Concilium Bulletin December 2019
EUROPE
SPAIN
Madrid Senatus: Dedicated elderly legionaries concentrate on street apostolate to young people. Recruits who do not persevere are invited to participate in ‘Frank Duff’’ prayer groups. It is planned that the 3 Senatus in Spain will have a three-day meeting early in 2020. A comprehensive bulletin incorporating the Concilium correspondent’s letter is published monthly by the Senatus.
Barcelona Senatus: The three active members of a reporting praesidium with no president have 5 groups of Nuns as Adjutorians. They visit homes for the elderly. Attendance at Senatus in October was 80%.
Bilbao: Attendance at a large praesidium is irregular and hence prevents it being divided. A praesidium visits bereaved families at the request of the Parish Priest.
CYPRUS
The Legion celebrated 28 years in Cyprus in October with a Mass followed by a meeting of all 6 praesidia in the republic of Cyprus. It is hoped to found a new praesidium in Larnica, the only parish in Cyprus with no Legion presence.
PORTUGAL
Lisbon Senatus welcomed their new Spiritual Director in July. Help is given to families of broken marriages by Acores Comitium. In Damaia Pilgrim statue visitation resulted in 3 couples being reconciled. The same council prepared 10 children for Holy Communion and Confirmation. A Curia provides basic care to the sick coupled with Eucharistic visits.
MALTA
Malta Regia celebrated 50 years of being raised to Regia status. PPC projects were carried out to Birmingham, Syracuse and Israel. A praesidium visits auxiliaries twice yearly and organises Retreats for them. A Curia organised a one week apostolate in the only parish in their area without the Legion. The Curia influenced a man to return to the Sacraments after an absence of 25 years and is preparing a Hindu lady and her 2 children for Baptism and Confirmation. In one of the attached Curiae the Rosary was recited 8 times in two wine shops in May and October. Prison visitation is also done.
Gozo Comitium also celebrated 50 years of being raised to Comitium status. Much contact work is done with tourists and foreigners. Two young men are being prepared for Baptism and 2 children of an unmarried couple are also being prepared for Baptism. Legionaries helped at a Radio Station where three programmes on Frank Duff were broadcast. Patrician meetings had an attendance of 15 and 20. Juniors and intermediates join with seniors during works and activities.
GREECE
News is scant and phone calls reveal small praesidia with mostly elderly members.
ALBANIA
A new praesidium has been founded in Tirana and visitation of a female prison is done. 25 prasidia are attached to the Comitium and those in the cities are much stronger than their rural brethren.
ITALY
Milan Regia: New Officers are in place but no recording of elections provided. The President has appealed to Concilium for a visitation as numbers diminishing. Numbers at 3 most recent Regia meetings are 9, 10 and 15. The Correspondent suggests a Novena to St. Charles Borremeo who as Cardinal Archbishop of Milan saved the city from the influences of the Reformation. A copy of Maria Legionis is to be sent for imitation as their Legion journal has very poor circulation.
Padua Comitium has no Spiritual Director and it was suggested they have a nun as caretaker Spiritual Director. The German-speaking praesidium in Lana is weak. The Correspondent suggested that they recruit Italian nationals. Due to age of members, little home visitation done. The African Curia in Verona is doing well.
Rome Senatus: A new praesidium brings the number attached to Senatus to 10. A college praesidium has 14 members. A Ugandan seminarian has been helped in the setting up of a new praesidium. The Correspondent feels the main work will be promoting Eucharistic Adoration.
NORTH AMERICA, CANADA AND WEST INDIES
Boston Senatus: Promotion of Rosary novenas among bereaved and a weekly Dawn Rosary at 6am in October featured. Hartford Comitium with 10 praesidia and 3 Curiae attached show a ratio of 12 auxiliary members to every 1 active member. Legionaries in 2 prison praesidia welcome Mary as their model to build character and spread kindness and the Gospel among inmates. Book barrows, street contact and processions featured. Recruitment is taken seriously by the Senatus. A Congress was held.
New York Senatus: A praesidium gained 3 new active and 28 auxiliary members through book barrow apostolate. South Bronx Curia also has a book barrow where they instructed a non-Catholic to pray the Rosary. East Harlem Curia recruited 4 new members. Enthronement of the Sacred Heart was made to 51 homes. Buffalo Comitium makes jail and hospital visits and evangelises in malls. Upper Manhattan Curia: A 6-member praesidium had 22 children baptised, and 40 for First Holy Communion and Confirmation. Over 300 families were visited. Newark Korean Comitium has 10 Curiae with about 800 members. An Officer’s Conference was held with 137 attending. More attention for recruitment of youth was encouraged.
Philadelphia Senatus: A praesidium visits drug addiction areas. One praesidium has increased its auxiliary roll by 19. Works include, Enthronement of the Sacred Heart and home visitation. Harrisburg Comitium: Works: visits to prisons, RCIA and bereavement visits. Works in Delaware Co. N. Curia, include pizza and movie nights, book barrows and juniors. Wilmington Curia conducts a weekly radio programme and a Patrician group. The Spanish Curia in Metuchen Comitium visits housebound and does RCIA. Pittsburgh Regia organises Rosary Rallies and Retreats. Visits are made to prisons and juvenile detention centres and to a women’s shelter.
Chicago Senatus: In Duluth Curia, MN, a prison praesidium has 17 active and 70 auxiliary members. Many conversions among the inmates were reported. In Joliet, IL, Curia praesidia served at a 5-day Du Page Co. Fair, distributing Miraculous Medals and religious literature. St. Cloud Curia took part in two County Fairs. In the Hispanic Comitium, a praesidium called on 282 homes, bringing many back to practice. A couple living together for 15 years, with encouragement from legionaries, married in Church. St. Paul Comitium made 329 contacts at the Ramsey Co. Fair. Peoria Curia, IL, helped at a Legion booth at the State Fair. A praesidium with 10 active and 86 auxiliary members did an Exploratio Dominicalis in Jefferson Park. In Rockford Curia, IL: A lady credits a Pilgrim Statue visit with cancer remission and her son got a job that week. Sioux Falls Curia, SD, is planning a PPC in Sturgis next year.
St. Louis Senatus: Two new praesidia are starting up. They report prison ministry, PPC, visits to homes, nursing homes, RCIA, and visiting auxiliaries. They have 2 Patrician groups. 4 nursing home patients have returned to the Sacraments. One marriage was validated. 150 attended a talk given on ‘Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary’. Extension work was done and in one parish a new praesidium was set up.
Arlington Regia: Fairfax Senior Curia reported 7 new members and one Exploratio Dominicalis project. Tidewater Curia had 300 at a Beach Boardwalk Eucharistic Procession. Raleigh Curia has 15 new juniors. Many praesidia do prison visitation; 2 inmates had their marriage validated and another requested catechism classes. Washington Curia has 2 new praesidia. Arlington junior Curia has 3 praesidia with 31 members. They staffed a booth at the Arlington County Fair.
Cincinnati Senatus: 4 members attended at a Legion Booth at the National Catholic Youth Conference. A praesidium of 7 members promoted Enthronements of the Two Hearts of Jesus and Mary on home visitation. Another praesidium did 66 hours contact at Montgomery Fair and nursing home visitation. Some visible fruits included a new auxiliary, a student getting a job, a non-Catholic starting RCIA and a lapsed Catholic of 50 years receiving Confession. South Bend Curia staffed a Legion Booth at an Agricultural Fair, Columbus Curia organised a Public Rosary Rally in the town square. Cleveland Comitium held a Legion Congress. Knoxville Curia, supported by their Spiritual Director does excellent work for juniors.
Houston Senatus: Southern Comitium: A twenty years old prison praesidium has fifteen active members. Br. James has been their faithful link throughout. New Orleans Regia: The former President Comitium, Br. John Yike, is now a deacon and hopes to be ordained a priest next year. Dallas Comitium: The Spanish Curia has two new praesidia. Both Dallas and Austin Comitia provided legionaries to help with a table at the Professional Catholic Women’s Conference in Dallas. San Antonio Comitium: 100 people visited the Legion table at the Catholic Women’s Conference. A praesidim in the Vietnamese Curia helped a patient in hospital to resume practice.
Los Angeles Senatus: Three praesidia engage in Columban drives. Home visitation is the main work in the Curiae of Lynwood, San Diego, Long Beach and Honolulu. San Diego held a Congress while PPC to Los Vegas also featured.
San Francisco Senatus held an Annual Legion Conference and Rosary Rally. A Curia held a Congress. During home visitation new residents are invited to consider the Catholic Faith. Book barrow, street contact and Pilgrim statue visitation featured. PPC and 6-day evangelisation project to over 600 homes yielded a new praesidium. Extension is underway in 2 parishes. Attached councils in Idaho, Oakland and Sacramento gained 3, 2 and 2 new praesidia respectively. 2 prisons were visited in San Jose and an inmate received Confirmation. A priest in Oakland did home visitation with legionaries and there has been an increase in Mass attendance. Another Curia visited 550 homes during a weekend project.
Miami Regia: Following its submission of the Regia’s Annual Report to Archbishop Thomas Wenski, the Regia received a commendation from the Archbishop praising the Legion for the quality and diligence of its work. The Regia President, Br. Mark Steele, in reply, said that the surge in vocations manifested recently was further proof that the Archbishop’s optimism was justified.
CANADA
The Senatus of Toronto: The praesidium in St. Augustine Seminary has been reactivated with 6 seminarians. A praesidium with 12 members visit the homeless and drug addicts in a local park and share Rosaries and Miraculous Medals with them. Legionaries staffed a book stand at a Polish Festival. Hamilton Comitium: A former junior legionary, Fr. Merkley, is now their new Spiritual Director. In Niagara Curia the theme of a recent Congress was, ‘Animated by Charity’. Kingston Curia, attached to Ottawa Regia, organised a booth at a local market over three days. A novel work is a knitting club they conduct weekly in their parish. Winnipeg Curia makes contacts at bus stops and in malls. They staged an Auxiliary Rally at which 30 took part. The two Korean Comitia have three Curiae attached, with large membership in each. They play an essential part in their parish communities.
Montreal Senatus: A praesidium of 7 active members organises Novenas, catechism for children and are working on 2 extension projects. A junior praesidium visits sick children and helps other children with homework. A praesidium of 12 members visits the sick and auxiliaries, does Bible study and prays with the dying. They have a Frank Duff prayer meeting. St. Hyacinthe Curia distributes Miraculous Medals to 1st Communicants. A Haitian praesidium of 16 active members assists with Baptism, catechism, Eucharistic ministry and they visit the sick and dying.
Vancouver Comitium: Since 2002 Regina Mundi Curia legionaries visit a Correctional Centre for Women. Other works include prayer and Bible reading, giving Rosaries to street people and the homeless. A Curia with 10 senior and 4 junior praesidia promote the Cause of Frank Duff. Legionaries arranged for a couple to have a Church wedding, at which legionaries were invited to be present. Okanagan Curia has three attached praesidia. A correspondent has been appointed to this Curia.
Edmonton Comitium: A praesidium held a junior’s Retreat with over 120 children participating. A Legion workshop was held to discuss and clarify aspects of the Legion system with over 50 participants. A Curia held a recruiting drive resulting in 18 new members and 20 auxiliaries. Praesidia in another Curia are actively evangelising at train stations and in the public square.
HAITI
Senatus of Haiti: Reports were received from 4 Comitia, 1 Curia and 2 praesidia. Works include visiting homes, hospitals, asylums and prisons meeting Catholics, Protestants and practitioners of voodoo. The infirm, bereaved and marginalised are particularly cared for and the Legionaries continue to accompany priests on sick calls. Junior’s, Patricians. Catechism and classical courses are organised, and many are prepared for the Sacraments. Interest is being shown in the Centenary and Frank Duff’s cause. A comment made seems very apt for all legionaries: “They hold their meetings in an atmosphere of joy and fraternity.”
PUERTO RICO
Puerto Rico Senatus: The aftermath of the two hurricanes still affect them badly, but the Senatus is working well. They receive the Concilium Bulletin each month and use the Spiritual Director’s Allocutio where they haven’t a Spiritual Director in a praesidium. The correspondent is seeking an up-to-date report on news of attached councils. The Senatus’s attendance has been poor, due to lack of transport and many other problems. Much prayer is needed for this region.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Senatus of Santo Domingo: 42 legionaries participated in the Annual Holy Week project “la Jornada de Semana Santa” organised by the Senatus. Legionaries, at the invitation of a priest, go to remote areas of a parish and conduct the Easter Triduum, with the washing of feet, celebration of the Word, the Way of the Cross, Adoration of the Cross, the Easter Vigil, etc. This year they visited 19 remote communities of 4 parishes. A total of 318 participated in the Way of the Cross and 1,100 in the Pascal Triduum celebrated in the different localities. 823 homes were visited. Contact was made with 122 couples married in Church and 224 couples in irregular relationships, also 152 baptised and 220 un-baptised children. They prepared the way for the establishing of new praesidia in these communities.
Senatus of Santiago de los Caballeros: Reports feature home, hospital and prison vititation. The Curia Reina de los Angeles prepared an elderly man to receive the Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation. The Comitium Sagrado Corazón de Maria prepared 1,154 children for Baptism and 500 for First Communion and Confirmation. Comitium Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia initiated a community to pray that 4 drug dealing areas would cease activities. Some of the young people formerly involved in drugs are being catechised and are attending Mass. There also were reports of many returns to the Sacraments and of marriages regularised.
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
Regia of Trinidad and Tobago: The Curia in Arima has 7 praesidia with 52 active and 109 auxiliary members. Works: home and hospital visitation, Religious Education. In Arauca a State school promotion of the Rosary was done. An Evening with Mary had 30 persons evangelised, and as a result a young lady and her son were baptised and another lady joined the RCIA programme. Two schools were contacted re starting a junior praesidium. The Officers visited the Archbishop in September and they were very well received. They gave him an update on their work. The Archbishop would like to see praesidia in all schools.
IRISH PROVINCIAL REPORT
COMITIA
Cloyne Comitium: The latest praesidium set up by the Comitium with 5 members is doing well. A day for young people and their parents was planned for the end of October. East Cloyne Curia: Mitchelstown praesidium with 9 members and 33 auxiliaries distributed 900 Miraculous Medals during a Music Festival. West Cloyne Curia: The 2 members of Banteer praesidium visit Kanturk hospital and a nursing home. Rockchapel praesidium is reduced to 3 members as 4 of their former members are now in nursing homes.
Cork Comitium: A reporting praesidium has 5 full members and 4 on probation, 3 of whom are Praetorians. Works include street contact, home visitation and public Rosaries. They have an Edel Quinn prayer group and hope to start a praesidium in the University. The Comitium discussed plans to celebrate the Centenary; suggestions were to have an open-air Mass and a series of events possibly to be held over the space of a month. Mass to commemorate Frank Duff was held on 14th November. Culture night was a great success with about 50 members of the public contacted outside the Legion premises in Mary Street and many came in to see the exhibition of the three Causes.
Annunciata Curia: The 2 reporting praesidia have 5 and 4 members whose works include home and nursing home visitation. Queen of Peace Curia: There are 3 praesidia in the Curia. A new praesidium is being set up in Wilton. A praesidium with 11 members promotes Eucharistic Adoration while doing street contact. A 6 member praesidium do home visitation and promote the Fatima statue. Coronata Curia: A reporting praesidium with 4 members and 16 auxiliaries has a variety of works such as home visitation, training and attending to the altar servers, school visitation and assisting the Parish Priest in duties as he requests.
Kerry Comitium: The praesidium in Killarney has 13 members and 4 probationers. Instruction in the faith was arranged for 3 people, 2 of whom have since joined the praesidium. Both of them and another person had been given instruction by the Spiritual Director of the praesidium and received into the Church at a special Mass in Killarney. Baptism was arranged for a 10 year old child. A boy of 11 is being prepared by legionaries for his First Confession and Holy Communion. Legionaries visit the residents of two Direct Provision Centres near the Church. The members of the new praesidium in Killorglin have now been Garda Vetted and are doing Legion work.
Mid Clare Comitium: Due to the absence of Minutes, the President sends a brief letter to the Correspondent each month. The two remaining members of Lisseycasey praesidium have transferred to the recently formed praesidium in Ennis and the two praesidia have amalgated. The Polish praesidium in Ennis presented its Annual Report at the November meeting. They have 6 members. The prospective Officers have not yet been appointed at a Comitium meeting and no representative attends the Comitium meeting. West Clare Curia has 4 praesidia and a total of 24 members.
Thurles Comitium: A stimulating discussion on the importance of attendance at council meetings took place at the September meeting. Pilgrim statue visitation is prominent in several reports and especially notable is the visits to the sick and in nursing homes where the statue’s arrival is eagerly anticipated. Planning for the Centenary is progressing. The MEP project to Roscrea encountered many people who do not go to Mass. One person says the Rosary daily but does not go to Mass. A woman estranged from the Church following a family tragedy was spoken to and as a result a priest heard her Confession and gave her Holy Communion.
CURIAE
Birr/Roscrea Curia: Roscrea praesidium has 9 members who work with junior boys in the Cistercian College and carry out faith-development work with a refugee group. They helped with a Legion project in the town when over 1.000 homes were called on.
Limerick Curia: A reporting praesidium has 8 members and 46 auxiliaries. They visit 5 nursing homes, addressed the Confirmation classes in 3 schools and distributed Rosary beads and Miraculous Medals to students. They undertake home visitation and visit refugees. Street contact and house visitation with University of Limerick students is also carried out. A new praesidium with 4 members has been set up.
Ross Curia: The first meeting of a revived praesidium had 7 members in attendance. Aughadown praesidium has 7 members who undertake hospital and nursing home visitation. Clonakilty praesidium has 14 members and 20 auxiliaries. They are responsible for the running of the Religious Goods and Literature Shop at weekends. The shop is very useful as a means of recruiting.
Lismore Curia has 2 praesidia. They have been advised by the Correspondent to have a discussion on a topic relating to the Legion on the months there is no praesidium report. The 2 praesidia reports will be taken at the December and January meetings.
Waterford Curia: Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan attended the September Curia meeting and was at the door of the Cathedral to welcome the statue of Our Lady during the September Rosary Procession through the city. A reporting praesidium has 7 members and 14 auxiliaries. Works include weekly home and Pilgrim statue visitation and monthly Rosary on first Saturday’s at the Cathedral at which they distribute Miraculous Medals to people passing by. Glenmore praesidium has 3 members who visit homes with the Pilgrim statue and sell Catholic literature. The Curia audit has been completed. The junior’s bus to Knock Shrine for the Legion Pilgrimage had 21 children, being a mixture of juniors and members of the Rise and Shine Group.
DUBLIN SOUTHSIDE
Assumpta Curia has 7 praesidia and an active membership of 30. A praesidium of 4 active members has 20 auxiliaries, including 5 Adjutorians recruited from local convents. A religious sister is their Spiritual Director and the praesidium has two officers. Contact work is undertaken in the Church porch three mornings a week and Catholic papers are sold weekly. Home visitation is carried out when possible. The Frank Duff prayer meeting, which had been held in a local bar, has resumed in the new Parish Centre. The Curia visited the ‘Titanic Centre’, Belfast for their outing.
Immaculata Curia has 9 praesidia. A recruiting drive yielded one probationary member and two auxiliaries. Reporting praesidia have 4 and 6 active members and a religious sister as Spiritual Director. 560 homes were visited by members over the year, offering parish newsletters and invites to the local praesidium. One member staffs a table after Sunday Mass with Legion literature and prayer leaflets. Homes of twelve roads were visited and regular street contact takes place in the village. Legionaries often invite those met to visit the Church to light a candle. Both praesidia have a Patrician meeting which take place in the Parish Centre and legionaries’ homes. A couple who attended a public Rosary in their estate to ask legionaries to pray for their daughter who was awaiting a kidney transplant, later thanked legionaries and told the good news of her successful operation. Legionaries recited the Rosary and Legion Prayers at the grave of Frank Duff.
Spouse of the Holy Spirit Curia has 5 praesidia and 18 members. 35 people attended an illustrated talk on the Servant of God Alfie Lambe in Tallaght. A praesidium of 6 active and 20 auxiliaries undertake hospital and nursing home visitation. Catholic newspapers are sold after weekend Masses in two Churches. A Frank Duff prayer meeting takes place monthly and a Holy Hour is organised weekly. Good contacts were made at the Autumn Gathering of local parishes, hosted by Bishop Walsh, where members staffed a table to promote the Legion of Mary.
Mater Ecclesiae Curia: A praesidium of 8 active members had the joy of two members taking their Legion Promise recently. All officerships are filled and works undertaken include visitation to local homes and apartments, monthly visits to a nursing home and a weekly public Rosary. A legionary gave a talk to transition-year students at Blackrock College. A recruiting drive took place. Legionaries offered a pencil and card to parishioners on entry to the Church and asked them, if interested, to tick the most suitable time for them to attend a Legion meeting. Of the many replies received and followed-up, three people attended the first meeting and efforts are underway to revive the praesidium which had been previously closed.
Our Lady of Fatima Curia has 40 active members among 7 praesidia. A recruiting drive in Kilmacanogue resulted in two people agreeing to support the Legion in prayer through auxiliary membership. As part of an “Open Day” at the parish, a DVD on Frank Duff was shown in the Parish Centre. Archbishop Martin, present to bless an extension at a local school, thanked legionaries for their on-going dedication.
Gloriosa Curia: Two reporting praesidia have 4 and 5 active members. Works include nursing home visitation, street contact and promoting the Rosary. An extensive door-to-door visitation project led to the hosting of a Legion information meeting, which resulted in two probationary members, both of whom expressed interested in the Legion after attending the Catholic Young Adults Conference. Recruiting efforts in Leixlip also led to new members attending the meeting on Sunday morning. 18 people attended a Rosary for victims of abortion.
Annunciata Curia: A praesidium of 5 active members visits its 77 auxiliary members regularly and distributes 59 Maria Legionis magazines each quarter. After attendance at a Call to Arms meeting, one person volunteered to help in Concilium Headquarters each week. Three Patrician meetings had an average of 5 Patricians.
Ancilla Domini Curia has 7 praesidia attached. A mini-Pilgrimage took place to 5 local Churches in October. A decade of the Rosary was prayed in each Church, concluding with Confession and Mass. Refreshments were served afterwards in Myra House. A praesidium of 9 full and 1 probationary member undertake an apostolate to the Jewish community. Now in its 79th year, this apostolate has been somewhat reduced due to the declining number of Jewish people living in Ireland, but contact has been maintained through dedication and perseverance. The promotion of Christian Unity and dialogue with non-Catholics is undertaken through the Pauline Circle meetings, which has an average of 15 people attending each month for a talk and discussion. Weekly crowd contact takes place in the city centre, where many people of all ages, nationalities and denominations are engaged in discussion about God, Our Lady and the practice of religion. A recruiting drive yielded 2 prospective active members and 4 auxiliaries. Members are encouraged to offer the prayer for the Cause of legionary Michael Eking, in particular when meeting people of Nigerian nationality. A praesidium held its first Patrician meeting entitled “Would you like to know the story behind the Miraculous Medal?”
Benedicta Curia has 6 praesidia and an active membership of 24. The junior Curia has 2 praesidia. A praesidium of 5 full, 1 probationary member and 11 auxiliaries undertakes regular home visitation and street contact. Three examples of where legionaries were invited into homes: One lady asked legionaries to pray for her daughter and grandson as their family was being evicted from their home. A man who has been battling drug and alcohol addiction listened to legionaries speak about the power of the Mass. He agreed to at least visit the Church more often. A lady, who in the past had been visited by Jehovah’s Witnesses for over 21 years, expressed her intention to return to Mass.
AFRICA
KENYA
Senatus of Kenya: All councils organised the Frank Duff Mass and were reminded that when planning their year’s programme to include the Frank Duff Mass. The monthly prayers at Venerable Edel Quinn’s grave are always well attended. Kisumu Regia reported home and hospital visitation. 316 patients in danger of death were baptised and 286 died later. 285 marriages were blessed in Church, 5,753 people were recruited for instruction classes and 1,587 adults plus 1,442 infants were baptised, 179 traditional brewers and drug addicts were contacted and 61 have reformed. 108 street girls were contacted and 33 have changed their way of life. Prison visitation was also done. 82 former legionaries are back at their weekly meeting.
MALAWI
Blantyre Senatus: An attached praesidium of 16 members with a junior praesidium of 10 members reported visiting homes and hospitals where lapsed Catholics and non-Christians were met. Five children were baptised and are being followed up. The attached Comitia give great care to their attached Curiae. One Comitium reported thatching two houses for the elderly.
Maula Senatus: Great efforts are being made to recruit more young members for the Legion. The Senatus of Maula has a good team of correspondents who give good attention to their councils. Works include: home and hospital visitation and encouraging people to undertake instruction.
South Sudan: The Senatus of Uganda invited four legionaries from Juba South Sudan to Kampala for two weeks. The purpose of their visit is to get exposure to the Legion of Mary system and be able to pass it on to their fellow Legionaries when they go back home. They will visit a number of Legion meetings and functions and attend the national reunion at Tororo.
UGANDA
Senatus of Uganda is involved in a variety of activities, including visitation. Many are contacted in shops, markets, offices, police posts and bars resulting in a lot of people receiving the Sacraments, conversions and some satanic shrines being destroyed. In July they celebrated the Anniversary of Edel Quinn’s arrival in Uganda. In August a Spiritual Director’s Conference in Kampala Archdiocese had 72 priests and 2 nuns and some other religious present. The image of Our Lady of Kibeho was present for the celebrations to mark the 98th Anniversary of the Legion and Our Lady’s birthday 7th and 8th September. There was very positive reaction from the Spiritual Directors and legionaries to the inclusion of the section on St. Raphael in the Handbook.
NIGERIA
Enugu Senatus: Elections have been held for the Senatus President and Vice President, but as they are not in accordance with the Handbook they cannot be ratified by Concilium. Results of various Exploratio Dominicalis projects by members of one Comitium: 17 marriages blessed, 25 lapsed returned to the Sacraments. 6 infants baptised, 113 legionaries recruited and 11 recruited for other Catholic societies. Onitsha Regia: One Curia has 20 senior praesidia (including 3 Seminary praesidia at Blessed Iwene Tansi Major Seminary) and an attached junior Curia of 11 praesidia with 327members. They also have 3 praesidia at the Minor Seminary with 75 members. They prepared 31 for Baptism, had 51 marriages blessed, prepared 622 for first Holy Communion, 1,191 for Confirmation and 4 lapsed Catholics returned.
Ikot Ekpene Regia: Port Harcourt Comitium report included, 147 catechumens receiving the Sacraments, four lapsed returned, and three non-Catholics converted. Abak Comitium: Two presidia were established, 27 Catechumens received First Holy Communion, 13 Catechumens were baptised and 15 marriage problems were resolved.
NIGERIA
Kaduna Regia has 5 praesidia, one Curia and 17 Comitia attached. The legionaries are working in very difficult circumstances and are heroic for their dedication. They carry out many projects to distant areas with great success, and promote the Patricians.
Jos Regia: works undertaken by reporting praesidia/Councils include: Home and hospital visitation, catechism instruction, care of children at Mass, care of junior praesidia, crowd contact, book barrow, prison visitation and marriage counselling.
Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Hausa Comitium established 2 new praesidia. 11 people returned to the Sacraments. Two legionaries entered the junior seminary and 15 legionaries entered the senior seminary.
TANZANIA
Dar-es-Salaam Regia has completed plans for 2020, much of which refers to their extension work. They plan to increase the number of correspondents as many Councils’ outside Dar-es-Salaam find it a strain to attend the Regia meetings; they will continue assisting councils already visited and to do follow-up calls to 3 councils. Each council has to ensure that all books are audited.
Hai Moshi Comitium: Works include home and hospital visitation, contact with drug addicts, encouraging couples to marry in Church and preparing adults and children for the Sacraments.
Rombo Comitium: No word except regarding St. Raphael’s inclusion in the Handbook since last report.
Mtwara Comitium is making great efforts to extend the Legion in the Diocese. The publication of the Swahili Handbook is a great help to the various Curiae and praesidia in understanding the correct Legion system.
ZAMBIA
Lusaka Regia: The Regia is paying great attention to attached councils. They are working hard translating the Handbook into seven major languages in Zambia. In one Diocese where the legionaries are mainly farmers they find it difficult to attend meetings during the busy harvesting season. Great efforts are made to encourage young people to join the Legion.
GAMBIA
Banjul Curia: Contact has been re-established but Minutes and further details are still awaited.
SIERRA LEONE
Stella Maris Curia, Freetown held their Bi-annual Congress with 47 present in October and 3 talks were given. They praised the help their correspondent gives them.
