Concilium Bulletin December 2010

Concilium Bulletin
December 2010

AFRICA

MALAWI:
Blantyre Senatus: The Senatus was launched on 12th June at which the Bishop of Mangochi Diocese, an Auxiliary Bishop of Blantyre, the Spiritual Director and several other priests concelebrated the Mass. The first of 4 new Regia was due to be raised in July. In Blantyre Archdiocese there are 10 Comitia, 17 Curiae and 14 Praesidia attached to the Senatus. Membership is over 10,000.

Uganda Senatus: Translation and printing of Legion literature into the many languages there is ongoing. So it was most encouraging to receive a letter from the Senatus President enclosing copies of the Runyankole/Rukiga Handbook as this had suffered a number of delays and it means that many Legionaries in Western Uganda have the handbook in their own language.

Senatus of Kenya: In 3 months one Comitium contacted 599 lapsed legionaries and 67 are active again and 44 others joined. 235 lapsed Catholics returned to the practice of their faith and 15 couples had their marriages regularised. Care of juniors featured in many reports. A praesidium helped revive another and cares for Venerable Edel’s grave.

NIGERIA
Ibadan Senatus: Benin City Regia reported 304 conversions including 24 Muslims, 125 marriages regularised, 127 lapsed returned and 12 senior and 2 junior curiae formed. Lagos Regia: A Comitium reported that 59 left a brothel as a result of Legion visitation and they had 365 conversions including 65 Muslims, 389 lapsed returned and many Exploratio Dominicalis projects were done. Five new praesidia were formed at a police barracks and many Masses were offered to commemorate Frank Duff. Abuja Regia: A Curia treasurer had 100% attendance for 2 years at praesidium, Curia and Comitium meetings. One Comitium reported 464 conversions while another reported 9559 including 917 Muslims out of 11,795 contacts. When queried the Spiritual Director and President said they believed these figures to be correct. Kaduna Regia: Two Comitia with a combined total of 2365 active seniors and 1059 juniors reported on much home and hospital visitation and also visits to prisons, orphanages and hotels resulting in many receiving the Sacraments and lapsed returning and there were 5 conversions. Two Exploratio projects were held and many were recruited.

Enugu Senatus: Reports indicate many prepared for the sacraments, consecration of homes to The Sacred Heart, contact with families of newborn babies, Block Rosary Centres established, extension, family disputes reconciled and marriages blessed and also wonderful achievements and follow up on Exploratio Dominicalis projects. A Comitium in Onitsha Regia reported 38 converts, 278 marriages blessed, many prepared for the Sacraments, and 10 senior, 13 junior and 4 intermediate Praesidia set up. Jos Regia: A curia in a Major Seminary has 12 praesidia. The Hausa Comitium recruited 2,290 members and an average of 640 attend the various Patrician meetings each month. All the praesidia and councils reporting to Ikot Ekpene Regia show many candidates being prepared for the Sacraments, marriages blessed, conversion and returns to the Sacraments. Extension efforts have been very fruitful.

ZAMBIA
Lusaka Regia: Works include visits to the sick, lapsed Catholics, prisoners, and there are good reports of returns to the Church and marriage regularisations. Council Officers met the new Pastoral co-ordinator to explain the Legion’s 3-year term of office. Kasama Regia: While praesidia and council visitation is done by councils to their neighbours, some distant ones have yet to be visited.

TANZANIA
Dar-Es-Salaam Comitium: There was encouraging news in the minutes that overdue elections have been successfully held. Mtwara Comitium: A Curia with 226 members in 10 praesidia gave a 3-year report and works included leading prayers in small Christian Communities and Church devotions. One praesidium was revived. They contacted youth not attending school and some took instruction for the Sacraments. Nineteen people were converted, 48 lapsed returned and 31 couples were married including 7 non-Catholics who were baptised. Njombe Comitium: This Comitium has 6 Curia and 9 praesidia attached. Songea Comitium has 11 Curia and 12 directly attached praesidia with an active membership of 1500. Mbinga Diocese has 4 Comitia with a combined total of almost 3,000 members. Hai Moshi and Rombo Comitia report on home and hospital visitation with many returns to the Sacraments and marriages blessed. Secondary schools are visited to establish praesidia. A new Curia has been formed.

THE GAMBIA:
Banjul Curia is making great efforts to set up more praesidia.

EUROPE

PORTUGAL
A Comitium in the Azores with 15 praesidia and 7 attached Curiae recently started a new junior praesidium. A praesidium of 11 in a deprived area of Lisbon has only 2 literate members. They do excellent work among the sick and bereaved. Setubal Curia reported on prison visitation. Sixty-three prisoners were prepared for the Sacrament of Reconciliation and one baptised. There was a participation of 71 prisoners in the Way of the Cross.

SPAIN
Madrid Senatus is preparing for the World Youth Day 2011. Excellent work continues such as the contact in bars with young Spaniards. Most are attentive and listen with respect and admire the work the legionaries are doing. On home visitation a special effort is made to encourage parents to teach their children to pray. November reports state that some auxiliaries have become active members, a married couple have joined a praesidium and many former active members have returned to full membership. A new praesidium has been set up in the parish of the Dominicans in Madrid.
Barcelona Senatus: A praesidium has worked with street girls for over 40 years. Many are now old and sick and are visited in hospital or in their homes. The daughter of one of them, now a young adult, was prepared for First Holy Communion. A special Mass was arranged for Patty Kavanagh R.I.P. who was their correspondent for many years.

ITALY
Rome Senatus: The Paterno Comitium with 4 attached Curiae has a total of 51 praesidia and 500 members. Extension efforts continue in Rome, in the Basilicata and elsewhere. A Roman Parish Priest has asked his praesidium to knock on every door. Prayers are asked for the Spiritual Director, Mgr. La Rosa, who has been in hospital recently. Milan Regia: Good contacts are made in Bars, Gardens and Markets. Filipino legionaries are making contact with young Polish people. Lifelong commitment to the rehabilitation of an alcoholic was rewarded by a deathbed reconciliation and conversion. Radio Mater broadcast a talk on Frank Duff and Cardinal Newman and also on Fr. Bradshaw’s biography of Frank Duff. Padova Comitium: A praesidium gained two new members as a result of praying to Frank Duff. The Rosary is recited in Italian and German in a hospital at the request of the chaplain. Two priests and 12 legionaries participated in a PPC project of the Maltese legionaries to San Bellino Parish. They called on 850 homes. Housebound invalids received the sacrament of Reconciliation and the Eucharist. 180 families were invited to Mass, Confession and family prayer.

CYPRUS
Three praesidia in Nicosia and one in Limassol help with Sunday liturgy, make good contacts with lapsed Catholics on crowd contact and make Pilgrim Statue visits to homes for the elderly.

MALTA
A Frank Duff exhibition was held during a parish festival with many good contacts made. A 5-day apostolate gained 5 new members. Reports include Exploratio Dominicalis, Patrician Meetings, consecration of homes to the Sacred Heart, contact with tourists and bus drivers and talks on Our Lady in a primary school. A Muslim was received into the Church before death and two abortions prevented. Half day retreats for auxiliaries were held, two of which had attendances of 15 and 20. A Marian Song festival in Gozo had an attendance of 28.

GREECE
Literature on the Legion and the True Devotion was forwarded to the Spiritual Director of the praesidium in Rhodes. News was received of a new praesidium of Filipino members in Athens.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

St Louis Senatus: Two new praesidia have been set up. Works reported on include jail visitation, working with alcoholics, promoting the family Rosary and Enthronement of the Sacred Heart in homes resulting in people returning to the Church.
Boston Senatus: Legionaries in most councils visit homes, hospitals and nursing homes. A correction centre teaches the inmates to read and write and one is taking instruction in the faith.
Houston Senatus: A new Regia was set up in New Orleans, which governs all of Louisiana. The Bishop of Tyler, asked for contact work at the East Texas State Fair. The Chinese Curia organised the annual Asian Mass, which was well supported by their community. A new Curia of 3 years has set up its thirteenth praesidium. The Vietnamese Curia reports membership of 18 and 15 in two of their praesidia. Another praesidium recruited 28 new auxiliaries. The Hispanic Comitium has Sunday morning mission to street people and provide refreshments and counselling.
Philadelphia Senatus: A second praesidium has been set up in St. Charles Borromeo Seminary and members visits the sick and homeless. 200 attended a Marian Day. Camden Comitium report 16 returns to the faith, one after 42 years, and do book barrow apostolate. Seven prisons are visited regularly. Pittsburgh Regia has a prison praesidium and also visits other prisons in their area. A Bishop took part in a first time Blessed Sacrament procession. Delaware County Korean Curia had 2 converts, 6 returns and 3 adult baptisms. The Senatus annual retreat had 221 participants.
San Francisco Senatus: Crowd contact apostolate is done at the local Zoo and in downtown San Francisco. Oregon Comitium has 4 senior and one junior praesidia attached. Seattle Comitium with 10 Curiae and 15 praesidia set up a new Spanish Curia with 3 praesidia. San Jose Comitium are emphasising the audit of the treasurer’s books. Sidewalk counselling is undertaken in Anchorage Comitium. In north Utah Curia the Catholic Church is growing in Salt Lake City.
New York Senatus: The 75th anniversary of the founding of the Legion was held in the Cathedral with 3,000 legionaries attending.
Los Angeles Senatus: A new Curia has been set up in a Filipino parish.
Cincinnati Senatus: An extension worker has been appointed. A Comitium is giving each parish in the Diocese a copy of “The Priest and the Legion”. Lapsed Catholics were met during home visitation. Arlington Regia appointed an extension worker who set up 2 praesidia in North Virginia. A Curia in Raleigh reported a conversion and had an abortion prevented. Baltimore Comitium reported 5 returns to the Sacraments, 2 conversions and one marriage validated. Fairfax Curia has been raised to a Comitium.

CANADA
Montreal Senatus was visited by Toronto Regia in September.
Ontario Senatus are involved in market ministry. Twenty-eight handicapped people were brought on a pilgrimage. A single mother had her 5 children baptised.
Toronto Regia: A workshop titled “Back to Basics” had 75 legionaries present. Extension is ongoing in many councils. Works include visiting a Seaman’s Mission, reciting the Rosary at wakes and funerals. Vancouver Comitium: 100 attended a Marian event, 2 adults were baptised before death. A legionary has entered a Seminary. There are 15 active members in a Chinese praesidium. Edmonton Comitium: A Legion booth was set up at a Family Life Conference. One of the Curia has set up a website. Distant councils are visited.

WEST INDIES
Santiago de los Caballeros Senatus: A retreat for those in irregular marriages was held and resulted in 22 couples being prepared for and receiving the sacrament of matrimony. These were then immediately incorporated into catholic activities such as the Legion and in catechises. Works include homes, hospital and prison visitation, visiting the bereaved and catechetical instruction of children, adolescents and adults. During October all praesidia recite the rosary in the homes and streets of their communities. In Comitium Madre del Divino Nino there are 15 Patrician groups. Two youths of an evangelical Protestant family were instructed and received into the Church.
Senatus of Haiti: The 2 attached Comitia have 2,000 members. Works include home and prison visitation, teaching catechism and run literacy and mission courses, which result in many receiving the sacraments.
Porto Rico Senatus promote True Devotion to the Nation, first Friday Night Adoration and help the sick in legal affairs. The Miami Regia visited Trinidad Regia in May.

Concilium Legionis Mariae’s Theme for 2011

At the December Concilium Meeting it was agreed that the theme for 2011 would be: ‘The Charism of Frank Duff and the Legion of Mary’. The following is the text giving details of the theme:

“The Charism of Frank Duff and the Legion of Mary”

In 2011, we celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Legion of Mary and it is a year of grace for all legionaries. To focus our attention and efforts during this year, the Concilium Legionis Mariae has proposed the theme: “The Charism of Frank Duff and the Legion of Mary”

Charism in the Catholic sense means the spiritual graces and qualifications granted to every Christian to perform his or her task in the Church. The Founder of the Legion of Mary, the Servant of God Frank Duff, was granted a charism i.e. a gift from the Holy Spirit of extraordinary graces for the good of others. He put this gift to great use by founding and guiding the Legion of Mary. It is best described in the words of Most Rev. Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin:

“Frank Duff died thirty years ago. This quiet, personally unassuming man, in quiet simple external circumstances in Dublin, on 7th September 1921, established a movement of prayer, Christian care and Marian spirituality. The Legion of Mary is a movement which has spread worldwide and has enriched the Church in many parts of the world, especially at moments in which the Church was experiencing difficulty and persecution. We have come to thank God for the charism of Frank Duff; a charism recognised in a special way by the Second Vatican Council, which he attended. We thank God for the spiritual enrichment that that charism has brought the members of the Legion of Mary. We thank God for the Christian care and spiritual formation that millions have encountered through their contact with the Legion of Mary. We remember especially the tenacity of this outwardly retiring man: tenacity in reaching out unashamedly to bring the message of Jesus to people in the varied circumstances of their lives, a tenacity driven not by human ambition but through a devotion to Mary who in every aspect of her life opened her heart to understand and to do the will of God.” (Introduction to 30th Anniversary Mass in Commemoration of The Servant of God Frank Duff in the Pro Cathedral Dublin on 20 November 2010).

In 2011, the Concilium urges all legionaries to focus on this theme by:
1. Promoting with greater vigour the Cause of the Servant of God, Frank Duff.
2. Asking every legionary to always have on their person, Frank Duff Beatification Prayer leaflets to give to people they meet in the course of their daily lives. In praying for him, he, in turn, can intercede for them. This prayer can be obtained from the Legion of Mary website www.legionofmary.ie
3. Recommending to Legion Councils to organise an Anniversary Mass in commemoration of Frank Duff to be celebrated, if possible, by the Bishop in their Diocese, to which all local Catholics would be invited.
4. Praying to our Founder for new active and auxiliary members to join the Legion and unite with Our Lady in the Church’s evangelising work.
5. Marking the 90th Anniversary of the Legion of Mary through an appropriate event or undertaking e.g. could every praesidium start a new praesidium?
6. Putting this theme on the Agenda of Council and praesidium meetings and seeking regular feedback on how it and the above are progressing.
7. Studying the Legion Handbook, daily if possible, to absorb the Charism of Frank Duff and the Legion of Mary.

NOTE: Councils are asked to please circulate this text to all praesidia.

70th Anniversary Celebrations of the Legion of Mary in France

On behalf of the Concilium, Michael McManus, Anne and Aodan O’Briein and Enda Dunleavy attended the 70th Anniversary celebrations to mark the founding of the Legion of Mary in France at Nevers in 1940.

St. Bernadette entered the convent of St. Gilldard, the Mother House of the Sister of Nevers in 1864 at the age of 20. The building had been constructed only a few years previously, and it was to remain her home for the rest of her short life, 15 years, until her death in 1879 aged 35.

Written high up in large letters on the convent exterior is their motto “Deus Caritas Est” - God is love. You will remember Pope Benedict’s first encyclical has this title. What you may not know is that he was elected pope on the 16th April and that is also the feast of St. Bernadette. The building is now called “Espace Bernadette” no longer a convent as such. It is a conference centre with excellent facilities, and was an ideal setting for the 200+ delegates at the weekend celebrations.

Could any more appropriate place be found in France to start the Legion of Mary. The statue of the Immaculate Conception graces our altar: At the heart of our mission statement “The Vexilium” is the medal of the Immaculate Conception, and all legionaries are urged to be living miraculous medals. And in Nevers we have the incorrupt body of the one who saw “The Immaculate Conception”. She is asleep waiting to open those eyes again to everlasting life.

While France is blessed to have the Rue de Bac, Lourdes and Nevers, all gifts of Our Lady, we as legionaries are privileged to share fully by association, in the graces flowing from this trinity of sources. It was a great blessing for us to be present at this moment in Nevers to celebrate their 70th birthday with our legionary brothers and sisters. We thank the Concilium for asking us to be their representatives on such a joyful occasion.

VISIT TO CONCILIUM BY THE OFFICERS OF DERRY COMITIUM
AND ATTACHED COUNCILS

On the 13th November 2010 the officers of Derry Comitium, Ireland and attached Curiae came to Concilium for discussions with the Concilium Officers:
Derry Comitium: Gerard Gallagher President, Martin Doherty Vice-President, Ann Marie Hassan Secretary, Kathleen Boyle Treasurer; Mater Dei Curia: Margaret Harte President and Kathleen Kelly Vice-President; Inishown Curia: Rose Duffy Treasurer and Rosemarie Moore a member; Queen of Peace Curia: Terry Harkin Treasurer.

The Government of the Legion, the holding of regular monthly officers’ meetings, the visitation of attached praesidia, the holding of a Congress and True Devotion to Mary were some of the items talked about at the meeting.

Tommy McCabe, President of the Concilium, thanked the officers for coming to Dublin and encouraged them to keep up the good works they are engaged in for Our Blessed Lady.

Tribute to Sam Hughes, R.I.P.
Former President of Concilium

Sam Hughes was born in 1914 and joined the Legion of Mary probably in the late 1930’s so that he had over 70 years legionary service. He threw himself into the legionary apostolate and in the course of his long life served in many officerships and initiated several legionary apostolic ventures. He was the first President of Porta Coeli Curia and organised the Legion’s participation in the placing and blessing of the statue of Our Lady of Dublin Port at the Bull Wall. He took on the Presidency of the Morning Star Hostel for six years and introduced better living conditions for the indoor Brothers.

He organised the Legion’s Golden Jubilee Celebrations and the first Legion Youth Pilgrimage to Holy Cross Abbey. One of his great exploits was the organisation of the Peregrinatio Pro Christo to Trinidad, which led to the Legion there reaching new heights and taking on the administration of the Legion in much of the Caribbean and in the Guianas. His brother, a Dominican priest, had died in Trinidad and it was a poignant experience for Sam to see where his brother had laboured to build up the Church.

Sam’s work was greatly valued by the Servant of God Frank Duff, who included him among his cycling companions. Sam served as a Concilium officer for some years before being elected President of the Concilium in 1981. During his six years in that office he also served for some of the time as Editor of the Maria Legionis. In his concern for the faith of young people he initiated the Maria et Patria movement. Later, he was elected President of Immaculata Curia. As well as being an active promoter of the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association of the Sacred Heart, he set up a Eucharistic League in his own parish of Crumlin. Sam was a dedicated Concilium correspondent for a great many years, dealing with Legion councils both in Ireland and in other countries, one of these being Korea, where the Legion made great progress. Shortly after Sam joined the Legion he recruited the late John Gavin, who was later to serve as President of the Concilium and in other Concilium officerships.

Sam worked in Urney’s Chocolate Manufacturers and was devoted to his sister, Kathleen, with whom he lived in the family home in Crumlin. Kathleen predeceased him and in recent years Sam moved to a nursing home in Bray. Unfortunately, his hearing deteriorated greatly in his later years. He died on 9 November, 2010. Sam’s contribution to the Legion of Mary was quite extraordinary. His great devotion to Jesus and Mary and to the Church was shown by his faithful practice of the Christian life and his total dedication to the legionary apostolate. May his generous and loyal soul rest in peace.

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

All Legion Councils, praesidia and individual legionaries are encouraged to actively promote the Cause of the Servant of God, Frank Duff, through the widespread dissemination of the Frank Duff prayer leaflets, through the organising of Frank Duff prayer groups and the holding of Masses to commemorate his life.

If you need Frank Duff prayer leaflets, please contact the Concilium.

Favours attributed to the intercession of
The Servant of God, Frank Duff

Should be reported to:

Legion of Mary,
De Montfort House,
Morning Star Avenue,
North Brunswick Street,
Dublin 7, IRELAND