Concilium Bulletin January 2013
Concilium Bulletin - January 2013
AFRICA
IVORY COAST
The Senatus is working well under its new President. The process of setting up two Regiae to look after the north, the middle and the west of the country has shown that the Legion is well organised and well officered and has been able to recover quickly from the disruption of civil war. In fact the Senatus itself only missed one scheduled meeting when fighting was in the city and made up with a hastily convened session. The Senatus will now have to consider when is the appropriate moment to visit the Republic of Mali in view of the unsettled state of that country.
REPUBLIC OF BENIN
Cotonou Regia is doing an excellent administrative job which also reveals weaknesses where they exist such as absence of Praetorian or Adjutorian members, poor attendance at some council meetings. The Regia has been invited to join the legionaries of neighbouring Togo when they celebrate the 500th meeting of Lomé Regia, which is in a different country just 100 miles away.
REPUBLIC OF GABON
This country is under the caretakership of the Regia of Cotonou, Benin Republic. The visit carried out in 2012 has laid the foundations for new growth and a proper administrative network.
BURKINA FASO
Minutes from Ouagadougou Comitium indicate that the Comitium is now meeting monthly although quarterly meetings have a big attendance and other meetings appear to be confined to the Curiae summoned to report. Fr. Nareisse Kiswensida who visited Concilium some years ago, remains their devoted Spiritual Director.
TOGO
Lomé Regia: In November 2012 the 500th Regia meeting was held. For the occasion, visitors from the Senatus of Accra, Abidjan and Cotonou Regia were welcomed. The Curia of Pagouda was raised to Comitium status and the new Curia of Adidome was affiliated to Lomé Regia. The theme for the coming year for the Regia is: “Providing a good formation for the young to guarantee a magnificent future to the Church”. They are planning a Youth Conference this year and preparing a Peregrinatio Pro Christo (PPC) project to Ghana for which they are inviting legionaries from neighbouring countries, the Regia is exploring the possibility of organising a PPC team to the Ivory Coast or Burkina Faso. Congresses, Patrician meetings, Exploratio Dominicalis, and prison visitation are all mentioned in the reports. Most Councils have junior legionaries and numerous contacts with Muslims.
Bata Comitium: The Comitium reported that there are now English and French speaking praesidia, the members are mostly Nigerians working in the country. They have requested Tessera and Handbooks in French and English.
BRAZZAVILLE
Congo Regia: A new Regia Spiritual Director was appointed. The officers of the Regia met with the Archbishop of Brazzaville, His Excellency, Monsignor Milandou, to give reports of the work of the Legion in the Congo and to thank him for his ongoing support. Visitation of councils and praesidia is undertaken regularly by Regia Officers. Reports include large numbers undertaking catechetical instruction and many returns to the Sacraments. Many of those contacted agree to come and pray in the Catholic Church. One Curia organised a retreat on ‘The power of Mary’s prayer’ at which 175 legionaries attended. A praesidium with 21 active and 11 auxiliary members undertake home and hospital visitation and also visit the housebound, prisoners, widows and orphans. Reports of their work included 2 people undertaking catechetical instruction, one person requesting Baptism, a Marriage, which was regularised and a couple who were reconciled following contact with the legionaries.
CAMEROON
Douala Senatus: Yaoundé Regia reports that the 2 Comitia in the Diocese of Bafia are in full expansion and are hoping to set up 7 new Comitia. Every Council in the Regia is urged to set up new junior praesidia in the Diocese of Nkongsamba. One junior Curia in Yaoundé, during street apostolate, encounters young street girls and drug addicts. Buea Comitium reported 48 returned to Mass, 42 returned to the Sacraments, 4 new junior praesidia were set up, totalling 45 active members, 92 conversions, 19 marriages regularised and also run Patrician groups.
CHAD
Mgr. Kouraleyo Tarounga reported that at the Bishops’ Conference, which was held last December, the visit by the Senatus of Douala was warmly welcomed and that preparations are under way to organise the details.
ECUATORIAL GUINEA
Malabo Comitium: The Comitium is setting up two new Curiae. The former officers of the Comitium are helping the newly elected officers with their responsibilities and duties. Street contact apostolate has been initiated.
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MEXICO
MEXICO
Mexico City Senatus: The reports were from 2 Regia, 5 Comitia, 8 Curiae and 3 praesidia. A number of both junior and senior praesidia have been set up, however, a junior praesidium had to be closed. A praesidium of 10 members contacts addicts in parks; they also speak to cleaners and security personnel in the metro station. A praesidium with 30 members has been set up in a jail after repeated visits. Prisoners are allowed to visit different cells as part of their Legion apostolate. An attached Comitium set up 4 new praesidia.
Merida Senatus (Mexico): Two legionaries from the Merida Senatus will visit Cuba from the 7th February to 1st March, they ask for prayers for the success of the visit. Some praesidia are encouraging the auxiliaries to consider the Adjutorian degree of membership. All are invited to the Acies. The Auxiliaries are also offered the three prayer leaflets. An attached Comitium set up 9 praesidia. One Curia organised a ceremony and blessing for pregnant mothers. Four junior praesidia were set up.
Léon Regia: At the request of a Parish Priest a few praesidia took part in an intensive project of visitation, a type of census. The project concluded with confession, a procession with Benediction followed by Holy Mass and finally a “fiesta”. While the legionaries met some practising Catholics and they concluded that the project was very positive, they encountered many who have discontinued the practice of the faith, others who had transferred to other sects or other religions, and many not well intentioned people. It was also their conclusion that sincere prayer and solid Legion work are very necessary.
Durango Regia: An attached Comitium with 15 praesidia and 5 Curiae reported setting up two new praesidia. As well as solid home visitation, the legionaries teach catechism both in the homes and in the parish and visit the prison weekly.
Hermosillo Regia: Two praesidia set up a third in a neighbouring parish. There are 9 members in the new praesidium. An attached Curia explains and reflects the gospel of the day in the homes. They also teach catechism.
CENTRAL AMERICA
NICARAGUA
Managua Regia: The Regia has 17 praesidia, 2 junior Curiae, 4 senior Curiae and 1 Comitium attached. The attendance of the directly attached praesidia is 50%. The attached Comitium of Leon is very active with the juniors. Legionaries bring the parents of children together to help them with the Christian education of their children resulting in 12 children being baptised.
Panama Regia: A praesidium reported that they organise Masses by sectors in their parish at the request of the parish priest, while other praesidia report bringing neighbours together for discussion and prayer. One praesidium was set up.
Honduras Senatus: The Senatus is working well but no further information is available.
EL SALVADOR
San Salvador Senatus: Home visitation is carried out by almost all the praesidia resulting in returns to the sacraments including many who returned from the sects, First Holy Communions are reported and one young girl 15 years of age was baptised at Easter. Juniors are numerous and active, two young girls provide a hairdressing service in the homes of the elderly. Permission has been given to set up a praesidium in the prison.
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ASIA
INDIA
Karnataka Senatus: This Senatus has 5 Comitia, 12 Curiae and 15 praesidia and continues to be a strong and committed council with a dedicated Spiritual Director. Efforts have been made to increase auxiliary membership and councils, no matter how distant, have been visited. In addition to the usual works of home and hospital visitation, Patricians, teaching of catechism is carried out. One Curia and 4 praesidia were set up during the year. Good relationships with Moslems and Hindus.
Mumbai Senatus: The Senatus was inaugurated on the 6th January with Bishop Percival Fernandez and 350 legionaries present. Extension teams are sent monthly to distant places with many new praesidia formed. Many have come into the Church including 18 in the care of one praesidium. Goa Diocese has 3 Comitia with 3,683 legionaries.
Pondicherry Senatus: A new Comitium of 7 Curiae with 2,484 members was set up at Viriyur, leaving the Senatus with 5 Comitia, 10 Curiae and 20 praesidia. They ask for prayers as the Neelam cyclone caused much damage in their area.
Kottar Regia: There are 4 Comitia, 14 Curiae and 11 praesidia attached to the Regia. A new Curia was inaugurated by Most Rev. Peter Remigius, Bishop of Kottar. 2,000 took part in a Rosary rally organized by Marathandam Comitium. Our Lady is promoted, people were helped to give up alcohol and AIDS patients were tended to.
Visakhapatnam Comitium: 12 praesidia were set up in a 6-month period. The new Bishop Rev. M. Prkash visited the August meeting and along with 800 legionaries also attended the annual reunion. Teaching catechism, prison ministry and helping AIDS patients’ features in reports.
Coimbatore Comitium: Extension is undertaken with new praesidia starting in September and October. They set out plans for youth, Patricians and promotion of the 3 Causes for 2013.
Port Blair Comitium (Andaman Islands): A six-monthly reported is awaited from this council.
Calcutta Comitium: A request has been made for the minutes to include some details about the reporting praesidia and councils. A new English speaking praesidium started. The annual audit was carried out.
Chennai: The Spiritual Director, Fr. Anthony, sent a report on the activity of members in the Archdiocese. There are 18 Curiae and 12 praesidia, with 4,634 members answerable to their respective parish priests. Many are prepared for Baptism, 759 lapsed returned and 812 non-Christians and non-Catholics were brought into the Church.
THAILAND
A praesidium of 9 active and 116 auxiliaries shares the good news with workers in night clubs, bars and night markets. They also work among the many disadvantaged young people and arranged for the Baptism of 3 taxi drivers.
SHI LANKA
The junior Curia in Colombo has 12 praesidia, 5 in schools, 5 in parishes and 2 in a seminary with a total of 105 active and 40 auxiliary members. They invite students to take part in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Mass and Rosary. Seminarians help the elderly including elderly priests. Chilaw Comitium has 4 Curiae with 1,004 active and 350 auxiliary members. Works include helping to prepare people for the sacraments, visiting the sick and conducting funeral services.
KAZAKHSTAN
Two legionaries travelled 4 hours and 3 more travelled 2 hours to be at the Curia meeting. The reporting praesidium in Tshkavolva has 8 active and 17 auxiliary members. They visit, pray and sing hymns with the sick and lonely and have good discussions with them. They say they received great encouragement from the visit made to them by Elisabeth Kriss who keeps in touch with them. The new praesidium she started in Jasnaya Polana has 11 members.
HOLY LAND
600 members attended the Congress in November with the main themes being centred upon the Eucharist, Spiritual Directors and the Legion Handbook. Much emphasis has been on extension to villages, especially those without priests. A praesidium in Ramallah visited 60 homes with the Madonna and recited the Rosary with the families. A second praesidium started in the Spanish girls’ school but the one in the boys’ school closed.
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EUROPE
BELGIUM
Brussels Senatus: There is hope of a praesidium in Crozon, Brittany following a PPC project.
Antwerp Senatus: Four Spiritual Directors attend their annual reunion. Visitation to hospitals, the elderly and housebound, a prayer group and promotion of the Sacrament of Reconciliation were mentioned.
DENMARK
A praesidium of 12 members in Copenhagen promotes Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and undertakes home and hospital visitation.
FRANCE
Paris Regia: This Regia consists of 5 Curiae and 27 praesidia. A legionary from Versailles Curia spent 3 weeks in Madagascar working with 3 officers from the local Curia in Morondava visiting councils and praesidia there. A meeting was held with Bishop Bernard in October who encouraged legionaries to promote the Year of Faith. Bringing Vietnamese people to Mass and maintaining contact with the Haitian community were mentioned in reports.
Strasbourg Senatus: This council has 19 praesidia and 1 attached Curia with 3 praesidia. Extension efforts are taking place in 2 locations.
Valence Regia: Works include statue visitation and bringing Holy Communion to residents of nursing homes. Lyon Comitium was impressed with the PPC project to the parish by Austrian legionaries. Juniors in Chatearneuf de Galaure are very active giving witness among school friends.
Aire et Dax Regia: The praesidium in St. Sever has 9 active, 83 auxiliaries and some adjutorians. Visitation to nursing homes and catechesis is listed. 96 people stayed at the Permanence in Lourdes during the season.
ENGLAND
Birmingham Senatus: Extension efforts are ongoing; crowd contact at the Bull Ring and homosexual apostolate continues with good contacts. A PPC project in Littlemore resulted in one lady received into the Church at Easter and her husband returned to the practice of the faith. In Central Birmingham one contact is now taking instruction through the RCIA programme. The work of 30 juniors attached to Birmingham junior Curia includes distribution of Holy Water to homes and schools, Patricians and school Rosary groups, and in November 20 juniors and 5 seniors attended a planning meeting. Two returns to the Church were reported and a retreat for the lapsed was organised by Coventry Curia. Bristol Curia is working to build up weak praesidia. One non-Catholic was received into the Church and in South Birmingham three men in sheltered accommodation returned to the sacraments after many years.
Northampton Comitium has 9 praesidia and 1 Curia affiliated. Recruiting is ongoing and home and school visitation continues. Leicester Curia has a new praesidium involved in parish census, book barrow and home and hospital visitation. Legionaries were invited to address the students at the University.
Liverpool Senatus: Manchester Comitium has 2 Curiae and 6 praesidia. Juniors in Blackburn are focusing on the Year of Faith. The Comitium secretary is now studying for the priesthood in Maynooth. PPC was a major feature of the Warrington Curia report and Leigh Curia has 3 praesidia; permission was given for the Rosary in a school. In Fylde Curia junior legionaries are doing a Rosary project; another praesidium has set up a helpline for people with impaired vision. The new praesidium in Wirral Curia has 10 members.
Central London Curia: The Olympic Games provided legionaries with the opportunity to do contact work in hotels, parks, etc., speaking to visitors and tourists and giving information on the Catholic Church. A couple was helped prepare for their wedding, the man a nominal Catholic, the woman a Muslim; their 3 children have been baptised. The work in St. Patrick’s, Soho, continues; one ‘madam’ who had shut the door to legionaries on many previous occasions, accepted a Miraculous Medal for herself and one of the girls. A patient in hospital returned to the faith after an absence of 30 years.
Brentwood Comitium: Extension and recruiting drives are planned regularly by the Comitium in different parishes and have had good results. There were 52 at the annual retreat and the theme was on St. Therese of Lisieux and what people can do in the ‘Year of Faith’. In one of the reporting Curia two new praesidia were set up and great efforts are being made to increase the membership. There are 3 junior praesidia attached to this Curia. Four members went on PPC. Two former members are currently studying for the priesthood.
Hammersmith Curia: A monthly tea-party for senior citizens is organised and legionaries made a presentation based on the Rosary to the Union of Catholic Mothers.
Brent and Harrow Curia is planning a Congress with another North London Curia – a “first”. This arose following the visit by the Correspondent in September.
Southward Comitium: There are 8 praesidia attached to the Comitium. One Curia reports that home-to-home visitation continues; another Curia has 6 praesidia attached with 24 active, 123 auxiliaries, 4 praetorian and 2 adjutorian members. Surbiton Curia has a new praesidium. Works include contact at tube stations, parish newsletters, home and hospital visitation and visits to alcohol and drug detox clinics.
FINLAND
The PPC project in July was very successful and a great number of people have commenced the RCIA course.
GERMANY
Frankfurt Senatus: 11 priests attended a meeting for Spiritual Directors in October. Extension efforts were made in a number of areas and at the US Military station in Ramstein. A new praesidium was set up in Frankfurt Cathedral parish and in the Filipino community in Kassel. The Hofheil Marxheim praesidium visited 188 homes of new parishioners and helped an Iranian man convert to Catholicism. Prelate Ewald Nacke from the German Nunciature acted as Spiritual Director at the PPC weekend in Maria Einsiedel in November where 50 legionaries attended.
Cologne Regia comprises 2 Comitia, 4 Curiae and 7 directly attached praesidia. There are new praesidia in Muenster and Cologne and Hamburg now has a third praesidium – all the members are students.
Munich Regia has 2 Comitia, 10 Curiae and 11 praesidia directly attached with a total of 472 active and over 3,600 auxiliary members. People were invited to “stay and pray” in open churches at night.
Berlin Comitium has a Korean Curia and 7 directly attached praesidia. Home visitation, contact work at railway stations, Rosary beads offered to contacts at a festival and a Marian Mass for children were mentioned. Cardinal Woelki in Berlin has requested PPC teams to go there for the next 10 to 20 years. Freiberg Comitium report includes the following works undertaken: home visitation, camping park apostolate, prison visitation and speaking on Radio Horeb. The Frankfurt Korean Curia reported that 65 lapsed Catholics returned to their faith and 4 people were prepared for Baptism,
NETHERLANDS
Amsterdam Regia: The English-speaking praesidium, along with running a weekly book barrow and a Patrician meeting also visit the housebound and do home and hospital visitation. The Cape Verdian Curia in Rotterdam organised a 3-day retreat with 45 people attending. An extension drive and a new praesidium in Amsterdam featured. Another praesidium increased membership from 3 to 20 and its works include visiting a red light district and work for the homeless in conjunction with the sister of Mother Teresa. Before Christmas a large number of legionaries went to the area, sang Christmas carols and brought Holy Water. Nearly every door was opened to them.
NORWAY
There are 7 members in Tonsberg praesidium and their apostolate includes teaching catechism to children, frequent contact with auxiliary members and promotion of the Rosary. The 8 member praesidium in Dramen has 13 auxiliaries. Works include house-to-house visitation, Rosary and Bible sharing, visitation of the sick in hospitals and nursing homes.
SCOTLAND
The new praesidium in Motherwell Curia is thriving and in Aberdeen priority is given to recruiting. “Light a Candle and Say a Prayer Day” was reported by a praesidium with many interesting contacts. Annunciata Curia had an “Auxiliary Lunch”. PPC plans for 2013 are already afoot and Our Lady of the Wayside praesidium presented an excellent report – its 80th.
SIBERIA
Two legionaries from Frankfurt Senatus visited Siberia in September and at the Curia meeting met members from 3 of the 4 praesidia. Visitation of the hospitals and the elderly and distribution of Miraculous Medals and Catholic literature are among their works. Extension has been carried out and 20 people came to an information meeting in Abakan.
SWEDEN
Two extension visits were carried out. Four legionaries met Bishop Anders of St. Erik’s Cathedral, Stockholm. The Cathedral praesidium has a fluctuating membership; is a multinational group and find that the Miraculous Medal lives up to its name. A new praesidium has been established in the Holy Family Parish in the suburbs of Stockholm. The praesidium of Iraqi legionaries in Sodertalje is much improved and in a praesidium in Gavle four Iraqi legionaries made their Promise.
SWITZERLAND
Zurich Comitium with Lucerne Curia and 15 directly attached praesidia have a total of 60 active and 160 auxiliary members. Ten legionaries assisted in an apostolate during the World Congress on assisted suicide.
LIECHTENSTEIN
The Legion has restarted. A man returned to Confession after a 25-year absence and a Buddhist with an alcohol problem accepted help. One member has joined the Carthusian nuns.
LUXEMBOURG
There are only 2 praesidia here and Cologne Regia has planned an extension project for April 2013.
WALES
Cardiff Comitium reports special attention given to families at times of Baptism and First Communion. RCIA courses are run by the legionaries and Fr. Hayman was delighted with the work of the PPC team in his parish. Eucharistic services are conducted when a priest is not available.
Swansea Curia has 5 praesidia attached. Home and hospital visitation, street rescue and crowd contact are among the works being done.
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