Concilium Bulletin - May 2015
CENTRAL AMERICA
MEXICO
Mexico City Senatus: Five legionaries undertook a PPC project to Cuba in February. While home visitation and street contact was carried out, most of the project was dedicated to extension. They visited the Comitium meeting, one Curia meeting and 18 praesidia. After Mass recruiting efforts were made at 5 Churches, resulting in 3 new praesidia and 2 more in formation. Valuable contacts were made on nursing home visitation and street contact and legionaries were free to offer Miraculous Medals and Scapulars. In Cuernavaca the legionaries helped to accommodate 60 Seminarians and in turn the Seminarians did home visitation with the legionaries. A Comitium reported getting volunteers to sweep the streets as True Devotion to the Nation. The Auxiliary Bishop of Mexico City visited the Comitium in Jalapa. He admires the home visitation and encouraged the legionaries to highlight the community spirit of their parish and give the contact details of parish activities.
Merida Senatus: A Comitium reported closing one praesidium and setting up three. The attached Regia at Tuxla Gutierrez set up two new Curiae and one Curia was raised to Comitium status. There is a Legion presence in the neighbouring Diocese where the Legion has been absent for a long time. Members of the different sects are very surprised that Catholics are visiting homes. Six families returned to the faith and some received Our Lady’s Statue in their homes. In 2014 28,000 recruiting contacts were made and 500 people joined the Legion.
Guadlajara Regia: A Comitium with 6 Curiae and 16 praesidia attached in a rural area reported an apostolate to farm labourers who work on big ranches. Legionaries take the special-needs children to Mass. Corpus Christi and May processions are organised for farm workers. A Curia reported that teaching catechism is a priority in its area.
Durango Regia: The attached Mazatlan Comitium, with 14 praesidia and 5 Curiae teaches catechism to young people and adults. 16 teenagers, 14 adults and 20 children were baptised. 37 marriages were regularised and 6 of those couples are involved in parish activities. There is a noticeable increase in Mass attendance.
Monterrey Regia: Experienced legionaries are engaged in extension in new areas; they are also helping weak Curiae. Teaching catechism figures in many reports. The True Devotion to Mary is encouraged. Each Curia has a commitment to set up junior praesidia this year.
Heremosillo Regia: A change of venue for the Regia meetings has improved attendance.
Nicaragua
Regia of Managua: There is a gradual growth in numbers, particularly with junior and young adults. There are 4 junior Curiae. Most of the juniors become senior legionaries. The young adult members visit jails and help the drug addicts. Legionaries organise the May procession at the request of the Archdiocese.
The following countries had visits from the two Madrid legionaries, Maribel Guzman and Marie Teresa Horajo in January and February. The visitors were very well received in all four countries. They made a few helpful general points for future correspondence. While the countries are small, travelling is very difficult due to bad roads and poor transport. They met either the Archbishop or his representative in each country. They all favoured the Legion and encouraged more involvement in evangelisation and working with other organisations.
El Salvador
San Salvador Senatus: This council has two Regia, 4 Comitia, 6Curiae, plus 19 senior and 3 junior praesidia. A PPC project was organised in Chalatenango, in the north of the country. Legionaries from Guatamala joined in the project, which had a total of 115 legionaries. They divided into small groups in the different villages and towns. As well as visiting homes, they set up 19 new praesidia. The legionaries were very well received and reported a great spirit of enthusiasm and commitment.
Panama Regia: This council has 2 Comitia, 10 Curiae and 19 praesidia affiliated. There are 3 Dioceses without the Legion. In Panama the visiting legionaries had the opportunity to do Legion work with local legionaries who were anxious to learn about new works. Sr. Marie Teresa, one of the visiting legionaries, is the correspondent for Panama. The local legionaries were very pleased to meet her; she will continue to encourage extension and growth.
Costa Rica
Senatus of San Jose: In San Jose the legionaries are very numerous, particularly in the outskirts of the city. The president and correspondent are making a journey to a distant Curia to encourage more dialogue with the Senatus.
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IRISH PROVINCIAL REPORT
COMITIA
Carlow Comitium: This council has 2 Curiae, 8 senior praesidia and one junior group attached. Efforts at recruiting for a new praesidium are on-going. There is one Patrician group in Carlow; attendance is made up mainly of legionaries.
Elphin Comitium: The praesidium in Elphin has 7 members, 3 of whom are Praetorians; they have 50 auxiliaries. Members are involved in every facet of parish life, acting as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, facilitating daily Eucharistic for the sick, Adoration and Evening Prayer. They undertook home visitation with the Pilgrim Statue in a rural area of the parish and were very well received. The Brazilian praesidium in Roscommon has 18 members and 8 auxiliaries. They organise a Brazilian Mass twice monthly, several Novenas and travel to other towns and counties to visit community members who are ill or have other problems. Four girls aged 11-16 are in training for a junior praesidium. North Elphin Curia: Sligo Cathedral praesidium has 7 members and 33 auxiliaries. They run a Club for elderly people who work for the Missions and pray for vocations. They do home visitation promoting the Consecration to the Sacred Heart; 33 families were consecrated last year. They did street contact during the Fleadh Ceoil (Festival of Irish music) in August. St. Anne’s parish praesidium has 11 members, including 2 Praetorians. During home visitation they stress the importance of the Sacraments. They operate a Legion Stand twice monthly in Sligo Information Technology College during term time. Approximately 100 Miraculous Medals are distributed on each occasion. About 40 people attended the Youth Conference hosted by the Curia on Saturday 21st March.
Ferns Comitium: The reporting praesidium has 7 members, including 3 Praetorians; they have 27 auxiliaries. Works include visitation of homes and hospitals and the operating of the Parish Shop. Helped by other praesidia, the praesidium carried out extension work in July. The Acies took place on 24th March after which the 89th birthday celebrations of their Spiritual Director, Rev. Canon SS. De Val took place. The Canon has been a life-long friend of the Legion and will celebrate the 65th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood in June.
Tuam Comitium: This council has one intermediate, 11 senior praesidia and 2 Curiae attached. The reporting praesidia have 7, 11 and 8 members and a total of 49 auxiliaries and 2 Praetorians. Works include home visitation with a Statue of Our Lady and nursing home and hospital visitation. Legionaries recite the Rosary weekly in parish cemeteries and at a local Grotto in Tuam. Archbishop Neary celebrated a Mass, which was organised and attended by legionaries, many neighbours and children. One praesidium reported that they get a great reception on home visitation, especially from young couples. Westport Curia has 7 senior and 2 junior praesidia consisting of 47 seniors, 15 juniors, 12 Adjutorians and 170 auxiliaries. Praesidia have been visited by Curia. Their apostolate includes works of consolation, promotion of the Rosary and Consecration to the Two Hearts of Jesus and Mary in homes and schools.
CURIAE
Achonry Curia: The Acies took place in Swinford. Foxford praesidium is being helped by Swinford legionaries. Efforts are being made to re-start the praesidium in Ballaghaderreen.
Clonfert Curia: The annual Retreat was held on February 18th and was followed by the Curia meeting on the same day. The praesidium in Killoran has 29 auxiliary members. Works include visiting 2 nursing homes where Miraculous Medals, prayer leaflets, and religious magazines are distributed. The legionaries also visit bereaved families and parishioners who are housebound. Galway Curia: In the absence of a praesidium report a topic is chosen for discussion. Claregalway praesidium organises Blessed Sacrament Adoration and recites the Rosary at Our Lady’s Grotto for the months of May and October, with a good attendance. In February 7 members of the Curia joined with Tuam Comitium for the Annual Retreat.
Killala Curia: The subject for Patricians in March was “Jesus of Nazareth.” There were 9 present, including 2 legionaries. A women’s praesidium of 8 members, plus 20 auxiliaries in Ballina continues with works of service in the parish and 3 Pilgrim Statues on visitation. As Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist they bring Holy Communion to the housebound. Another women’s praesidium of 6 members in Templeboy also does works of service in the parish and visits nursing homes. A junior praesidium in Knockmore visit grandmothers and aunts besides helping more at home and at school. Two senior members help with the parish choir and folk group.
Kilkenny Curia: Works undertaken by the reporting praesidium include home visitation and visitation of 5 hostels, a Psychiatric Centre and 2 nursing homes. The Rosary is recited each day during May and October at a Halting Site. (Settled Travelers Complex)
DUBLIN NORTHSIDE CURIAE
Veneranda Curia: A series of 6 discussions on Evangelii Gaudium is on-going in the Curia house with good attendances. A Recruitment Drive resulted in one visitor to a praesidium and one probationer. This praesidium has 5 full members, 3 of whom are Praetorians. Their weekly works are home visitation and running a Club for around 10 intellectually disabled young adults. Another praesidium has 5 full members and 2 probationers, who were recruited at outside a Church during the Novena of Grace. Each week 42 Catholic newspapers are sold. Occasional home visitation is carried out and legionaries are on the Baptism Team. 150 Brown Scapulars were given out on the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Assistance is given to a priest with the running of a Youth Group.
Consolata Curia: 8 patricians and 3 legionaries attended a Patrician meeting. A praesidium with 5 members has 200 auxiliaries. Home visitation is the main work. A man who lives in Belgium is delighted that the legionaries visit his grandmother as she has no family living nearby. Legionaries are Godparents to the children of a family recently received into the Church. A man who went to Knock Shrine for the first time on the Legion Pilgrimage last September was so impressed that he organised a bus himself for this year. A praesidium outing was to the Botanic Gardens. One praesidium recruited 2 new members and now has a total of 11. Three members are Praetorians. The main works are weekly Pilgrim Statue visitation, visiting the sick and housebound and running the Parish Shop; as a result of a contact in the shop the priest met with the person who experienced a moment of deep healing. Two members are on the Parish Council. Miraculous Medals and Rosary Beads were given to the Confirmation Class children. Two members set up a new praesidium and continue to attend each week and carry out home visitation in the parish.
Presentata Curia: 19 legionaries attended a talk on the Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary on 6th March in Nazareth Hall by Fr. John Walshe O.P., the priest with responsibility for the Confraternity in Ireland. 8 residents and 6 legionaries attended a Regina Coeli hostel Patrician meeting. The mother praesidium of the Regina Coeli hostel has 15 members, 4 of whom are indoor sisters and 5 are Praetorians. 3 members took their promise during the year. A monthly staff and residents meeting works well. 34 single women are accommodated; this is full capacity; a total of 111 women were admitted during the year. While most residents avoid educational opportunities, some engage in craft classes in the Hostel and others have joined evening classes locally. Social events and Retreats are held throughout the year. For a number of months, weekly music and song sessions were held and were well attended. A Children’s Rosary Group is on-going. Two additional mothers and three children were admitted to the Hostel. Regina Pacis praesidium had 4 members take the promise during the past year; they now have 12 full and 3 probationers. A member transferred to take up officership in another praesidium and another to take on Presidency of a Curia. As well as hostel duties, the members put residents in contact with various Detox Centres, promote the Pioneers, fund-raise for the hostel and are involved with Deus & Patria; one member is catechising a resident for her Baptism. A Lecturer in Mariology was invited to give a talk to residents and legionaries while a mini-bus was organised to bring residents to a healing Mass in Sean McDermott Street.
Exaltata Curia: A praesidium in the Morning Star Hostel has 21 members; during the year 4 joined and 2 visited the praesidium. Apart from the many duties in the hostel, brothers do Temple Bar (City Centre) crowd contact, fundraising and home visitation. A praesidium with 6 active and 7 auxiliary members visits units of Connolly Hospital each week; home visitation is also done. All members enjoyed a praesidium outing to Mellifont Abbey and Dalgan Park.
Bethlehem Curia: As a result of their Curia review two members transferred to another praesidium. The members of another praesidium transferred to the 6-member praesidium based in the Pro-Cathedral. 325 recruitment efforts were made during the year. A lady who took the Pilgrim Statue for a week was given a framed picture of Our Lady of Grace. 26 auxiliary members were recruited at the Pro-Cathedral, mostly from other parishes and their names were passed to Concilium. A French girl attributed her father’s recovery from cancer to a green scapular given by legionaries; she returned to thank them. 22 auxiliary members attended an Afternoon of Reflection while 7 Bars were visited regarding the Good Friday Retreat. On Alfie Lambe’s anniversary his prayer was distributed to taxi-drivers. Up to 15 legionaries carried out home visitation each week in the lead-up to a 3-day Mission/Retreat in March; many asked for their homes to be blessed while a young man asked to be confirmed. 9 attended the Edel Quinn Promoters Meeting.
Porta Coeli Curia: One praesidium looks after the Church Repository, visit homes and distribute Maria Legionis. Another praesidium has 8 full members and a probationer. During the summer they join with other praesidia for crowd- contact in Howth. Other works include hospital and nursing home visitation. For over 30 years a member has co-ordinated sung evening Mass each Sunday in the Capuchin Friary.
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ASIA
PAKISTAN
The Curia in Karachi consists of 26 praesidia, their aim being to split with a view to forming a Comitium. Due to prevailing conditions they can only evangelise among the Christian community. 6 praesidia reported in this period with memberships of 27, 10, 30, 27, 22, 22 active and a total of 108 auxiliary members. Homes, hospitals and bereaved families are visited. They also organise many Church functions.
INDIA
Visakhapatnam Comitium: Four praesidia reported with 24, 12, 21 and 22 members and a total of 47 auxiliary members. They visit the sick, patients with Aids, leprosy and cancer, prepare children and adults for the Sacraments, and visit bereaved families. Three new praesidia started up and 4 are in preparation. Kottar Regia reports progress on extension, visiting of councils and carrying out of Exploratio Dominicalis projects. The newly printed Tamil Handbook was launched on 8 February. Two new Curiae are in formation.
Calcutta Comitium: This council is keen to undertake a visitation of the 13 areas which forms their territory.
Tiruchy Comitium: Visitation of praesidia and Curiae are undertaken. The Legion is in 34 of the 81 parishes in the Diocese of Coimbatore.
Port Blair Comitium: Based around islands in the India Ocean, this council consists of 22 praesidia and 5 Curiae. The legionaries organise monthly Night Vigils, which are open to all with the permission of the Bishop and support of the priests, starting at 8 p.m. and ending at 4.30 a.m. 2 new praesidia started with 10 and 16 members doing home visitation, encouraging family prayer and teaching catechism. It takes 2 days by boat to reach Campbell Bay where they hope to extend. They meet people of many religions and encouraged the lapsed to return to the faith.
Pondicherry Senatus has established a new Comitium at Lalgudi with 16 praesidia and 5 Curiae with ecclesiastical permission.
Chennai Comitium: Much good work is done with families, Catholics, Hindus and Muslims. Enthronements of homes to the Sacred Heart are carried out, and Frank Duff’s Cause is promoted. One Hindu became a Catholic.
Karnataka Senatus: Among the works of juniors is the distribution of Catholic literature in schools. Patricians are well attended. Protestant and Muslim families are visited. 3 people were saved from suicide including a Muslim man. A couple were reunited after 17 years apart and are grateful to Our Blessed Lady. 600 attended a Rosary Rally and in total 2,400 were brought back to practice of the faith.
THAILAND
The Catholic population is just 1% and widely spread throughout the country. Legionaries work in close co-operation with priests, particularly in the remoter areas, and collaborate also with hospitals to treat the sick. Lapsed Catholics are invited to return to the Sacraments. One adult convert was reported and a person lapsed for 30 years returned to practice.
SRI LANKA
The junior Curia has 10 praesidia, 4 in schools, 4 in parishes and 2 in Seminaries. Sick and elderly, funeral homes and orphanages are visited. Book-Barrow apostolate is on-going. Sr. Cassina from Mumbai Senatus had returned from Nepal just a week before the first earthquake. Prayers are asked for the victims and their families.
LEBANON
The Comitium in Lebanon comprises 3 Curiae, with a total of 17 senior and 13 junior praesidia. This Council has 6 directly affiliated praesidia in Beirut. Acies ceremonies were held in March and April.
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EUROPE
BELGIUM
The PPC Conference was attended by Concilium representatives after which they held meetings with officers. Sr. Marie-Benoit, one of the first legionaries in Belgium, now in her 90s and still clear-minded was interviewed.
FRANCE
Paris Regia plans a Conference on Frank Duff. New praesidia were set up in the Dioceses of Evry & Versaille. Two Congolese praesida with 20 and 22 members, visit among their communities. Guadaloupe and Martinique under the care of Paris will be visited later in the year.
Valance Regia: Work among Portuguese families, arrange Prayer Vigils, Rosary and Adoration. The Vietnamese Curia in Lyon is active in preparing adults for the Sacraments.
Strasbourg Comitium: The youth praesidium is organising a weekend Evangelisation Project and find recruitment after major religious events fruitful.
ENGLAND
Birmingham Senatus: 12 contacts are undergoing the RCIA programme. A junior praesidium studies YouCat. The Rosary is recited in 3 Primary Schools. Extension is on-going in Northampton.
Liverpool Senatus: A new praesidium started in Leeds.
Middlesborough Comitium: Two new praesidia were set up. Book barrow work is found to be interesting for new members in Ashton Curia.
Brentwood Comitium: The Curia attached to this Comitium has 9 senior praesidia with 53 active, 219 auxiliaries and 35 probationers; it also has 3 junior praesidia. The juniors are accompanied by seniors on work.
Southwark Comitium: This council has 10 senior and 1 junior praesidia with 86 active, 15 probationers, 3 Praetorians, 2 Adjutorians and 115 auxiliary members. As a result of a Patrician meeting on the Sacred Heart 4 persons had their homes consecrated. The praesidium in Cornwall has 11 members covering 3 parishes.
Central London Curia: One praesidium teaches catechism to children with disabilities and special needs. Other works include parish census and home visitation. The 5 reporting praesidia have a total of 30 members.
Hammersmith Curia: The Brook Green praesidium has 9 members, 3 probationers, 65 auxiliaries and 1 Adjutorian. They visit homes and hospitals and also run tea parties for seniors and weekly coffee mornings.
West Middlesex Curia: Legionaries visit 7 residential nursing homes.
WALES
Swansea Curia carry out street rescue work and crowd contact at train stations as well as an apostolate to homosexual persons.
SCOTLAND
Visitation of schools features in many reports and a meeting with heads of Secondary Schools is planned. In Stirling a talk on True Devotion to Mary was given by a de Montfort father at a Marian Evening which included an all-night vigil. 18 legionaries in Ayrshire visit 5 nursing homes, 3 hospitals, and 5 Primary Schools.
NETHERLANDS
A Legion website is planned. Patrician meetings are well attended. Legionaries in one praesidium sang Christmas carols in the red light district in December.
GERMANY
Frankfurt Senatus: The report from Erfurt mentions Night Fever apostolate and prison visitation. Munich Regia has 10 book stands in the inner city and they run the German Legion website. Cologne has 2 new praesidia in Leverkusen and Hamburg. Frank Duff is promoted in Berlin parishes and the Korean Curia in Frankfurt held a De Montfort Day of Recollection.
SWEDEN
A visit to the newly formed Curia in Stockholm by Br. Tony Kirstein and his wife is planned. The praesidium in Vaxjo reports a steady increase in membership.
NORWAY
The praesidia in Tonsberg with 12 members and in Drammen with 6 members continue to do well. Between them they have 32 auxiliary members. Home visitation, teaching catechism to children and adults and visiting the sick and lonely are part of their apostolate. The praesidium in Bergen (set up by legionaries from Zurich, Switzerland) has split twice since last year and a Curia is planned there. The Zurich Comitium had 16 taking part in an Exploratio Dominicalis project.
FINLAND
Finland is under the care of Scottish legionaries since 1969 and they continue to visit there having built up many valuable contacts over the years. They will return this year with a PPC project in July.
KAZAKHSTAN: The Curia, (under the care of Germany) has 5 praesidia. It is planned to visit this council and the Curia in Siberia later this year.
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AFRICA
CAMEROON
Douala Senatus: While the Legion exists in all Dioceses in the Cameroon, the junior Legion is in 18 Dioceses, and is composed of 140 praesidia with over 1,800 juniors. During 2014 over 1500 new members were recruited, mainly through Exploratio Dominicalis. The majority of the new members have made their promise, which accounted for the setting up of new Curiae and new praesidia in parishes and in prisons. Despite illiteracy in some areas, many legionaries are getting spiritual formation in their parishes, one of the main topics being: The Legion Meeting and its Members. The report also mentions 275 conversions during the year.
IVORY COAST
Senatus of Abidjan: One Regia, five Comitia, one Curia and three praesidia made their Annual Reports during this period. They have a combined membership of 13,164 active members, of whom 980 are Praetorians; 1,560 auxiliaries of whom 379 are Adjutorians and 3,582 probationers. They made over 288,000 visits and had over 1,657,086 contacts including 53,500 with Catholics and the remainder with people of other religions or no religion; they visited 201,753 sick people in their homes and 428,715 in hospitals. This resulted in 953families reconciled, 370 marriages regularised, 1,016 returns to Mass, 2,516 Baptisms, 1,455 Confirmations, 2,706 Sacrament of the Sick, 32 Sacrament of Reconciliation and 3,128 Catechumens enrolled. The total of Catechumens under instruction is 9,323. 524 legionaries are teaching the Catechism. The Senatus had a visit from a diocesan priest from Mali and from a Comitium legionary in Burkina-Faso at the January 2015 meeting. These are the two neighbouring French-speaking countries with which the Senatus in Abidjan maintains contact. They undertook a special Mission to Mali in October 2013 to try to encourage and strengthen the Legion there. A similar Mission may soon take place to Burkina-Faso. A new Comitium was established in the parish of Saint Andre, Bouake, in November 2014. Bishop Boniface Ziri presided at the ceremony. Four new Curiae were established in various locations.
TOGO
Lome Senatus: On the 27th February this year, Togo celebrated 65 years of the Legion of Mary and all Councils were asked to celebrate this by organising a Mass in every Parish. New Curiae, praesidia, both senior and junior were set-up. The reports mention many returns to the faith, conversions, marriages regularised and abortions prevented. Congresses, Exploratio Dominicalis and a PPC project to Abor in Ghana this year were also reported.
SENEGAL
Dakar Comitium: Thanks to Togo, up to date minutes (till March 2015) from Dakar Comitium have been received. Preparations for the Acies ceremonies were in full swing. Visitation is being done to the homes, hospitals, prisons and to the sick. Many Muslims were also met. One Curia, which was set up in April last year, has 7 praesidia attached, plus one adult and 1 junior praesidium on probation. Many conversions are being reported, mainly from the traditional and fetish religions. Extension is widely promoted and new praesidia are being set up in many areas.
Malabo Regia: The new Regia was set up in March and the Bata Comitium was affiliated to the new Regia. Bata Comitium has 12 Curiae. Bro. Policarpo, Secretary of the Regia has been appointed as new correspondent. The officers of the Bata Comitium travelled to the inaugural meeting of the Regia. All are very happy with the new arrangement. Legionaries are teaching catechism and preparing children for First Holy Communion; they also give a preparation course to the children’s parents. Contact is made with people who have been persuaded by the sects to embrace their beliefs with a view to convincing them to return to the Catholic faith.
BURKINA FASO:
A National Legion Gathering was held in November for the rejuvenation of the Legion in the different Dioceses and a further meeting of the same kind was held on 29/30th April.
BENIN REPUBLIC:
The Legion is working well at junior level with several junior Curiae and at senior level with several Patrician groups and Frank Duff Youth Clubs functioning. Good contact is maintained with up-country Curiae and Comitia. One weakness common to all councils in this area is the number of Auxiliaries per praesidium, sometimes as low as 20 or 30. All three Comitia in their caretaker country Gabon have been visited and re-organised.
BRAZZAVILLE:
Fr. Kizaboula has been appointed National Spiritual Director of the Legion in the Congo. Reports from two directly attached praesidia of 11 and 15 active members respectively include works of home and hospital visitation, teaching catechism, preparing the liturgy, as well as contact with prisoners, widows, orphans and the poor. In the course of their year’s apostolate, there were 10 returns to the Sacraments, 5 requests for Confession and 21 agreed to undertake catechesis. Our Lady of Grace Curia has 23 directly attached praesidia (including 2 junior). Quarterly reports were received from 3 praesidia where legionaries contacted approximately 5,000 people, many being of other religions. Three were couples reconciled. 15 people agreed to undertake catechesis and 6 returned to the Sacraments. The Regia President attended a weekend Conference on ‘The Role and Mission of Spiritual Directors of Lay Apostolic Movements’, organised by the National Council for Lay Apostolic Organisations. The news of the approval by Concilium to raise Our Lady of Brazzaville Regia to Senatus status was received ‘by all the legionaries of the Congo with acclamations of great joy and gratitude to Concilium for this acknowledgement.’
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