Concilium Bulletin - February 2014
REPORTS
AFRICA
Burundi
Senatus of Gitega reports 304 young people enrolled as juniors by Kanyinya Comitium and 3 new Comitia formed, one at Buraniro in Ngozi Diocese and 2 in Rutana Diocese in Gilharo and Mpinga respectively. Support is given at parish level to the basic Christian Communities. Works include, encouraging children to faithful attendance at school. There is an apostolate to people involved in prostitution.
Central African Republic
Bangui Senatus: Last minutes was in January 2013. Reports otherwise received indicated a flourishing Legion apostolate, with many troubled marriages and family disputes resolved. Legion nurseries are feeding junior praesidia and they in turn are feeding senior ranks.
Democratic Republic of Congo
Katanga Senatus has been asked to attend to arrears in sending minutes.
Bukavu: Last minutes received covered the period up to September 2011
Senatus of Butembo: Minutes are up to date to the end of December 2013. In spite of great political unrest, 65 legionaries attended the November meeting, including 5 Senatus officers, 2 delegates from Beni and Lubero Regiae, 37 from various Comitia and 6 from junior Curiae. 2 Comitia gave reports, totalling 1034 active members over 13 Curiae and 95 praesidia. December minutes called on all families to care for each other, taking the Holy Family of Nazareth as their role model. Of the 90 members present, 7 officers came from the Diocese of Bunia. 4 Comitia gave reports: active legionaries, 30,952. Works include, visitation of homes to teach people how to say the Rosary, mothers given cookery and dress-making lessons, troubled families counselled, pagans baptised, widows, orphans and refugees helped. Many returns to practice of the faith were reported. Several Peregrinatio Pro Christo projects were organised. In his letters, Bro. Kambale asked for prayers for peace in the North Kivu region. The Senatus hopes to celebrate its 25th Jubilee next year.
Mauritius, (Rodrigues): Recent reports show the Legion working well. Plans for the year shows all the usual functions – Acies, November Mass for the dead, annual retreats and reunions, regular visitation of councils, including juniors. Notice is given of visitation of the island of Rodrigues, a formation day for officers and an Exploratio Dominicalis project. Praesidia report visitation of hospitals and homes, praying with bereaved families in mortuaries, accompanying priests on visits to the sick, bringing invalids and elderly people to Mass and helping with parish activities.
Rwanda
Kigali Senatus: September 2013 minutes received. A three-day Congress was held by officers of the secondary and third-level colleges, at which 305 legionaries attended. One of the topics was the apostolate in the schools. Many councils have junior praesidia and Curiae at various levels. Councils without junior praesidia are encouraged to start them; emphasis is also put on recruiting auxiliary members. Various new Curiae have been set up.
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ASIA
JAPAN
Osaka Senatus: Minutes to July 2013 received.Fr. Son, a Korean priest working in Japan has set up new praesidia in his two parishes in Sopporo City. He has asked for prayers for the growth of the Legion. Virgin Most Faithful praesidium, Kohri Church help with parish works of service to the newly-Baptised, First-Communicants and in the Homeless Centre. Legionaries accompany the priest on his Holy Communion calls. Mother of Mercy praesidium members write to and telephone the house-bound, assist at Mass and other Liturgies. Tokyo Regia members read and record books for the visually impaired. They keep in contact with Fr. Michael Coleman, an Irish priest met in Dublin, who is willing to help in any way he can. Extension to the Hirado district is relatively successful.
MALAYSIA
Kuala Lumpor Regia: The report covers August - October 2013. Attendance, August 60%, September 74%, October 42%. Four praesidia with an active membership of 40 presented their reports. Works included, home, hospital and nursing home visits. For the Year of Faith some members went on a pilgrimage journey to local Churches. As a result of Legion contacts, a four-year-old girl and a two-year boy were Baptised. A couple who had their marriage regularised had their two children Baptised; they now attend Sunday Mass. Quarterly reports were taken from one Comitium with 7 praesidia and 11 Curiae attached. Two legionaries attended YouCAT meetings and participated with youth in an outreach to a leprosy home. A candle-lit Rosary procession took place on 8th September. Catholic literature was given to the aged, the sick and the lapsed.
Taiwan Senatus: Minutes to January received. Eleven new praesidia were established in the past year, but three had to close down due to unrest in the area. It is hoped that this is only temporary. Most praesidia in Taiwan have many auxiliary and praetorian members. A Curia which recently celebrated its 60th anniversary set up two new praesidia. 49 people were Baptised after instruction by legionaries. Help of Christians praesidium on an outlying island re-established links with the mainland.
Singapore Senatus: September to December minutes received. Average attendance is 68% for Curia officers and 58% for praesidium officers. A former legionary has been ordained to the priesthood. A talk on, “The Role of the Legion in the Context of the New Evangelisation”, given by His Grace, Archbishop Goh had an attendance of 300 legionaries. The Korean Curia organise a shuttle bus to take people to Mass; during journeys, prayers are recited. A Day of Recollection took place. 29 legionaries went on pilgrimage to 7 Churches. In Kuching,“Mother Most Glorious” Curia members were trained to teach at Sunday School.
Hong Kong Comitium: Minutes of March to June 2013 received. Attendance, Curia officers 90%, praesidium officers, 70%. Works recorded include, “Home of Love” care for the elderly, parish works, street contact, home visitation, catechism classes, Sunday School, community care for the poor, prison visitation and visiting the Addiction Treatment Centre.
INDONESIA
Malang Senatus: Minutes September to December received. Average attendance of officers is 83%, members 54%. A Curia in Bali formed a new praesidium. Kupang Regia has been preparing to set up a Comitium in Atambua and arranged a Youth Conference. A Curia report from Indonesian Papua visited all its praesidia and reported training of legionaries, teaching Catechism in an orphanage and a prison. One senior and four junior praesidia were set up. A Curia in Madura is helping in the development of junior praesidia.
Jakarta Senatus: September 2013 minutes received. Attendance, officers 83%, members 44%. Three praesidia in the Bogor Comitium conduct vigils on Fridays, with Mass and Stations of the Cross. A Seminary praesidium has 23 members. The Comitium was asked to encourage the members by showing Catholic videos. Palangkaraya Curia in Kilimantan is said to be extending rapidly in a huge area with, “almost one new praesidium every month.” A Kamping for Youth programme approved by the Bishop had 200 participating students. The Senatus Spiritual Director invited legionaries to volunteer to live in Papua for some months and get involved in Papuan life, teaching, reading, writing, farming and so on.
KOREA
Seoul Senatus: October 2013 minutes received. One Curia was commended on having an increase of 26 members. Daejon Regia reported 30,794 Catechumens, 3,699 Baptised and 4,513 people returns to the Sacraments.
Gwanjgiu Senatus: Novenmer 2013 minutes received. One Curia was commended on having an increase of 26 members.
Daegu Senatus: December 2013 minutes received. Sangyok Comitium reported a new Curia and several new praesidia, including one junior praesidium. They recruited 221 active members during the year and had 359 returns to the Sacraments. A Comitium in Taejon had 30 returns to the Sacraments. Most reports from councils show recruitment of Catechumens, Baptisms and returns to the Sacraments, plus the recruitment of new legionaries. Uksoo Comitium reported 68 Catechumens recruited, 30 Baptised, 33 returns to the Sacraments, 35 active and 7 auxiliary members recruited in a single month.
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SOUTH AMERICA
ARGENTINA AND BRAZIL
Argentina
Buenos Aires Senatus: The Alfie Lambe graveside ceremony in January was an all-day event, with continuous Rosaries, midday Mass, street contact and finishing in the evening with a gathering of visiting legionaries. This year, a total of 60 legionaries from the Senatus of Asuncion, Paraguay and the Senatus of Cordoba Uruguay attended. Guadalupe Morad and Sister Isabel keep in close contact with the Senatus on all matters relating to Alfie Lamb’s Cause. Visits to outlying councils and the organising of open-air Masses in shanty towns showed the terrific spirit and hard work of the legionaries. Three monthly reports at Senatus meetings are proving very effective.
Cordoba Senatus: The Senatus held a Mini-Workshop on New Age Practices and Angels. An attached Curia holds a new praesidium meeting in a members’ home, as there is no Chapel. Over 2,600 people were contacted on the streets.
Salta Senatus: An 18-strong delegation of Salta legionaries made the long journey to Rosario to take part in the third National Conference of Young Legionaries. The Conference incorporated street contact. At each Senatus meeting there are always reports of the setting up of new councils and the conversion of families from the sects and reports are taken on the Young Legionaries committee, which is similar to Deus et Patria.
Corrientes Regia: A praesidium helps in a Soup Kitchen. Members teach the clients to pray and sing with them and organise a Mass once per month.
Rosario Regia: The Regia is doing extension in the Catholic University of Argentina. The legionaries had talks with Deans and Chaplains besides visiting all Faculties.
Brazil
Belem Senatus: Legionaries in a Belem parish have been entrusted with the Sunday Eucharist celebration and preparing parents and god-parents for their children’s Baptism. The Spiritual Director of the Senatus and a Deacon from the attached Regia of Castanhal, attended the Spritual Directors’ Conference in Recife. The Regia reported 85 returns to the Church.
Belo Horizonte Senatus: Several praesidia do hospital visitation in cooperation with the Chaplains. Contact was made with more than 1,100 patients and visitors by one praesidium, resulting in about 200 requests for Holy Communion. At a Youth Detention Centre, two youths were baptised. Paracatu Comitium reported a couple cured of cancer through the intercession of Frank Duff. Statistics of the Regia of Uberlandia show 3,000 active members.
Fortaleza Senatus: A Curia in Maranguape reported 1,108 visits to homes and 114 children being prepared for First Holy Communion. Most reports show many visits to homes and to the sick, elderly and bereaved.
Ponta Grossa Senatus: Legionaries prepared 87 young people for First Holy Communion. Hotels were visited with the times for Masses in nearby Churches. Prisoners were also visited and employment was obtained for three street-dwellers.
Recife Senatus: The Senatus is to resume publication of the Legion journal after a lapse of two years. An attached Comitium reported the setting up of two junior praesidia. 30 adults were prepared for Baptism. 300 legionaries, including four Spiritual Directors took part in the Legion Retreat. Another Comitium reported 26 returns to the Church and had an attendance of 400 legionaries and two Spiritual Directors at a formation session. The Regia of Maceio reported visitation of almost 30,000 families and an apostolate among university students, helped by members of a junior praesidium.
Rio de Janeiro Senatus: Two Spiritual Directors attended the August meeting, including the newly-appointed director, Fr. Fabio Siqueira. Fr. Fabio succeeds Bishop Dom Edson Castro Homem, Auxiliary Bishop of Rio and representative to the Legion National Bishops’ Conference. Hospital visitation involves inviting not only patients, but also medical and nursing staff to take part in the celebration of the Blessed Eucharist. A legionary from the distant state of Acre has been sent to set up a new Curia in the Amazonian town of Tefe. The Regia of Espirito Santo reported 343 visits to the hospital for Aids patients. A Comitium in Volta Redonda Diocese set up a university students praesidium. In Petropolis, a youth drug residence was visited as well as families affected by flood waters.
Salvador Senatus: In the city of Salvador the Legion has been entrusted with directing the monthly procession at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, one of the most historic Churches in Brazil, dating back to the 17th century. A junior praesidium reported visits to Protestants, accompanying Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion to the sick and accompanying the priest to administer the Sacrament of the Sick.
Sao Luis Senatus: The principle work of the Senatus is promotion of the Sacraments; for example, 51 children were prepared for Baptism, 406 for First Communion and 273 for Confirmation. Care for 26 older people involves bringing them for medical consultations and tests. In the state capital of Sao Luis, each Curia organises a Rosary in a public square.
Sao Paulo Senatus: The Regia of Campo Grande in the state of Mato Grosso reported 3,000 families visited. A Comitium in Santo Omaro made 2,276 home visits, 913 visits to the elderly and 982 visits to the sick at home and in hospital. The Senatus plans to reprint the Tessera and Handbook in a larger and wider size, without changing the pages.
Brasilia Regia was represented by two Spritual Directors at the Recife Conference. Almost four and a half thousand children, youths and adults were prepared by catechesis to receive the Sacraments. After a Novena to Frank Duff by a couple, a serious financial problem was resolved.
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EUROPE
AUSTRIA
Austrian Senatus: The report covers 4 praesidia, 8 directly-attached Curiae and 10 Comitia. True Devotion to Mary is strongly promoted throughout the councils. Two African and 23 Croatian praesidia presented reports; these revealed that as a result of Pilgrim Statue visitation, two people returned to practice of the faith, two co-habiting couples received the Sacrament of Marriage and 30 people went to Confession. The amalgamation of Youth Vienne and South-East Vienna Curiae is being considered.
Linz Comitium: records the Baptism of a Muslim. An afternoon for those who had left the Church organised by the Heiliga Kreuz Curia in Wienerwald Comitium had an attendance of 260.
Czech Republic
Prague Comitium: This council comprises 12 praesidia and Kletovy Curia with 4 praesidia. Two new praesidia are working well. Legionaries invite people to meditations at the Marian Column, which dates back to 1642.
Olmuetz Comitium comprises 6 praesidia and Bruenn Curia with 4 praesidia. They conduct an apostolate to children and encourage parents to have their children Baptised.
Slovakia
Zseliz Comitium has 13 praesidia and 3 Curiae. Egyhazelle Curia organises bicycle tours for young people. Komaron Curia works with Radio Maria.
Ukraine
The Senatus of Austria approved the visit of Sr. Elizabeth Kriss and Fr. Joseph to Harkov to attend a Spiritual Directors’ day.
Belarus Comitium: Minutes to December received. Our Lady of Scapular praesidium, Minsk, with 7 active 14 auxiliary members do home visitation and compile a census of Catholics in the parish. They visit a hospital, a clinic and sick parishioners in their homes. They also do crowd-contact in parks and at a bus station and visit a Boarding School in conjunction with another praesidium. Extension efforts by Soly Comitium produced 22 auxiliaries. Lida Curia has established a new praesidium in Ivye, with 8 members. Molodechno Curia reported that two former legionaries from Vileika have been ordained Deacons. Borisov Curia: Zhodino legionaries help their parish priest with Evangelisation. They share their faith and prepare people for the Sacraments of Confession and Marriage.
Glubokoye Curia: Every Sunday, legionaries visit a hospital and invite the patients to Holy Mass in the Hospital Chapel. Some patients have received the Sacrament of Confession after absences of 20-30 years. Legionaries also helped to build a parish house and care for the tombs of priests.
Mogilev Curia: Legionaries visit hospitals, an abortion clinic and do street-apostolate. Every Friday they organise religious classes in a school for Catholic and Orthodox children. Two junior praesidia have 20 members. 100 legionaries attended the 8th December celebrations in Budslav.
Croatia
Zabreg Regia:.A school for legionaries had an attendance of 110. The theme for discussion was, “The Legionary Promise” A meeting for Spiritual Directors had an attendance of 15. On 11-13 October, 150 legionaries took part in a pilgrimage to the Vatican and three of the group spoke about it on Vatican Radio. Membership of reporting praesidia was, 5, 7 and 10. They carry out a very fruitful apostolate by means of home visitation and crowd-contact. 13 people returned to the Sacraments and two received Confirmation. One praesidium organised Confession and Holy Communion for elderly parishioners. Three received Anointing of the Sick and 70 went to Confession and Holy Communion. News from the attached Curia and Comitia tell of two new praesidia and numerous people returning to the Sacraments, one after 50 years. Junior legionaries carry on an apostolate in a students’ residence and at school.
Bosnia Herzgovina
Sarajevo Curia has 7 praesidia with 53 active members and 205 auxiliaries. Seven people received the Sacraments.
Hungary
The Senatus report covers 7 praesidia, 8 Curiae and 4 Comitia. All minutes report on extension efforts. Four new praesidia were set up. The Budapest Regia has 4 attached praesidia. The Diocese of Vac has 10 praesidia. Works include visitation of hospitals and the sick in their homes, visitation with the Pilgrim Virgin Statue, recitation of the Rosary before burials, care of neglected tombs and work with Radio Maria. The Kistareau Curia has 2 Youth Groups, one among the physically and mentally handicapped and the other among young people leaving State Orphanages. Nagybatomy Comitium and Pee Curia each set up a new praesidium.
Latvia
Riga Comitium: A praesidium of 6 members in the city of Riga has commenced an apostolate to women involved in prostitution. The new work started in September and to date, 17 girls have been met; All have accepted Miraculous Medals and religious literature. Two girls went to Confession. This is the first time such work has been done in Latvia.
Jelgava Curia has three praesidia and 10 legionaries.
Rezekne Curia has 7 praesidia. A praesidium of 6 members organised talks on Our Blessed Lady during September and the attendance averaged 10-15.
Lithuania
Kaunas Comitium: Recruiting efforts during October resulted in 5 people taking on active membership and 8 becoming auxiliaries. A praesidium of 7 members in the course of street-contact have noticed a great increase in the number of homeless. They help these people to find accommodation and arrange for a celebration of Holy Mass in a Night Shelter once per month.
Vilinus Curia: A praesidium of 8, who work with the disabled and those living alone have obtained an increase in the attendance at the daily Rosary, which they recite in the Day Care Centre. A lot of people met in the Centre have no religion, or have been lapsed for years. Legionaries promote the Miraculous Medal and distribute the times of Masses in local Churches.
Telsiai Comitium has 11 praesidia and 2 affiliated Curia. A new praesidium in the parish of Silale has 12 members and 5 auxiliaries. Praesidia are doing a tremendous amount of home visitation. Three contacts received the Sacraments after a lapse of 60 years and three others after lapses of, 50, 35 and 6 years. Visitation of a Flat Complex resulted in an 80-year-old man going to Confession after a 50 years absence and his wife learning to pray the Rosary. A praesidium of 5 members, with 39 auxiliaries visit their auxiliaries on their birthdays and on other occasions. In the affiliated Curia, hospital visitation brought 154 patients to reception of the Sacraments.
Poland
Warsaw: Our Lady of Mercy Comitium minutes are up to date. Good progress has been made towards the setting up of a Curia in Gdansk.
Our Lady of Victories Comitium: Our Lady of Good Counsel Curia gave its report. They have 8 praesidia, with 136 auxiliaries attached to the Comitium. Most of the praesidia are engaged in the usual works of visitation of the elderly in their homes and in hospitals and they also conduct an apostolate to people suffering from alcohol abuse.
Romania
Oradeu Comitium is organising Eucharistic Adoration as a prelude to starting praesidia in new parishes. Legionaries in all praesidia are involved in many parish activities, including work with the homeless, teaching them to pray and encouraging them to return to the Sacraments.
Bucharest Curia. Minutes received, but not translated. A letter from the president indicates that praesidia are functioning.
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