Concilium Bulletin June 2012
Concilium Bulletin June 2012
REPORTS
South America
ARGENTINA
Buenos Aires Senatus: The Secretary of the Senatus has had an operation on his eyes but with great difficulty sent on the month’s correspondence which always arrives in time to have an answer from Concilium for their next meeting. One Comitium had their annual retreat given by the Bishop and their Spiritual Director. In the Regia of San Miguel, legionaries are trained to work with people suffering from panic attacks, phobias and depression. Visitation of families belonging to the sects has resulted in many coming back to the Catholic Church. Praesidia of Paraguayan and Bolivian immigrants have been set up.
Salta Senatus: All praesidia do home visitation as well as street contact. Young people with drug problems are worked with and many have given up the vice. An extension team in the Regia of Jujuy go specially to outlying areas where there is neither priest or chapel. The legionaries start by having a liturgy on Sundays and setting up a praesidium. Then a chapel is built and when the community is formed, their fervent prayer is to have Sunday Mass.
Cordoba Senatus: The positions of Vice President and Secretary are vacant. A Curia formed one year ago reported 2,000 Rosaries were said in nursing homes, at grottos, in an Oratory and on radio.
Corrientes Regia: A praesidium of 11 members and 10 auxiliaries visit a hospital, the sick and depressed in their homes; legionaries in Itati are forming a praesidium of juniors and another group of pre-juniors.
Rosario Regia: Legionaries prepare old people for the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Communion and visit with the statue of Our Lady. They visited a junior and primary school and left the Statue of Our Lady in each room for a week. The legionaries organise Eucharistic Adoration. One praesidium has a Patricians meeting.
BRAZIL
Belo Horizonte Senatus: An Exploratio Dominicalis project to a slum area was carried out at the request of the Parish Priest. In many places medical appointments with consultants are organised. A Curia of 18 praesidia contacted over 6,000 adults and children on visitation. Other work includes visits to prepare expectant mothers for the birth of their babies, considering both spiritual and corporal needs. A Comitium reports 50 Adjutorians among its 9,000 auxiliaries. Two young addicts were baptised and four made their First Communion. A branch of the Apostolate of Prayer was set up.
Fortaleza Senatus: A Curia in Sobral reported 29 visits to a prison, accompanying 45 sick people to hospital, bringing Holy Communion to 873 sick people in their homes and preparing 90 children and 15 adults for First Holy Communion. A Comitium in Crato reported 134 Enthronements of the Sacred Heart in homes and 102 visits to prisoners.
Ponta Grossa Senatus: One report mentioned a public Rosary with a reflection on the Gospel in the square at the Bus Terminus. Many cohabiting couples were prepared for religious marriage. Over 11,000 home visits were reported from the attached Regia of Lages.
Recife Senatus: The Senatus is organising a holiday pilgrimage to Europe to include the Concilium in October. Legionary apostolate results include the prevention of an abortion and a suicide. Seventy members took part in a Peregrinatio Pro Christo project in an adjacent State. In São Laurenço da Maa a second junior Curia has been set up. Through facebook networking the younger legionaries are preparing for the National gathering of young Legionaries to be held in July. Alagoas Regia reports enthronement of the Sacred Heart in 61 homes. Members were told the Senatus President experienced a return to health through the intercession of Frank Duff. The Senatus is publishing a Portuguese translation of Fr. Kennedy’s booklet on the True Devotion of Mary.
Rio de Janeiro Senatus: Street Rosaries in Niteroi Regia involved contact with people without religion. Campo Grande reports juniors starting a book barrow which attracted many children and adolescents to be interested in their faith. In Leme, a well-to-do area of Rio de Janeiro city, the Legion has a daily show on an Evangelical radio station. Four pairs of legionaries are visiting the western Amazonian region, two being from the region itself. True Devotion to the Nation involves guiding pregnant women to proper health care. Vitoria Regia reports setting up a new Curia and Comitium and a Korean praesidium. Copacabana Comitium reports catechetical work and visits to night schools. Praesidium officer attendance at the Senatus meeting went from 38% to 44%.
Salvador Senatus: Six of the 17 Comitia have been added to the Senatus in the past three years. Apostolate is carried out at bus stops and taxi ranks. Vitoria da Conquista Regia has almost 15,000 active members, 11 Comitia, 8 Curiae and only 5 praesidia directly attached. Besides work in the general population, legionaries reach out to many groups such as gypsies, spiritualists and addicts. Over 4,000 were contacted on a Peregrinatio pro Christo in which 33 legionaries took part.
São Luis Senatus: Reports are largely statistical. In three meetings a total of about 47,500 visits to homes were reported. Book barrow is mentioned in one report.
São Paulo Senatus: A legal document, known as a Statute for the Legion in Brazil was presented at the April Senatus meeting. This follows meetings with officers of the major councils in Brazil. The Statute is a revision of the Social Statute which the Sao Paulo Senatus has had since 2004. The Senatus body was asked to analyse it. Reports from councils show visits to homes, including homes of Evangelicals, hospitals, to the sick and aged at home and in institutions to the bereaved and the preparation of children for the sacraments.
Brasilia Regia: Reports by eight Comitia record over 8,500 visits to homes. The Rosary is said on prison visitation and there are Bible readings. In the State of Goias, 62 people were taught the Rosary, also guidance was given on the correct active participation in the celebration of the Eucharist.
Asia
HONG KONG
Hong Kong Comitium: Average attendance at the Comitium is 92%. Archbishop John Tong was raised to the College of Cardinals in February. He is due to attend the Eucharistic Congress. He was involved in ceremonies of Baptisms at Easter where 800 received the Sacrament. The Legion played a significant part in those ceremonies and in the preparation for the Baptism.
MALAYSIA
Kuala Lumpur Regia: Fr. Raymond Periera has been appointed Spiritual Director of the Regia by Archbishop Murphy Pakiam. Penang Comitium has divided into two, with 1 Curia and 4 praesidia in one of them and 3 Curia and 6 praesidia in the other. This took place for geographical reasons with approval of the Hierarchy. The Regia also has 14 attached Curiae and 12 attached praesidia, there are 3 distant praesidia in Kuantan and 3 are distant in Malaca/Johore. The Regia has been asked to look at forming a Curia in the former and a Comitium in the latter. Wide ranging praesidia reports were presented which include home visits of sick and elderly, also visits to handicapped residents, teaching at Sunday school, assist at soup kitchen, visits to HIV and Aids Centre, lead Rosary at Grotto, accompany sick to hospital, weekly exercise with residents of Parkinsons centre, also visiting the female section of a prison.
KOREA
Gwanju Senatus: Jeju Regia has a total of 3,400 active members and 4,842 auxiliaries. There has been a small decrease in active members. Legionaries made contact with 2,211 people to invite them to the Church and encouraged 1,748 Catholics to receive the sacraments. Masan Regia has 11,584 active members, a decrease of 286 since the last report. They also invited 4,329 people to the Church and encouraged 3,482 Catholics to receive the sacraments.
Daegu Senatus: Attached councils show many catechumens recruited and many baptisms and returns to the sacraments. Uksoo Comitium recruited 40 catechumens and recorded 8 baptisms and 34 returns to the sacraments. They also visit hospitals and welfare institutions and recruited 35 active and five auxiliaries. Andong Regia was highly commended on its report to the Senatus, highlighted was their hard work and enthusiasm and their almost 100% attendance at Senatus meetings, the Regia has 3,085 active members. The Senatus requested Comitia to submit their audits and for the period December 2010 to December 2011. Visitation of councils and praesidia were recorded. The five Senatus officers had a meeting with the Vicar General of the Archdiocese in his office at his request.
JAPAN
Osaka Senatus: A record of a favour received through the intercession of Frank Duff has been sent to Concilium, this concerns a Senatus officer. 2,000 copies of the Immaculate Heart of Mary prayer have been distributed in Hirakata Church to date. At the same Church, Star of the Sea praesidium visit the sick at home and in hospital, they bring Holy Communion to the housebound in pairs and threes after their praesidium meeting.
TAIWAN
Taiwan Senatus: Four new praesidia have been established from Taichung Curia, the Curia have very good support from their Spiritual Director. Tai-nan Curia are focusing on recruiting new junior members, through community activities, and has recently established two new praesidia. Mother of Good Counsel Curia have started a new senior and two junior praesidia and have plans to set up four praesidia in four parishes, they ask for prayers, also for prayers for a junior praesidium in Christ the King. The 3rd Deanery of the Archdiocese of Taipei organized seminars on the importance of the Eucharist in preparation for the International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin.
INDONESIA
Malang Senatus: Average attendance of Officers 89% and members 55%. Curia Maria Assumpta, Malang has 12 praesidia with 170 members, 57 praetorians, 419 Auxiliaries and 41 Adjutorians. A Comitium recently set up in Macassar, Sulawesi Island supervises 3 Curiae plus a pre-Curia and 6 praesidia which includes 1 junior praesidium. The Maurmere Regia (set up in 2005) has a total of 11,000 active members. A Curia in Jember, which has been in decline was revived and has 7 praesidia with 2 in the course of formation. A junior Curia has 13 praesidia with 150 members. A Curia in Banyuwangi was visited, work is mainly home visitation, teaching religion and preparing people for the sacraments of baptism and marriage. Two new praesidia have been set up in Indonesian Papua. Malang Senatus has lost its dynamic Spiritual Director Rev. Fr. Emanuel, he has been replaced by Fr. Franciscus Borgias Deli.
Jakarta Senatus: The Senatus is in the process of translating the Indonesian Handbook. Also visitation of Kalimantan Island with the object of setting up needed Curiae and Comitia.
SINGAPORE
Singapore Senatus: A Secretary and Assistant Secretary have been elected to this council and the Concilium await their minutes in order to have these officers ratified.
Europe
AUSTRIA
Senatus of Austria and its attached councils: Reports received from 2 directly attached praesidia, 11 Curiae and 10 Comitia. A student’s praesidium of 8 members list among its works contact work in the University, visitation of the student quarters, the God connection discussion group and apostolate over the internet. Cardinal Arinze spoke at the Edel Quinn Mass on 12th May.
Vienna Northwest Curia encouraged a mother to have her 4 young children baptised.
Korean Curia brought candidates for baptism and promoted Catholic literature.
Filipino Curia works include street contact and work with young people.
Klagenfurt Comitium: Every praesidium is seeking to contact a neighbouring parish priest about the Legion.
Graz Comitium: The Oststevirmark Curia hold retreats for auxiliaries.
Hollabrun Comitium: On 7th November 13 Spiritual Directors took part in a day-long meeting to discuss the Legion of Mary and the spiritual life.
Unter Dem Wienerwald Comitium: 250 people attended a retreat for lapsed Catholics. The Military Bishop has given verbal permission to start the Legion among the soldiers. True Devotion to Our Blessed Lady is widely promoted among all councils.
UKRAINE
The Bishop of Lutsk has invited the Legion to start the Legion in his area. A new Curia in Novograd Volensk with 3 praesidia has been attached to Schitomir Comitium. The Comitium and 3 of the Curiae, Tsthernivtsi, Kiev and Kamenetes organised retreats. Legionaries from Zaporosche visited 2 small praesidia in Harkov and Nikolaev Curiae is supporting 2 new praesidia in Crimea. In the Greek Catholic diocese of Sokol, the 3 praesidia continue.
BULGARIA
A Bishop, 6 priests and approximately 70 legionaries attended the Acies. The Handbook is being translated into Bulgarian.
SLOVAKIA
Zseliz Comitium has 12 directly attached praesidia and 3 attached Curiae with a total of 31 praesidia. Their works with young people include bicycle tours, film shows, summer camps mixed with religious instruction.
Curia Truava has 8 praesidia. One of the works is prison visitation and a former prisoner has joined the Legion.
CZECH REPUBLIC
Bishop Herbst, Spiritual Director of Prague Comitium attended their Acies ceremony. Olmuetz Comitium: 72 attended a Winter School in Bruenn.
MOLDOVA
Chisinau Curia: Both the Bishop and Nuncio attended the Acies ceremony.
LIECHTENSTEIN
Senatus Officers met with the Archbishop and had some preliminary discussions about starting the Legion.
BELARUS
Minsk Comitium governs 7 directly attached praesidia and 10 Curiae. Most of the Curiae attend Comitium meeting fairly regularly with the exception of 2 distant Curiae of Grodno and Vitebsk. Two praesidia reports and reports from the attached Curiae were presented. Our Lady of Mercy praesidium Minsk, contact young people at train stations, in streets and parks, distributing Miraculous Medals and religious literature. They take care of two families of single mothers and do home to home visitation.
Vitebsk Curia and Mogilev Curia are 6 years established and have recently had elections for Curia Officers.
Naliboki Curia: Legionaries help the priest in all his works. They visit ill people and prepare them for the Sacraments of Confession and Confirmation.
Moledechno Curia has 7 praesidia visiting hospitals, social asylum and ill people in their homes.
Borisov Curia: Legionaries cared for a disabled Protestant woman for a long time. She asked for Confession in the Catholic Church and was received into the Church before her death.
CROATIA
Zagreb Regia and countries under their care: Report covers activities of 7 praesidia, 5 Curiae and 2 Comitia. Annual audits are submitted with reports. Extension efforts continue with the formation of some new senior and junior praesidia. Among the apostolic works undertaken were home, hospital and prison visitation, auxiliary visitation, Rosary groups and Nazareth groups. Some visible results were two conversions, anointing of the sick and many returns to the Sacraments.
BOSNIA-HERZGOVINA
Sarajevo Curia has 7 senior and 1 junior praesidia. From the apostolate of the legionaries, two people were baptised, one received the Sacrament of Confirmation, one couple received the Sacrament of Matrimony, one Orthodox person now attends the Catholic Church, and 7 received the Sacraments of Confession and Holy Communion after long periods.
SLOVENIA
Ljublijana Curia: The Zagreb Regia Officers had a meeting with the Bishop at which he gave his support for restoring the Curia and the Legion in his diocese.
HUNGARY
Budapest Regia: Reports received from 5 praesidia, 6 Curiae and 4 Comitia. The Regia has 21 praesidia, 9 Curiae and 5 Comitia directly affiliated. Extension efforts are ongoing. All the usual apostolic works are undertaken with great emphasis put on helping the dying to receive the sacraments. One praesidium keeps regular contact with young people coming out of orphanages. The Regia has 1,585 senior legionaries, 3890 auxiliaries, 7 Nazareth groups, 145 other children’s groups but no junior praesidium.
LATVIA
Riga Comitium: Talks on the real meaning of Lent organised by a praesidium in Rezekne Curia had attendances from 20-30. The Curia is in a rural area and the legionaries, the majority of whom are elderly often have to walk 3 to 4 kms, as transport is very scarce. A new praesidium of 5 members was set up in Riebini Parish. Legionaries are finding in the course of home visitation that a lot of families have gone over to Jehovah Witnesses.
LITHUANIA
Kaunus Comitium: Legionaries in the course of home-to-home visitation in Kaunus City are finding serious lack of knowledge of the faith among people who consider themselves Catholic - it was suggested to start Patricians. A lady helped to go to Confession after 10 years, died 3 days later.
Telsiai Comitium: The Comitium has 10 praesidia and 2 Curiae attached. From visits of legionaries to 174 families, 12 people agreed to receive the Sacraments, one person went to Confession after 50 years.
Assumption Curia: Hospital visitation by the legionaries resulted in 286 patients agreeing to receive the Sacraments and expressing a wish to see a priest.
ROMANIA
Satu Mare Regia: Praesidia reporting have very good membership and are engaged in a solid and varied apostolate.
Carei Curia has 17 praesidia and 100% attendance at Curia meetings.
Baia Mare Curia also reports 100% attendance at Curia meetings. A good number of auxiliaries attended their Acies.
POLAND
Lublin Regia governs 7 Comitia, 6 Curiae comprising 105 praesidia, which includes 2 praesidia of seminarians and 2 junior praesidia.
Our Lady of Kodenska Comitium: Legionaries carry out an apostolate to alcoholics, Jehovah Witnesses, co-habiting couples among a variety of other works. Rosary circles for children are organized by 3 praesidia.
Jastchebie Strova Comitium has 5 attached Curiae comprising 57 praesidia. Some fruits of their apostolate were 62 received the Sacrament of Penance and 51 the Sacrament of the Sick.
Warsaw Stegny Comitium has set up a new Curia at Sierpe. This indicates progressive development of the Legion in Plock Diocese, the Diocese of Bishop Marcinkowski, Bishop Protector of the Legion in Poland.
Warsaw Praga Comitium reports the continued success of their junior Legion after 20 years, the perseverance of the men’s praesidium and the recent addition of a praesidium of young women.
Elizabeth Kriss - Extension Worker
Elizabeth was present at the June Concilium meeting and gave us some details of her work in the Ukraine and Kazakhstan and her visit to Bulgaria.
Elizabeth gave an overview of her work in the northern diocese of Astana visiting 3 praesidia and starting 2 new praesidia and has attended a Curia meeting. In Karaganda the Bishop gave his blessing on her work where she visited the 2 remaining praesidia, the Curia has not met for two years. In the seminary, the Legion was introduced to the seminarians. The Bishop of Almaty has invited the Legion into his diocese.
Please keep Elizabeth in your prayers.
VISITORS TO THE JUNE CONCILIUM MEETING
Welcomed to the June Concilium meeting were Spiritual Directors and legionaries from many parts of the world, among these were:
His Eminence Joseph Cardinal Zen Ze-Kiun, S.D.B., Bishop Emeritus of Hong Kong;
Rev. Fr. Gerald O’Reilly, Spiritual Director, Chicago Senatus, USA;
Rev. Fr. Jean-Pierre Mumbere Ndulani, Butembo Senatus, Democratic Republic of the Congo;
Rev. Fr. Augustine Chan, Toronto, Canada;
Rev. Fr. Liam Ó Cuiv, Spiritual Director, Veneranda Curia, Dublin;
Rev. Fr. Michael Moss, Spiritual Director, Gloriosa Curia, Dublin;
Rev. Fr. Fergus O’Keeffe, S.J., Spiritual Director, Annunciata Curia, Dublin;
Rev. Fr. Michael Ross, S.D.B., Spiritual Director, Benedicta Junior Curia, Dublin;
Elizabeth Kriss, Austria, Concilium Extension Worker in Kazakhstan;
Maria Noelia Garcia Clúa, President, Senatus of Buenos Aires, Argentina;
Anthony Gabriel, President and Margaret Wong, Treasurer, Singapore Senatus, and Bibiana Andree, Stella Fernandez and Jennifer Lee, and Alphonsus Loh, from that Senatus;
Charlene McQuitty, President, June Collymore, Treasurer, Bernard Robin, Assistant Treasurer, Houston Senatus, USA and Barbara Chauvin, Dorothy Pullappallil, Kellie Comeaux, Victoria Jacobs, Luz Garcia, Mary Rangel, Elsie Hermandez and Joyce Williams from that Senatus;
Connie Escabam, Treasurer, Toronto Senatus, Canada, and Marilon Jan, Freminde Alane and Cherrylon Naxaba;
Agripina Solís de Batista, President, Panamá Regia, and Maria De Gracia and Eneide Goméz de Naranjo, from that Regia;
Anthony Kirstein, Assistant Secretary, Liverpool Senatus;
Bernie Kirstein, Treasurer, Manchester Comitium;
Joseph Murphy, Assistant Treasurer, Southwark Comitium; Mary Murphy and John Murphy, London;
Moreen Healy, Secretary, Brentwood Comitium, and Michael Healy, Auxiliary member;
Sylvia D’Hulster, Richard Jiry and Elmer Hihn, Edmonton Comitium, Canada;
Maria Teresa Olmedo, former President, Cordoba Senatus, Argentina, and Isobel Herrera from that Senatus;
Ana Maria Aguire de Valdireso, Senatus of Lima, Peru;
Cristy Chua, and Chai Chua, Vancouver, B.C., Canada;
Mary Y. Waung, Richmond, B.C., Canada;
Joe Drew, President, Down & Connor Comitium;
Kathleen O’Brien, Achonry Curia;
Mary Joy, Presentata Curia; and
Michael Walsh, Porta Coeli Curia.
