Concilium Bulletin January 2008
REPORTS - Europe
Cyprus: The 2 praesidia in Nicosia visit the elderly, help with Sunday liturgy, speak to parishioners about the Legion after Sunday Masses. Street contact-work in done in the city. The praesidium at Limassol does similar work and arranges enthronements of the Sacred Heart in homes.
Italy
Rome Senatus: The Bishops of Sardinia have expressed their endorsement of the Legion and opened up new avenues of extension. The Chaplain of a Military Airport has asked for a praesidium. Rimini celebrated its golden jubilee with Monsignor La Rosa, Senatus Officers and representatives from Ravenna, Ferrara and Forli.
Milan Regia: Many councils are promoting the Cause of Venerable Edel Quinn. Lana Curia, attached to Padua Coitium, had the Bishop in attendance at their centenary celebrations. The Bishop of Bolzano celebrated a special Mass in the Cathedral, Genoa also had a special Mass in the Basilica which generated great interest in the Cause. Other works engaged in are street apostolate, running prayer groups and book-barrows.
Malta
The Regia has 1 Comitium, 9 Curiae and 12 praesidia directly attached. Works undertaken include contact with bus drivers and recitation of the Rosary at their bus stations, twice yearly preparation of children for the Sacraments and public Rosaries during May and October.
Gozo Comitium: 40 legionaries took part in a 2-day home visitation drive. Members of a junior curia make contacts in schools, universities and places of entertainment. Commemorative functions in honour of Venerable Edel and the Servant of God Frank Duff were held. Resulting from a PPC project to Catania, Sicily the Priest has established a praesidium.
Council under the Caretakership of Malta
Albania
The Bishop of Tirana, in a communication, said that a second praesidium has been set up in the city.
Portugal
The Comitium of the Azores organised a pilgrimage to Fatima for children in catechism classes and a Mass for the sick and elderly. A senior and their attached junior praesidium organised a public Rosary in the cemetery in November. The Bishop attended a meeting of this praesidium, saying that it was his first time to attend a Legion meeting and he was very impressed. A praesidium in the Senatus had over 500 people on monthly pilgrimages (1st Saturday of each month) to Fatima. Steady extension continues in all councils, Madeira now has 7 praesidia.
Spain
Madrid Senatus: Extension is ongoing in this council.
Bilbao Senatus: Oviedo Comitium set up a new praesidium and Durango Curia has 5 pre-juvenile groups and is also in contact with immigrants. A weekend recruiting drive gained new members for the Basauri Curia.
Barcelona Senatus: 7 members of an inter-parish praesidium work for street girls and immigrants; they help immigrant mothers and their children and visit AIDS patients.
London Curia A new Curia was established in the Westminster Diocese. Officers were elected and ratified by the Concilium.
AFRICA
Benin
Cotonou Regia: Reports show excellent apostolic work and good administration. The main work is home visitation during which lapsed Catholics are brought back to religious practice, catechumens are recruited, catechism is taught to adults and children in preparation for Baptism and other Sacraments. The junior Curia has five praesidia with 130 members whose report was like a wake-up call to the adults who were being surpassed in enthusiasm by the juniors in some areas. Two “Frank Duff Clubs” cater for 62 younger children. Patrician groups are encouraged and Exploratio Dominicalis projects organised.
Cameroon
Douala Regia: 4 new senior and 7 junior praesidia have been set up. Works reported in this Regia include weekly prison visitation.
Guinea Equatorial
A successful novena for the feast of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal included prayers for priests and vocations.
Congo
Brazzaville Regia now has 6 Comitia, 25 Curiae, 25 directly attached Praesidia - 14 of them are very distant. A number of legionaries in some councils are working on translation of the Handbook into some of the many different local languages.
Togo
Despite an energy crisis which deprived the country of all electric power for over a year, Regia meetings were held every month.
ASIA
Pakistan
The attendance at the meeting in December was low because of the current troubles being experienced in Pakistan. The officers decided to proceed with the meeting for the sake of continuity, despite the low number able to attend. The legionaries ask for prayers for their country especially in the lead up to the election.
Thailand
The Legion apostolate extends to rural regions including visits to hill tribes and people living in border areas. Efforts to integrate the Legion with the local Church involves collaboration with other organisations. Passive Catholics are encouraged to be active. Legionaries often accompany doctors and nurses treating the sick in remote areas. The good news of the Bible is shared with members of the Buddhist faith. Of 400 drug addicts contacted three-quarters were non-Christian. Comfort and support are given to those contemplating abortions and suicides.
Myanmar
The Archbishop has been most supportive to the Legion including providing rooms for their meetings and other events. The annual retreat had 98 present. The Archbishop suggested holding a conference for all the legionaries to include distant councils. The Senatus are in agreement and will hold it in April. The membership of the reporting praesidia - one well established and one new is 11 each with 21 Auxiliary members.
Sri Lanka
Home, hospital and prison visitation feature in the reports. In the course of their works people of different religions are met. The lapsed are encouraged to return to the practice of their faith, enthronements of homes to the Sacred Heart are promoted and extension features widely in reports.
India
Chennai Regia: reports indicate very good work being undertaken by the praesidia, curiae and comitia. Many poor and sick people are visited and encouraged. People with cancer and other serious illnesses are invited to pray and several have got well. Enthronement of homes and teaching of catechism also features in the reports. Hindus have been taught how to say the Rosary. The legionaries are also working with the Madurai councils in the south at the request of and with great co-operation of Archbishop Fernando.
Kerala Senatus: They report things slowly getting back to normal after an epidemic, which was widespread. Conversions, catechetical instruction, visitation of those suffering with addictions and of the lapsed all featured in reports. 200 attended an all-Kerala officers conference in May. Extension and recruiting is widespread.
Pondicherry Senatus: The works include visitation of Catholics, non-Christians, troubled people suffering with addictions, lepers and the severely depressed and suicidal. Six new praesidia and a new curia were recently set up.
Karnataka Regia: A junior praesidium had 42 present at its first meeting. Reports show many good works being undertaken, extension and visitation of councils are also prominent.
Mumbai Regia: 5 extension teams are being organised monthly with excellent results. The Regia held a 2008-planning meeting and encouraged other councils to imitate this. A Tamil Curia reported the Baptism of 10 children, 8 adults and 9 persons of mixed marriages. Many are recruited for the RCIA programme. Legionaries are visiting the poor in the slum areas. Much good work by way of catechetical instruction is done in a hostel for 120 girls.
CENTRAL AMERICA
Mexico
Mexico City Senatus: An extension group established two new praesidia. Pilgrim statue visitation is carried out and one family, which accepted the statue, is now saying the Rosary every day. The Senatus has been very active setting up three new Regiae in its area authorised by the Concilium.
Regia of Guadalajara: Legionaries carry out an apostolate to truck drivers.
Regia of Acapulco:The new Regia is planning to set up a Commitium in its area. all councils have been circulated with suggestions for celebrating the centenary of Venerable Edel Quinn’s birth
Senatus of Merida: There is a number of praesidia in formation in this Senatus including 3 junior praesidia. Junior legionaries help children with their homework and finish with 15 minutes of prayer with the aid of an appropriate junior bible. They also work with seniors on home visitation.
Regia of Hermosillo: Four legionaries have entered the seminary. There are 80 catechumens under instruction. Nine lapsed Catholics returned to the practice of the faith and 6 couples regularised their marriages.
Regia of Monterrey: Following a request from the Bishop of the Diocese, the Comitium of Saltillo is setting up a praesidium for young men. Extension, which was begun by Bernardo de Nardo in the neighbouring Diocese of Nueva Leon continues with a second praesidium in formation.
Regia of Leon: Legionaries are very active, particularly in home visitation with the result of many lapsed returning to the sacraments.
Costa Rica Senatus
The Miraculous Medal is widely used, and statue visitation features in many reports. A new senior praesidium was set up. Although some legionaries are affected by the lack of transport, work reports are impressive.
Panama City Comitium
The Comitium is actively extending the Legion throughout the country. There are 10 Curiae attached, including a junior Curia and each Curia has 8 to 10 praesidia. Auxiliary membership is very high and they are encouraged to be active in their parishes.
Belize Curia
Members visit the ill and housebound in their homes. They promote the Rosary and say it at the street corner. There is a bereavement group attached where members sing at funeral Masses. One member is currently studying for the priesthood. Terminally ill cancer patients are visited.
Nicaragua
Each praesidium in Managua Regia celebrated the 86th anniversary of the foundation of the Legion. In November, Mass was celebrated for the anniversary of the Servant of God Frank Duff. Home to home visitation is done and children are invited to catechism and prepared for the Sacrament of Confirmation.
Guatemala
Regia of Camotan: On home visitation couples are invited to receive the Sacrament of Matrimony. Parents are encouraged to have their children Baptised, which resulted in large numbers of Baptisms, First Holy Communion and parents’ Marriages. The marriage of an elderly couple resulted in the Baptism of 7 grandchildren.
El Salvador
Senatus of San Salvador: The Regia of Santa Ana has 6 Comitia, 10 Curiae and 11 praesidia. Work reports from these areas indicate large numbers receiving the sacraments. A Mormon couples’ children received instruction for Baptism and Protestant families were converted. Celebrations were held for the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Legion in this area.
San Vicente has 6 Comitia, 6 Curiae and 11 praesidia. One member is 100 years old. A junior Curia has 9 praesidia and had 56 children for Confirmation, 74 for First Holy Communion and 2 Marriages regularised.
His Eminence Séan Cardinal Brady
Letter of congratulations sent by the Concilium Legionis Mariae to His Eminence Sean Cardinal Brady on his elevation to the College of Cardinals:
His Grace the Most Reverend Sean Baptist Brady
Archbishop of Armagh
Ara Coeli, Armagh
N. Ireland
Your Grace,
On behalf of the Concilium Legionis Mariae and all the legionaries of Ireland, we wish to convey our heartiest congratulations on your nomination as Cardinal-elect by the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI. We are happy that this honour has come to Your Grace and to Armagh at this moment in our country’s history when the strivings for peace over so many years and by so many persons have borne fruit to the point where the Holy Father has been able to point to Ireland as an eminent example of how deep-rooted divisions and antipathies can be overcome by conversion of heart. We thank you for the leadership that you have given in this sphere and for your courage in facing the difficulties and problems of the Church and of the faithful. We promise for our part to continue to serve the Church and its leaders in loyalty and obedience, all the more so now that the Holy Father has shown his appreciation of all that Your Grace has done and will continue to do for the Church at home and abroad.
Finally, we wish to promise you the support of the prayers of our members who continually pray for our leaders in the Catholic Faith and we ask Our Lady and St. Patrick to be with you always.
Yours devotedly,
Tommy McCabe
President
Bede McGregor O.P.
Spiritual Director
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.
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
