Concilium Bulletin September 2012

Concilium Bulletin September 2012
REPORTS
ASIA
SRI LANKA
Works include enthronements of homes to the Sacred Heart, teaching catechism to adults and children, visiting the sick, street contact, preparing people for the sacraments, including those for adult Baptism, Exploratio Dominicalis and the recruiting of Auxiliary members.

MYANMAR
A Legion booth was set up at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes 12 kilometers from Yangon. Many legionaries and others from different parts of the country were met. The island of Einma where a Priest and many legionaries lost their lives during the tsunami now has 13 praesidia. Council visitation is done. The Senatus will celebrate 75 years in December.

PAKISTAN
Five senior praesidia, one giving its 29th report has 5 members with 45 auxiliaries, another giving its 30th report has 20 members and 60 auxiliaries, while 2 others have between 14 and 17 members and were 2 to 4 years old. Home-to-home and hospital visitation, bible and catechism classes, Rosary in the homes were among works mentioned.

THAILAND
Much efforts have been made to increase auxiliary membership, encouraging passive Catholics to be more active, and promotion of the Miraculous Medal. A Korean Curia of 9 praesidia reported in Thai, they work mostly among migrants, 13 out of 19 people under instruction received Baptism. Legionaries tutor weak students, visit schools and offer Miraculous Medal to all graduating students.

TAIWAN
A Peregrinatio Pro Christo project was undertaken to the Nan-ao region which had been occupied by the Japanese and which is Japanese speaking. A second praesidium has now been established in this region. The legionaries in Taiwan celebrated their 60th anniversary. A Spanish-speaking praesidium was also set up.

INDIA
Kerala Senatus governs 17 Comitia, 14 Curiae and 28 praesidia. The formation of another Curia and a Regia is under discussion. They have 12 correspondents. Great numbers of Catholics and non-Catholics met during home, hospital and jail visitation. Catechism is taught, those suffering with addictions are counselled and quarrels and disputes are mediated. A 2-day congress was held.

Karnataka Senatus: Extension has started in the 2 Dioceses without the Legion, where they were warmly welcomed by the Bishops and Vicars General. They also undertook a visit to the Bishop of Hyderabad and hope to follow up to help where the Legion is weak. They have good interaction with Moslems and Hindus. To coincide with the Eucharistic Congress, 120 legionaries held Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in St. Mary’s Basilica with use of Tamil, Kannada and English languages.

Mumbai Regia: The Legion is in 28 of the 46 Dioceses and much extension is underway. Auxiliary and Praetorians appear in all reports. Seminarians carry out a variety of apostolic works. Audits have been received and the Cause of Frank Duff is widely promoted.
Calcutta Comitium: Correspondent asking for more detail to be included on reports presented.

Tuticorin Comitium is keen to establish regular contact with Concilium.
Coimbatore Comitium: There are committees for extension, youth, 3 Causes and Patricians. Visitation of praesidia is underway.
Palaymakottai Comitium asks for permission to set up a new curia in Kayathar.

THE CAUCASUS and CENTRAL ASIA

GEORGIA
The praesidia in Ude continue to meet, but contact is sparse.

ARMENIA
The praesidia in Yerevan reports that as a result of visiting a very poor area of the city they discovered many people needing Baptism who are now under instruction.

HOLY LAND
A fruitful meeting was held when legionaries visited Concilium during the Eucharistic Congress. They said it was a dream come true for them to be in Dublin and they considered it a great privilege to be able to say one of the Prayers of the Faithful in Arabic at the Mass in Church Street, Dublin, held for all visiting legionaries. The Rosary is recited at funerals and children attending non-Catholic schools are prepared for the Sacraments. Auxiliary membership and undertaking annual audits have been encouraged.

EUROPE

BELGIUM
Brussels Senatus: The Senatus has organised 3 PPC projects - to Elsenborne, Ciney and Bretagne.
Antwerp Senatus: Legionaries will meet the Bishop of Antwerp in October. The works of a praesidium of 10 includes visiting the sick at home and in hospital, the pilgrim statue, home visitation and visiting a prisoner.

FRANCE
Paris Regia: On the eve of Marian feasts the Regia organises a vigil, which includes Mass, procession, Rosary and Benediction. The Regia Secretary was asked to speak at the celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of Vatican II. The importance of PPC and the Permanence at Lourdes is frequently highlighted at meetings.

Valence Regia: The 2 praesidia at Chateauneuf de Galaure have 4 and 5 members; they note that among those who do retreats there the Legion is often spoken of - this is very encouraging for the French members.
Lyon Comitium hosted a PPC project in July and the Vietnamese Curia had an outing to Ars commemorating the Vietnamese martyrs.

Aire et Dax Regia reports a new praesidium in the town of Lourdes; hopes are that the praesidium will be a lifeline for the future of the Permanence.

ENGLAND
Birmingham Senatus continues an apostolate to homosexuals, in addition to the works of home, hospital and nursing home visitation. Lapsed Catholics are visited regularly and Mass times are distributed to 16 hotels. Three Polish children were instructed for the Sacraments. Two recently established praesidia are being cared for by South Birmingham Curia. In Coventry one person returned to the faith and Bristol Curia is focusing on extension to mark the Year of the Faith.
Northampton Comitium and Leicester and Swansea Curiae: Works include book barrow, street rescue, crowd contact, visiting the families of first communicants and care of auxiliary members. One elderly man returned to the Church.

Liverpool Senatus: The praesidium in Douglas, Isle of Man, has a new team of officers. Ashton Curia celebrates its 40th anniversary and in St. Helen’s Curia Fr. Stephen not only conducted a retreat but cooked lunch for the legionaries too! Juniors and Intermediate members were mentioned positively in the Manchester Comitium report. Following visitation to a block of apartments, a prayer group was set up. Legionaries also visit the victims of overseas wars.
Central London Curia reports a new praesidium with 7 members in St. Monica’s, Hoxton. Another praesidium of 10 members and 1 probationer report a new prayer group set up after visitation to a block of apartments. A function was held for auxiliaries. Other reports mentioned visiting a psychiatric hospital - they have extended their visitation to the cafe there. A number of legionaries came to Dublin for the Eucharistic Congress.
Brentwood Comitium held two very successful recruiting drives recently with over 50 people interested in the Legion. Legionaries instruct young people and adults for the Sacraments and two elderly residents in a Care Home are being instructed in the Faith.
West Middlesex Curia: A new praesidium with 13 members has been formed in Southill and the praesidium in Hayes says the Rosary in the cemetery on Remembrance Day. Ealing praesidium has 5 members and there are 9 members in Greenford who pray the Rosary near a clinic in the town.
Hammersmith Curia: The praesidium in Hampton Hill, among its other works, visits Bronzefield Prison weekly.
Brent and Harrow Curia was visited by the correspondent early this month. The Curia has 4 praesidia and is mainly of Indian and West Indian origin. A Congress has been suggested to them.
Southwark Comitium has 5 Curiae and 16 praesidia attached. North Surrey organised a coach to Aylesford in May for the Edel Quinn pilgrimage and the junior praesidium with 17 members took part. The Curia in Cornwall has a vast area to cover and there is a newly formed praesidium in Surbiton. Two PPC projects took place in Camberwell and Kennington. The Comitium lost a dedicated member and officer in Eileen Ruddy, RIP.

FINLAND
The PPC project in July was very successful - a more detailed report will follow.

GERMANY
Frankfurt Senatus have been encouraged to visit Concilium to discuss the development of the Legion in Germany, Switzerland, Siberia, Luxembourg and Lichtenstein. Munich Regia has 2 Comitia, 10 Curiae and 11 directly attached praesidia attached. A Korean praesidium has been established in Hamburg and the Korean Curia in Frankfurt has 14 praesidia attached. Extension is ongoing among the Eritrean and Filipino communities in Frankfurt and PPC projects to Berlin and Leipzig took place.

GIBRALTAR
The age profile of legionaries is venerable - two of the officers are in their 90’s. The Scottish legionaries hope to visit the new Bishop there.

THE NETHERLANDS
Efforts are being made by the Cape Verdian Curia in Rotterdam to start a praesidium in Amsterdam following the visit by legionaries from Birmingham and Dublin.

NORWAY
There are 2 praesidia one in Tonsberg where teaching catechism to children is mentioned and in Drammen where the Acies took place. The apostolate includes helping to prepare parents of children to be baptised. The praesidium is planning to set up a praesidium for Filipinos who speak the Cebuano dialect.

SCOTLAND
Senatus of Scotland: Increased membership is mentioned by a number of attached councils and there are new praesidia in Pollockshaw and St. Peter’s Hamilton. Young students at the University continue to thrive with their Spiritual Director Fr. John Keenan and they plan a lunch group in Notre Dame School. One praesidium tried a different approach to Nursing Home visitation and invited residents to gather in a communal room where they prayed and sang hymns together. This was enjoyed by all the residents.

SIBERIA
In Krasnoarsk the fourth praesidium was started in Curia Irkutzk.

SWITZERLAND
Zurich Comitium has 13 praesidia, Luzern Curia has 3. Two new praesidia were formed and 90 auxiliaries recruited in 3 months. A Moslem converted to Catholicism and had a Church wedding.

WALES
Swansea Curia has 5 praesidia and 45 auxiliaries. Two parishes are listed for extension and book barrow, street contact and crowd contact are among the works done. Legionaries in Wrexham Curia are involved in the programme of hymns and readings on BBC Wales. They sent greetings to the new Bishop of Wrexham, Mgr. Canon Brignall. Cardiff Curia reports a procession of witness on Palm Sunday and also the Stations of the Cross in the busy city streets.

AFRICA

EQUATORIAL GUINEA
Bata Comitium: In letters to this council, the correspondent deals with formation themes each month emphasised the importance of knowing the Handbook, Legion work and elections. They hope to organise a pilgrimage to a Shrine of Our Lady. The Spiritual Director of Madrid Senatus Fr. Carlos prepared two themes that the legionaries can use for this function.

Malabo Comitium: A Curia has been set up on the Island of Annobon with 3 praesidia and 82 legionaries. The Curiae are presenting reports despite the literacy problems. They make great contacts with the sects and some of them have returned to the Church. The Comitium is emphasising that the Legion work is that assigned by the praesidium in pairs and cannot work individually. The Comitium officers visited the parish in Luba, a very remote jungle area where there are 4 praesidia and legionaries are very committed.

TOGO
Lomé Regia: Preparations are under way for a PPC project to Adidome in Ghana from 17 to 28 August and a report was taken on an Exploratio Dominicalis project held in May. In the Adidogome Curia there are 40 senior and 20 junior praesidia and efforts are being made to have more workable council or councils. The President of the Regia, Pascal Akoti, wrote a letter of thanks for allowing him to represent the Legion of Mary from Togo at the Pan African Pontifical Lay Congress in Yaoundé and described it as an extraordinary and unforgettable Christian experience.

CAMEROON AND CHAD
The report from Bamenda Comitium mentioned a couple that lived together for the last 15 years is now happily married in the Catholic Church and a couple separated for 25 years are now reunited again and live happily with their children. Contact was made at the Congress in Yaoundé to try and speed up the visit to Chad by 2 legionaries from the Douala Senatus.

BENIN
The Regia of Continuo continues to function well and governs Comitia as far away as Djougou and Glazoue in the north of Benin Republic. On average, the number of auxiliaries runs at about half the number of active members, which needs to be investigated. Patricians and juniors are reported on regularly.

GABON
A team consisting of two Regia officers and a Spiritual Director from Benin visited the Legion in the Republic of Gabon concentrating on Libreville, Port Gentil and Mouila. In each place they were well received by the Bishops and clergy and the local officers of the Legion. In Mouila they were present when a Curia was raised to Comitium status, which will govern 5 Curiae in the town and 3 Curiae which are in formation at centres from 140 to 300 km distance. Mgr. Bonnet, the Bishop, exhorted the officers to adhere to the rules, to follow instructions received so that their councils and praesidia would form a worthy part of the great African Legion, which is so precious to the Church. At Port Gentil and Libreville they held sessions of formation and have been asked to return next year and include a visit to Oyem.

IVORY COAST
Abidjan Senatus held elections for President and Vice President. The Hieracrchy took the opportunity to appoint Fr. Laurent Akomian as Senatus Spiritual Director and Fr. Yves Gbakre as National Spiritual Director of the Legion. Gratitude was expressed to the outgoing Spiritual Director, Fr. Jen Baptiste Akwadan for his devoted service. He has been a legionary from his student days. Gagnoa Regia has set up three new Curiae in its area.

CENTRAL AMERICA

NICARAGUA
Regia of Managua: During this reporting period a Curia in Léon was raised to Comitium status with 3 Curiae attached. There are large numbers of young legionaries in this area. One praesidium reported that they do contact work in the market area on Sundays resulting in very successful contact with young people. Another praesidium has started contacting the street girls, some of them agreed to visit a church with the legionaries. The Regia officers have returned to having Regia officers meetings.

GUATAMALA
Regia of Camotan: The Regia is keeping in close contact with the Senatus of Merida. A new president was elected recently; he has started the first group of the Patricians. There are plans to set up a Comitium in a distant area where there are 4 senior and 3 junior Curiae.
Panama Regia: The Year of the Faith and steps, which could be taken in the Legion, were discussed at a recent retreat.

EL SALVADOR
Senatus of San Salvador: The attached Regia of Santa Ana reported 8,000 baptisms - adults and children. Younger legionaries teach reading and writing to legionaries and non-legionaries who wish to learn. While the attendance of directly attached praesidia at the Senatus meeting has improved, there is room for improvement.

MEXICO

Mexico City Senatus: One Regia, 2 Comitia and 4 Curiae reported. With one exception all the correspondents receive correspondence from their councils. Works include preparation of parents and godparents for Baptism. Relations between a legionary and her problematic child improved dramatically following the reception of a pilgrim statue in the home. The attached Regia of Puebla with almost 12,000 active legionaries provides computer and literacy classes for adults. There is one Patrician group.

Merida Senatus: A Curia reported that 12 of 64 couples agreed to be married in the Church. As well as visiting the elderly in a home, the legionaries repair their hammocks and help them with other personal needs. Junior praesidia are being set up in different councils and the Comitium of Cancun reported 2 junior Curiae attached. The same Comitium reported positive results from an Exploratio Dominicalis project. 113 adults returned to Confession; 120 couples including 4 Jehovah Witnesses married in the Church and over 700 were Baptised including 29 adults.

Durango Regia: A praesidium in a correction centre for young offenders works very successfully with the inmates. A new junior praesidium was set up. The correspondent has been concentrating on the care of the treasurers’ books.

Monterrey Regia: Masses are being organised in different remote districts with good attendance and successful contacts. Confession is encouraged on those occasions, many don’t have the opportunity to attend Mass regularly. An attached Curia sets aside a Sunday per month for apostolate with grandparents, particularly those who are alone. The Spiritual Director of attached Curia “Nuestra Senora de Lourdes” is a legionary since he was 10 years of age.

Léon Regia: An attached Comitium reported 83 new members recruited recently. The correspondent is encouraging them to consider the 5-minutes study of the handbook. An attached Curia reported that 50% of the members are praetorians. Two legionaries from the Senatus of Merida made a visit to the Comitium of Queretero and reported to the Concilium.

Hermosillo Regia: The correspondents try to visit their councils as frequently as possible. Extension efforts are being made, concentrating particularly on the recruitment of men; there are few men in the Regia. A praesidium with 16 members has set up a new praesidium in the neighbouring parish. The attached Curia in Obregon is extending in 4 parishes.

Young Adults Conference

The 11th annual conference for young adults took place in All Hallows, Drumcondra, Dublin, on the 1st and 2nd September 2012 at which 208 individuals attended. Sile Ni Chochlain, Concilium President, gave the address of welcome to the large gathering present. The theme of the conference was ‘A Faith Firm and Immovable as a Rock’. Some searching questions from the audience at the end of each talk received competent and wise responses from the speaker concerned.
day. Bishop Walsh said that the Faith of practicing young Catholics today exceeded that of his young days. Fr. Paul Churchill and fellow priests made themselves available for confessions during the several reflection breaks. Testimonies were given by four young legionaries outlining their journeys in faith. Fr. Feargal O’Duill conducted a Holy Hour, which was followed by a concert with Elation Ministries and comprised Gospel music complimented by scripture readings. Afterwards the gathering adjourned to the coffee dock for refreshments, chat, music and song.

The conference concluded on Sunday afternoon with an address by Fr. Bede McGregor, Concilium Spiritual Director. Fr. Bede gave an overview of the weekend proceedings and suggested that we try to live our lives under the Mantle of Our Lady.

Pan African Pontifical Lay Congress

Maura Wall and Eddie Evers from Dublin and Joseph Osei, Ghana and Pascal Akoti, Togo, from Africa were the representatives for the Legion of Mary at the Congress. The title of the Congress was ‘Witnessing to Jesus Christ in Africa Today’ and took place from the 4th to the 9th September in Yaounde, Cameroon. Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, President of the Pontifical Council of the Laity, emphasised Africa being the continent of hope.

A transcript on the Legion of Mary was greatly appreciated and got many favourable comments. It was an opportunity to present the Legion to both the African Hierarchy and laity alike.

Síle Ni Chochlain, President of Concilium, expressed grateful thanks to the four legionaries who attended the Congress.

Visit by Concilium to Latvia

Caroline Gray and Mary Fahey visited the Legion of Mary councils in Latvia from the 12th to the 19th July. The Comitium there has 12 senior and one junior praesidia directly attached and 3 Curiae. There are 162 active and 771 auxiliary members. All 12 praesidia have spiritual directors. The junior praesidium has 5 members and is doing well. Recently a praesidium started the Patricians. Visitation of praesidia is carried out monthly and is done by different legionaries.

While there they met the Archbishop, Bishops and Spiritual Directors. They also attended the Comitium meeting, Curiae meetings and a number of praesidia meetings. The Archbishop would be very keen to start a praesidium in the University.

Some of the recommendations suggested to the legionaries were: recruiting as an item on the weekly praesidium agenda; to look at parishes, which do not have the Legion and approach the parish priest; comments should be taken on reports, through these we can learn; working in pairs is essential and the value of Handbook discussion. It was also recommended that they start new works, get young people involved and encourage men into the Legion.

The two legionaries thanked the Concilium for allowing them visit the Legion in Latvia and to Our Blessed Lady for helping them all the way.

Síle Ni Chochlain, on behalf of the Concilium, said that it was good to hear about the progress of the Legion in Latvia and thanked the two legionaries for making the visit.