Concilium Bulletin May 2009
REPORTS - NORTH AMERICA
United States of America: The population of the United States of America is about 250 million people spread over 52 states. The Catholic population is about 23% i.e. 64 million with 50% of the said population comprised of Spanish speaking Catholics. By contrast there are 77.4 million Protestants of various denominations, Baptists being the highest proportion with 34 million.
The territory is divided into 11 different councils, 9 Senatus and 2 Regiae. On the west side of the country is San Francisco Senatus and Los Angeles Senatus. In the middle of the country there are three councils, Chicago, St. Louis and Houston - all Senatus. On the East side of the country, there is Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Cincinnati each with a Senatus. Moving southwards there are 2 Regiae in Arlington and Miami.
The highest percentage of number of Catholics in each Diocese and the top 4 so to speak is as follows:
” 4 out of 11 million i.e. 37% in Los Angeles,
” 2.5 out of 5.6 million i.e. 46% in New York,
” 2.4 out of 6.1 million i.e. 40% in Chicago,
” 2 out of 4 million i.e. 50% in Boston,
There are 193 Dioceses in the country out of which the Legion of Mary is in about 20% of the parishes from the statistics forwarded for the North American Legion Conference.
Canadian Statistics:
In Canada there are 18 Dioceses with the largest population being in:
1. Ontario, 3 million Catholics out of population 9 million i.e. 33%;
2. Quebec, is heavily Catholic at 77% or 2.8 million out of 3.7 million population;
Since the North American Legion Conference in 2006, there have been some improvements in the Legion activity, however, the Hispanic population being the largest of the Catholic population, i.e. 50% or 32 million, needs to be focussed on. The Hispanic population is mostly Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican and Central Americans and is not well represented at church level and is poorly organised.
Key Points from reports received:
” San Francisco Senatus - an interesting idea is the family praesidium, which has been in operation for 3-4 years and seems to be having a good effect on families. True Devotion to Mary has been put into action and produced excellent results.
” The Korean community is developing in various councils and they are very active, particularly in Arlington.
” Prison visitation is a very good work in the USA councils especially Boston where three prisoners are under instruction, San Francisco and it is also taking place in Montreal under prison ministry.
” Philadelphia Senatus is involved in organising the Maria Legionis and the printing of “Mary Shall Reign” and various books for North America. They have also undertaken evangelisation days, which have been beneficial to the parishes.
” New York Senatus seems to have a high number of parishes with the Legion at approximately 35%. The Senatus has 7 Comitia, 15 Curiae and 19 praesidia.
” In Arlington Regia, the average age is 45 to 50 and there is good promise here. Since the North American Legion Conference they have set up 2 new Curiae and a Korean Curia is also being planned. Overall, there are 260 praesidia with 1,873 adult and 454 junior members.
” Since raising of the Regia in Pittsburgh in September 2008 it is functioning well, with 15 praesidia, 1 Comitium and 3 Curiae, which covers the western part of Pennsylvania.
” Houston Senatus has 310 parishes with the Legion. They have raised a Hispanic Curia to Comitium level, which is promising.
” In New Orleans hurricane Katrina wiped out all praesidia, except two.
” Miami Regia is actively carrying out a visitation to the Bahamas. The Spanish speaking Comitium has 45 praesidia in Miami. This Regia was formed in the 1970’s and is focussed on the Bible belt area where the Catholic population of Miami is 20%, Atlanta is 12% and Alabama is 4%. The Regia is trying to rebuild in Atlanta where a Comitium was formerly present.
” In Chicago two new Hispanic Curiae have been set up in the last 12 months with Columbian drives and Peregrinatio Pro Christo being carried out. The Korean Curia reported 95 people under instruction.
” Los Angeles Senatus has 12 Korean Curiae directly attached, with 14 praesidia in each one and 8 members in each praesidium i.e. 1,400 Korean legionaries. One Korean Council has 7 patrician groups and the others are encouraged to follow the example.
Canada
” The membership of Toronto Regia has increased by 25% in 2008 and this is mainly due to Legionaries taking on the True Devotion of Mary consecration. The Regia has 9 attached Councils of 3 Comitia and 6 Curiae and covers Toronto, part of Ontario, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. It also has a Korean Comitium in Toronto and Legion work includes hospital visitation, recruitment of young people as officers and three became Adjutorian members.”
Toronto Regia: Heroic works in the Regia includes visitation of “crack cocaine” houses, running soup kitchens, and meeting people at Airports to arrange accommodation and food. ”
Ontario Senatus has 5 attached Curiae. A Chinese Priest is interested in starting the Legion for Chinese people in his parish. Columban Drives have been organised. A Day of Recollection was held for handicapped people. The Ottawa Detention Centre is visited weekly. Market Ministry is done. A Korean praesidium has 10 members and focus on evangelisation. ”
Montreal Senatus: There are 229 in parishes in Montreal and the Legion is in 20 of them. Nine parishes are French speaking, ten are English-speaking and one is Korean. One presidium is attached to a sanctuary, two are in residences for the elderly and one praesidium is made up of Haitians. The Senatus covers all of Quebec and has 1 Comitium in Quebec City, 8 Curiae including a Korean Curia and 12 praesidia attached. ” Edmonton Comitium a new praesidium has been started in Calgary University. Visitation of councils is ongoing. The Legion is in 26 of 344 parishes and they have established a Korean Curia.
Islands
” Dominican Republic: This is a small country in the Caribbean and has a population of 10 million, 90% of whom are Catholic and 4% Protestant. The two Archdioceses Santo Domingo and Santiago de los Caballeros have a Senatus in each. Santo Domingo has 8 Comitia and 10 attached Curiae with an active membership of about 6,000. The Rosary is promoted on home visitation and at funerals. Praesidia helped in the 3rd Diocesan plan of evangelisation.
” Senatus of Santiago de los Caballeros has 5 Dioceses and has a Regia, 21 Comitia, 6 Curiae and 12 praesidia. There are 12,135 legionaries. The attached Regia has 12 Comitia, 6 Curiae and 13 praesidia with a membership of 8,000.
” Senatus of Notre Dame de l’Assomption Haiti. The Republic of Haiti occupies the western side of the island of Hispanole in the Caribbean. The languages are Creole and French. The population of about 9 million has about 80% Catholic. The country faces huge problems of poverty, natural disasters and violence, but nonetheless the Legion is established throughout Haiti. The spirit and administration at Senatus level is good and much effort is put into visitation of councils and praesidia. Training sessions are held. Reports show that the strength of councils varies a lot. Works include home, hospital and prison visitation and work for street girls. Two Seminary praesidia work in the Seminary and in homes. Many other religions are met and also voodooists. Conversions, returns to the Sacraments, literacy classes and preparation for the Sacraments are all reported.
” Trinidad Regia has 6 Comitia and 5 Curiae attached. The Comitia on the islands are Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Guadeloupe and St. Lucia. Curiae are in Barbados, Curacao, French Guyana and Suriname. Distant praesidia attached to the Regia are in Antigua, San Maarten, St. Vincent and Tobago.
ARGENTINA AND BRAZIL
Argentina
Argentina is the world’s eighth largest nation, 50 times the size of Ireland, with a population of about 36 million people. The capital, Buenos Aires, has a population of approximately 13 million. About 89% of the population of the country is Baptised Catholics. There are eight Pastoral Regions with 14 Archdioceses and 47 Dioceses and some Prelatures. Argentina holds the tomb of the Servant of God, Alfie Lambe, who, as Legion Envoy, played such a vital role in extending the Legion there. It was in Buenos Aires that the Cause for his Beatification was introduced. A group of legionaries there help to promote Alfie’s Cause and they had an attendance of about 1,500 at his tomb on 21st January to mark the 50th anniversary of his death.
There are now three Senatus and two Regiae directly affiliated to the Concilium. Buenos Aires Senatus, which holds its meetings in Adrogue, a town some 40 minutes train ride outside the city, covers an area about 12 times the size of Ireland and stretches down to the South Pole. They claim to have the most southern praesidium in the world in Antarctica. The Senatus has 5 Regiae as well as other councils, including six junior Curiae, and 15 praesidia directly attached. In addition to many other works, legionaries take part in True Devotion to the Nation projects, which include classes for poor parents and organizing food kitchens for children. The affiliated Regia of La Plata has great numbers of young legionaries, one of whose works is contact with young people in the Internet cafés. Two of the young legionaries gave six months to full time extension work. Salta Senatus continue to extend the Legion in rural areas and many of these areas are now sect free due to the work of the local legionaries. Valuable contacts are made with pilgrims and tourists who visit the Shrine of our Lord and Our Lady of the Miracle. Over 100,000 visit the Shrine each year. Junior legionaries of the Senatus have their own Legion bulletin.
The Cordoba Senatus governs the Legion in two Archdioceses and the 8 corresponding Suffragen Dioceses. The Legion is established in all but one of the Dioceses. There are 2 Comitia, 7 Curiae and 10 praesidia affiliated. In 2008 two young extension workers from La Plata Regia did extension with the local legionaries concentrating particularly on recruiting young legionaries and training them to do home visitation and encouraging the teaching of catechism in the parishes. This resulted in a very positive move for the Legion and an increase in the number of young legionaries in that area. These extension workers also helped in the Corrientes Regia, which governs the Legion in 2 Archdioceses and 6 Suffragen Dioceses. It appears that the Legion is set up in all but two of the Dioceses. There are 5 Comitia, 9 Curiae and 27 praesidia affiliated to the Regia. During the past 5 years 2 new Comitia have been set up and there are plans for a third. The Bishop of the Diocese of Resistencia has asked the legionaries to take on an apostolate to prisoners. The Rosario Regia covers the Legion in the Archdioceses of Rosario, Paraná and Santa Fe. There are 14 praesidia 9 Curiae and 3 Comitia attached to the Regia. Among the works carried out are home and hospital visitation and there is much visitation done with the statue of Our Lady. There have been many returns to the sacraments and catechism is taught to children and adults.
Brazil
Brazil, occupying an area 100 times the size of Ireland, has a population approaching 200 million. During the 55 years since the Legion was set up in Brazil the population increased almost fourfold. With 268 Dioceses, including 41 Archdioceses and some Prelatures, it claims to be the biggest Catholic country in the world. Recently 4 Senatus, 5 Regiae and many Comitia have been set up in order that proper administration keeps pace with increased Legion membership. There are now 8 Senatus and one Regia directly affiliated to the Concilium. Half a century ago Brazil was nominally Catholic with practice as low as five percent. Now, although there has been considerable growth in various sects, the Church has experienced a transformation with an increase in regular practice, priestly vocations among the young and a missionary outreach. One of the clearest signs of Church renewal in Brazil is the missionary outreach by the Church to Kazakhstan, East Timor, and Eastern Europe.
Now the Legion is regarded as one of the greatest instruments of the Church’s catechesis and evangelisation. One of the many signs of the Brazilian Hierarchy’s support for the Legion is the appointment of one of their members, Dom Edson de Castro Homem, Auxiliary Bishop of Rio de Janeiro, to be the Hierarchy’s special link to the Legion. Bishop Edsom is also Spiritual Director of the Senatus of Rio de Janeiro. The Legion continues to thrive with an increase in active membership of more than a third in the past eight years. There are now over 350,000 active members.
In the legionary apostolate, central importance is given to works of visitation and catechesis. In Brasilia, the capital, where there is a Regia, the Legion plays a leading role in a religious festival in which up to 150,000 take part. This annual religious festival centres on Prayer, the Eucharist, Confessions and devotion to Our Lady. The latter is the Legion’s particular responsibility, Marian events being held in a circus tent. The Legion also plays a practical role in the hospitality area at minimal cost to those who benefit. All councils promote Peregrinatio Pro Christo and this year a project was held in the most Protestant town in Brazil. Six new Comitia have been set up in the new Senatus of São Luís. In the new Senatus of Recife full details were provided of all parishes in 9 Dioceses.
Growth in the Senatus of Belo Horizonte is seen in the setting up of a Regia and three new Comitia in the past three months. Rio de Janeiro Senatus has sent four legionaries to visit distant Amazónia where they shall spend some months doing extension and visitation. In the Salvador Senatus, in addition to the works of visitation and bringing people to the sacraments, legionaries with some basic nursing skills provide a service to aids’ sufferers and undernourished infants. Some legionaries have Bible study groups in the homes in a particularly Protestant district. Legionaries in the São Paulo Senatus area continue to do very valuable apostolic works. These include visits to people of other religions, an apostolate to people on the street, distributing Miraculous Medals in commercial premises including bars and evangelisation of 1,550 prisoners. The Fortaleza Senatus has been very successful in promoting the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart in homes as part of its visitation. Shortly after its inauguration the new Senatus of Ponta Grossa organised a Formation Conference for officers of Legion councils in the States of Paraná and Santa Catarina with 180 participants and a three day conference for Spiritual Directors at the end of March this year.
ASIA
Korea
Korea is divided into the Republic of Korea in the south and the Peoples Republic in the North. Catholicism was introduced into Korea by a Korean layman on his return from China, where he was baptized in 1784. There are around 5.1 million Catholics in the Republic of Korea, a little over 10% of the population. There are three Archdioceses and 12 Suffragan Dioceses. There are about 300,000 legionaries in three Senatus, one in each Archdiocese and 12 Regia. The Legion has contributed significantly to the evangelisation of Korea, with the number of Catholics increasing from 500,000 in 1953 to over 5 million today. In Euijeongbu Diocese there were 3,025 Baptisms and 2,664 returns to the Sacraments reported and the Regia in Cheongju Diocese recorded 2,019 Baptisms and 2,333 returns to the Sacraments.
Indonesia
The republic of Indonesia comprises an archipelago in South East Asia of about 17,000 islands of which about 5,000 are inhabited. Its population is 237 million, the fourth largest in the world 3% of whom are Catholic and 5.7% Protestant. The capital Jakarta is the largest city with a population of 8.8 million. A Franciscan, Fr. Rademaker founded the first praesidium in Indonesia in 1949 and the Legion has expanded throughout the republic. The spread of the Legion throughout that Moslem country has been spectacular with much support coming from the Hierarchy. There are 2 Senatus, 4 Regiae, 10 Comitia, 209 Curiae with a total Legion membership of 25,234.
Singapore
Singapore Senatus: Under the jurisdiction of Singapore Senatus there are 3 Archdioceses and 4 Suffragan Dioceses (2 Archdioceses and 4 Suffragan Dioceses in East Malaysia) with a total population of around 30 million of whom 3.3% is Catholic representing 900,000. A notable feature of the Legion in Singapore is its youth and young people up to third level education, many graduates, continue in the Legion after University. In the city of Singapore there are 9 Curiae, in East Malaysia there are 3 Comitia governing 21 Curiae. A new Comitium was formed on the 10th May.
Taiwan
Taiwan Senatus: In 2008 Taiwan celebrated 150 years of Catholicism and to mark the occasion a vast campaign of prayer was offered. Seven new praesidia were established in 2008. Thirty-seven people were received into the Church and many more are under instruction including prisoners.
Japan
Osaka Senatus: Works of charity on behalf of the parish are undertaken which involves home and area services for those who cannot attend Sunday Mass. Legionaries have adopted the phrase “every member must realize the apostolic mission of the laity”.
West Malaysia
Kuala Lumpor Regia consists of an Archdiocese and 2 Suffragan Dioceses. The population is approximately 21 million with 228,817 Catholics. The Regia is composed of 1 Comitium with 20 Curiae.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong Comitium has 3 Chinese Curiae, 3 English Curiae, 3 Chinese Junior Curiae, 2 English Junior Curiae and 1 Korean Curia with a total membership of 1,862 members.
Concilium’s Discussion Item: - Role of the Correspondent
The first thing to say about the Correspondent is that those who have the capacity to do so and accept the invitation to be a Correspondent open up for themselves an added channel of grace on the supernatural level and on the human level a channel of interaction with another part of the Legion world which can be very rewarding.
Br. Frank Duff in his talk to Correspondents said the following:
“It is self evident that the fate of the Legion throughout the world depends on the Concilium Correspondents. They are the links between the Concilium and every directly related Council in the world, which in turn transmit the Legionary idealism to the bodies below them. Of course, there are other links such as the Concilium report, Maria Legionis, and perhaps other things. But it has never been our practice to rely too much on these general media. Our reliance is upon that approximation to personal contact, which the Correspondent represents. Accordingly the responsibility of the individual Correspondent is really great. Nobody should undertake that duty unless he means to take it seriously. In practice we are able to see how an area responds to its Correspondent’s handling of it either for better or for worse. The possession of quality or lack of quality by the Legion in any place is going to affect very considerably the life of the Church around it. So I repeat that a grave responsibility lies there. The benefits, which will accrue to a Correspondent through a right exercise of that responsibility, will be immense. ”
The letter sent by the Correspondent whether it is sent by email, fax of post must be a “worthy proposition” as Br. Duff puts it, as its arrival at the other end can often be analogous to a communication from the Vatican.
Placing Mary at the very heart of all that we do Br. Duff devotes a good deal of attention to two aspects: one is the tone and the other is the content of the letter. One the first point of tone, this is what he says: Never dictate. Let your opposite number understand the reason for everything that is put down as required by the Legion system. Never merely come down on people. If they are put into a bad mood they will tend to resist, and perhaps to defend a wrong point of view. A blunt ‘no’ will be resented whereas if you say that ‘no’ in a thousand words, showing that you have taken trouble, it will be cheerfully accepted. This attitude of taking trouble pays rich dividends.
On the second point of content, he asks the Correspondent to exhort the legionaries to give their best attention to the most important works, to recruiting, to building the junior Legion, to Legion literature, to the Pioneer movement, and to offering the Catholic Church to those outside it. He finished his talk by saying - “of profound importance is that we practise ourselves what we are trying to teach. Among the lessons which we seek to impart is the chief one of prayerfulness which is the very cement of the Legion.” It would be desirable that each Correspondent would have a map of the territory they correspond with, know how many dioceses are involved, how many parishes have and haven’t got the Legion and know what the actual strength of the Legion is, so that with prayer and hard work that the curiae will in time be formed into comitia, the comitia into Regia and the Regia into Senatus.
Visit by Concilium to Albania
Patricia O’Hara and Caroline Gray along with Mgr. Rosario Borg the Spiritual Director of Gozo Comitium, Malta and three legionaries from Malta Joseph Micallef, (correspondent with Albania), Peter Paul Vassallo and Anthony Attard visited the Legion in Albania on behalf of the Concilium. The Curia of Our Lady of Grace in the Diocese of Shkoder was being raised to Comitium status and an inauguration Mass was celebrated on 1 May 2009 to mark this occasion. The Mass was concelebrant with Archbishop of Shkoder, Mgr Angelo Massafra OFM, Fr. Dritan Ndoci, Comitium Spiritual Director, Fr. Kastreot, Mgr Borg, Fr. Emanuel Cutajar and Don Preka. Patricia and Caroline described their visit as an uplifting and humbling experience. While there they attended 4 Curiae meetings 2 Congresses and 2 Acies. A special word of thanks was expressed to the Maltese legionaries for their constant efforts and spiritual input into the Legion in Albania.
Catholic Youth Conference
The 8th Catholic Youth Conference took place the weekend 10th and 11th May 2009 in All Hallows College, Drumcondra, Dublin with approximately 150 to 160 young Catholics in attendance for 2 days of adoration, discussion, talks and social activities.
It was an edifying event themed “The Harvest if Ready for the Reaping” with lively discussions including Holy Hour, liturgy and Confession - there was 13 religious in attendance. The speakers included Fr. Bede McGregor, Fr. Michael Kennedy, Fr. Michael Maher, Fr. John Walsh, Fr. Paul Churchill, Fr. Gerard Deighan with a young Religious Sister, Mother May who is part of a new Religious Community set up 6 months ago. Lay speakers included Dr. James Greenaway, Noel Lynch and Rosemary Swords who all spoke on the theme.
Overall, a great weekend with young Catholics enjoying each other’s company in a social atmosphere of faith and friendship with grace abounding to all involved. The youth activities of the Legion have generated 11 vocations over the last 4 to 5 years, which hopefully will be added to over the next number of years.
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, Ireland.
