Concilium Bulletin April 2019
AFRICA
KENYA
Senatus of Kenya: One Comitium reported visiting 349 former legionaries and 252 are back at their meetings. 482 lapsed Catholics were contacted and 342 are now actively participating in the Church and attending daily Mass. 35 adults are under instruction, 84 marriages were blessed in Church, 97 were recruited for the Legion and 31 infants were baptised.
Kisumu Regia: 35 patients in danger of death were baptised and 11 later died. 386 marriages were blessed in Church. 3,701 people were recruited to join instruction classes, 1,010 infants were baptised and of 2,051 lapsed Catholics contacted 1,315 returned to the Sacraments. 154 traditional brewers were visited. Many drug addicts were contacted and 81 ceased the practice. 45 street girls were spoken to and Prison visitation was also done. The Senatus is busy preparing for the 75th Anniversary Mass for Venerable Edel Quinn.
MALAWI
Blantyre Senatus is making a great effort to recruit youth into the Legion and a congress for young legionaries was held in Blantyre Archdiocese. A new praesidium was established in the University of Malawi and one in the Polytechnic. Most councils have correspondents and reports are presented at the Senatus meeting.
Maula Senatus: A praesidium of 22 members reported visiting the sick both at home and in hospital, teaching Sunday school and Catechumen classes. A Curia with nine praesidia, including one junior praesidium, reported preparing 191 for First Communion and 168 for Confirmation. Prayers are asked for the legionaries in Malawi who suffered greatly in the recent cyclone.
NIGERIA
Abuja Senatus: At the January meeting members approved the purchase of land for a Legion house and reports from two Comitia revealed a large number of new recruits/probationers over the last two years, but smaller numbers taking the Promise. One Comitium reported 73 marriages rectified, 8 conversions and 29 lapsed returned to the Sacraments.
Ibadan Senatus: The Audit report up to September 2018 was received. One Comitium reported 589 marriages rectified and 318 lapsed returned to the Sacraments. A Curia with 8 praesidia, 4 of which are in a Seminary, has a very high membership.
Lagos Regia has produced a drop-down banner containing the pictures of Venerable Edel Quinn and Servants of God Frank Duff and Alfie Lambe and the first African legionary Michael Ekeng for display at Legion events. Most contacts on homes and hospital visitation in the area are not Catholic; many are Muslims. In one Comitium area Novenas were held to commemorate the birth and death of Frank Duff and Triduum prayers for Edel Quinn and Alfie Lambe.
Kaduna Regia: Elections for Officers have taken place. The correspondent has written to the President setting out what structure the Regia should have and about the presentation of reports at the Regia meeting. There is great political unrest in this area. The October meeting had to be cancelled and in one area ten legionaries lost their lives.
Enugu Senatus: A Comitium: with 1,540 active members, plus 517 probationers has 10 junior Curiae comprising 2,875 members. Many were prepared for the Sacraments and 32 marriages blessed. One junior Curia, 3 new senior and 5 junior praesidia were established. A Curia had 53 received into the Church, 18 marriages blessed and as a result of an Exploratio Dominicalis project 5 lapsed Catholics returned to the Sacraments and a family dispute was settled.
Onitsha Regia: A Comitium prepared many people for the Sacraments including 1,871 for First Holy Communion, 737 for Confirmation and 103 couples had their marriages blessed. 6 people were helped to become Catholics.
Ikot Ekpene Regia: One Comitium prepared 81 for Baptism, 333 for First Holy Communion, and 57 for Confirmation. 11 couples married in Church. Another Comitium recruited 128 members, established 2 new praesidia and revived three praesidia. 11 lapsed returned to the faith; many were prepared for the Sacraments and 5 contacts became Catholics.
Jos Regia: Works carried out include home and hospital visitation, catechism instruction, care of children at Mass, care for junior praesidia, crowd contact, marriage-counselling and promoting the Family Rosary. A Comitium recruited 235 to the Legion, established 7 praesidia and prepared over 3,000 for the various Sacraments.
UGANDA
Senatus of Uganda: Young legionaries continue their membership when they move from Secondary Schools to praesidia in higher institutions of learning and some have been instrumental in starting praesidia in Tertiary Institutions. A report in December from one of the Tertiary Institutions Curiae shows the links between them and juniors. Other reports were given by a Regia with over 56,000 active seniors, 33,000 youth and 27,000 juniors, 2 Comitia, two Curiae and a praesidium. One of the challenges in Uganda is that literature is needed in many languages. At present in addition to English they have the Handbook printed in 4 languages and it is at various stages of preparation in 4 other languages. Visits continue on behalf of Concilium to South Sudan.
TANZANIA
Dar-es-Salaam Regia: The Regia Officers are busy visiting attached councils and making great efforts to strengthen the Legion. Two legionaries spent a week visiting the Legion in Mtwara Diocese and another week in Songea. There are many legionaries in Tanga Diocese but the Legion needs some re-organisation. A visit to Zanzibar is planned where the legionaries need much encouragement as it is mainly a non-Catholic area. The legionaries are hoping to visit a lady in Zanzibar who worked with Venerable Edel.
Mtwara Comitium: The members have benefited a lot from the visit by the Regia Officers and have worked with the visitors. The Bishop and the Vicar-General were very welcoming and gave the visitors the use of a car for the week.
Njombe Comitium: Five Curiae, a total of 198 members, took part in a Congress on the theme of The Virgin Mary. Works include encouraging couples to marry in Church, preparing children for the Sacraments and visiting the disabled in homes and hospitals.
Hai Moshi Comitium: Works reported on include home and hospital visitation, contact with drug addicts, encouraging couples to marry in Church and preparing adults and children for the Sacraments. The Comitium is very diligent visiting attached councils/praesidia and recruiting. In one parish 30 members were recruited after Masses.
ZAMBIA
Lusaka Regia: One Comitium reported teaching catechism, doing home and hospital visitation, encouraging the lapsed to return to the faith, and visiting an open-air prison while another Comtium reported visiting Makeni refugee camp with a view to starting a praesidium. As the refugees are French-speaking the Regia is searching for a French-speaking legionary. The Regia is making progress with the translation of the Handbook into a number of local languages.
SIERRA LEONE
Freetown Curia is keeping in touch through their Spiritual Director, Fr. Carew. The March Minutes included reports from 2 praesidia engaged mainly in home visitation and book barrow work, though they need more literature for the book barrow.
EUROPE
SPAIN
Madrid Senatus: A discussion was held to study the best way to teach legionaries. It was decided that a well-run praesidium with good reports gives an excellent formation. Street contacts are mostly directed to youths and students. Many are respectful but have little or no faith. A praesidium that works in a city centre commercial area hopes to direct its efforts to street contact and to invite people to visit a local Church and pray before the Blessed Sacrament. A Curia that works in a difficult area is trying to start a praesidium with residents who live surrounded by drugs and violence.
Barcelona Senatus: A praesidium with 13 active members has apostolic contact with many prostitutes and a gypsy family involved in drugs. One legionary is a catechist and 2 help as Sacristans. A centre for mentally ill is visited. Legionaries in Palma, Mallorca, worked with Swiss Peregrini who were in the city on PPC.
Bilbao Senatus: Four councils attended the meeting. Works reported on included extension, Retreats and organising prayer meetings,
PORTUGAL
Lisbon Senatus: February Minutes reported the election of a Vice President.
ITALY
Rome Senatus: A praesidium with 8 active members and 2 Praetorians reported. A lady with a handicapped child became more accepting and serene after a visit by legionaries.
Milan Regia: The Regia is concerned at the declining circulation of the Legion magazine “La Voce” which they publish for circulation throughout the Italian Legion. It was suggested that they may need a new approach with more interesting articles. Three praesidia in Genoa visit the sick and lonely in their homes or nursing homes. They also help bring Hospital patients to Mass and afterwards contact the relatives. Padua Comitium: A praesidium which lost 6 members, 5 of whom died, recruited 4 new members who remain with them. A praesidium visits a shelter for young people some of whom died through drugs usage. The legionaries were commended by the authorities for their prayers and the consolation they offered the residents on the occasion of the deaths of their fellow residents.
CYPRUS
Nicocia: Two praesidia reported on home visitation and cemetery visits. They also help at the Masses as Lectors, Usherettes and with the Church programme for refugees. A praesidium in Limassol visits a home for the elderly.
MALTA
Malta Regia: A praesidium of 9 members including 8 Praetorians visits homes encouraging families to consecrate their homes to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. 5 members of a praesidium of 6 teach catechism. 2 Retreats were held for their 77 auxiliaries who are invited to all Legion activities. A junior Curia has 6 praesidia. They held a half-day Seminar with discussions on recruiting and Legion work. Other activities included a work camp and a live-in weekend concluding with Mass and a picnic. A senior Curia had a week-long apostolate in Mosta calling on 534 homes. One new member and 2 auxiliaries were recruited. A housebound person requested that Holy Communion be brought to him at home. Legionaries visited a centre for drug addicts, prayed with the residents, and gave them Miraculous Medals. Contacts were made with Muslims, Protestants and those of other faiths. Another Curia prepared 5 adults for Baptism and 1 for Confirmation. 5 non-Catholics are being instructed in the Faith. A couple met on visitation, who had no children after 10 years of marriage, accepted a statue of Our Lady. Some months later, on a return visit, the legionaries were told by the couple of their great joy at the expectation of their first child. Gb>Gozo Comitium: 16 legionaries went on an Exploratio Dominicalis project to a parish on Malta Island. 220 homes were visited, 2 prospective active and 12 auxiliaries were recruited and a family agreed to have their home consecrated to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
GREECE (Under the Caretakership of Malta Regia)
Thessalonica has two praesidia of 4 members each. A well-attended monthly Mass in English is celebrated. 70 children attend religious instruction but do not attend Mass regularly. The Parish Priest in Athens asked legionaries to accompany the new Deacon on home visits so that he can get to know the parishioners.
IRISH PROVINCIAL REPORT
COMITIA
Dromore Comitium has 5 praesidia and one Curia attached. Burren praesidium with 5 members has a wide ranging amount of work in the parish including home visitation, arranging Eucharistic Adoration, promoting the Pioneer movement and visits to local Primary Schools.
Navan Comitium: There are 7 praesidia and 2 Curiae attached. A reporting praesidium has 7 members and 30 auxiliaries. Three sets of legionaries visit homes in 10 estates. People are encouraged to return to Mass and to visit the Adoration Chapel. Three members take charge of children’s Adoration. Settled Travellers are visited and 3 members run All Saints party for children and parents. Trim Curia has 6 praesidia attached. The works of Boardsmill praesidium include promotion of Consecration of homes to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary and visitation to primary schools and to settled-Travellers. Mullingar Curia has 7 praesidia. Members of Castlepollard praesidium visit homes and nursing homes.
Derry Comitium has 3 Curiae attached. Longtower praesidium has 3 members and 35 auxiliaries. Their main work is home visitation, Pilgrim statue, visiting the sick and elderly and school visitation. Waterside men’s praesidium has 5 members who visit hospitals and residential homes and progress the Pilgrim statue of Our Lady around homes in the parish. The Comitium hosted a very successful PPC Organisers Conference on 24th February. Our Lady of Zion Curia has 5 praesidia who do a wide variety of works including home and nursing home and school visitation.
Raphoe Comitium: Following an extension drive a new praesidium has been started in Drumkeen/Convoy with 4 members attending the first meeting. Their Spiritual Director Fr. Stephen Gorman is very enthusiastic about having the Legion in his parish. Stranorlar junior praesidium has 9 members with 2 seniors attending the meetings. Raphoe praesidium has 4 members with about 100 auxiliaries. They distribute envelopes containing the Miraculous Medal and Edel Quinn, Alfie Lambe and Frank Duff prayer leaflets to First Communion and Confirmation children. A St. Bridget’s Cross-making event attended by locals was very successful. South West Raphoe Curia hosted the annual PPC Organisers Conference in Donegal Town. Db>Diocese of Down and Connor
Annunciata Curia: At the Alfie Lambe Mass the congregation was requested to also promote the intercessory prayer to Edel Quinn and Frank Duff. During the monthly street apostolate the legionaries presented the fullness of the Catholic Church to Jehovah Witnesses and a member of the Swedish Lutheran faith. A number of people who suffer from drug addiction were spoken to through street-contact apostolate. A reporting praesidium with 4 members undertakes home visitation and run a youth club where a decade of the Rosary is recited. They also visit the local Primary School.
Down Curia: Downpatrick praesidium has 9 members with one Praetorian and 46 auxiliaries. Works include home visitation, street contact and visits to schools. A children’s Rosary Group is held in St. Colman’s Church weekly after school.
CURIAE
Leitrim Curia: Carrick-on-Shannon praesidium has 4 members. They recite the Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet every Saturday at 3.00 p.m. at the Town Clock with from 10 to 20 in attendance. A hospital is visited weekly and Catholic newspapers distributed to homes in the area.
Clogher Curia: There are 10 praesidia attached including 3 formerly belonging to Mid Clogher Curia. The 4 reporting praesidia have a total of 18 members and 21 auxiliaries. Works include visitation of the sick and housebound, nursing home visitation and sale of Catholic newspapers. The 9 members of Eskra praesidium visit the local Primary School twice weekly. They spend time with the children during assembly and speak to them about the Rosary; on their last visit they recited the Rosary with them. The children have also been taught simple craft activities and the older ones created a Rosary-decade prayer bracelet and the younger children decorated a beautiful image of Our Lady and Child which they brought home to their families. They plan to undertake weekly home visitation to interested school children and their families with a statue of the Holy Family which they recently purchased.
Kilmore Curia: The Curia is organising a Mass for Venerable Edel Quinn to mark the 75th Anniversary of her death. Fr. Tom McKiernan, Spiritual Director, is to give a talk on her heroic life and work for the Legion of Mary.
Clonmacnoise Curia has 2 praesidia and most of the members are elderly. Over long periods efforts at recruiting have not produced any new members. The Curia would appreciate the direction of Concilium as to how they could proceed.
Archdiocese of Armagh
Armagh Curia: Keady praesidium has 8 members who perform works for the elderly and housebound, distribute Sacred Heart cards to the homes in the parish and to the schools.
Drogheda Curia: A praesidium with 4 members and 45 auxiliaries undertake home and pilgrim statue visitation and conduct a Holy Hour each month in a nursing home Oratory. Street contact is done mostly after morning Masses at the different churches in the centre of Drogheda. Ardee praesidium has 8 members, 22 auxiliaries and 8 Adjutorians. They do home visitation and hold Patrician meetings. Laytown praesidium has 6 members. Earlier in the year as the continuation of the praesidium was doubtful but with the encouragement of the Parish Priest, support of the Curia and the recruiting of 2 new members the praesidium continued.
Dundalk Curia: A reporting praesidium has 12 members and 2 probationers. Four members are Praetorians, 5 are Adjutorians and they have 95 auxiliaries. Works include home and nursing home visitation and assisting with the Children of the Eucharist programme. On 7th June they organised a Mass to celebrate the birthday of Frank Duff and showed a DVD on his life. The praesidium working in Faughart parish with 1,600 homes has low active membership, but 76 auxiliaries. Weekly home visitation is being carried out and 1,300 homes have been visited with the Two Hearts of Jesus and Mary cards. The lapsed were invited back to the practise of the faith. They gave a talk to pupils in a local school during Catholic Schools’ week. The Curia Acies took place on 24th March; 8 priests attended.
DUBLIN SOUTHSIDE
Benedicta Curia has 28 active members among 6 praesidia. A praesidium in one parish undertakes home visitation, promoting a family consecration prayer and parish Eucharistic Adoration. Residents of a unit for elderly people in a local hospital are also visited. A visit was made to priests of the Syro-Malabar community with an invitation to attend the Acies ceremony.
Annunciata Curia has 7 praesidia with 58 active members and 2 probationers. Discussion took place at the Curia meeting on ‘Is my praesidium equipping me for modern challenges?’ Prayer, the giving of and discussion on work reports and study of the Legion Handbook were among items highlighted to equip members to meet challenges such as lack of interest in the practice of religion and low Mass attendance. Three Patrician meetings were held.
Immaculata Curia has 9 praesidia. A weekly prayer meeting takes place in the Legion house for the Cause of Frank Duff. A praesidium of 3 active members has 35 auxiliaries. Over 600 homes were visited during the year and offered the parish newsletter and Two Hearts Image and prayer card. 17 families participated in a Community Rosary organised in May and October. 30 people attended a Rosary Rally and 12 attended an Advent Retreat organised by the praesidium. One of their members is part of the Curia’s school visitation team which promotes the Miraculous Medal and Story of Fatima at ten local schools. A weekly Rosary club for children is organised in one school.
Spouse of the Holy Spirit Curia: The works of one praesidium include distributing copies of Maria Legionis, auxiliary visitation, home visitation and Regina Coeli hostel work, Venerable Edel Quinn prayer group and recitation of the Rosary in a local cemetery. 12 parishioners attended a special showing of a DVD on Edel Quinn and 26 attended a showing of the film ‘Song of Bernadette’ to mark the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. Curia members take turns to staff a Legion table monthly at a local shopping centre.
Mater Ecclesiae Curia has 40 active members among 7 praesidia. 26 attended a recent Patrician meeting.
Assumpta Curia has 7 praesidia with 34 active members. 21 Patricians attended two Patrician meetings. Plans are underway for a Congress in June.
Our Lady of Fatima Curia has 40 members among 7 praesidia. Two Patrician meetings were held. A praesidium of 9 members and 40 auxiliaries undertakes prison and nursing home visitation, also visits to the sick, bereaved and people new to the area. Students were visited and invited to attend a Mass for those sitting exams. Prayer leaflets were printed and offered to children of 2nd and 6th classes. All auxiliary members were invited to an hour of prayer in honour of the Sacred Heart. Monthly prayers meetings for the Causes of Frank Duff and Edel Quinn take place.
Ancilla Domini Curia has 7 praesidia. Average attendance at recent Patrician and Pauline Circle meetings was 4 and 11 respectively. A Jewish museum was visited as part of the Pillar of Fire apostolate. A praesidium with 4 active members undertakes auxiliary visitation, Maria Legionis distribution and promotion of the Two Hearts consecration while on home visitation. Weekly Eucharistic Adoration is organised as well as a monthly Patrician meeting. One praesidium has a new Spiritual Director.
Gloriosa Curia: Members of a praesidium of 5 active members and 15 auxiliaries visit two nursing homes and recite the Rosary with residents. 300 Miraculous Medals were given to students preparing for Confirmation. Plans are underway to set up a monthly book-borrowing system in the parish.
NORTH AMERICA, CANADA AND WEST INDIES
UNITED STATES
Boston Senatus held a Congress in April. Five praesidia reported in this period, one of which has 15 active and 57 auxiliaries. Visits were made to lapsed Catholics, some agreed to meet the priest. Two new praesidia teach CCD, arrange talks in parishes and do weekly evangelisation in Chinatown. Recruiting young adults is their special focus. A Vietnamese praesidium of 5 members visits homes in apartment blocks as well as nursing home and prison visits; they arranged Confession for shut-ins. A praesidium of 10 members is involved in visiting the dying and bereaved families. Another praesidium does street-contact and nursing home visitation. Hartford Comitium reports a praesidium of 8 members in a residential home, who have as their work, welcoming new residents, praying with terminally ill, organising a daily Rosary and helping with a weekly Mass. Worcester Curia reports that the Director of Diocesan Communications wrote to all parishes with information on the Legion and inviting them to set up praesidia.
New York Senatus: Newark Comitium with five Curiae attached has 52 praesidia with 457 members and 1,398 auxiliaries, also three junior praesidia. East Harlem Hispanic Curia has 9 praesidia attached, 7 senior and two junior praesidia. Works include jail visits and outdoor Library, CCD (102 children were taught for the Sacraments). South Bronx Curia has 20 praesidia. Works: door to door visitation, home visits with the Pilgrim statue and book barrow. Two praesidia visited a prison and formed a praesidium there. A third praesidium got approval to visit a correctional centre.
Philadelphia Senatus: Delaware Co. South Curia visits a women’s prison. A new praesidium has started in Media, PA. Bucks County Curia has 105 members and 10 juniors in 9 praesidia. Works include home visitation, RCIA and Pre-Cana instruction. A praesidium does book barrow apostolate on the sidewalk outside a Church. This work initially attracted a convert from Islam to the Catholic faith. Norristown Comitium organised a recent Congress, also two Patrician groups. Two prisons are visited, along with the apostolate to the homeless in the Brotherhouse, which they operate twice a week. A praesidium in St. Charles Seminary has 16 members. They do crowd contact, door to door, CCD and hospice visits and also have an outreach to the homeless in the city centre. In one Curia 22 juniors are doing door to door and crowd contact with seniors outside a Mall. Harrisburg Comitium visits a prison and runs a Frank Duff prayer group, as does Lebanon Curia.
Chicago Senatus: A Curia in DuPage did crowd contact at the parish picnic gaining 4 new active and 20 auxiliary members. In another Curia, a man met on visitation returned to practice after a long absence. A praesidium in Gary, IN, has 19 members. They organise Retreats and Religious Education for youth. Duluth Curia visits 4 prisons. They gained 9 new auxiliaries at Legion booths at 3 Diocesan Conferences. Sioux Falls Curia, Green Bay, WI, conducts Bible study twice a week in a homeless shelter. The Korean Comitium reports the return of many of the 46 lapsed Catholics contacted, 26 were prepared for the Sacraments. St. Cloud Curia staffs a booth at a county fair. De Kalb Hispanic Curia in Rockford Diocese has 120 active and 80 auxiliary members in 8 praesidia.
St. Louis Senatus: They do home to home, hospital, nursing home and prison visitation and organise Rosary Rallies. One person is in the process of instruction in the Catholic Faith. 5 people met at a Convention were interested in joining the Legion. Members helped with Illinois State Fair.
Arlington Regia: The officers are trying to implement many things suggested to them during their visit to Concilium; this included overseeing the printing of the Handbook in Spanish for the USA. Many report great fruits from Pilgrim statue visitation; one person with a benign tumour subsequently received good news and a lapsed man returned to regular Mass attendance. A young woman who suffered from depression appears healed after accepting the Pilgrim statue. A new praesidium was affiliated this month. Most attached councils have a Congress every 2 to 3 years. They held an Annual General Reunion and an Annual Retreat.
Cincinnati Senatus has 9 praesidia; one reported teaching English to immigrants, while another highlighted auxiliary visits, doing an Exploratio Dominicalis, organising a Catholic Information Booth at the Montgomery County 4-H Fair, and helping with a Legion table at the N C Y Conference. Detroit Regia governs four Curiae, including one Korean Curia. The East Cincinnati Curia has 3 praesidia; the Columbus Comitium has 10 Curiae, including a Korean Curia. Fort Wayne-South Bend Curia has five praesidia and the Indianapolis Curia has four praesidia. Nashville, TN, Comitium has 1 Curia and 16 praesidia, including 2 junior groups. They held a Congress in 2018. A Power Point presentation on the Legion was made at the Seymour, Indiana, Deanery with 25 priests in attendance. Praesidia at St. Matthias Church in Cincinnati, and also at St. Ambrose Church and St. Mary Church in Anderson, Indiana were recently affiliated.
Houston Senatus started 2 new praesidia in Abbeville and Alexandria and 3 other praesidia are in formation in Henderson, Cankton and Cecilia. The Bishop of Laredo encourages the Legion to become more active in the Diocese. Three pastors are eager to start praesidia. Several praesidia have started in South Austin. In one Curia members of a junior praesidium while accompanied by seniors visit patients in hospital. They also serve Mass, help at school and attend guided adoration of the Eucharist. In the Houston Korean Curia, members mentor new parishioners from Korea and other states. New Orleans Regia: In a praesidium’s first Annual Report works included children’s Liturgy and welcoming new parishioners.
Los Angeles Senatus has 12 attached praesidia. A Chinese praesidium with 10 active members and 110 auxiliaries undertakes bereavement ministry and evangelisation. A praesidium of 11 has 6 Praetorians and 7 Adjutorians among 29 auxiliary members. Six members teach catechism to children and their parents. A praesidium of 4 active and 70 auxiliaries has 7 Adjutorians. Home visitation, book barrow and crowd contact feature. A praesidium of 13 active members reports 8 Praetorians and 65 auxiliaries including 10 Adjutorians. 3 councils held a Congress recently; one for the first time in 40 years. Orange County Comitium has 7 Curiae and report extension and Exploratio Dominicalis efforts. West San Fernando English Curia has 22 praesidia and 4 junior praesidia. Tijuana Curia has 26 praesidia.
San Francisco: There is growth in a number of Spanish Curiae. A True Devotion to Mary Seminar was conducted in a parish with 50 attending; the pastor has invited these to form a praesidium. A Columban drive was held in St. Veronica’s Parish. A new praesidium in Novato has 3 officers among 9 members after 19 meetings under careful guidance of Senatus. Two legionaries volunteered to be Senatus extension coordinators and Fr. Goode will write to Pastors who are as yet without the Legion of Mary as a first step in attempting to set up new praesidia.
Miami Regia: A praesidium of Port St. Lucie, Florida does prison ministry with the youth in detention. They find in them a thirst for the goodness and faith that will help them choose a better path, the path that is with Jesus. Members of a praesidium visiting people in Assisted Living and in nursing homes report that when they begin the prayers, residents respond with them word for word. The legionaries find this amazing as some of the people don’t even remember their own names.
CANADA
The Senatus of Toronto: Extension continued during a very harsh winter with the clergy very supportive. Scarborough Comitium held a Congress in October, at which 120 attended. The new Durham Curia composed of 6 praesidia was set up recently. Prison ministry is among their works. Mississauga Comitium with 8 praesidia and two Curiae attached has a total of 21 praesidia; they participated in crowd contact at a shopping mall, resulting in numerous contacts. The Etobicoke Korean Comitium has a total of 224 active members and 490 auxiliaries; it has 3 Curiae attached. 110 attended their Annual Reunion. Winnipeg Curia has 19 senior and 3 junior praesidia, with 144 active members including 29 Praetorians and 746 auxiliaries, They help out at a shelter for the homeless. The Toronto Korean Comitium has a total of 394 active members in 44 praesidia of which 48 are Praetorians. They have 914 auxiliaries.
Montreal Senatus had 2 Exploratio Dominicalis projects with a new praesidium formed in Quebec and 22 people interested in Legion membership in a Montreal parish. A Curia has started a junior group. Praesidia reporting had 8, 6, 5, 5 and 13 active members. Much of their work is of consolation, also Pilgrim statue circulation, organising Pilgrimages and helping at the Church. One praesidium hosts an annual Auxiliary Rally and 39 auxiliaries took part, followed by light refreshments. From June to September, an attached Curia organises an Adoration event called “Lumiere dans la Ville” on First Saturdays from 5pm until 10pm during which they do crowd contact in the vicinity of the Church; 125 – 175 people visited Adoration as a result.
Vancouver Comitium: A praesidium with 13 active, 2 probationers and 50 auxiliary members meet and greet people at weekend Masses where they hand out bulletins to Mass-goers and act as ushers and lectors. They helped 3 new families and 12 individuals to register in their parish. Among the highlights related, was a wife who was told she had no chance of conceiving. With the encouragement of legionaries the couple validated their marriage in Church; the lady soon after gave birth to a baby girl whom she named Mary. A Curia reported having 10 senior and 4 junior praesidia. All the parishes in their area now have a Legion presence. They have established a prayer meeting for the promotion of the Frank Duff Cause. A Curia reports that during Family Rosary Crusade legionaries guided a non-Catholic man to conversion to the Catholic Faith, receiving Baptism, and Confirmation. Family members later became legionaries in a senior and junior praesidium.
Edmonton Comitium: A praesidium gave the Pilgrim statue to 114 homes. Many have reported answers to prayers. Another praesidium visits a hospital and a Care Centre where residents were glad to have someone to listen to their stories.
Puerto Rico Senatus: Some praesidia were lost in the hurricane, and the councils have to be reorganised. Columban Drives will be used to rebuild praesidia. Another report said they did a census of 60 families who lost everything; poor people’s homes were repaired and the Statue of Our Lady of Sorrows was taken to some homes. The Comitium of Bayamon gained 35 new members, including juniors on street contact work. They draw attention to the value of the book barrow, The President of the Catholic University has asked for a praesidium. The Comitium set up praesidia for soldiers, gypsies, circus people and immigrants.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Senatus of Santo Domingo: Reports mention auxiliaries, Adjutorians, Praetorians, and Exploratio Dominicalis projects. Members of a junior praesidium with 8 members accompany senior members in visiting hospitals. A Curia with 6 praesidia prepared 22 adults for Confession, 11 for Confirmation, 3 couples for matrimony, and 11 adults returned to Mass. The Curia in Villa Mella, has 9 praesidia, 80 members, and 9 Praetorians. They visit homes, hospitals, and 2 prisons.
Senatus of Santiago de los Caballeros: Groups of legionaries of the Comitium Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia de la Ceibita are working with young drug adicts, some of whom are now attending Mass and being instructed in the faith. The Regia Nuestra Señora de la Mercedes, La Vega has 5,638 members and 232 Praetorians. They visited over 27,000 homes and 29,000 sick and elderly in homes and hospital. The Comitium Madre del Divino Niño prepared 1,300 adults and children for First Communion and 1,600 children for Confirmation.
Regia Nuestra Señora de la Mercedes, La Vega has 5,638 members and 232 Praetorians. They visited over 27,000 homes and 29,000 sick and elderly in homes and hospital. A Comitium prepared 1,300 adults and children for First Communion and 1,600 children for Confirmation.
Haiti Senatus: 2 praesidia and 2 Curiae reported details of home, hospital and prison visitation, also street contact and among those met were voodoo practitioners. Other works include Catechism courses, visiting juniors and accompanying the priest on visits to the sick resulting in people prepared for the Sacraments. They also report family conflicts resolved as a result of their apostolate.
Regia of Trinidad and Tobago: The correspondent was in contact with the Regia but has no news since the last report.
