holy Communion and a number of couples are being prepared for Marriage. The Comitium of Cautitlan has 29 praesidia and 7 Curia attached. Literacy classes for adults are conducted by legionaries. One praesidium reported street contact apostolate, 42 adults made their First Holy Communion and about 50 returned to the practice of the Faith. Public Rosaries are conducted during the months of May and October.
Merida Senatus
Praesidia and councils emphasise the need to visit all families so that the families who have joined the sects are met. They are generally well received and many have returned to the practice of the faith. Street contact is carried out by all praesidia and legionaries find that the use of the Miraculous Medal is very positive. They also encourage families to receive the statue of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in their homes. The junior movement is growing slowly, there is a junior Curia attached to the Senatus and there are 4 praesidia in an attached Comitium. The Archbishop celebrated the Mass for the anniversary of the death of Frank Duff. He was very surprised with the large attendance.
Hermosillo Regia
Praesidia Officers attendance was 75% in August. A Rosary group in a women’s prison has been turned into a praesidium and weekly Mass has begun. Twenty legionaries (prisoners) were released for good behavior.
Monterrey Regia
Legionaries prayed weekly with the family of a young addict met on home visitation, he booked into a rehabilitation centre. During an Exploratio Dominicalis project 120 homes were visited. Six juniors formed a senior praesidium upon reaching the age of 18. Ninety homes were consecrated to the Sacred Heart.
Guadalajara Regia
The attached Comitium in Aguascalientes with 448 active members, 2,000 auxiliaries and 34 praetorians visits the prison. Two prisoners have been to Confession after many years. A Curia with 80 members brings the Statue of Our Lady to the sick, particularly the families of children suffering from AIDS.
Durango Regia
A praesidium of 10 members ran two workshops of prayer with 15 and 20 attending. Seven are catechists working with 4 year olds up to First Holy Communion. Ten members took part in an Exploratio Dominicalis project.
Central America
EL SALVADOR
San Salvador Senatus: The two attached Regiae reported solid apostolate being done; they also have a growing junior and young adult Legion and work in harmony with the help and encouragement of dedicated Spiritual Directors. A number who had become Jehovah Witnesses have returned to the practice of the Faith. Most of the councils have carried out the audit.
PANAMA
Panama Regia: Two new correspondents have been nominated for the two new Comitia which were raised recently. There was a large attendance at a Legion Retreat. It was emphasized at the August meeting by the President that reciting prayers is not Legion apostolate.
NICARAGUA
Managua Regia: An attached Curia in the Diocese of Leon plans to divide and it may be possible to raise the original Curia to Comitium status. Reports indicate that the legionaries are doing extensive home visitation and consequently meeting Catholics who have discontinued the practice and others who have joined the Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses and other religions. On the whole they are well received and some even pray with them.
GUATEMALA
The Legion in Guatemala is under the caretakership of the Senatus of Merida. Two legionaries made a visit to Guatemala and established very good contact. The President of the Regia of Camotan (the higher council for Guatemala) accompanied the two visiting legionaries on their visits to the different councils, which gave them a great overall picture of the progress of the Legion in the country. One of the two legionaries is now the correspondent with the Regia.
Asia
PAKISTAN
The reunion was attended by 200 legionaries. The reporting praesidia have 11, 16 and 18 members, doing good work. Extension is ongoing and audits have been mentioned.
MYANMAR
The 90th Anniversary celebration covered two days with Archbishop Charles Bo as the chief celebrant and 500 in attendance.
SRI LANKA
Catholics and people of other faiths were met on visitation of homes and hospitals. Other works reported were the preparation of adults and children for the Sacraments, homes enthroned to the Sacred Heart and the lapsed return to the practice of their Faith. Peregrinatio Pro Christo projects took place in March and May.
THAILAND
There has been widespread flooding which has brought problems for the people. The members comfort the dying, participate at wakes and funerals, visits AIDS patients and the lapsed. A junior Curia of 11 praesidia and 140 members contact young people and encourage them to participate in Church activities.
KAZAKHSTAN
Elisabeth Kriss hopes to visit this country when she receives her visa.
GEORGIA
A praesidium of 8 members in Ude continues to meet. The Spiritual Director reports that since the Legion started, no one has died without the Sacraments. The Handbook is now available in Georgian.
ARMENIA
The praesidium of 11 members in Yerevan visits the sick and lonely and teach catechism. They also undertake evangelization with the Mother Teresa nuns in a very poor area.
INDIA
Karnataka Senatus: The Senatus was inaugurated on 30 October 2011 in the presence of the Archbishop of Bangalore, Most Rev. Barnard Moras and 1,100 legionaries from the 9 Dioceses. The Vexillum was carried from the Cathedral to the Hall. A new youth praesidium started in remembrance of the Servant of God, Frank Duff.
Pondicherry Senatus: Audited accounts have been received for 2010. A Peregrinatio Pro Christo Conference had an attendance of 500.
Kerala Senatus: They are looking at the possibility of setting up a Regia.
Mumbai Regia: The area covers 51 Dioceses. Archbishops in distance Dioceses have been contacted seeking permission to start the Legion. Three to four days training sessions organized by the Senatus are proving very successful. Works include street contact, prison visitation, youth retreats and junior praesidia. A meeting with the Cardinal lasted 40 minutes.
Kottar Regia: The Regia was inaugurated on the 30th October 2011 with a Mass celebrated by Bishop Peter Remigius and 20 concelebrants and 4,000 in attendance. The apostolate in the Regia includes bringing drug addicts to an addiction centre for rehabilitation, inviting the lapsed back to the practice of their Faith and giving free tuition to 146 children of poor families.
Visakhapatnam Comitium: The 90th Anniversary celebration was attended by 220 from directly affiliated praesidia and councils while 650 attended from other councils. AIDs patients, the blind, those suffering from cancer and leprosy are visited. Extension is ongoing.
Coimbatore Comitium: The Comitium held its annual Frank Duff Mass on the 7th November with 200 present. The state has suffered greatly from the effects of flooding.
Europe
BELGIUM
Brussels Senatus: Pia Makengo and Henri Kaite visited the Congo on behalf of Concilium last year. Their own praesidium has increased in membership from 5 to 11, including 2 praetorians, due - they say, to the intercession of Edel Quinn and Frank Duff.
Antwerp Senatus: Curia Masseik has 3 praesidia with membership of 10, 5 and 4. Works includes Eucharistic ministry and visiting the sick and infirm.
ENGLAND
Birmingham Senatus: Fr. John Peyton has been appointed Spiritual Director of the Senatus. Archbishop Longley was principal celebrant at the 90th Anniversary celebrations in St. Chad Cathedral with 15 priests, and the legionaries were thanked for their faithful apostolate. A praesidium in Oxford staffs a book barrow in the town centre. The Junior Curia has 36 members in 4 praesidia and a Moslem/Christian discussion is one of their works. South Birmingham Curia (with 12 praesidia) saw the return of 3 couples to the Faith, and one non-Catholic received into the Church. The book barrow run by Bristol Curia resulted in one person brought into the Church.
Liverpool Senatus: The 90th Anniversary celebration was held in Lancaster Cathedral on October 29 and Bishop Campbell was principal celebrant.
Manchester Comitium combined two anniversaries - the Legion’s 90th and the Comitium’s 80th with a celebration in Salford Cathedral. Stephen Gibling, former Comitium Secretary, is now studying for the priesthood in Maynooth.
An African member in Newcastle Comitium is translating parts of the Handbook to his own language so as to help people in his former parish in Ghana. At the Chapel in Gateshead Metro Station Mass and Exposition continues daily.
Leeds Curia reports that the parents of the children being prepared for the Sacraments are benefiting from instruction classes - one positive spin-off of the Child Safeguarding regulations.
Central London Curia held its first Congress in October. Our Lady Queen of Peace praesidium has 15 active and 8 probationary members - attendance averages at 13. Another praesidium increased its membership by 7 following a recruiting drive - they now have 10 active members.
Brentwood Comitium had the biggest congregation ever at their commemoration Mass for the Servant of God Frank Duff on November 5th. They report one man received into the Church, another under instruction and immigrant families being prepared for the sacraments.
Prison Visitation is reported by Hammersmith Curia and the praesidium in Shepherd’s Bush has 10 members and 20 auxiliaries.
Brent and Harrow Curia with 4 praesidia attached are supported by the prayers of Nursing Home residents.
Northampton Comitium has 1 Curia and 9 attached praesidia. The RCIA programme in one parish resulted in 9 people being received into the Church.
Leicester Curia with 4 praesidia report a large attendance of people of different religions at an Ecumenical May procession in honour of Our Lady.
Concilium was represented at the West Middlesex Curia’s 90th Anniversary celebration where the principal celebrant was Bishop John Sherrington. The praesidium in Brantford has only 2 members, in Hayes there are six, and five in Ealing. Visitation of homes and hospitals features in the report and auxiliaries take Maria Legionis.
SCOTLAND
In the tribute to the late Bill Mitchell, who died in October last, Br. Arbuckle, Vice President of the Senatus of Scotland said that Bill always kept a Miraculous Medal among his change so that he could talk to people about it. The praesidium at Aberdeen University has 13 active and 5 probationary members, 90% of whom are African; their work is somewhat curtailed because of Disclosure Scotland.
Mater Ecclesia Curia reports the return of one lady to the Church after 50 years. The praesidium in Aberdeen is 2 years old and working well with a full team of officers. Our Lady of the Wayside praesidium reports a new convert from among their helpers.
FINLAND
As a result of a Peregrinatio Pro Christo project last year, a praesidium has been established.
GIBRALTAR
Sr. McCourt visited during the year, and a three-day Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament was held in preparation for World Youth Day in Madrid.
WALES
Cardiff Comitium has three Curiae attached - Cardiff has 6 praesidia with Gwent and Merthyr having 2 praesidia each. The longest serving member of the Comitium is now a Centenarian, having been a member till her 94th year.
Wrexham Curia reports that the praesidium in Mold arranged the inclusion of the Legion Vexillum in an exhibition of Sacred Symbols, together with information on the Legion and Frank Duff.
Following a Peregrinatio Pro Christo project in Swansea Curia area, hopes for a praesidium in Morriston parish. A recruiting project in Port Talbot may see a new praesidium there.
NETHERLANDS
Amsterdam Regia: The Korean Curia has 3 praesidia with 22 active and 14 auxiliary members. An English-speaking praesidium has 7 members and the African praesidium has 3 members. Patricians and book barrow work were reported.
NORWAY
There are two praesidia in Norway - one in Tonsberg, which has 5 active members and 12 auxiliaries and works include teaching catechism to children and saying the Rosary in family homes. The praesidium in Drammen has 7 members and 10 auxiliaries; home to home visitation, bible study and visitation of the sick features in the reports.
FRANCE
Strasbourg Senatus: Much work is done in parishes including the teaching of catechism. Members in Comar Curia welcome blind people coming at weekends to a pilgrimage site.
Aire and Dax Comitium: A Legion Congress was held at the Sanctuary of Buglose in September.
Paris Regia has 3 attached Curiae and more than 20 attached praesidia, with the possibility of relaunching the Legion in Nevers. The 90th Anniversary Mass was celebrated in their Legion Headquarters and the Vietnamese Curia organised a day retreat on the theme “Frank Duff and his Spiritual Way”. The Haitian praesidium has 13 members and is in contact with a Moslem man who wishes to become a Catholic.
Valence Regia also has a Vietnamese Curia and 2 Curiae at Montelimar and Nice. A major project for 2012 will be a Peregrinatio Pro Christo venture by Austrian legionaries in Lyon.
GERMANY
Frankfurt Senatus report that a Conference for Spiritual Directors will be held next Autumn. Extension efforts are ongoing in Friedberg, Kassel and Frankfurt.
Cologne Regia has 4 Curiae with 9 praesidia and they arranged a bus with 79 participants to go to Erfurt for the Pope’s visit in September.
Berlin Comitium reports on the Korean Curia with Croatian, Filipino, Vietnamese and German praesidia directly attached.
Freiburg Comitium with 3 Curiae and 3 praesidia attached staffed a book barrow during the Pope’s visit. Darmstadt Curia: 1000 flyers promoting 33 steps with Mary to Jesus were distributed during the pilgrimage to Maria Einsiedel.
Munich Senatus was reduced to Regia status from 1st January 2012; this was approved by Cardinal Marx of Munich.
Stuttgart Comitium celebrated the 90th anniversary with Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Maria Renz.
SIBERIA
Two legionaries, Birgit Metzler and Julia Schell, visited the new Curia in Irkutsk and the praesidia in Bogotol and Krasnoyarsk and met the Bishop of Irkutsk who is very supportive of the Legion.
SWITZERLAND
Zurich Curia reports steady progress, recruiting 75 new auxiliary members and starting 3 new praesidia in Bern, Zug and Oeberriet. The Bishops of Chur and Basel have agreed to the raising of the Curia in Zurich to Comitium status with Luzern Curia attached.
ELISABETH KRISS - EXTENSION WORKER
Elisabeth Kriss is still waiting for her visa for Kazakhstan. In the meantime she is working for the Senatus of Austria in the Tyrol where she has restarted a praesidium and strengthened another one. She has also been helping with the Winter School and she attended the Correspondents’ meeting for the Ukraine. The Senatus Officers would like her to go to Bulgaria for about 10 days to work with the legionaries who are already working there. Wiltrud Zecha, the Senatus President, has written to ask if she could go to the Greek Catholic Church there also. Two to three praesidia have been set up in Bulgaria so far.
Prayer for the Beatification of
The Servant of God, Frank Duff
God our Father, You inspired your servant Frank Duff with a profound insight into the mystery of your Church, the Body of Christ, and of the place of Mary the Mother of Jesus in this mystery.
In his immense desire to share this insight with others and in filial dependence on Mary he formed her Legion to be a sign of her maternal love for the world and a means of enlisting all her children in the Church’s evangelising work.
We thank you Father for the graces conferred on him and for the benefits accruing to the Church from his courageous and shining faith.
With confidence we beg you that through his intercession you grant the petition we lay before you …
We ask too that if it be in accordance with your will, the holiness of his life may be acknowledged by the Church for the glory of your Name,
through Christ Our Lord, Amen.
Cause of The Servant of God, Frank Duff
The prayer for Beatification can be obtained from the Legion of Mary website:
www.legion-of-mary.ie
or from Concilium Legionis Mariae
Where the prayer has yet to be translated into local languages,
this is encouraged.
All Legion Councils, praesidia and individual legionaries are encouraged to actively promote the Cause of the Servant of God, Frank Duff, through the widespread dissemination of the Frank Duff prayer leaflets to legionaries and to the general public; through the organising of Frank Duff prayer groups and the holding of Masses to commemorate his life.
Favours attributed to the intercession of
The Servant of God, Frank Duff
Should be reported to:
Legion of Mary,
De Montfort House,
Morning Star Avenue,
Dublin 7, IRELAND.
N O T I C E
Any Legion council officers who are registering for the International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin are asked to note that the
June 2012 Concilium meeting will take place on
SATURDAY 9th June 2012 at 3.00 pm
in Legion headquarters
