Concilium Bulletin August 2014
NORTH AMERICA AND CANADA
Boston Senatus: A new Portuguese Curia, Our Lady of the Sacred Family has been approved by Cardinal O’Malley. Providence Comitium reported, 5 children of families who returned to the Faith were baptised and received First Communion. Legionaries run a Catholic library which recruits new members. Three evangelisation days were held, booths were set up at fairs, and extension drives at 3 Churches. Springfield Curia visits 2 prisons. New Bedford Curia had 6 Enthronements of Sacred Heart and Pilgrim Statue visits. 2 new praesidia were started in Attleboro. In Hartford Comitium a weekly book barrow is operated in a Market and legionaries serve as Tribunes for prison praesidia. A praesidium in Roxbury Curia reports the return of lapsed Catholics to the faith during Exploratio Dominicalis. A praesidium of 16 members attends to Cape Verdian parishioners. Worcester Curia has 3 attached praesidia with average of 10-14 active and 80 auxiliary members. Works include visits to a hospital, two prisons and home visitation.
Philadelphia Senatus celebrated its 50th year as a Senatus, with 5 Spiritual Directors and two visitors from Concilium present at the May meeting to mark the occasion. Pittsburgh Regia added 4 new praesidia and Greensburg Comitium gained 7, after their Bishop sent letters of endorsement of the Legion to all the parishes. Erie Curia had a ‘Little Red Wagon’ on street evangelisation with positive reaction. Delaware Co. South Curia visits 2 prisons. Norristown Comitium reports juniors staffing a book barrow at the local train station. Camden Comitium, NJ, has a book barrow on Ocean City Boardwalk, also information tables at Cowtown & Berlin Markets, making many good contacts.
Cincinnati Senatus: A praesidium with 5 members visits a nursing home and holds a weekly Communion service for residents. In Kokomo Comitium, a member started a blog to communicate with others about the Catholic faith. 3 persons returned to the Sacraments. Nashville has a Young Adult Recruitment project and gained a new praesidium. Madison Curia includes works of consolation in its apostolate.
Chicago Senatus: A very successful May Gathering was held at which over 100 legionaries from six states participated in a weekend Conference, street contact in Millennium Park and the Senatus meeting. Some legionaries travelled over 900 miles to be present. Two Concilium visitors were also welcomed at the gathering. Mankato Curia, Minnesota, provided 45 Legion volunteers to staff a Catholic Information Booth at the Steel County Fair, and made contact with 1,440 visitors, distributing literature and sacramentals. Our Lady of Mercy, Chinatown, Chicago, provides CCD and RCIA classes for the Chinese community and leads children’s liturgy during the school year. Our Lady of Victory, Fargo, ND, with 10 members has a varied programme of works, including involvement with Religious Education Students. Duluth Curia has a prison praesidium with 8 new members among the ‘lifers’ and 4 converts. The Korean Comitium, Chicago has 9 praesidia, and 2 Curiae attached. They visit 8 hospitals and do crowd contact at Seoul Supermarket and conduct Catechism classes. 10 received Baptism. Milwaukee Comitium and their attached Curia are involved with staffing Booths at the county fairs and Church festivals. In a nursing home that they visit, 2 persons returned to Mass and the Sacraments.
St. Louis Senatus: Ten praesidia have undertaken new works. In one of their nursing homes they arranged for 17 residents to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation.16 conversions were reported and 53 returns to the Sacraments. They place emphasis on juniors, having 46 members in 3 junior praesidia.
Arlington Regia: A Marian Encounter was organised by a parish praesidium at which 1,200 attended resulting in 500 going to Confession. Washington University praesidium reported two members entering the Seminary and four others considering a religious vocation. 106 members attended their Annual Retreat.
Los Angeles Senatus: Praesidia reporting over the last four months show a steady rise in active members. Consecration of the homes to the Sacred Heart is a regular item in the reports. Apostolate to the Crowd in popular areas continues to have success as does their prison visitation.
San Francisco Senatus: A 60 year old praesidium gained 2 new members after a Columban drive. All members do book barrow, crowd contact and home visitation. Another praesidium of 5 members has 35 auxiliaries, does book barrow work and visitation to the sick. North San Mateo Curia reports marriage validations and returns to the faith. Daly County Curia gained 9 active members after follow-up of 44 names gathered in a Columban Drive. Seattle Comitium has 9 Curiae (including 1 Korean). 14 praesidia conduct a Shopping Centre apostolate. They also have Enthronement of Sacred Heart and prison ministry. South San Mateo Curia Seminary praesidium has 10 members. Stockton Curia contacted people at the Asparagus Fair and has a Congress scheduled. A lapsed Catholic was brought back and is now a legionary. San Jose Comitium has a Vietnamese Curia of 292 active members and 3118 auxiliaries. They visit families and prisoners.
New York Senatus: Extension Projects are progressing. Mother of Divine Mercy praesidium looks after a book barrow near their Church making good contacts, distributing literature and sacramentals to passers-by. Mother of Our Savour Curia made contact with 700 people at a book barrow at Grand Central Station. One young man asked for confession. An Exploratio Dominicalis yielded 8 lapsed Catholics promising to return to practice.
Houston Senatus:. In Southwest Curia, a praesidium in Corpus Christi parish visits a women’s Correctional Unit. In St. Mark’s parish they do home visitation and lead Baptism and Bible classes.
Miami Regia: Savannah Curia in Georgia with two central praesidia and four distant ones has begun to approach priests in other parishes about starting the Legion. With less than 100,000 Catholics in a diocese with a population of almost 3 million, there is need for an evangelising outreach. West Palm Beach Curia with 18 praesidia attached reported among its many achievements 7 conversions to the Catholic Faith and 11 returns to the Sacraments in a four month period. Mystical Rose praesidium Miami recruited 15 new members in one year. An Atlanta praesidium kept a journal that recorded many favours.
CANADA
Senatus of Toronto: Queen of the Holy Family praesidium has 24 members on roll and 248 auxiliaries. Their works include door to door, Pilgrim Statue and Enthronement to the Sacred Heart visits; they also officer two junior praesidia. The Niagara Region Curia has grown from 5 to 18 praesidia in 3 years. Their Legion Congress in May an attendance of 75. Mississauga Comitium introduced 3 new book barrows and a new Patrician group. One of their members was ordained to the Priesthood. Our Lady of The Blessed Trinity has 10 members, 3 of whom are Praetorians and 9 Adjutorians among their 100 auxiliaries. Two junior praesidia are also attached.
Vancouver Comitium: On the 21st June, 2014 the Comitium celebrated its 25th Anniversary. The occasion was marked with a special celebration in St. Francis Xavier Church. The Comitium met with Archbishop Michael Miller, who celebrated Mass to a packed Church, concelebrated by four priests. In his homily Archbishop Miller was very supportive of the Legion of Mary. He spoke about Frank Duff and his love of Our Blessed Lady and expressed appreciation for the presence of the Legion of Mary in every parish in his diocese.
Montreal Senatus: The attached praesidia gained 9 new active members and 12 auxiliaries. A new African praesidium with 12 members was formed in March. A morning praesidium of 10 members does hospital visitation among its varied works. A Haitian praesidium of 15 members reported a range of works in the parish. Sherbrook Curia formed a new praesidium. Ville-Marie English Curia gained 6 active members and 8 auxiliaries. Works include hospital, Pilgrim Statue visitation, pastoral service and catechesis. Moncton Curia has 5 praesidia. A praesidium of 17 members visits the sick and housebound.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Senatus of Santo Domingo: 54 legionaries participated in the annual Holy Week project, “la Jornada de Semana Santa” organised by the Senatus. Legionaries, at the invitation of the priest, go to areas he cannot reach and conduct the Easter Triduum. The visitation found 387 irregular marriages, 241 without First Communion, and 305 not baptised. The ceremonies were held in two centres with attendances varying between 300 and 800 over the three days.
Senatus of Santiago de los Caballeros: All Praesidia are involved in Parish work and in implementing the Episcopal Pastoral Plan of Evangelisation particularly to the poor and elderly. The Comitium Sagrado Corozón de María with 12 adult, 1 junior praesidia, and 6 Curiae attached, has a total of 1,300 members, 30 Praetorian, 7 Adjutorian and 1200 auxiliaries. Their priority is contacting the lapsed and evangelisation. Two men aged over 50 who had never been to Confession were prepared for Confession and Communion. One died soon after and the other is faithfully practising. The priest was brought to another man who was dying. After receiving the Last Sacraments he not only recovered but has joined the Legion. Two non-Catholic youths were converted and are now practicing Catholics. Our Lady Mother of the Church Curia has 8 praesidia attached with 71 active members and 268 auxiliaries. Catechism is taught weekly in the schools. A book barrow is operated by 2 praesidia .11 adults were baptised and 16 received into the Catholic Church. 7 lapsed Catholics returned to the Sacraments and 6 to Mass. On a follow-up visit to Tobago, 2 new praesidia were started. Mary Immaculate Queen Curia has 7 praesidia attached with 75 members, 11 probationers and 500 auxiliaries.
Senatus of Haiti: A new Senatus Spiritual Director, Fr. Francky Desir, was appointed. The postal service now appears to be restored since the earthquake in 2010. A Comitium and a Seminary praesidium reported at the June meeting and works include home and hospital visitation plus visits to people living in tents, catechism courses, preparation for the Sacraments and work for youth.
Puerto Rico: Works of service are reported, e.g., assistance with Government documentation, preparing meals for the elderly and sick, helping with 4 – l2 years old and ll – l6 years; caring for children while their parents are at Mass. Arecibo reported jail visitation and one family brought back from the Pentecostals. Comitium Manati has 36 Praetorians and 50 Adjutorians. Among their works are l0 Patrician groups. They help meet new arrivals in the parish to welcome them. In the Virgin Islands Curia there are 3 praesidia, two in St. Thomas and one in St. John. They arranged for 50 children to receive First Holy Communion. l5 people were invited to Confession. A new praesidium was set up. The Statute of Our Lady of Fatima was accepted in 80 homes. Non-Catholics were visited. One divorce was prevented.
Trinidad and Tobago: Legionaries visited the Zion Community giving a talk on Mary. Rosary Beads and Miraculous Medals were given to young children. A new junior praesidium at Arima girls Catholic School is progressing with 4 teachers involved. Home and hospital visitation is also reported. On a follow-up visit to Tobago, two new junior praesidia were started.
***********************************
EUROPE
SPAIN
Madrid Senatus. Work with Aids patients resulted in many becoming auxiliaries. Pesca Joven (Fishing for Youth) project includes afternoon and night street contact with youth and is a good way of reaching out to the next generation. Recruiting by personal contact is proving more fruitful than Church door recruiting. Some Patrician groups are held with good participation and attendance. Regarding Legion formation, the Senatus works on the basis of formation at praesidium meetings, visitation of praesidia and councils and not so much on separate formation sessions.
Barcelona Senatus: Barcelona has l0 praesidia with 74 active members. In Alicante the priests depend on the legionaries to prepare children for First Holy Communion. They contact deaf mutes and one legionary is learning sign language to assist at a special Mass for them.
Bilbao Senatus: Basauri Curia has 2 adult and l junior praesidia, l2 Praetorians, l2 Adjutorians, and l40 auxiliaries. It has 4 book barrows in 4 parishes. 6 pre-juveniles joined the junior praesidium and 2 juniors joined the senior ranks. The Curia in Algorta has a new praesidium of Philippinos. Pamplona Curia works with gypsies and immigrants.
PORTUGAL
Lisbon Senatus: Bishop Josse Augusto Traquina Maria, new Auxiliary Bishop of Lisbon, and formerly Parish Priest of Benfica warmly received Tadgh McMahon, who paid a brief visit to the parish on his way to Brazil, and acknowledged the Senatus commitment to strengthening the Legion in his former parish. The paesidium reporting at the May meeting has 15 members and 5 Praetorians. In addition to its parish apostolate it works among immigrants from the Ukraine and India. The Comitium of Cascais reports the recitation of a Mystery of the Rosary on visits to the Cancer Hospital. Help is provided to the mother of a son with special needs. An apostolate to older people involves visits to Churches and Art galleries. Catechesis includes preparation of children for Baptism, First Holy Communon and Confirmation. Porto Regia reports three new praesidia with one in the Comitium of Braga, where 65 legionaries took part in a training day for extension workers. In the Azores, 12 priests and 194 members attended a Congress.
CYPRUS
The Limassol praesidium joined the three praesidia in Nicosia for a joint Acies which they hope will now become an annual event. Queen of the Most Holy Rosary praesidium, Nicosia, made contacts with Catholics, some lapsed, and Greek Orthodox in Parks and Bus Stations.
ITALY
Rome Senatus: The reports from the praesidia and Curiae were very encouraging. The Senatus has volunteers for legionary extension in Umbria and Abruzzo. Two legionaries during their visit to Peru made contact with the Senatus of Lima. In the mountainous areas there, men are more numerous than women in the Legion ranks.
Milan Regia: Sunday Mass leaflets are distributed to contacts in parks, gardens and bars. An active and an auxiliary member were recruited in a park. There were big attendances at the Rosary and Benediction held in Apartment Compounds during May.
Padova Comitium: Extension work is continuing in three parishes. Bishop Antonio Mattiazzo sent a message of encouragement on the approval of the Legion Statutes in Rome. In Verona the Nigerian praesidium prepares children for the Sacraments. 11 received First Holy Communion and 19 Confirmation. They visited patients in hospital and called a priest for 2 sick people, one of whom died soon afterwards. They have 13 children ready to start a junior praesidium.
Malta Regia: An Italian-speaking praesidium of 5 with 43 Auxiliaries has an apostolate to the Italian Community. A praesidium of 8, with 4 Praetorians visits families, a Detention Centre and has an Apostolate to Seafarers. A Praesidium of 9, with 4 Praetorians, held two half-day retreats with attendances of 55. Two new families were consecrated to the Sacred Heart. Families renew their consecration annually at two special Masses. The junior Curia Acies, followed by a social evening had an attendance of 80. 40 juniors attended a weekend Work Camp, which included Eucharistic Adoration to which passers-by were invited. Nursing Homes were visited and a Treasure Hunt was included in the activities. A praesidium set up in January in Mother & Teacher Curia now has 15 men. Queen of the Eucharist Curia had good contacts at a Bus Terminus. A return of one person to the Sacraments after six years was reported by Mother of Good Shepherd Curia. Hope of the World Curia reported the baptism and Holy Communion of two children and 5 returns to the Sacraments. Gozo Comitium: The annual meeting for Spiritual Directors had an attendance 19. ‘The Joy of the Gospel’ was the theme of a Congress organised by the Comitium. A PPC information evening for 16/17 year olds had an attendance of 23. Fourteen legionaries from the Comitium took part in an extension drive in Swatar on Malta Island. Contact was made with 101 families which included Muslims and foreign students. Names were taken for active membership.
COUNTRIES UNDER CARETAKERSHIP OF MALTA
GREECE
The Malta Correspondent with another legionary and the Spiritual Director visited the praesidia in Greece in May and were met on arrival in Thessalonica by the Spiritual Director of the two praesidia, one of which is English and the other Greek-speaking. They attended the two praesidia meetings. The legionaries teach catechism, promote the Rosary and visit the elderly or people in difficulty accompanied by the Spiritual Director. Rhodes has one Philippino senior and one junior praesidium.
ALBANIA: The first Legion meeting in Kosovo took place on April 29th.
************************************
IRISH PROVINCIAL REPORT
COMITIA
Carlow Comitium: Works include hospital visitation. Myshall junior praesidium has 6 members aged from 8 to 16 years; three are Mass Servers; others distribute copies of Maria Legionis, also Miraculous Medals and Causes prayer leaflets. Efforts at setting up a new praesidium in Rathvilly are ongoing. Laois Curia: Extension efforts to set up a praesidium in the parish of Carbury are in train and the Curia is receiving great support from the Parish Priest. Kildare Curia: A meeting of the Officers of the Comitium and 2 attached Curiae was held on 21 May. The Correspondent and another legionary attended. Various aspects of Legion government and the need for building up membership were discussed. A Legion Stall will operate at the forthcoming Ploughing Championship.
Ferns Comitium: Works of Riverchapel praesidium with 7 members and 21 auxiliaries include visitation of homes, hospitals and nursing homes, plus Para Liturgy on Mondays and Wednesdays when the priest is unavailable to celebrate Mass. A 13 week course on Catechism organised by the Legion and Parish Priest had an attendance of 18. Ferns Curia: A praesidium of 9 members in Carnew visits the homes of recovering drug/alcoholic addicts.
Tuam Comitium: The intermediate praesidium in Tuam has 10 members who help in many ways in the Church in their various parishes, which includes organising prayers, Offertory Gifts and readings at Parish Church and school Masses. They are also involved in preparing children for Confirmation, helping at a Mini-Vigil in Knock, visiting 2 nursing homes and an elderly lady in her home. Lackagh praesidium has 5 members and 30 auxiliaries. Works include Pilgrim Statue visitation and distribution of Holy Communion to residents in a nursing home. The works of Clonberne praesidium include organising weekly Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and visitation of a local nursing home.
Westport Curia has 49 seniors, 14 juniors, 221 auxiliaries and 12 Adjutorians in its 9 senior and 2 junior praesidia. Works of consolation are included in their apostolate. Claremorris Curia has 44 seniors and 136 juniors, 220 auxiliaries, 18 Praetorians in its 7 senior and 5 junior praesidia. Home and Pilgrim Statue visitation is done by most praesidia. A new praesidium recently established in Knock is doing home visitation to estates in the parish. A Patrician group for men only started in October has an attendance of 15 to 20 each month.
Elphin Comitium: Ballinameen has its first senior praesidium. In the course of visitation they promote Eucharistic Adoration, Advent and Lenten Scripture groups, the Miraculous Medal and Brown Scapular. The Spiritual Director enrols all newly baptised and their families and also all school children in the Miraculous Medal. North Elphin Curia: Grange praesidium has 30 auxiliaries. Reports of Pilgrim Statue visitation tell of many favours received by parishioners, attributed to having the statue of Our Blessed in their homes.
Rathcormac praesidium has 5 members, 3 of whom are Praetorians; they have 13 auxiliaries. Works include the conducting of a children’s weekly Prayer Group in the parish Church, attended by 14 children and some parents. The Rosary is led by the children; hymns are sung and during Lent they do the Stations of the Cross. They also conduct a weekly Holy Hour each Thursday for the protection of priests. Some recipients of the Pilgrim Statue are now regularly praying the Rosary. A new praesidium has been set up in Collooney. Retreats and summer outings have been held.
*********************************
CURIAE
Achonry Curia: Kiltimagh and Ballymote praesidia visit nursing homes and bring the Statue of Our Lady to homes. Legionaries in Kiltimagh also help Swinford legionaries with their Patricians. A former junior from Kiltimagh is now in the senior praesidium in Maynooth.
Clonfert Curia: The apostolate of Cappatagle praesidium of 10 members, 2 of whom are Praetorians, includes hospital and nursing home visitation and bringing older people to visit their neighbours in care homes. A former member of the praesidium is visited on a regular basis in a Care Home and given copies of Maria Legionis. Members of the praesidium in Leitrim parish visit 2 nursing homes as well as bereaved families.
Galway Curia: The Curia hosted the PPC Conference for the western region on Sunday 11th May. The main work of a reporting praesidium is home visitation where many non- practicing Catholics are met. Another praesidium undertakes home and hospital visitation and also visit sick legionaries. The praesidium in Claregalway at the request of the Parish Priest organised the Rosary at the new Grotto every evening for the month of May with a good attendance. An anniversary Mass for Venerable Edel Quinn was held in the Dominican Church on 22nd May. The Curia had a most enjoyable outing to Concilium, Frank Duff’s house and grave with 16 in attendance on Saturday 7th June.
Killala Curia: Cooneal praesidium does works of service in the parish. The 12 members of the praesidium in Belmullet undertake home and hospital visitation and coordinate the Adoration Rota in the Church. They have 189 auxiliaries. A Patrician meeting on “Miracles of the Eucharist” was held in Ballina
***************************************
DUBLIN SOUTHSIDE CURIAE REPORT FOR JUNE & JULY
Immaculata Curia: 30 legionaries and 48 Patricians attended 9 meetings. One praesidium set up last year has 3 full and 3 probationary members. A Pilgrim Statue of St. Joseph is used during home visitation, resulted in one lady finding work. Recently street contact in a Shopping Centre has been started. One member is on both the Parish Council and the Baptism Team. A monthly Edel Quinn Prayer meeting has up to 12 in attendance. In March, around 50 people undertook to do the 33 days of preparation for True Devotion to Mary; booklets were made available. 14 Travellers attended a Halting Site Public Rosary in May. Another praesidium has 10 full and 2 probationary members. Patients in the Day Care Unit of Our Lady’s Hospice said they loved the Legion visits.
Mater Ecclesiae Curia: One praesidium gained 2 new members during the year; they now have seven active and 65 auxiliary members. Every Saturday legionaries visit Leopardstown Hospital and bring patients to the chapel for Mass; afterwards patients who could not attend are brought Holy Communion. A monthly Frank Duff Prayer Meeting includes one hour of Eucharistic Adoration. Four hours of Adoration are organised every week in the Oratory of a Shopping Centre; in this same Centre every Advent a huge crib is erected. Rosary Beads and Miraculous Medals are left for people to avail of. Another praesidium has 5 full and 2 probationary members. Two of their 30 auxiliary members help in selling Catholic papers at weekends. As part of the Baptism team the active members make contact with each family 4 times and try to involve them more deeply in parish life; they invited all 46 families to a special Crib Blessing at Christmas. The praesidium is in charge of Eucharistic Adoration in a neighbouring parish and circulates a letter to the 100 adorers four times a year. A recruitment drive in February saw a 30% increase in volunteers and adoration was extended to all day on Saturday.
Our Lady of Fatima Wicklow Curia: An Edel Quinn Prayer Meeting is starting in Arklow. A weekend Deus et Patria project in Aughrim resulted in 3 auxiliary members and many excellent contacts. The Greystones praesidium has 5 full members plus 1 on probation. Every day the Eucharist is brought to about 50 patients in two nursing homes. They gave talks on the Pioneers to Confirmation classes in 4 schools and gave Miraculous Medals and Rosary Beads to the Holy Communion classes. Legionaries are involved in the Parish Committee, Baptism and Funeral Teams, plus other activities.
Ancilla Domini Curia: This year’s Inner City Project resulted in a request for premises in which to run a Homework Club. Subsequently Myra House was made available on 4 afternoons per week. 6 social workers are involved and 2 of them joined the Legion, their duties being to clean the house and do street contact outside. The surge in activity has attracted great interest from shopkeepers, residents and passers-by alike. 3 Protestants and 5 Catholics attended the Pauline Circle in June. A praesidium of 9 full and 1 probationary members does street contact in Temple Bar, often with the Spiritual Director on hand for blessings or Confession. All homes in the parish have been visited.
Annunciata Curia: 15 legionaries and 25 Patricians attended 2 meetings. In a praesidium with an apostolate to street girls, 9 of their 13 members are Praetorians; they have 6 Adjutorians. 10 girls attended the Annual Retreat in October and most spoke with the priest. A girl who left the street life last year continues to attend Mass regularly and Confession on First Fridays. Two other women expressed a desire for Confession and were taken to see a priest.
Assumpta Curia: 64 Patricians and 17 legionaries attended 4 Patrician meetings. During home visitation a Chinese couple expressed an interest in the faith and were put in contact with the priest.
Spouse of the Holy Spirit Curia: 1000 recruitment cards were printed with all their praesidium meeting details. A praesidium reported distributing 70 Maria Legionis and visiting 2 nursing homes. 30 and 19 parishioners respectively attended the two Parish Retreats organised by the Legion during the last year.
Benedicta Curia: As well as street contact outside a Supermarket, contact is made in a hospital waiting area; 2 Indian Moslems accepted Miraculous Medals and listened keenly to the story detailing the Medal’s history. A junior Curia praesidium reported 3 new members; their work is performing Block Rosaries, Pilgrim Statue visitation and promoting the three Causes.
Gloriosa Curia: An Exploratio Dominicalis in Celbridge saw 130 houses visited and 1 auxiliary recruited. Over 50 attended an Auxiliary Rally on May 13th where a film on Fatima was shown. On a few occasions the huge industrial estates were visited using leaflets advertising Adoration. One praesidium has a special outreach to a large Traveller Site. One member attended a Traveller Conference in All Hallows College and helped a teenager with the Driving Licence theory test while another member was godfather to a new baby. A legionary is helping with RCIA instruction of a Chinese couple. An Exploratio Dominicalis to apartments enjoyed many good contacts, including a young English woman brought up in an atheist family who is interested in baptism for herself and her baby and a Church marriage to her boyfriend.
***********************************
AFRICA
NIGERIA
Abuja Senatus: The Bishop of Otukpo continues to promote the Legion during his sermons. 66 praesidia were formed in one Comitium in 3 years. In July 46 Patrician chairpersons met, with the effective organisation of Patricians the chief aim; another meeting is planned for October.
Ibadan Senatus: Warri & Akure Comitia have both been inaugurated as Regiae. Warri reported that an 84 year old lady received Baptism and Holy Communion. There were 19 conversions, including two street girls, 35 marriages rectified and 36 couples prepared for marriage.
Enugu Senatus: Reports indicate many returns to the faith, great numbers prepared for the Sacraments and many Block Rosary Centres being established. Nsukka Regia, which has almost 20,000 senior members and over 10,000 juniors, prepared over 4,000 for the Sacraments. 98 prisoners were baptised and 53 prisoners received their First Holy Communion. Onitsha Regia: Legionaries from one Comitium participated in a visitation project to homes in six villages, leaving a lot of follow up on baptisms and marriage cases for the local council. Jos Regia: One Curia with 473 seniors and 988 juniors has 140 probationers. Ikot Ekpene Regia: Five new praesidia have been established in a Seminary. Lagos Regia: This council has 21 Comitia, 4 Curiae and 13 praesidia attached. One Comitium reported, ship, prison and brothel visitation among its works. Another Comitium contacted 8078 practising and 3528 lapsed Catholics on home visitation. Kaduna Regia: In the course of PPC- type projects many lapsed Catholics, other Christians and Muslim were met. They also showed a film on the Passion of Our Lord. There is urgent need for instruction. Many men practise polygamy and many more are not baptised. Contact is problematic due to continued political unrest and lack of email. Prayers are requested.
MALAWI
Blantyre Senatus: The Senatus Officers met the new Archbishop of Blantyre, who commended them on their work and expressed his appreciation of the proposal to raise Maula Regia in Lilongwe Archdiocese to Senatus level. The Archbishop of Lilongwe arranged to meet the officers of Maula Regia, (which governs the Legion in Lilongwe and has 15 directly attached praesidia, 6 Curiae and 19 Comitia) to discuss the proposed Senatus. The other 3 Regia in Malawi govern a total of 43 Comitia plus Curiae and praesidia. The number of youth and junior praesidia is increasing.
SENATUS OF KENYA: His Eminence Cardinal John Njue, Archbishop of Nairobi was Chief Celebrant at the Mass to mark the 70th anniversary of the death of Venerable Edel Quinn. Over 5000 legionaries from all over Kenya including members from 16 Secondary Schools, a big number from Uganda and some from Tanzania attended. His Eminence encouraged legionaries in their work, especially in their promotion of the Cause of Venerable Edel. A new Senatus President was elected in June. The Legion continues to grow in various Dioceses. Works include preparing children and adults for the Sacraments, visiting prisons and hospitals and encouraging parents to have their children baptised, with amazing results. 75 alcohol and drug addicts plus 2 street girls changed their lives and returned to the Sacraments.
UGANDA SENATUS: Reports were given by two Regiae with a total of 66,000 active adults and over 68,000 youth and junior members, 11 Comitia, 2 Curiae and 10 praesidia. One of the latter praesidia is in a University and another in a prison, while three are in Seminaries; the Seminarians do good work guiding praesidia in schools. Among works reported on were visitation of homes, hospitals, Health Centres, prisons, markets, bars and salons. Street contacts with all creeds and none are made and homes with satanic shrines visited. Catechism and adult education courses were organised, with many conversions. Large numbers of lapsed returned to the Church. Many couples had their marriages regularised.
TANZANIA
Dar-Es-Salaam Regia: Following the promotion of the Legion at Masses in Parish Churches by members from Seminary praesidia, approximately 340 names were given, including names of some students, for active membership. Experienced Legionaries in different councils were then appointed to follow up the new members’ progress. The inauguration of the Year of the Family took place in May. Legionaries were assigned to foster Christian family values and praesidia were asked to conduct retreats for families around 15th August, to promote this theme of ‘Christian Values’. A PPC project to Zanzibar was scheduled for July and the Secretary of Zanzibar Curia said that Legionaries who undertook PPC there last year left good memories, enkindling faith and zeal. Rombo Comitium: Reports include home and hospital visitation and preparation of adults and children for the Sacraments. Hai Moshi Comitium: Works include home and hospital visitation, caring for junior praesidia, visitation of schools, contact with drug and alcohol addicts, helping to settle marriage disputes and preparing adults and children for the Sacraments. Kahama Comitium has 10 Curiae and 4 attached praesidia. Works include visitation of homes, the sick and elderly at home and in hospital. There were many returns to the Sacraments and 3 Curiae were set up. Juniors work well as altar servers. They held a nine-day Retreat.
ZAMBIA
Lusaka Regia: Regular visitation of councils is done. One Comitium visiting hospitals, the bereaved and prisoners had 3 lapsed returned to the Church.
Kasama Regia: The Acies and Retreat had an attendance of 412. Council visitation is carried out praesidium to praesidium, Council to Council.
SIERRA LEONE
Freetown Curia: Liberia and Sierra Leone have suffered many difficulties over the years and now they are faced with the spread of the Ebola virus. Please pray for them and the people in the other countries similarly affected.
THE GAMBIA
Banjul Curia: The Curia is working hard visiting parishes, trying to start and reactivate praesidia.
*********************************************
