Concilium Bulletin September 2011
Concilium Bulletin September 2011
ASIA
NEPAL
Mumbai Regia visitors visited Nepal between 25 August and 4 September. The praesidium in Baniyatar has 9 members and Rev. Sr. Jeliyola as spiritual director. They visit homes, jails and hospitals.
The Godavari praesidium, which had gone down to 3 members now has 5 seniors with Sr. Rose Lima as spiritual director, and 14 in the junior praesidium. The praesidium in Jhawalakhel has 11 members and Fr. Richard Rai as spiritual director. The Curia was reactivated after a year’s lapse and Bishop Anthony Sharma has appointed Fr. Richard as Spiritual Director. The visitors have made recommendations to help the legionaries.
PAKISTAN
The senior praesidium reported at Curia has 18 members visiting homes and ghettoes. Extension was undertaken to 2 parishes.
SRI LANKA
Jaffna Comitium celebrated its 75th anniversary with Bishop and 1,000 legionaries. Lanka Comitium has 180 senior praesidia with 2,170 members and 64 junior praesidia with 622 members and also report on auxiliary, adjutorian and praetorian members. A conference on the charism of Frank Duff was held at which there was an attendance of 28. Colombo junior Curia has 5 praesidia in schools, parishes and 2 in the seminary. Much extension is done. Eight chapters of the English Handbook have been translated into Sinhala.
MYANMAR
Just 5 parishes in Yangon Archdioceses don’t yet have the Legion but extension is underway. Much good work is done: people are asked to change their lifestyles to enable them to validly receive the Sacraments; prisons visited; workshops are organised to discuss the Legion’s spirituality now that the Handbook is available in the Myanmar language.
THAILAND
There are 13 junior praesidia in Bangkok with 200 members visiting orphans, the blind and the elderly. Much good work is done among families and bible study is being encouraged.
INDIA
Visakhapatnam Comitium visited 6 villages and hope to start the Legion but most of the villagers are illiterate. It was suggested that classes be started to help people to learn to read and write which would add to the dignity of the person. Coimbatore Comitium a fifth praesidium was started, in one parish, of 5 members. A youth seminar was organised followed by curia meeting followed by social and competitions for youth. Port Blair Comitium (Andaman Islands) sent a report for the year 2010. The Legion presence in 4 parishes totals 34 praesidia. Members visit the sick, encourage family prayer and arranged burial services for 38 Catholics, 5 Christians, 4 Muslims and 6 Hindus. There are 3 Curiae also attached.
Mumbai Regia has the Legion at work in 20 of the 45 dioceses in their care and hope to start in 4 more dioceses in the near future. The number of candidates for RCIA and auxiliary membership has increased. The Rosary is promoted, marriages regularised and homes enthroned to the Sacred Heart. Extension features in all reports.
Karnataka Regia works in all 11 dioceses. Further extension is underway in 2 dioceses. There is an outreach to Catholics, Muslim and Hindus with good results. The Regia will be inaugurated at the Senatus meeting on 15 October with the Archbishop of Bangalore in attendance.
Kottar Regia: Much good work is done in the visitation of homes and hospitals, and visitation of councils and praesidia is well organised. Marathandam Comitium with 8 Curiae, 18 affiliated praesidia is also helped. Tuticorin: Family disputes were settled, marriages were regularised, pilgrimages were organised. The President asked that those displaced by the tsunami be visited and encouraged as many feel isolated. A second Comitium has been established in Vallioor. Kolkata Comitium: a question and answer session was taken at the May meeting.
EUROPE
FRANCE
Paris Regia: The Regia has more than 20 directly attached praesidia, plus 3 Curiae. Membership in reporting praesidia ranged from 5 to 8 and works included bringing the Eucharist to the sick, support for bereaved families, street apostolate and contact with homeless people. Two families were prepared for baptism. The correspondent with Guadeloupe Comitium reports that the council has 23 praesidia and 5 Curiae directly attached.
Valence Regia: Works include visiting hospitals, nursing homes, people living alone, bringing the Eucharist to the sick, and running a junior praesidium. There are two praesidia at Chateauneuf de Galaure, and the Vietnamese Curia at Lyon has 4 praesidia with 20 active and 30 auxiliary members.
Aire et Dax Regia: Extension attempted in 3 parishes in the Regia area. One praesidium with 4 members was set up in Oloron-Ste-Marie. The praesidium reporting in June has 11 members, 21 auxiliaries and 7 Adjutorians.
Strasbourg: Colmar Curia organised a celebration in August for the 90th anniversary, and much joy reported on the occasion of the ordination by the Bishop of Metz of a legionary brother to the deaconate.
ENGLAND
Birmingham Senatus: New converts reported in Perry Bar Parish and Dudley Road parish, and one young Chinese man who was contacted at Warwick University in Coventry was received into the Church at Easter. South Birmingham Curia reports a new praesidium with 5 members in Sheldon, and parents of a family of 5 children married and the children prepared for Baptism. In Bristol one contact returned to the sacraments after 50 years. Swansea Curia has 4 praesidia and good efforts to extend into new parishes are being made. Northampton Curia has 9 praesidia and 1 affiliated Curia, and an approach has been made to Kents Hill Parish to start the Legion. Caring for the newly-baptised and preparing children for the sacraments mentioned in reports, and also prison visitation are among the works listed.
Liverpool Senatus: Manchester Comitium has 2 attached Curiae and 7 praesidia. The juniors are very active in Blackburn, an intermediate praesidium with 5 members, and the participation of young legionaries in the Holy Father’s visit to Britain. A new praesidium has 10 members reported in St. Joseph’s, Bury. Leeds Curia report a new praesidium in the Cathedral Parish; a new junior praesidium in St. Anselm’s College, Birkenhead. Juniors mentioned in the reports from Newcastle Comitium and Fylde Curia. Newcastle also mentioned Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in the little chapel in Gateshead Metro Centre. Warrington Curia reports a new praesidium at Widnes, and the new praesidium at Our Lady and St. Philomena’s continues to thrive. Our Lady of Guadalupe Praesidium held a talk on Frank Duff in the Sacred Heart Catholic College and distributed leaflets to over 200 students. Legionaries in Leigh Curia recite the Litany of Loreto each day for the success of PPC projects.
Central London: Members of the Congolese praesidium visit families in the company of their priest, a number have returned to the church. One praesidium held a recruiting drive and increased their membership by 9. A praesidium, with 8 members recited the Rosary during Lent on the steps outside the Church after Monday evening Mass and in May.
Brentwood Comitium: A new praesidium has been set up at the Sacred Heart Church in Southend attached to Brentwood East Curia. Another new praesidium has started in Basildon. On the occasion of the first anniversary of the setting up of Mary Mother of God praesidium in Chelmsford a Mass was celebrated.
WALES
Cardiff Comitium has set up Merthyr Curia, and the Wrexham report of Our Lady Help of Christians in Queensferry reports visitation of homes, hospitals and the housebound, and manning the tea-bar at Deeside Hospital where many good contacts are made.
Hammersmith Curia has 8 praesidia. Members engage mostly in parish work and visiting hospitals and nursing homes.
West Middlesex Curia: The death of former President Ivor Harris was announced, and Fr. Bill Hanly is the new Spiritual Director. The membership of 4 reporting praesidia is 9, 4, 5 and 5, and of these 5 are praetorians. Works include a young unmarried student mother is now under instruction in the faith and an elderly Jewish lady is being taught how to make the sign of the Cross.
SWEDEN
Sweden: A group from Sweden visited Dublin as part of the 90th foundation celebrations, all members are of the Chaldean rite; they were accompanied by two legionaries from the caretaking council - Liverpool Senatus. A praesidium has been established in Stockholm, and Liverpool Senatus appointed 3 new correspondents for Sweden recently. Funds from the sale of the Senatus House in Derby Lane will be used towards the translation of the Handbook into Swedish.
GERMANY
Frankfurt Senatus: The Korean Curia has 13 praesidia, a new one formed recently, and a retreat had an attendance of 143 from all over Europe.
Köln Regia has 2 Comitia, 5 Curiae and 8 directly attach praesidia. Extension was carried out in Moenchengladback and PPC to East Berlin. The Spiritual Director of Köln Regia and the President of Munich Senatus attended a meeting of lay organisations called by Archbishop Zollitsch.
Berlin Comitium - 10 adults were baptised in the Korean Curia, there are 20 members in the Croatian and 12 in the Filipino praesidia. The African Mass is promoted by Freiburg Comitium.
Munich Senatus awaits ecclesiastical permission to become a Regia and be attached to Frankfurt Senatus. Munich North West Curia has 3 praesidia attached and Wuerzburg Curia has 2 with hopes for a new praesidium in Muennerstadt.
SWITZERLAND
Zurich Curia report new praesidia at Bern and Zug and in Luzern Curia a restaurant apostolate is carried out.
SIBERIA
The new Curia in Irkutsk made contact with parishioners in Novosibirsk and Krasnojarsk. Frankfurt Senatus will again send 2 legionaries to Siberia in October.
THE NETHERLANDS
Amsterdam Regia - the praesidium at Lisse report the Baptism, Confirmation and First Communion of a 90 year old lady. The auxiliary Bishop of Haarlem/ Amsterdam confirms the imprimatur of the Dutch Handbook. The Cape Verde Curia in Rotterdam has 3 praesidia, 56 active and 50 auxiliary members. They keep contact with the praesidium in Amiens (France) which they helped to establish. Antwerp Senatus: Beringen Curia has 6 praesidia. Five members of the Senatus helped at the Permanence in Lourdes. Extension work in Switzerland was undertaken by 11 legionaries as requested by the Concilium. They did mainly street contact and visited a school in Lugano where they were received by the Bishop; 7 auxiliaries were recruited.
NORWAY
There are 2 praesidia in Norway. In Tonsberg there are 5 active members, 12 auxiliaries, and works include teaching catechism to children and encouraging people to attend Mass. Efforts continue to establish the Legion in Sandefjord and in the city of Oslo. Dramman praesidium has 10 members two of whom attended World Youth Day in Madrid where they found a Legion stand and great contacts were being made.
SCOTLAND
Edinburgh Curia reported an increase in membership. A new praesidium has been established in St. Andrews; members encourage people to pray in church and they bring the Rosary to children in the Primary School. The harsh winter affected the Christmas Crib apostolate, but the success of the PPC projects in July and August was a consolation. Susan Boyle attended the Curia reunion and entertained the legionaries with her beautiful voice. Mater Ecclesia Curia reported that a Patrician Group for parents of secondary school students was organised. Annunciata Curia reported good contacts at the Crib despite the awful weather. Ayrshire Curia plans to hold a Congress in October and had very worthwhile contacts at the Easter Garden. The curia had a stall at a fete in Kilwinning. Our Lady Seat of Wisdom praesidium members work in the Wayside Club, and home visitation, park contact and the book barrow are listed among the work. Notre Dame de Lourdes praesidium had a review of the year’s work - what worked and what didn’t. The officers met twice during the year, reviewing the work with Canon Conroy and Fr. Kane.
FINLAND
In the caretakership of Scotland, extension in Finland was well aired at the March meeting of the Senatus. The extension in the autumn by two visiting legionaries, followed by further visits in the Spring of 2012 is planned.
AFRICA
CAMEROUN (CHAD)
A junior praesidium has been set up in a minor seminary and another one of 24 juniors in a school. Many other Curiae mention new junior groups and also Exploratio Dominicalis. Yaounde Regia has 14 Comitia, 11 Curiae and 8 attached praesidia with a total of 9,234 active legionaries and 3420 auxiliaries. Limbe and Bamenda Comitium were congratulated for their extension efforts. In the Diocese of D’Eseka a praesidium of 33 juniors was set up. The national chaplain for the Legion of Mary and the lay apostolate in the Cameroon congratulated and encouraged the legionaries on their work with juniors.
IVORY COAST
Due to the serious civil unrest in the country the Senatus of Abidjan elections for President and Vice-President will not take place until December.
A praesidium in Yopougan Comitium reported visits to the sick, to prisons, to workshops, to hairdressing and fashion salons and teach catechism. During the year many souls were led or restored to the Church. Grand Bassan Comitium also had large numbers who returned to the Church.
The Senatus set up a Regia for the ecclesiastical province of Gagnoa on 20th February last in the presence of the Archbishop of that city.
REPUBLIC OF BENIN
Directly related praesidia of Cotonou Regia have active memberships of 13, 22 and 28. There are between 13 to 21 praesidia in the attached Curiae and Comitia governing 8, 9 and 12 Curiae. The junior Curia in the city has grown from 5 to 6 praesidia catering for 131 junior members with 2 Frank Duff clubs attached. The Regia carried out visitation in Gabon from 3rd to 12th May.
BURKINA FASO
The Cathedral Curia has 7 praesidia visiting homes and hospitals and engaging with Muslims and Protestants while Koubri Curia has 9 praesidia. This Curia reports a seasonal drop in attendance when the people leave to work on the land.
ECUATORIAL GUINEA
A visitation by the Senatus of Madrid to this council took place from the 7th September to 23rd September. A report is awaited.
GUINEA
Conakrey Comitium: A report is awaited from the President of the Comitium on the visitation of the distant councils. A growing practice of visitation is evidenced in the minutes. Two legionaries from Conakry Comitium visited a distant council in Gueckedou and found difficulties with illiteracy, which prevents correspondence and the keeping of minutes, a meeting was held with all legionaries.
TOGO
Lome Regia: All councils reported doing home visitation, contacts with Muslims and those following the traditional African religion. Adidogome Curia has 40 praesidia and one junior Curia with 20 praesidia. Most curiae report having juniors attached. Since 2007, Lome Regia organises a PPC project every year to Ghana. President and another legionary made a visitation to the Archdiocese of Dakar and 6 other Dioceses during a 2 and a half week period. All Dioceses have a presence of the Legion with the exception of Saint Louis where the legionaries got permission to start the Legion. Lack of Handbooks and Tesserae is hampering the development of the Legion in Senegal.
CONGO
Brazzaville Regia: Works include teaching Catechism, preparing the liturgy, home and prison visitation and bringing Holy Communion to the housebound. One Comitium reported 28 marriages regularised, 261 couples reconciled, 95 returned to the Sacraments, 35 people requested Baptism. Contact is made with Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox, Muslims, Pagans, member of sects and atheists. Over 200 legionaries took part in a meeting on the theme ‘The role of praesidia officers … organise your Church and live the Faith’. Led by the Spiritual Director of the Legion of Mary for the Archdiocese of Brazzaville.
CENTRAL AMERICA
MEXICO
Mexico City Senatus: A Curia reported the return of a family to the Church. A number of children including older children were baptised. An attached Comitium set up a new Curia and a Patrician meeting. Two officers of the Senatus visited the Concilium for the 90th Anniversary. They reported some extension in the Senatus area but it is slow.
Merida Senatus: A copy of the audit for 2010 was sent to Concilium. Arising from home visitation large numbers returned to the sacraments and 5 children of Jehovah Witness parents were baptised and received into the Church. A number of junior praesidia were set up. A PPC project was carried out to Chiapas. About 700 homes were visited, numerous problems were encountered and a large number returned to the sacraments. Two legionaries from the Senatus recently carried out a very successful visit to the Legion in Guatemala on behalf of Concilium and that council will now caretake Guatemala on behalf of the Concilium.
Leon Regia: The junior Curia with 9 praesidia and two in formation reported. They bring children to Mass and give a catechism class. They are campaigning to stop the use of bad language. Forty young persons attended an outdoor Holy Week ceremony.
Hermosillo Regia: Two women returned to the practice of the faith and joined the Legion. Four praesidia were set up but one did not survive. A praesidium teaching catechism invited children and parents to a retreat. Promotion of the Frank Duff cause is obvious and legionaries are encouraged to study the handbook for 5 minutes per day. A new Spiritual Director, who was appointed recently, is very helpful to the Regia.
Monterrey Regia: Two legionaries spoke at the Masses in Linares. The correspondent subsequently visited two priests and the Bishop. They have promised a letter of recommendation to the priests. Juniors organised a retreat and attracted many young people from other religions. A praesidium has been set up and 3 more are in formation. There are 12 Curiae in the attached Comitium of Saltillo.
Guadalajara Regia: In the course of home visitation the Miraculous Medal and the Rosary are promoted. The Regia is extending and special efforts are being made to encourage juniors. A Comitium reported 142 juniors and an attached Curia reported having 105 juniors.
COSTA RICA
Senatus of San Jose: All praesidia are doing home visitation and offer the Miraculous medal with an explanation leaflet. The Rosary is also promoted.
EL SALVADOR
Senatus of San Salvador: There are 2 Comitia, 10 Curiae and 9 praesidia attached to the Senatus. The Legion is in all the dioceses. Most of the councils have had their accounts audited. The Comitium of San Vicente gives particular attention to the juniors.
PANAMA
Panama Regia: The Regia emphasises the value of recruiting and all the praesidia have a large number of faithful auxiliaries. A praesidium reports the consecration of the Sacred Heart in many homes each month. Legionaries helped organise and took part in the Corpus Christi procession in their parish, which attracted a large number of parishioners including many young people. The praesidium is now setting up a junior praesidium.
NICARAGUA
Regia of Managua: The Archbishop indicated that he would like to be present at a Congress, which the Regia is planning. The 4 praesidia, which reported have 22, 20, 16 and 10 members respectively. All do extensive home visitation and report very positive results particularly returns to the sacraments. One praesidium makes contact with the young people in the market area.
HONDURAS
Senatus of Tegucigalpa: The legionaries conduct a programme on catholic radio. The suggestion to study the handbook for 5 minutes per day is proving very positive. A praesidium reported that they set up another praesidium in a neighbouring parish.
ELISABETH KRISS - EXTENSION WORKER IN UKRAINE
Elisabeth Kriss has been working in the Ukraine for the past few weeks among the Greek Catholics. She has received a warm welcome from the Bishop and the clergy she has met. She hopes that a junior praesidium will start shortly. The Bishop is giving her a letter of introduction, as is the Concilium. Elisabeth is also making arrangements for her visas both for the Ukraine and for Kazakhstan where she will do extension work later in the year. Please pray for the success of her work
90th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION AT CONCILIUM AND MYRA HOUSE, DUBLIN
The open day was held in Concilium on the 7th September 2011, the birthday of the Legion, from 10 a.m. till 10.15 p.m. During the day more than 300 people came to visit among them groups from Cork to Belfast and Wexford to Donegal. They visited the 2 elements of the exhibition in Legion headquarters and in Nazareth Hall, had a tour of the Regina Coeli and Morning Star Hostels, visited Frank Duff’s House and had the possibility of availing of a shuttle bus, which brought people from Concilium to the grave of Frank Duff in Glasnevin Cemetery. The 7.30 p.m. Mass in St. Mary of the Angels Church had a packed attendance, was celebrated by Bishop Fiachra Ó Ceallaigh with a homily by Fr. Pádraig Ó Cochláin. This was followed by tea and social back in Nazareth Hall, which was attended, despite the inclement weather, by about 200. All in all in was a joyful day full of blessings. On the 10th and 11th September in Myra House, where the first Legion of Mary meeting took place, there was an exhibition and all-day Adoration in St. Nicholas of Myra Church and concluded with a special Mass, celebrated by Fr. Bede McGregor OP, Spiritual Director of the Concilium. On the Sunday there was a chat-in at which approximately 80 people attended and it was found to be very interesting and informative. Síle Ní Chochláin, President of Concilium, extended thanks to all who made these events enjoyable and successful.
Cause of The Servant of God, Frank Duff
The prayer for Beatification can be obtained from the Legion of Mary website: www.legionofmary.ie or from Concilium Legionis Mariae
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.
If you need Frank Duff prayer leaflets, please contact the Concilium.
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,
North Brunswick Street,
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
