Concilium Bulletin July 2007

REPORTS - EUROPE
FRANCE
Paris Regia: The Vietnamese Curia has 9 praesidia which visit homes and hospitals and teach catechism. 2 adults have been baptised, 2 couples were reconciled and 7 people resumed practice of the Faith.
Versailles Curia emphasises the value of co-operating with other parish organisations. 22 legionaries including Haitians and a local priest took part in a parish visitation project.

Valence Regia: Membership in reporting praesidia ranged from 7 to 12. Two Regia officers visited the distant praesidium in Nimes and were impressed with the attention given to their 300 auxiliary members.

Mont de Marsan Regia has arranged PPC parish projects for Irish legionaries during the past 5 years and this helped to create interest in the setting up of praesidia.

GERMANY
Frankfurt Senatus: Dr. Frank Kaspar, the Bishops’ Vicar attended a Senatus meeting.

Cologne Regia has started a young person’s praesidium with 6 members in Essen.

Comitium Freiburg with 15 praesidia is extending in 2 areas.

The Frankfurt Korean Curia has 8 praesidia with 70 members. Bishop Lee came from Korea to confirm 65 people last January.

Munich Senatus: Curia Munich North West with 5 praesidia supports a Living Rosary with 300 participants. Extension efforts were made in Ingoldstadt. A Patrician meeting for young people is operating in Poettmes.

Curia Amberg Weiden has 11 senior praesidia and works include a Patrician meeting with 20 present each month. In Eglosheim, membership has been boosted by the influx of Russian and Korean Catholics. Bookbarrows were utilised as first steps to starting the Legion in the Dioceses of Dresden and Goerlitz.

Siberia under the caretakership of Frankfurt Senatus: The 3 praesidia were visited in July by 2 members of the Senatus.

Switzerland: The former Comitium of Luzern has been divided into Curia Luzern and Curia North East Luzern and both are now attached to Frankfurt Senatus.

SCOTLAND
Reports received by the Senatus showed that Christmas cribs hosted by the legion drew the attention of many passers-by and these were spoken to individually where possible. Medals were distributed and in one area were accepted by Muslim families. Extension is being carried out in some parishes. All grades of membership figure in reports and auxiliary members are encouraged to consider taking on Adjutorian membership. Many primary schools are visited for the purpose of informing the pupils about the Legion.

BELGIUM
Brussels Senatus: The English speaking praesidium at Anderlecht reported. It organised a big group to attend the annual pilgrimage to Banneux. Good relations have been established with young Muslims in 2 areas.

ENGLAND
Senatus of Birmingham: Three new praesidia have been established in Oxford, Blackbird Leys and Solihull. As a result of door to door visitation and follow up in one parish 20 lapsed Catholics returned to the practice of the Faith. Some of the activities of directly attached praesidia are monthly visits to a Mosque, preparation of parents for the Baptism of their children, school rosaries and an apostolate to homosexuals. A Vietnamese praesidium carries out a valuable apostolate to its own community. In Coventry Curia, 2 Exploratio projects were organised at Warwich University. Swansea Curia Wales under the caretakership of Birmingham Senatus. A talk on the legion was given to University students.

Southwark and Arundel and Brighton Comitium: A Rosary procession from St. George’s Cathedral Southwark to Camberwell was edifying and prayerful with 200 participating. The Edel Quinn pilgrimage to Aylesford was also very well attended where an uplifting homily was given by Bishop Hendrick.

East Kent Curia reported with 3 praesidia each having 5 members. In all 3 parishes the Legion’s contribution is appreciated by the Priests. New parishioners are welcomed, the lonely, sick and bereaved are comforted. Census work provides an opportunity to meet the questioning and lapsed and the Miraculous Medal is widely used.

Brentwood Comitium: Extension and recruiting are promoted and auxiliary members are visited. East Brentwood Curia has 8 senior and 3 junior praesidia. Each of the 2 Curiae in the Northampton Diocese has started a new praesidium. 3 reporting Curiae in Westminster Archdiocese with from 6 to 8 praesidia attached do a variety of work including visitation of homes, hospitals and a women’s prison and the distribution of Miraculous Medals.

Senatus of Liverpool: Warrington Curia report mentioned good work done in hospitals, residential homes and schools. Members of Middlesborough Comitium distributed 500 Miraculous Medals to soldiers posted abroad. Three Priests work with their praesidia in N.W. Durham Curia. Isle of Man legionaries attended the May Senatus meeting.

Welsh Curiae under the caretakership of Liverpool Senatus:The Bishop attended the Acies of Wrexham Curia and thanked the legionaries for their work. Cardiff Comitium reported the weekly visitation of the prison and several prisoners under instruction in the faith.

MIDDLE EAST

ISRAEL
Jerusalem Comitium: Reports from 3 praesidia mentioned visitation of the sick and elderly, bringing families and individuals back to Mass and Sacraments after long lapses and preparing children for the Sacraments.
Nazareth Curia has some distant praesidia and it appears that there is need for a new Curia to deal with them. Members of the Jericho praesidium are very enthusiastic about their apostolic work. The Jaffa praesidium which increased to 40 members has been divided. Bethlehem Curia has been visited.

ASIA

AUSTRALIA
Melbourne Senatus A 12 day PPC project was carried out by a team of 14 to Munster, Perth: Children attending state schools are prepared for the Sacraments. Special attention is given to celebrating Our Lady’s Feast Days. Two Sudanese praesidia work in their own community. 7 Comitia in the Pacific Islands govern 37 attached Curia on separate islands. There are several junior praesidia attached.

Sydney Senatus Vietnamese Curia has 13 praesidia with 164 legionaries. Works reported on include home visitation and enthronement of the Sacred Heart. Many were received into the Church.

NEW ZEALAND
Auckland Senatus: Congress was held. Works include validations of marriages and returns to the Sacraments. Chinese teach Catechism, visit immigrants and help the bereaved with funerals. A Junior praesidium of 23 help seniors and distributes Mass time leaflets, and visits First Communicants to explain the Rosary. A Korean Comitium started on 17th June with 44 praesidia.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Madang Regia: Marriage validations figure prominently in their reports. A Bahai family was brought into the Church. Four Assembly of God families were also converted.

PHILIPPINES
Makati Comitium reported 24 conversions. Bar apostolate is carried out to 19 entertainment houses. Catechists in public schools are instrumental in the continuing growth of junior praesidia. Manila Comitium visited 2492 jail inmates. Kalmana Comitium had 107 marriage validations, 150 Baptisms, and 143 were prepared for confirmation. 10 senior and 5 junior members were recruited as a result of a parish mission. 4 Muslims were converted.

Bicolandia Senatus Reports showed many returns to the Sacraments. 257 enthronements of the Sacred Heart, 13 adults were baptised and 3,000 children confirmed. Former president of Major Seminary Curia was ordained in May.

Western Visayas Regia Works include visiting drug pushers and teaching them Catechism and encouraging them to attend Sunday Mass. A single mother was prevented from suicide and later returned to the practice of her faith.

Cebu Senatus Works include home, hospital and prison visitation and giving catechetical instruction. A Muslim girl was converted. Marriages were validated. Born Again children were converted. Extension work is ongoing.

Southern Philippines
2 Curia in the Senatus of Cagayan de Oro city were raised to Comitium. Xavier University has a Curia with 7 praesidia attached. Their works include student contact on and off campus.

AFRICA

LESOTHO
Lesotho Senatus A new praesidium has commenced at the Police Training College. Herd boys are encouraged to attend Mass; Marriages have been regularised.

REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, NAMIBIA AND SWAZILAND
Cape Town Senatus A Moslem family requested the Legionaries to pray the Rosary on the death of a loved one. Non Catholics are learning the Rosary.

Johannesburg Senatus Anglicans from Emmerdale have requested instruction in the Rosary. 3 lapsed Catholics have returned to practice.

Durban Comitium 51 attended an auxiliary rally; cripples were visited in a home and children from rural areas, who had no visitors were also visited.

Marianhill Comitium An orphanage for children was visited on Christmas Day and the Legionaries got involved with the cooking etc. A praesidium of 16 baptised 10 patients who were dying, in the absence of the Priest.

Matatiele Comitium A praesidium of 13 had 27 children baptised. During May 8 praesidia visited various homes to recite the Rosary. 4 marriages were regularised.

St. Augustine’s Comitium 432 attended the Acies; hospitals and homes are visited, children are under instruction.

ANGOLA
Benguela Regia: 93 attended a retreat. Ndunde Comitium has 15 senior Curiae attached. There are now 8 Comitia in the Labengu area.

GUINE BISSAU
Guine Bissau Curiae; 200 Legionaries from 6 Councils attended the 40th anniversary of the Legion and the Bishop presided at the Mass.

CABO VERDE
Prai Regia: A Comitium has set up 2 senior and 1 junior praesidium and gained 32 new members.

GHANA
Accra Senatus The Papal Nuncio was the Chief Celebrant at the recent Acies. A Sunday class for children with an attendance of 15-25 meets from 8am to 9am. Kumasi Comitium has an active membership of 1,862. It has set up 9 senior and 2 junior praesidia, 26 non Catholics and 5 Moslems were received into the Church. From the Catechism Classes 374 received Baptism, 485 for First Holy Communion and 705 for Confirmation. Currently 992 are under instruction and 12 marriages were regularised. A successfully Congress was held at Achimoto. A Curia at Kotobabi has 10 senior and 5 junior praesidia, 35 juveniles and 105 adults are under instruction. Praesidia reported memberships of 20, 14, and 12.

ZIMBABWE
A praesidium of 12 men commenced at S. Monica’s. St. Mary’s Curia has 7 praesidia attached.

Mutare Comitium Held a successful Congress recently. Many would have walked to the Congress.

Harare: One of the praesidia at the Cathedral Parish has an influx of Nigerians, all active legionaries with a good spirit.

Election of Assistant Secretary
Liam Hayden was re-elected for a second term as Assistant Secretary with responsibility for Dublin Curiae to the Concilium Legionis Mariae in June.

Resignation of Assistant Secretary
Colm Mannion who was Assistant Secretary of Concilium responsible for Ireland and Europe has resigned his office this month to try his vocation with the Dominican Order. Tommy McCabe thanked him for his dedication and hard work in his capacity as Assistant Secretary and wished him every blessing in his new undertaking

Concilium Visit to Greece
On behalf of the Concilium, Enda Dunleavy, Concilium Secretary and Giovanna Turrini, Vice President of the Rome Senatus visited Greece from the 3rd to the 10th May. They visited the praesidia in Athens and also went to the various Communities of Armenians, Chaldeans, Poles, Italians and Germans where they found openings for new praesidia. They had a meeting with Fr. Avraamides, Secretary of the Orthodox Synodal Committee on Inter-Orthodox and Inter-Christian Relations.

Susana Maciel - Extension Worker
Susana Maciel visited the Concilium and reported on the year’s extension work which she carried out in Argentina, Bolivia and Peru on behalf of the Concilium. In Argentina she set up 8 praesidia in the diocese of San Nicolas before continuing on her mission to Bolivia. In Bolivia she concentrated on building up existing praesidia by recruiting and training new members. With the help of local legionaries 15 praesidia were set up in 4 different dioceses. During her stay she met Cardinal Terrazas Sandoval CSsR, and a number of Bishops to inform them of the progress of the Legion in Bolivia. Susana went on to visit Peru with Jorge Garcia (former President of the Senatus of Buenos Aires). They visited a number of councils and praesidia meetings and met a large number of legionaries. There are many young legionaries in the Senatus area and in one particular Comitium they met more than 100 young legionaries. Susana thanked the Concilium for accepting her offer to do extension. She also thanked the legionaries who helped her especially the officers of the Senatus of Bolivia and her correspondent Noel Lynch. Finally she thanked everyone for their prayers and encouragement during her period of extension. Tommy McCabe, President of Concilium thanked Susana for her generous commitment to the Legion of Mary for the past twelve months.

Commemorative Mass for 75th Anniversary of the Birth of The Servant of God Alfie Lambe
On the 24th of June, the Commemorative Mass for the Servant of God Alfie Lambe took place in The Church of the Assumption, Tullamore, Co. Offaly. The Chief Celebrant and Homilist was Fr. Oliver Skelly P.P., Vice Postulator of the Cause. Approximately 300 attended the Mass.

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