Concilium Bulletin January 2024

REPORTS

DUBLIN NORTHSIDE CURIAE

Presentata Curia: A praesidium is in charge of managing the Regina Coeli Hostel, where there are currently thirty-two (32) residents. Another praesidium assists with the running of the Morning Star Hostel, organising activities for the men and generally helping where needed. Ten attended the November Patricians on ‘Purgatory’. Nineteen attended October Patricians entitled ‘Halloween - A Catholic Perspective’. A praesidium has started a Sodality for women which is held monthly.

Exaltata Curia: Our Lady of Lourdes praesidium and Mountview praesidium have both reconvened after several years. Another praesidium assists with parish activities. Members also volunteer in the Regina Coeli hostel. A praesidium prepares and serves dinner twice a week in the Regina Coeli Hostel and also every fifth Sunday. It can be difficult to get sufficient legionaries to cover these shifts.

Veneranda Curia: Visitation in The Parish of St. Joseph, Berkeley Road is completed. A parish booklet has been delivered to every home. Columban Drives are planned for this year, especially in areas where praesidia are weak. A praesidium mans a book barrow after Sunday Masses. Members have restarted home visitation where people are encouraged to return to Mass and the sacraments. A legionary encountered a man who had heard a talk on confession during the Finglas project. The man had not been to confession for forty (40) years so the legionary accompanied him to confession. The man is now a member of a praesidium.

Bethlehem Curia: A praesidium’s works include volunteering at Regina Coeli Hostel and visitation to a special case in hospital and another special case in a nursing home. Street contact work is also carried out. A recruitment drive is planned. Another praesidium which distributes twenty-five (25) Maria Legionis magazines, quarterly gained five (5) new auxiliaries this year. Street contact is done regularly in Mountjoy Square. Contacts who speak Spanish and Brazilian are informed of St. Mary of the Angels Church, Church Street and St. Saviour’s Church, Dominick Street. Two young student teachers met on home visitation have lapsed. They accepted a confessions leaflet and promised to return to Mass. Lapsed Catholics who are encountered are always told of the power of the Eucharist.

Consolata Curia: A praesidium’s works include home and nursing home visitation where they distribute Miraculous Medals, promote the rosary, give out blessed rosary beads, parish newsletters and hand out Holy Water. They stress the importance of the use of Holy Water, prayer, confessions and attending Eucharistic Adoration. They organise a May Procession every year. They distribute Miraculous Medals to the Confirmation and First Holy Communion classes. Frank Duff Prayer Meeting is held monthly and Miraculous Medal Novena is led weekly in the church. Junior praesidium meetings continue in St. Cronan’s parish, Brackenstown. Recruitment drive was held recently in Donabate, yielding one probationary and four (4) auxiliary members. Title of November Patricians was “How can we relieve the suffering of the Holy Souls in Purgatory?” Five (5) legionaries and twelve (12) non-legionaries attended. Another praesidium’s works include home and Rosary Statue visitation. The Legion poster is on the church noticeboard. To date over six hundred (600) homes were visited, five hundred and twenty-six (526) packs were distributed plus fifty-nine (59) extra Miraculous Medals, eighty-eight (88) bottles of Holy Water, thirty-eight (38) green scapulars, twenty-nine (29) brown scapulars, nineteen (19) Maria Legionis, one hundred and thirty-eight (138) rosary beads, twenty-five (25) Divine Mercy Chaplets. One lady said there was a bad feeling in her home. The legionaries noticed a Buddha in her garden and they advised her to remove it. She was not attending the sacraments. The legionaries encouraged her to return to mass and confession and she accepted rosary beads, Miraculous Medals and Holy Water. Parishioners request the Rosary Statue to pray for their families, especially for children doing exams. Curia Annual Retreat is arranged for February and The Acies is arranged for Saturday 23rd March. A Mass was celebrated for Servant of God Alphonsus Lambe in St. Colmcille’s Church, Swords on Sunday 21st January 2024, the anniversary of his passing from this life.

Porta Coeli Curia: Two new members were recently recruited. A praesidium’s works include home visitation, nursing home visitation and bringing Holy Communion to sick parishioners. Another praesidium’s main work is home visitation in which the rosary is promoted. Miraculous Medals and the Three Causes leaflets are distributed. One Protestant accepted the medal and another a rosary beads. Several people visited were suffering great grief due to suicides in their families and requested prayers. Another person told the legionaries that he was born in Regina Coeli Hostel and discovered many years later that he had a half-brother, also born in the same hostel, who had lost his life at an early age in a traffic accident. He was very grateful to the Legion for helping him to find his brother’s grave in Glasnevin Cemetery.

IRISH PROVINCIAL REPORTS

COMITIA

Navan Comitium: The apostolate includes home and hospital visitation, rosaries in homes, Mass leaflets on “Why go to Mass” and other literature distributed. Visitation of praesidia will commence in January. The praesidium in Kentstown has five (5) members and a new Spiritual Director. Works include preparing 6th class children for confirmation, teenagers and adults for baptism, First Holy Communion and confirmation. The Rosary on the Hill of Tara on 28th of October had thirty-five (35) to forty (40) people present and the event was shared on social media.

Dromore Comitium has four praesidia attached and one praesidium in North Dromore. The work of home visitation and church work was reported from the praesidium in Burren. Abbey Grammar school was visited where the Miraculous Medal was shown and one hundred and fifty (150) gifts sets were given out. On the eighth of December Miraculous Medals were distributed after Mass in Newry and recruitment efforts were made.

Derry Comitium: The Pilgrimage to Knock had two full buses from Derry and everyone had a very fruitful day. Extension efforts are continuing. In one of the parishes, the new parish priest is planning to start a praesidium. One young man who had contacted the president of the Comitium is now attending a praesidium meeting. The attached Mater Dei Curia held elections for four new officers. The Comitium president and another legionary of the Curia were present to congratulate and thank them.

Raphoe Comitium: The attendance at the Comitium meeting continues to be fair. Good efforts at recruiting were reported and the president of the Comitium gave a short talk after each Mass in Letterkenny on 26th of November. South Raphoe Curia organised Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for children making their First Holy Communion. The main works are home visitation, nursing home visitation and Pilgrim Statue visitation. Fr. Colm Mannion OP led the annual retreat at Ards Friary in December with fifty-one (51) in attendance including auxiliaries and non- legionaries.

Down and Conor Comitium: The Comitium is still recruiting very well with each legionary attempting to make six (6) new contacts every week. The reporting praesidia have upwards on eighteen (18) members working in parishes. They have five (5) probationary members. Exploratio Dominicalis projects are carried out monthly. School visitation has been worked on to try to attempt an outreach to young people. In Down Curia a praesidium of six active members and one hundred and twenty-nine (129) auxiliaries has restarted after Covid and carries out home and Pilgrim Statue visitation.

CURIAE:

Drogheda Curia: A praesidium of six members in Clogherhead is very devoted in leading the public in an hour of Adoration each Tuesday. They also deliver Baptismal Certificates with Miraculous Medals to the newest members of the community. They visited second and sixth class in a local school who were preparing for First Holy Communion and Confirmation also.

Dundalk Curia: A discussion took place in October on recruiting and extension to new parishes. Some suggestions were speaking at Sunday Masses in two parishes, showing a film on the Legion of Mary and Frank Duff.

Clonmacnoise Curia: There was a fifty per cent (50%) increase in the attendance from the Curia at the Knock Pilgrimage. Two rosaries were prayed in the local cemeteries in November. The praesidium in Mount Temple, Athlone organised a public rosary on the 8th of September.

Kilmore Curia: The praesidium in Cavan has fifteen (15) members. One of the members was ordained a Deacon and will be ordained to the Priesthood later in the year. Efforts to restart the praesidium in Bailieboro have not yet resulted in the formation of a praesidium. The legionaries are still working on Ballyjamesduff to get the praesidium up and running again.

Clogher Curia: The praesidium in Monaghan has three members and twelve (12) auxiliaries. Two others joined but were unable to continue and transferred to auxiliary membership. Home visitation is carried out weekly, with visitation of two housing estates with four hundred (400) homes having been completed. A young mother was encouraged to have her child baptised. The praesidium is planning to have a book barrow in the town centre.

Leitrim Curia: No praesidia featured in Sept, Oct or November. There was a report on praesidium visitation. Some efforts at recruiting were reported. The Slovakian praesidium based in Longford has resumed it meetings and efforts are being made to fill officerships.

Armagh Curia: There is one junior and one intermediate praesidium in the Curia. The juniors lead the rosary on the first Saturday of the month in the Cathedral and the Stations of the Cross on Wednesdays during Lent. The confirmation class in the primary school was given a talk on the rosary and a rosary leaflet was given to each pupil. The Grammar school was visited by two legionaries who spoke about the rosary after which two hundred (200) rosary leaflets were distributed.

EUROPE

GERMANY

Munich Regia: The works being done are street apostolate, book barrow, visits to the sick and homeless. A Legion stand was held at a Luthern Church day where a rosary making activity drew interest.

Comitium Frieburg has three Curiae, nine praesidia, eight hundred and seventy- three (873) auxiliaries and one hundred and twenty- two (122) adjutorians. Extension efforts are planned for two Curiae.

Comitium Berlin: A praesidium of four members is in formation. The Spanish-speaking community supports events in the Spanish Catholic Mission.

Comitium Zurich includes the Curia in Bergin with six (6) praesidia. It also includes ten (10) Swiss praesidia with sixty-six (66) active and one thousand three hundred (1300) auxiliary members.

Korean Curia has twelve (12) praesidia and one hundred and fifty-two (152) auxiliary members. Works include baptism instruction for adults and Catechesis First Holy Communicants in parishes. Special outreach is made to the lapsed and Korean migrants.

SWITZERLAND

A Peregrinatio Pro Christo project was held in Biel from 5th to 8th October. Several people expressed interest in the Legion and it is hoped to restart a praesidium there. Street apostolate is undertaken weekly, contact with auxiliary members where the importance of their prayers is explained. The international daily online rosary group has grown to one hundred (100) groups. Curia Siberia has one Curia with three praesidia. Efforts to start a praesidium in Nowosibirisk were unsuccessful. Legionaries in Bogotoll accompany the priest on his visits to the villages.

FRANCE

Paris Senatus: A new president of the Senatus was elected in October 2023. All other officers were elected in December 2023. The Lourdes report highlighted a good number of visits from Austria, Germany, Ireland, France, Italy and Norway. The Notre Dame de Lourdes praesidium which was dormant for a while has three new members. The legionaries in Lourdes held a day to discuss apostleship which the president of the Senatus attended. The Bishop of Lourdes was in attendance and will return to meet the legionaries in February.

NETHERLANDS

Amsterdam Regia: The Cape Verdean Curia in Rotterdam organised a project in Paris to start a new praesidium. Fifteen legionaries took part. There were two priests present at the meeting and they plan to start a second praesidium. The English speaking praesidium in Amsterdam organise a block rosary and help with the Sunday school for Chinese children. A Muslim lady wanted to know more about the Catholic Church. A non-Catholic was taught to pray the rosary. Contact was made with African Refugees who wanted their children baptised.

BELGIUM

Antwerp Regia: Planning for 2024 was discussed.

Brussels Senatus: A praesidium participated in contact work in the Jette area where many difficult questions were asked of them. The apostolate of a praesidium of five members is looking after children during Mass time, leading the rosary in church and supporting the bereaved.

ENGLAND

Brentwood Regia: New converts who were received in to the Church at Easter have been baptised, received Holy Communion and confirmation. A resident of a nursing home who lost his wife thirty years ago had not been to Church since then. After many months and persevering efforts he finally agreed to see a priest and receive Holy Communion.

Brent & Harrow Curia have four praesidia who do home and auxiliary visitation. They have gained three new members since their last report.

Middlesex Curia has four praesidia attached. Public park contact is undertaken. They plan to do door to door visitation.

Central London Curia: A new Spiritual Director Fr. William Johnstone has been appointed. The former Spiritual Director was transferred to another appointment. The attendance at the Curia meeting has been quite small and there are twenty (20) vacancies for officers. Three praesidia featured with small membership. Works include home visitation, care homes, crowd contact with the book barrow and many other works of service.

Liverpool Senatus: A new president was elected at the November meeting. A new praesidium with ten active and four probationers is in formation in Leeds. Following a recruiting drive in Aintree three new members were gained. Middlesbrough Curia reported many returns to the sacraments from their apostolate, fifty- two (52) people registered for the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) Programme.

Manchester Comitium: The legionaries in the Comitium are engaging in a very good apostolate of Night Fever, Adult confirmation programme, the rosary in three schools and many more works.

SWEDEN:

A visit was made to Sweden from 18th of September to 2nd of October by Br. Tony and Sr. Kirstein. They attended Our Lady of Mercy Curia with Arabic, Spanish and Swedish praesidia. Eleven (11) officers were present and it was a very good meeting. They also visited two Arabic praesidia comprising ten and nine members respectively. A variety of works is done. Visits were also made to the praesidium in Skarolmen with five members, Our Lady of Guadalupe with sixteen (16) members doing a variety of work, Our Lady of Mount Carmel praesidium, Haninge with five members, The Cathedral Parish of Our Lady of Fatima praesidium with four (4) members.

Birmingham Senatus:

Extension: The new praesidium in Wolverhampton with twelve (12) members is doing well and a new praesidium in St. Michael’s Parish has been started.

Praesidia reports: Two praesidia in Banbury presented their reports. In Our Lady of Knock praesidium in Banbury the legionaries are making follow- up visits to families who had a child baptised. They are also promoting Consecration of the homes to the Sacred Heart.

West Birmingham Curia: Eighteen (18) legionaries attended a Congress which was described as very successful and inspiring. Crowd contact, home visitation and car boot contact are included in the apostolate. One contact who was invited to join the Legion of Mary a year ago has been received into the Church and will soon be making her promise.

SCOTLAND:

Extension is always on the agenda and two new praesidia were set up with eight (8) and six (6) members. Our Lady of the Wayside praesidium presented its annual report with fourteen (14) active members. The legionaries evangelise gently in their conversations with the patrons. Fr. Lawrence is requesting a Peregrinatio Pro Christo team to visit St. Mary’s Inverness in May 2024.

Praesidia directly attached to Concilium:

NORWAY

Our Lady Queen of Peace praesidium in Tonsberg has four (4) members and thirty-two (32) auxiliary members. The apostolate includes aftercare of auxiliaries with visits and phone calls, inviting and encouraging people to Sunday Mass and visits to the sick and housebound.

Drammen: Our Lady of the Rosary praesidium in Drammen has six (6) members and sixteen (16) auxiliaries. Their works are giving Catechism classes to children in the parish, being lectors at 6.p.m. daily Mass, and carrying out nursing home visitation. They also recruited for and participated in the Novena from 15th to 23rd of December in preparation for Christmas. There is an on line rosary and faith sharing each Saturday evening also.

ASIA

ARMENIA

During the year the Curia established three new praesidia in Armenia itself and one in Georgia. Thanks was expressed to the priests who welcomed the Legion of Mary and to the legionaries who mentored the new praesidia. One junior praesidium of sixteen members reported. The praesidium in Spitak gave its fifth report with ten (10) active and twelve (12) auxiliary members. They have carried out some home visitation. Mother of Apostles praesidium met a young non- practicing man who was invited and accepted the invitation to be reconciled with the Church before starting his work in service. A new praesidium which started during the year arranged a rosary group as well as visiting old, lonely and sick people. They have grasped the importance of the salvation of souls.

PAKISTAN

The Curia at Drigh Road had twenty-six (26) present and two praesidia reported. Both covered the three year period which included the Covid period. The Annual Reunion was very well attended with music, games, speeches and a lovely meal. Three priests present expressed their joy to be among the legionaries again.

VIETNAM

Ninety-eight (98) attended the December 2023 Senatus meeting. The Regia of Ban Me Thuot gave its tenth report operating in two dioceses with six Comitia. It is in a highland region with mostly elderly members. There are ethnic minorities so language communication can be difficult. During the period four hundred and forty-nine (449) adults’ and three hundred and twenty- three (323) children’s baptisms were arranged. They assisted in the regularisation of four hundred and seventy-six (476) marriages, arranged for three hundred and forty (340) sick people to be anointed and thirty-five (35) were encouraged to protect life and not proceed with abortions. There are ten thousand, four hundred and forty-two (10,442) active members of whom one thousand, three hundred and twenty-eight (1,328) are praetorians with fifteen thousand, one hundred and seventy-nine (15,179) auxiliary members.

MYANMAR

Thank you to all at Myanmar for minutes received and we look forward to hearing more from you soon.

SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka Senatus has a more central meeting place now and the hope is that attendance at the Senatus meeting will improve.

Colombo Comitium has eighteen (18) praesidia and one Curia with one hundred and fifty-five (155) active, thirty-seven (37) praetorian, nine hundred and thirty-six (936) auxiliary and fifteen (15) adjutorian members. Sixty-five (65) attended the Congress. Catechism is taught to children attending non-Catholic schools. Eight thousand (8,000) attended the National Rosary Rally at which the bishop said the Legion of Mary has a large role to play in reviving the practice of the family rosary. Audit for 2019 to 2021 has been submitted.

INDIA

Visakhapatnam Regia

Thank you to all at Visakhapatanam Regia for your correspondence and we look forward to hearing from you for the next report.

Chennai Regia has about seven thousand (7,000) active members. There are thirteen (13) praesidia, eighteen (18) Curiae and six Comitia attached, four of which are distant. Two Senatus officers visited Hyderabad and met the bishop with hopes of reviving the Legion in that Archdiocese. Restoration of peace in families, enthronements to the Sacred Heart are promoted. Two hundred people (200) were brought back to practice of the Faith. Homes for the destitute, prisons and orphanages are visited.

Pondicherry Senatus

Ninety-two (92) attended the October meeting. Returns to practice, rectification of marriages, hospital and home visitation are undertaken.

Mumbai Senatus

People who have lapsed from the Faith and bereaved families are visited. Children in remand homes are taught catechism. Ten days were spent in Nepal – four parishes in Kathmandu have the Legion as well as in two isolated areas. Some Legion issues needing clarification came to light when Kolkotta Comitium was visited and these are being addressed.

Kottar Regia

In the course of their works, legionaries deal with the aged, sick and mentally ill, as well as people with drug and alcohol problems. Four new praesidia were set up from January to June 2023. Large numbers of legionaries attended Exploratio Dominicalis projects, Retreat and Acies. Visitation of councils attached is carried out.

Karnataka Senatus

Three Curiae and five Comitia reported in this period. Two hundred and seventy-eight (278) people were administered the sacrament of the sick. Catechism is taught and preparation for the sacraments of baptism and First Holy Communion are undertaken. Seventy- five (75) attended a Legion of Mary workshop.

Kerala Senatus

At the request of the correspondents, latest statistics since Covid show that the Senatus has eighteen (18) praesidia, ten (10) Curiae and eighteen Comitia directly affiliated. Enthronement of homes to the Sacred Heart is encouraged. Sr. Malik who visited Concilium in July spoke highly of all she encountered.

THAILAND

Bangkok Senatus: Approval has been given to support further extension work at Our Lady of Mercy Comitium. Birth of Mary junior Curia, with seven praesidia and full officerships held its first meeting and is blessed to have a Spiritual Director appointed. Mass of Thanksgiving was celebrated for three major benefactors of the Senatus.

MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA

Mexico City Senatus: The Acapulco Regia reports eight (8) Comitia, fourteen (14) Curiae and ten (10) praesidia comprising ten thousand three hundred and thirty (10,330) members of which one thousand, four hundred and fifteen (1,415) are juniors, two hundred and fifteen (215) praetorians and five thousand and fifty-eight (5,058) auxiliaries. The Legion of Mary has presence in all five of the attached dioceses. The Legion of Mary is in existence in one hundred and fifty-six (156) of the two hundred and fifty-nine (259) parishes. A Curia was established up in the mountain area while another Curia was raised to Comitium status. A praesidium of seven (7) members promotes the pioneers, they also held a retreat for young people and one of the members joined the seminary. A Curia reports eleven (11) (33.11%) of the thirty-three (33) members are praetorians and fifty-eight (58) (61.7%) of the ninety-four (94) auxiliaries are adjutorians.

Merida Senatus. A Comitium has twenty (20) adult praesidia, five (5) junior praesidia and two (2) praesidia in formation and twenty (20) Curiae attached. Sixty- three (63) probationers made their promise recently. Three hundred and fifty-one (351) persons returned to confession. Sixty-five (65) catechumens were received into the Church. An Exploratio Dominicalis project was carried out in China Camp. A Comitium with twenty-one (21) Curiae set up three new praesidia in distant areas.

Monterrey Regia: Four Curiae and one praesidium reported during this period. Generally the Council has not recovered from the pandemic. There are five (5) Curiae attached to the Regia. Most of the Legion of Mary work is around the parish and visiting the sick. An attached praesidium recruits after the Masses and offers the Miraculous Medal.

Hermosillo Regia: Recent Minutes report efforts to recruit. Four new praesidia which are attached to the Regia have been established recently. A number of volunteers helped with extension in three weaker Curiae.

CENTRAL AMERICA

COSTA RICA

The Senatus is visiting the attached Councils to ascertain the recovery after the pandemic and each month the attached Councils send representatives to the Senatus meeting. A number of praesidia took part in a project to visit all families in a large area where there was no praesidium. Legionaries are organising auxiliary rallies and other functions to help the auxiliaries understand their role in the Legion and in the Church. The book barrow apostolate was introduced with a very beautiful stand for the books. Legionaries are very encouraged with this new Legion apostolate and the interest of the public.

PANAMA

The Regia is visiting the attached Councils to ascertain and encourage the extension efforts. All the reports indicate the formation of new praesidia. Attached Councils are asked to organise a Legion Congress in 2024.

HONDURAS

Tegucigalpa Senatus intended to set up a Regia in San Pedro Sula and Concilium gave permission. However, when the Senatus had set out the plan for the new Regia, it was realised that it would leave the Senatus of Tegucigalpa very weak due to long distances, it was decided not to proceed with the plans for the present. They are working well and present good reports. They are also organising retreats and plan to hold Legion Congresses during the year.

SALVADOR

San Salvador Senatus: An attached Comitium has three Curiae and twenty praesidia attached. Of the sixty-one people who visited praesidia, fifty- eight persevered. A number of former members returned after a visit from members of their praesidium. They also report that a number of couples regularised their marriage. Attached praesidia report special attention to auxiliaries, accompany the priest to visit the prison, public rosaries in different areas to the parish and care of a man recovering from cancer who finally agreed to a visit from the priest, confessed after many years, received the sacrament of the sick and died very soon afterwards.

CUBA

There are four Curiae in Cuba attached to Concilium. However, there is just one Curia with two praesidia in the capital Havana but recent recruiting efforts are positive. A new Curia with five (5) praesidia was set up in the provinces. A provincial Curia set up some years ago is working well doing the usual Legion works.

NICARAGUA

Mangua Regia: The correspondent resigned due to ill health and family reasons. Concilium has been touch with the Council.

AFRICA

TOGO

Lomé Senatus: Concilium funded the printing of five thousand (5,000) handbooks for the latest handbook French version, which includes the various additions and corrections. A number of the handbooks will be used for the proposed visits to Senegal and Conakry, which were ratified by Concilium. Several Councils mention the Thirty- Three preparation… with many making the promise. The junior Curia in Lomé is hoping to organise a Congress this month. The Curia of Lomé- Cathedral will be elevated to Comitium. A further four (4) Curiae are already established or in the process of being established as well as five (5) new adult and four (4) junior praesidia. A week-end of apostolate and sixteen (16) Exploratio Dominicalis projects were held since the last report.

Kara Regia has seventeen (17) adult praesidia attached, fifteen (15) adult Curiae and two (2) Comitia with a total of just over eighteen thousand (18,000) active members. After founding a new Curia and a new praesidium, they are hoping to start a new Curia soon. Their main works are home and hospital visitation and catechesis classes. The next two countries are under caretakership of Lomé Senatus.

GUINEA

Conakry: Comitium Refuge of Sinners has seven (7) adult praesidia attached with four (4) Curiae and a total of just over one thousand (1,000) active and three hundred (300) auxiliary members. Their works include home, hospital and prison visitation, contact with street children and catechesis. A new praesidium has just been set-up.

SENEGAL

Dakar Comitium has twelve (12) Curiae with twenty-five (25) adult and two (2) junior praesidia attached. They do home, hospital and prison visitation and also give catechesis classes. One person came into the Catholic Church. Pikine Comitium has two (2) Curiae with twelve (12) adult praesidia attached. Their works include home and hospital visitation and providing catechesis. They are meeting a lot of Muslims. A very small number attended the June Comitium meeting.

GUINEA EQUATORIAL

Malabo Regia: In October 2023 the Curia Consuelo de los Afligidos was raised to Comitium status and the Curia Refuge of Sinners with fourteen (14) praesidia and the Curia Maria Reina with four (4) praesidia were affiliated to the new Comitium. Reports indicate progress with recruiting, one Curia with eight (8) praesidia has one hundred and ninety- three (193) members, thirty- five (35) of whom are probationers. Another Curia has seven (7) praesidia with eighty- five (85) members and twenty-one (21) auxiliaries. Home and Hospital visitation and street contact are the main works of the praesidia.

CAMEROON

Douala Senatus: Works mentioned in the reports include home, hospital and prison visitation, street contact and catechesis classes. Exploratio Dominicalis and two Congresses were held. This resulted in nine (9) new adult praesidia and three (3) junior praesidia being established and in Bamenda Comitium sixteen (16) prisoners joined the Legion ranks. Over one hundred (100) converts were also mentioned. In Yaoundé Regia, one Curia visits refugees and the membership of another Curia has nearly doubled.

IVORY COAST

Senatus Notre Dame Mediatrice de Toute Grace: It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of Henri Gnadou, the secretary of the Senatus Notre Dame Mediatrice de Toute Grace in Ivory Grace who passed away on the 12th November 2023. May his soul rest in peace. Amen.

All members of the Senatus are well involved and active in the Legion of Mary work. The Legion work carried out in the last three months includes: visitation of psychiatric hospitals, visitation of prisons, teaching of the catechism, home visitation, recruitment of new members in health centres, hairdressing, sewing workshops, schools and universities as well as during door-to door and street contact. Some fruits borne from these works include families having been reunited, couples marrying, lapsed people returning to Mass, people being baptised and new members joining the Legion of Mary. Some of the members are facing difficulties which prevent them from remaining active members. Some examples of these challenges are: praesidia are distant from where the members live, it is difficult to access due to bad roads and transport is very expensive. While trying to deal with these challenges, the members of the Senatus Notre Dame Mediatrice de Toute Grace in Ivory Coast have come up with good ideas to continue expanding the Legion of Mary i.e. organising workshops about our Lady with testimonies, participation in parish activities, especially during the months of the Virgin Mary (May, August and October) and coordination of relaxing outings, mini-vigils and weeks of legionary activities.

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Legion of Mary Congresses 2024- 2025

With the reconvening of praesidia and return to in-person meetings, along with the great blessing of the establishment of many new praesidia throughout the world, now is a very opportune time to organise and hold Congresses. It is a cause of great joy to hear through correspondence and at the monthly Concilium meeting of so many Councils throughout the world holding Congresses, particularly in very recent times. We urge all Councils who have not held Congresses since before Covid times to plan and hold them in 2024 or 2025 at the latest, as we aim for all to be part of a great renewal of the body and that we all honour our Blessed Mother by carrying out Her plans for Her Legion.

In light of this, the extract selected this month from Some Handbook Reflections is as follows:

The Legion Congress (p.35- 37)

The Legion Congress forms a valuable part of the legionary system of formation. While not intended to be an annual event, “an area should not hold a Congress more often than every second year” (Handbook 30:5), the holding of a Congress every two or three years, while not mandatory, would seem very desirable.

The Congress is essentially a Curia function, at which all the members, not just the officers, of the praesidia in the Curia, can come together to discuss the main principles of the Legion. It is important that every member should have an opportunity of contributing to the discussions. This would not be possible in a very large assembly or where the function consists of a series of long talks by selected speakers.

In organising a Congress, it would be well to study carefully the relevant section in the handbook. Some points from that are listed here:

1. A whole day should be devoted to the Congress.

2. If possible, the proceedings should begin with Mass, followed by a short address by the Spiritual Director, or other priest, and should terminate with Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

3. The day is divided into sessions. Each session should begin and close with prayer. Each subject should be very briefly opened up by someone who will have previously prepared his contribution.

4. Congresses are to be run on the parliamentary method, that is, on lines of universal participation, regulated from the chair. Careful timekeeping is important.

5. The assistance of some representatives of a higher governing body would be desirable.

6. The Congress should apply itself to the fundamentals. The subjects to be dealt with should concern the main principles of the Legion:

a) The devotional system of the Legion;

b) The legionary qualities, and how they are to be developed;

c) The methodical system of the Legion- including the conducting of the meetings and the members’ reports;

d) The Legion works, including the improvement of methods and the planning of new works

7. An item of the Congress should be a special Talk on some aspect of legionary devotion, idealism or duty. This is usually given as a Concluding Talk, at the close of the last session.

8. All the lessons learned at the Congress should be put into force by the Curia.

9. There should be changes in the programme from one Congress to the next “it is necessary that over a period of years much new ground be ploughed up.” (Handbook 30:5d)

It is important that the Congress be planned well in advance. To find a suitable date and venue and to draw up the programme, it seems desirable that preparations should be made at least six to eight months beforehand. It is also desirable that the next- highest governing body be consulted on the programme and that their suggestions be taken into account. As the attendance of some representatives of the higher council is desirable, adequate notice will be required. If the Congress is to be a success, it is obvious that all the members of the praesidia should have copies of the programme well in advance, at least six weeks beforehand, if possible, so that they will have time to prepare themselves to contribute fully to the Congress. Study of the subjects at praesidium meetings prior to the Congress would be very beneficial. Above all, all the legionaries should be encouraged to pray for the success of the Congress, which can be so important for themselves and for their apostolate.

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Frank Duff Essays

We are very grateful to the legionaries who have given much time to enable the availability of the Frank Duff Essays at https://www.frank-duff-essays.com/. We hope that all will avail of this bountiful and free gift of these very inspirational writings of now Servant of God Frank Duff, founder of the Legion of Mary and that the essays will be read throughout the world. We very much encourage and request that you share the link for the website and the writings with others, and suggest that the essays be incorporated into the Frank Duff prayer meetings that are already in existence and those that are being formed. We also ask that all correspondents will further the global promotion of these essays through their own writing.

Frank Duff Essays and Writings

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North American Maria Legionis to be translated into Spanish

Philadelphia Senatus produce the American Maria Legionis for the United States of America. To cater for the increasing number of Spanish speaking legionaries in USA, they proposed a Spanish translation for the magazine. Concilium were delighted to approve this. The translation will be done by Spanish speaking legionaries in Houstan Senatus who requested the journal. Initially they predict five hundred- one thousand (500- 1,000) subscriptions from Spanish legionaries.

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Peregrinatio Pro Christo Conference

Nazareth Hall, De Montfort House, Morning Star Ave, Dublin 7

Saturday 24th February 2024

Theme “Let Down your Net for a Catch” (Luke 5:4)

Session 1: 10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. For PPC Organisers.

Session 2: 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Open to all active legionaries.

The PPC Conference will begin on Saturday 24th February at 10:30 a.m. for all PPC Organisers. Please submit contact details of PPC Organisers to the PPC Committee in advance of the Conference. If for any reason you are unable to do this prior to the Conference, please ensure, in any case that a representative of each Council in Ireland attend for 10:30 a.m. on the day.

The afternoon session will begin at 2:00 p.m. and is open to all active legionaries interested in and intending to go on PPC.

We look forward to a very high attendance in anticipation of this year’s PPC projects, and kindly ask that you pray for the success of the Conference and the PPC projects this year. Thank you.