Concilium Bulletin April 2010

REPORTS

AFRICA

KENYA
Senatus of Kenya: Kisumu Regia celebrated its Silver and Nakuru Comitium its Golden Jubilee. Kisumu Regia reported 983 persons received the sacrament of the sick, 183 marriages validated, 1,672 recruited for instruction classes, 104 children baptised and 106 returned to the sacraments. All praesidia and councils do home, hospital and prison visitation with great results. Legionaries were encouraged to read the Handbook in line with the Concilium theme for 2010 “Back to basics through the study of the handbook”. Reports indicate that several praesidia have been set up.

UGANDA
Senatus of Uganda: Works carried out in this Senatus include visitation of homes, hospitals, clinics, prisons, bars, markets, schools and teaching catechism. Reports showed many received the Sacraments, returned to the Church and had their marriages validated. Twenty-two Moslems were baptised and 10 Traditional Practitioners stopped the practice. Thirty-three praesidia were set up. Mbarara Regia celebrated 60 years of legionary activity in the Archdiocese and a very successful Senatus reunion was held there with an attendance of between 15 and 18 thousand from all over Uganda. It was an overnight event with 3 Masses, talks, music and drama. The Archbishop of Mbarara was the chief Celebrant at the Mass. A Missionary of Charity Sister, who previously set up the Legion in two areas where she was assigned, has written to say she has started a Legion group with approximately 70 members in her present area.

NIGERIA
Ibadan Senatus: The Yoruba Handbook is ready for printing. A Comitium reported 6 marriages rectified and 5 praesidia set up.

Enugu Senatus: One Comitium established 11 senior and 7 junior praesidia while another reported 59 baptisms and 30 lapsed returned as a result of Exploratio projects.
Lagos Regia: The attendance of council officers was 81% and 39% of praesidia at the meeting.
Abuja Regia: Reports indicate 2,597 conversions, which included 107 Moslems and 1,569 lapsed persons returned to the practice of their faith. Two new Comitia and 162 praesidia were formed.
Kaduna Regia: A two-day conference with topics including “Legionaries as tools for effective communication and reconciliation” had an attendance of 370 legionaries. The Director of the Catholic Media Centre was the lead speaker assisted by one of the Spiritual Directors.
Ikot Ekpene Regia: A Curia within the major Seminary has 107 members.
Onitsha Regia celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of the Legion there. One Comitium reported assisting 3,674 couples to marry in Church.
Jos Hausa Comitium, attached to Jos Regia, recruited 1,255 members. Some members of this Comitium were among those who died in the recent troubles in Jos. One Curia set up the Legion in 4 parishes and also revived praesidia.

MALAWI
Blantyre Regia: The Central Curia, the kernel of the Regia, held a very well conducted Congress and a youth Congress was also held.

ZAMBIA
Lusaka Regia: Works include home visitation and visits to the sick resulting in many returns to the Sacraments and marriage regularisations.

TANZANIA
Dar-Es-Salaam Comitium: Extension in a Moslem area has resulted in 2 praesidia set up and the hope of a third. The 2010 schedule of activities was distributed.
Mtwara Comitium: Members visit the sick at home and in hospital and sometimes accompanied by the priest on visits. One Curia reported 15 couples married in Church and a baptism. Three junior praesidia were started.
Hai Moshi Comitium reported many returns to the Sacraments and marriages blessed.
Rombo Comitium created a new Curia.

LIBERIA
The SMA Superior said that the junior and senior praesidia in Fr. Gary’s Mission are progressing and they have received the Handbooks recently sent to them.

THE GAMBIA
Banjul Curia continues to try and extend to other parishes.

EUROPE

MALTA
Malta Regia: The Archbishop of Malta attended the August meeting. He expressed his appreciation of the work of the Legion and said that legionaries should base their formation on the Handbook and on their knowledge of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. 332 people were contacted during a Curia recruiting drive and 11 accepted invitations to join the Legion. Home visitation, Exploratio Dominicalis and Tourists are mentioned in reports. Junior activities included a 7-Aside Football Tournament and a Day Retreat.
Gozo Comitium celebrated its 60th anniversary. Five new active members and 116 auxiliaries were gained during a recruiting drive in Rabat. Nearly all senior and junior Curiae held retreats. Other activities included a barbecue for youth and a meeting for parents of juniors.

GREECE
The Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Rhodes informed the Malta correspondent that there is a praesidium of 8 members with 7 auxiliaries in Rhodes. It has 4 officers and has an apostolate to the Albanian Community visiting the sick and housebound.

ITALY
Senatus of Rome: The Senatus are making great efforts with extension. Prospects in a numbers of city parishes and many places in their immediate territory are followed up by legionaries. The Filipino Curia is extending to Bologna. In Rimini the Patricians continue as well as the apostolate on the beach. A new praesidium of 20 at Zungoli plans to set up a junior group. Mgr. La Rosa has given a series of allocutios on De Montfort’s True Devotion.

Milan Regia held a successful Congress. A Filipino praesidium with 19 members reported 37 baptisms. Other praesidia reported returns to the sacraments after many years absence.

Padova Comitium had good attendances at talks on the True Devotion. Legionaries in Bolzano/Bressanone organised 40 days and nights of prayer for priests, religious vocations and for families. The Bishop of Lana wants to have the Legion in all his parishes.

PORTUGAL
Senatus of Lisbon: 40 priests attended a Spiritual Directors’ Conference in Fatima from the 25th the 26th October. The Bishop of Coimbra took a leading part and said that not only had the Legion a glorious past but also has a wonderful future and destiny, impelled by the Holy Spirit, just as were Frank Duff and Edel Quinn. Extension work by Coimbra Regia involved visits to eight parish priests in the Diocese of Viseu. True Devotion to the Nation work resulted in employment for two people and children are cared for when parents go to work. A Curia reports 92 people receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Sunday Eucharist and the Baptism of three adults.

SPAIN
Madrid Senatus: Many immigrants are entering the ranks as active members and indeed officers. A well prepared 2½ day Council Officers’ Congress was organised by the Senatus with an attendance of approximately 80% of the officers from all the attached councils. Pesca joven (fishing for youth), the weekly street contact to youth is done with a reasonable amount of success. The praesidium dedicated to the street girl apostolate continues to make very many good contacts, even with men who frequent the red light district. Many of their contacts have given up the life and the legionaries keep in contact with them. Patricians are mentioned with attendance of over 20 at meetings. Plans are being made to welcome the many young visiting legionaries who will attend World Youth Day in Madrid next August.

Bilbao Senatus: There are 14 praesidia, 7 Curiae and 3 Comitia directly attached. There are 3 junior praesidia in the Senatus. Works include visiting the sick, elderly and handicapped in their homes and hospices, assisting at funerals and teaching Catechism. The Senatus prepared a brief document and circulated it to young people with the objective of extension and recruiting. A meeting was held in October with Officers of the councils in Burgos to discuss extension and recruiting.

Barcelona Senatus: Many reports included works of consolation for the sick and elderly. A praesidium is engaged in prison work and another praesidium visit former prostitutes. Extension is widely advertised and plans have been discussed with councils.

CYPRUS
There are 4 praesidia in Cyprus, 3 in Nicosia and 1 in Limassol. The formation of a Curia is difficult to bring about because of the members working hours. Members help in various ways with the Sunday liturgy and arrange coffee mornings after Mass. They visit a home for the sick and elderly and are welcomed by both Catholics and Orthodox. One praesidium makes many good contacts on Apostolate to the crowd in parks, streets and bus station in Nicosa. One contact became a Catholic and is now a member of a praesidium. They promote the Rosary on visitation with the statue of Our Lady.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Chicago Senatus: The sick were invited to the annual Mass for Frank Duff. Extension carried out included a seminary. True Devotion talks are given twice yearly. In a difficult area, home visitation is done with success.

St. Louis Senatus: New parishioners are contacted in Iowa and Illinois. New praesidia have been started and new members gained for other praesidia. Holy Communion is brought to the housebound and in Springfield Illinois the Legion was present at a State Fair.

Boston Senatus: Works carried out by the reporting praesidia was visiting homes, hospitals and shut-ins. A prisoner visited said: “Contacting the Legion was the best thing that ever happened to me!” Legionaries keep in touch with fallen-away Catholics and accompany the bereaved to funeral homes and follow with a novena of Rosaries. A stroke victim and cancer patient both associated their recovery with the Miraculous Medal. Three new praesidia were set up.

Cincinnati Senatus: Legionaries staffed a booth at a Fair. A praesidium was assigned to a parish where crime and drugs are predominant. Catholic and non-Catholics are met during the visitation of hospitals and nursing homes.

San Francisco Senatus: The six reporting praesidia have a total of 63 active and 236 auxiliary members. One praesidium is Arabic speaking. A Peregrinatio Pro Christo was organised to Sacramento. In Seattle Comitium a Columban Drive is held monthly. North San Mateo Curia is carrying out extension drives. A family praesidium with 4 senior and 3 junior members does home visitation. South San Mateo Curia has a Seminary praesidium. San Hose Comitium has Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean Curiae attached. Anchorage Comitium has a praesidium at the North Pole. Sacramento Comitium teaches Catechism and Portland Curia has sidewalk counselling.

New York Senatus: Holy Communion is brought to the sick and a Priest if required. The Book Barrow is operated at strategic points, like railway stations. Rosaries and times of Masses are distributed. Children were prepared for First Holy Communion and 65 for Confirmation; 40 Baptisms were arranged.

Houston Senatus: The Vietnamese Curiae are a great support to their communities. Northern Curia is three years in existence and has set up many new praesidia. Praesidia works include a drop-in Centre in downtown Houston and helping troubled boys. The first report was received from Belize Curia and reported a new praesidium on San Pedro Island with 15 members. The Northern and Southern Curiae will have a Peregrinatio Pro Christo project to Corpus Christi.

Philadelphia Senatus: An ‘E’ Day had 41 legionaries participating in Norristown Comitium. A conversion of a prisoner was reported. The Senatus sent a copy of ‘The Priest and the Legion” to the 900 clergy of Philadelphia. A Seminary praesidium with 24 members and 25 auxiliaries, prepared 5 young people for Confirmation. Harrisburg Comitium has Patrician meetings and a Frank Duff Prayer group.

Los Angeles Senatus: A new Chinese Curia has been set up.

Miami Regia: Extension is being pursued in several councils. Membership in the reporting praesidia ranges from 4 to 20. The main work is hospice visitation.

Arlington Regia: Fairfax Curia is making their praesidia responsible for extension efforts in neighbouring parishes without the Legion.

CANADA

Montreal Senatus: The sick are brought to Mass, Catechism is taught and candidates prepared for baptism. A new praesidium has been started among the Haitians.

Ontario Senatus: The 75th anniversary of the Legion was celebrated with Mass. Forty-five auxiliary members attended a Mass and had breakfast afterwards.

Edmonton Comitium: This Comitium visits their attached councils and praesidia. Works reported included 32 children at Catechism classes, men in prison taught to pray and a lady through hospital visitation returned to the practice of the Faith. The Comitium covers 5 Dioceses with about 1.5 million Catholics and has 376 active and 1,525 auxiliary members.

Vancouver Comitium: Medals and times of Masses were distributed at the Winter Olympics. Masses were held for the Venerable Edel Quinn and Servant of God, Frank Duff.

Toronto Regia has 4 Comitia, 6 Curiae and 13 senior and 6 junior praesidia. They celebrated their 75th Anniversary on the 7th November 2009. The Council organises visitation of all the councils and praesidia under its control.
A Columban Drive organised by Scarborough Comitium resulted in a new praesidium. London, Ontario Curia has gained a new praesidium and St. John’s Curia two new praesidia.
In Hamilton Comitium a lapsed Catholic who became a Jehovah Witness came back to the faith and another lapsed Catholic who was away from the Church for over 30 years returned to the Sacraments.
Eight new praesidia were opened in the last year in the Toronto Korean Comitium.
The Mississauga/Brampton/Etobicoke Comitium has a Curia and 16 senior and 4 junior praesidia attached. Besides visitation of homes their works include book barrow, preparing children’s liturgy and Pilgrim Statue visitation. True Devotion is studied by the praesidia. In the Niagara Curia a lapsed Catholic returned to the Sacraments, an Anglican member wants to become a Catholic and a teacher, who was taught the Rosary, now teaches it to her students. In the Winnipeg Curia a legionary’s mother returned to the Sacraments after 26 years. True Devotion is being studied by all praesidia. In the Curia of Nova Scotia a new praesidium was established.
St. John, New Brunswick Curia has 9 praesidia with an active membership of 55 and 500 auxiliaries. Among their works is Rosary and catechism instruction, visitation of homes with the Pilgrim Virgin, nursing home and special care homes. The Curia has established a new Korean praesidium.

WEST INDIES

Santiago de los Caballeros Senatus: One of the three Comitia featured in this report has 2 attached Curiae, 9 senior and one junior praesidia and is doing extension to establish more praesidia. They have a twice-weekly radio programme called “Walking with Jesus”. Another Comitium has 7 Curiae and 16 senior and one junior praesidia attached. Their total membership is 538. Licey Comitium has one junior and two senior Curiae attached with a total of 474 active and 452 auxiliary members. They implemented the Diocesan Pastoral Plan through home visitation.

Senatus of Haiti: Sadly the Archbishop of Port-au-Prince and the Senatus Spiritual Director lost their lives in the earthquake, but we have not yet learned of the number of legionaries who died. The headquarters near the Cathedral was damaged and then pillaged. In spite of all this the legionaries held a meeting in February. Paris Regia has been very helpful in facilitating contact with Haiti and have organised a supply of Legion literature in French to send to them. Please continue to remember them in your prayers.

Peregrinatio Pro Christo

Peregrinatio Pro Christo projects for 2010 are now underway. So far this year 43 legionaries have taken part in four projects with amazing results.

The annual Dublin Spring Conference took place on Saturday 10th April with an attendance of 43. Reports were received from 3 projects of 2010 and one report on the trip to Brussels last September. It was reported in one of these projects that two legionaries knocked on a door in London. When the man answered the door he said “This is amazing the Holy Spirit sent you. Yesterday myself and my wife were talking about becoming Catholics. Come in!”

Projects are planned for Holland, Berlin, Finland and Sweden. The project to Castlenaudary in France will take place from May 21st to June 6th.

Please pray for the success of these projects.

The Concilium Launches New Look Website
“Thanks to the new communications media, the Lord can walk the streets of our cities and, stopping before the threshold of our homes and our hearts, say once more: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me” (Rev 3:20).” (Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for the 44th World Communications Day, 2010)
Pope Benedict has encouraged the use of the modern means of communications for evangelisation. Like so many other organisations, parishes, dioceses and religious orders, the Legion of Mary has availed of the internet as a means of communicating information and promoting the mission of the Church and the Good News generally.
Improvements in technology in recent years have brought many changes so the Concilium recently launched a new look website (www.legionofmary.ie). It is hoped that this development will create a greater awareness of the benefits of using modern technology in a positive way and that this will help bring about the sharing of knowledge and information in a more rapid and effective manner, making it more accessible to legionaries around the world.
As a first step, a section on promoting True Devotion to Mary, containing various articles and talks, has been included. It is planned to develop other aspects and themes during the coming months and to encourage other Legion councils around the world to update and develop their websites, in conformity with guidelines shown on the Concilium website.

Janet Lowthe

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.
This prayer can be obtained from the Legion of Mary website
www.legion-of-mary.ie

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