Concilium Bulletin May 2017

CENTRAL AMERICA

MEXICO
Mexico City Senatus: An attached Curia set up two new praesidia. Two PPC projects are planned. The extension worker, along with co-workers recruited 36 active members and 350 auxiliaries and 120 families accepted a picture of Our Blessed Lady. Four of the 14 Curiae attached to a Comitium are junior Curiae. Two legionaries have been assigned the task of auditing the 2016 accounts.

Merida Senatus: Three Comitia, 1 Curia and 3 praesidia reported. There is evidence of extension and growth in the attached councils. The 3 Comitia set up a number of new praesidia and one new Curia. Home visitation is a priority resulting in good contact with the sects and many lapsed Catholics. There is also progress with juniors. There are a few junior Curiae in the Senatus area and reports indicate that junior praesidia are being set up.

Guatemala Comitium: (under the caretaker ship of the Senatus of Merida).The Comitium of Guatemala is affiliated to the Regia of Camotan in Guatemala. The long-term plans in the city of Guatemala are to raise a Senatus in the city. About 4 years ago the Concilium requested the Senatus of Merida to care take Guatemala which includes the Regia of Camotan with the Comitium of Guatemala affiliated. During this period there has been progress in the growth of the Legion in Guatemala city and there is a big PPC/ Extension planned for Guatemala city for July; they will have help from Camotan, Merida and other areas. At present the Comitium of Guatemala has 13 praesidia, and 5 Curiae attached and in the old city there is an additional 15 praesidia and 2 Curiae.

Monterrey Regia: An attached Curia leads a weekly Rosary in an area where there are problems with drugs and alcohol. Participants in the Rosary and others attended a Mass celebrated in the area with a very good attendance. On home visitation the legionaries read a short passage of scripture which is well received. One adult was received into the Church. They also did a big recruiting drive resulting in 20 new members. Some members of another attached Curia give talks to parents and god-parents and prepare couples for marriage.

Durango Regia: Four new officers have been elected. They are planning to visit attached councils and generally bringing the administration up to date.

Guadalajara Regia: An ex-legionary now a seminarian, is setting up a praesidium in the seminary. There are 2 only praesidia attached to one Curia and 11 attached to another neighbouring Curia. They have been encouraged to organise a plan of action to either help the weak Curia or incorporate it into the strong Curia. Rural praesidia organise and lead the Celebration of the Word in the Ranchos. A Curia reported 6 active and 6 inactive praesidia. Apparently members of the inactive praesidia are senior and find it difficult to do active work. The Correspondent thanked the legionaries for their long and faithful service and suggested they form prayer groups.

Hermosillo Regia: A number of legionaries are trained catechists. While some teach the children, others teach the parents; the parents who are practising are encouraged to join the Legion as active or auxiliary members.

PANAMA
Panama Regia: The officers are visiting distant councils and helping praesidia officers where they have difficulties. Legionaries are concentrating on setting up junior praesidia in preparation for World Youth Day in 2019. They celebrated the 100th Anniversary of Fatima by participating in the celebrations with the Pilgrim Statue.

NICARAGUA
Regia of Managua: The Regia and attached councils are working at extension. In Leon new praesidia are in progress in 3 parishes and in an attached Curia there are new praesidia in two parishes. A Comitium set up 3 praesidia and there are plans for extension in distant communities. One legionary travels 5 kilometres on a bicycle to give a catechism lesson to a First Communion class. Legionaries help the elderly with house work and preparing meals.

HONDURAS
Honduras Senatus: At the request of Cardinal Madariaga the Senatus is giving special attention to young people. With the help of Spiritual Directors and seminarians they are recruiting young people and setting up new praesidia; they also have enlisted the help of priest Spiritual Director s and seminarians with this work. There was a great attendance at the Acies which was celebrated with devotion and reverence. A group of legionaries wish to compile the history of the Legion in Honduras from the time of its establishment in 1953.

COSTA RICA
Costa Rica Senatus: The president has been in touch and is to forward outstanding correspondence soon.

ASIA

INDIA
Kerala Senatus has 13 praesidia, 12 Curiae and 17 Comitia. Home and hospital visitation is carried out to Catholic, Hindu and Moslem families. Enthronement of homes to the Sacred Heart features in reports.
Karnataka Senatus: 330 legionaries took part in a Pilgrimage to a shrine of Our Lady. They are planning a mini-PPC project to the Andaman and Nicobar islands.
Pondicherry Senatus: Reporting praesidia have between 12 and 20 members. People suffering from AIDS and leprosy are visited as well as the handicapped, orphans and those with addictions. Family Rosary is promoted. 20 people were saved from suicide. The Council is working towards repairing its premises.

Mumbai Senatus: The Legion is present in 25 of 45 Dioceses. The Archbishop, 37 priests and 22 legionaries attended a Conference for Spiritual Directors. 218 were enrolled in the Rosary Confraternity. They visited the Curia in Nepal. Kottar Regia: This Council has an apostolate to those affected by drug and alcohol abuse, and helps to restore peace in families. They have set up a promotional team for Frank Duff and new praesidia are reported on each month. Visakhapatnam Regia was inaugurated on 12 March with the Archbishop and representatives of clergy and laity from the Dioceses involved. The Legion started there in 1944. A Curia was established in 1946 and a Comitium in 1968. Chennai Regia: 2,345 Catholics, Hindus and Moslems were visited and 68 families were reconciled.

MYANMAR
The latest report shows regular growth of the Legion, good governance by the Senatus, including the holding of a Legion Congress at which 180 attended. The Legion’s 95th Anniversary was celebrated in September. The Senatus has 8 senior praesidia and 9 Curiae directly attached with 1,114 seniors and 113 juniors. The 5 Comitia have a further 5,200 seniors and 581 juniors as well as 1,287 auxiliary members.

THAILAND
The Chinese Curia has 6 praesidia. Two conversions resulted from a catechism class. Those in irregular relationships and the lapsed are visited. 16 Rosary groups are up and running and a prison is visited.

SRI LANKA
One Curia was raised to Comitium status. Members of a seminary praesidium pray with the sick in hospital, visit underprivileged families and retired clergy and they organised a Rosary Rally. During May they promote increased devotion to Our Lady and hope to gain new members. The Senatus reported a total of 677 praesidia in the country with 9,158 active and 8,508 auxiliary members.

VIETNAM
Comparison with previous reports shows an increased membership in most cases. There is very good support from the clergy. A lot of work is done among the poorly educated, and immigrants from different places. They encounter heroin trading, and various other social evils.

LEBANON
Beirut reported on 3 praesidia with 48 active and 557 auxiliary members. Legionaries prepare children for the Sacraments, visit the sick and elderly, also refugees from Iraq and Syria.

IRISH PROVINCIAL REPORT

COMITIA
Carlow Comitium: Paulstown praesidium has 5 members who promote Eucharistic Adoration and operate a bookstand in the Church. During Lent they organised weekly scripture-sharing sessions. Under the auspices of Concilium Sr. Helena Corbett, Laois Curia and Bro. Tim O’Donoghue, Ferns Curia worked on a special recruiting project from 18th to 24th March in a number of parishes in the Comitium area. They spoke at Masses and did extensive home visitation and some crowd contact along with local legionaries, distributing 1,500 Miraculous Medals and leaflets. Some new members were gained. The Correspondent and Concilium Officer in charge of Ireland attended the March Comitium meeting. A report was received from Kildare Curia at the April meeting.

Elphin Comitium: The Acies ceremony took place on 2nd April. Castlerea praesidium has 6 members and 32 auxiliaries. Elphin praesidium has 6 members and 50 auxiliaries. Visitation of hospitals, nursing homes, homes of sheltered accommodation and an Alzheimer’s unit featured in reports. Castlerea praesidium continued their Dial A Prayer apostolate for people who may be lonely, depressed or going through difficult times. Elphin praesidium is extending its home visitation to other areas of the parish with the Fatima Statue. North Elphin Curia: The praesidium in St. Anne’s parish, Sligo has 10 full members and 3 probationers. Fr. Pat Lombard, Parish Priest frequently visits homes with the legionaries. During this work he blessed all homes and when invited to do so consecrated the residents to the Sacred Heart.

Tuam Comitium: The 3 reporting praesidia have a total of 19 members and 109 auxiliaries. Works include visitation of homes, nursing homes, elderly neighbours and Pilgrim Statue visitation. One praesidium organised a Mass for auxiliaries and another praesidium organised an open air Mass at a Grotto during the summer which was well attended by young and old. One family said they prayed the Rosary every day with their children while they had the Pilgrim statue. In January praesidia attached to Westport Curia set up a Legion Facebook page. Legion events are advertised on it and contacts are good. This Curia hosted a one day Youth Conference on 25th March with an attendance of around 50. A core group of 4 legionaries started 6 months earlier to organise the Conference and prayed for its success. They contacted priests to hear Confessions, organised accommodation, spoke to local Curiae and some young people spoke at Masses in Castlebar, Westport and Ballina. Notices were put up in local Churches and colleges and they also advertised on social media and Facebook.

CURIAE
Achonry Curia: Kiltimagh praesidium has 5 members and 9 auxiliaries. Works include home visitation with the Pilgrim Statue during which the Rosary or one decade is recited with the family. Parishioners are taken to Knock Shrine for Mass and Confession. One Brother is in formation for the Diaconate. The praesidium in Colloney has been re-started with 4 members. The Correspondent and Concilium Officer in charge of the Legion in Ireland attended the May Curia meeting. Efforts are being made to set up a praesidium in Charlestown. Clonfert Curia: Looscaun praesidium undertakes hospital and nursing home visitation and visits the sick in their homes. They helped with the all-night Vigil in the parish for the Year of Mercy. The Primary and Secondary Schools were visited and a talk given on Frank Duff, Edel Quinn and Alfie Lambe. Miraculous Medals were given to each student and a copy of the DVD on the Legion was given to the teacher. All of the 7 members in Tynagh praesidium are Praetorians. Their apostolate includes nursing home visitation and visits to the sick and elderly in their homes.

Ferns Curia: A junior praesidium with a membership of 4 has started in Davidstown. A senior praesidium in Carnew has 8 members, 3 of whom are Praetorians. In its effort to extend the Legion the Curia plans to visit priests in the parishes where the Legion is as yet non-existent. Many non-Catholics were met during an Exploratio Dominicalis project in Gorey.

Galway Curia: The praesidium in the Abbey parish gave its first annual report. They have 4 members and 3 probationers. In the course of home visitation many students are met and fruitful discussions take place with them. They also do street contact in the city centre, meeting many locals, students and people of all nationalities.

Killala Curia: A Patrician meeting in February in Ballina had an attendance of 10 with the paper on the 8th Amendment. The March meeting also had 10 present on the subject of St. Patrick. The Five First Saturdays’ devotion in the Cathedral has gone well with a good attendance of young and old. The works of a praesidium in Ballina with 5 members and 37 auxiliaries includes Pilgrim Statue and hospital visitation, plus parish activities. They carried out an Exploratio Dominicals project to 3 Estates in October. Belmullet praesidium has 11 members, 140 auxiliaries, 6 Adjutorians and one Praetorian. On home visitation Miraculous Medals, literature and Catholic papers are distributed. They organise Adoration, Rosaries and visit schools with First Holy Communion packs. A Legion stall is manned on the Feast of the Assumption each year to make contacts. A legionary in a wheelchair after an accident some years ago, with a family of her own, has formed a second junior praesidium in Ballina.

Kilkenny Curia: There are 4 praesidia attached and the office of Curia Secretary is vacant.

DUBLIN NORTHSIDE

Bethlehem Curia: A praesidium in one parish does contact work at the Church. They visited all the homes in their area twice during the year, had 20 at an Auxiliary Rally, and did contact work at a taxi rank on Alfie Lambe’s Anniversary. Among their contacts was a lady who wanted to arrange Baptism for her grandchild, and an American lady who expressed an interest in the Catholic faith. A praesidium of 9 members has 3 Praetorians, 1 Adjutorian and 16 auxiliary members. Works include: street contact; home, hostel and the Latino Community visitation and organising a monthly Patrician meeting. They also contact people attending the Gerbola and Fossetts Circuses during the year. 15 attended the Edel Quinn promoters meeting. A section from the Child Safeguarding policy document is read monthly.

Exaltata Curia: A praesidium of 12 members working in the Morning Star Hostel has 3 Praetorian members, 4 Adjutorians and 7 auxiliaries. As well as doing general work in the hostel the members also help to organise a patrician meetings for residents. Two members do contact work each week in Temple Bar area. A praesidium of 6 members working in another parish does home and hospital visitation. The praesidium helps with the Night Fever evangelisation at a Shopping Centre on the first Thursday of each month. About 300 people visited the oratory to light a candle. They organise a weekly Holy Hour in their parish from 11a.m. to 12 noon on Tuesdays.

Presentata Curia: A praesidium of 11 full members, 7 probationers and 4 Praetorians works in the Regina Coeli Hostel. As well as doing general duties in the hostel the praesidium recites the Rosary with residents, encourages them to attend Mass, Retreats, Holy Hours and the Sacrament of Confession. Many of the residents are mothers but due to difficulties such as illness, addiction, poverty and lack of housing, their children cannot be with them on a permanent basis. However, they are very anxious to talk about their children and to tell of their achievements and difficulties. One resident was prepared for reception into the Church and a Buddhist lady is currently being instructed in the faith.

Veneranda Curia: The praesidium working in one parish has 40 verified auxiliaries. The members do home visitation and distribute 50 Maria Legionis. In May and June they organise a public Rosary in the Parks and visit the homes an hour beforehand to encourage attendance. They organise St. Michael’s Club each Saturday afternoon and 7 people with special needs attend. This club has continued for over 50 years. On the 5th May the Gaelic-speaking praesidium organised a talk on Frank Duff.

Porta Coeli Curia: One praesidium visits a nursing home. A good friendship has been built up with some of the residents and the Rosary and Legion prayers are recited with them. In the summertime the legionaries take part in a seaside apostolate where many lapsed Catholics and non-Christians are met.

Consolata Curia: The nine members of a praesidium working in one parish visit the Settled Travellers’ sites with the Fatima Statue which is left in a home for one week. The praesidium has started a Rosary Crusade for the families in one area where the living conditions are very basic. A Rosary prayer group has been started with the residents of 16 mobile homes and the legionaries visit every two weeks. Legionaries visit the Senior and Junior schools prior to children making their First Communion and Confirmation. The main works of a praesidium of 5 members working in another parish is visiting the house bound, and attending funeral homes where the Rosary is recited. They also visit a nursing home and pray the Rosary with residents. 16 legionaries took part in a recruiting drive in which resulted in one lady attending a praesidium meeting.

EUROPE

HOLLAND
Amsterdam Regia: A PPC venture to the suburbs of Amsterdam is planned by the Birmingham legionaries for August. Efforts are being made to start junior praesidia. In Groningen visitation is carried out to the sick at home and in hospital. Extension continues.

BELGIUM
Antwerp Regia: Street contact is reported. One praesidium is based in an Old Folks Home. Some lonely persons are spoken to over the phone, and others are helped with their shopping.
Brussels Senatus: A lively and informative PPC Conference was attended by 30 legionaries, including 2 Concilium representatives. An afternoon of crowd contact and parallel Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament took place in the Place de la Madeleine. A praesidium of 8 members visits the sick and elderly and keeps in regular contact with the lapsed. A Jehovah Witness is contacted regularly and has begun to recite the Rosary. A new praesidium has started in Laeken and two PPC projects are planned for the summer.

FRANCE
Paris Senatus: Elections took place in May for the Officers of the Senatus. Membership of the three reporting praesidia is 14, 5 and 20. Of the three reporting praesidia one is Congolese, and the works are teaching catechism to First Holy Communicants, visiting the sick and elderly. The Bishop of St. Denis, Mgr. Pascal Delannoy, has appointed as Spiritual Director Pere Tanneguy Viellard to the new Curia and he thanked the legionaries for their work. In Strasbourg Comitium the Spiritual Director has visited the praesidia and encouraged them to recruit.
Valence Regia has a total of 160 active members.
Guadelupe Comitium: A Day of Recollection was held by legionaries. Reunion Comitium has 19 directly attached praesidia and 6 Curiae attached with a total of 884 active and 3,085 auxiliary members. They have been urged to set up another Curia. In Lourdes the Permanence Management Committee with 6 members has been appointed and a project for young legionaries is planned for July or August. Volunteers are needed for the coming season. The Senatus was represented at the Bishops’ Conference meeting of Lay Movements.

NORWAY
Queen of Peace praesidium in Tonsberg has 9 active members, 1 probationer and 23 auxiliaries. Contact is maintained with auxiliaries via phone calls and house calls. Teaching catechism to children, hospital visitation, and providing transport to Sunday Mass are among the works. For the Acies ceremony they were joined by legionaries from Drammen. Queen of the Most Holy Rosary praesidium in Drammen has 7 members. Works include home and hospital visitation, plus Enthronement of the Sacred Heart in homes.

SCOTLAND
Senatus of Scotland: There is a new praesidium at Craigneuk. Greenock Curia gives special attention to extension. In Motherwell, Our Lady of Light Curia carried out at extension project. Dundee Curia report the loss of the Aberdeen praesidium – a big loss as there is much to do in the university. Special attention is given to home visitation, visiting the sick at home and the auxiliary roll.

ENGLAND
Liverpool Senatus: Manchester Curia has a new president, Br. Tony Kirstein. One of the attached praesidia is 78 years old. Leeds Curia with 22 members had a successful visit with Bishop Marcus. Wirral Curia include home and hospital visitation, Patricians and public Rosaries in their work. The Legion was represented at a Golden Jubilee Mass in Liverpool Cathedral. Newcastle Comitium has a new Spiritual Director, Fr. Martin Morris. A Drop-in-Centre for the bereaved is among their work. The Acies featured in most reports with the promise made in English, Swedish, Arabic, Portugese and Polish.

Birmingham Senatus: Three praesidia were covered in this report. Works include home visitation, and other parish-based apostolate, working closely with the Parish Priest. An increase in Mass attendance is reported following home visitation by legionaries. An Exploratio Project was carried out in Acocks Green; 260 homes were visited and 2 people attended a talk for non-Catholics. The junior Curia reported that two non-Catholics attended the school Rosary. A new activity called “Mary’s Hour” which starts and ends with prayer and is dedicated to doing something for parents, parish and school. Bristol Curia describes extension as on-going and a book barrow is operated twice monthly. Crowd Contact is reported by Coventry Curia.
Northampton Curia is presently focusing on auxiliaries and follow-up to families of children who received First Communion and Confirmation. A programme of welcoming new parishioners is in place.

Brentwood Comitium: The attached Brentwood East Curia has 10 senior and 4 junior praesidia. The University praesidium Spiritual Director, Fr. Mark Swires keeps the legionaries busy. Five members of the Curia took part in PPC. Excellent contacts are made with the lapsed; one man returned to Confession and another lady became an auxiliary member. At the request of the head teacher the juniors prepared a power-point presentation for use in the school.

Southwark Comitium: Works include nursing home and hospital visitation, monthly Rosary procession, auxiliary visitation, contact work at a Railway Station, and visiting local hotels. One praesidium organised an Advent Service in a Nursing Home.
Hammersmith Curia held the Annual Pilgrimage to Aylesfort in honour of Venerable Edel Quinn, and legionaries work closely with the Parish Priest. 15 Sisters of Nazareth are among the 23 Adjurotians. Works are parish-based.
Middlesex Curia: The praesidium in Hayes has 5 active members and 11 auxiliaries. Works include home visitation and assisting with parish duties in general. Legionaries in Ealing help to prepare the chapel for Mass each week. They also organise entertainment in an Old Folk’s Home.

WALES
Cardiff Comitium includes in its work organising Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for the unborn, and prayers were offered on the Anniversary of the coal pit disaster in Aberfan.
Swansea Curia: The Curia has 6 praesidia affiliated. The new praesidium at Holy Cross Church is doing very well. Street rescue, crowd contact and homosexual apostolate at a Gay Bar are all done on a weekly basis.

AFRICA
BENIN REPUBLIC (Niger, Gabon)
Cotonou Regia governs 22 adult praesidia, 14 senior Curiae, a junior Curia and 6 Comitia in Benin Republic – the most distant 470 km. away to the north. They also look after the praesidium at Niamey in the Republic of Niger and the Comitia of Libreville, Mouila and Oyem in Gabon Republic, Central Africa. The Regia Spiritual Director, Fr. Marc and the Regia President Bro. Celestin, carried out a visitation to Gabon some time ago and formulated proposals for Libreville Comitium in Gabon to be raised to higher status to govern the other two Comitia in that country.

BURKINA FASO
An urgent message has been addressed to the Legion in Ouagadougou, which has been out of touch in recent times. Sr. Odette Dié, former President of Abidjan Senatus in the Ivory Coast has been keeping in touch with the Comitium at Bobo-Dioulasso, the second most important Diocese in Burkina, and minutes forwarded indicate that the Legion there is functioning well.
EQUATORIAL GUINEA
Regia of Malabo: Comitium of Bata reported interesting works, including visiting members of other Churches. They had some success encouraging couples to marry in Church and have also appointed Correspondents for distant Curiae. They carry out prison visitation and read a little scripture with the inmates. On home visitation they meet members of the sects; one has returned to the Church. Nine adults were baptised. A number of praesidia have had to divide due to large membership. The Regia is taking care of these praesidia, particularly the appointment and training of new officers.

IVORY COAST
Three praesidia, one Curia, eight Comitia and one Regia reported during the four months November 2016 to February 2017. These have a combined membership of: 13,816 active of whom 1,717 are Praetorian, 2,650 auxiliaries of whom 1,288 are Adjutorian and 3,409 probationers. They made 329,685 visits to a variety of locations and made 1,935,812 contacts. Of these 669,110 were Catholics, and the remainder Methodists, Muslims, Witnesses of Jehovah, members of sects and people of no religion. They visited 291,736 sick people at home and 395,605 in hospitals. The fruits of their work were: homes reconciled 604; marriages regularised 374; returned to Mass 1,192; Baptisms 2,088; Confirmations 1,709; Sacrament of the Sick 338; Sacrament of Reconciliation 971; Catechumens recruited 3,294; bringing the total Catechumenate to 12,427. The number of Legionaries teaching Catechism is 664. Three new senior Curiae and one junior Curia were formed.

Senatus of Abidjan has a caretaker role for the Legion in the Republic of Mali where there is a Comitium with two Curiae and 15 presidia attached and a Reverend Sister as Spiritual Director. They are based in the Archdiocese of Bamako, the capital of the country. For the first time, in January 2017, they sent formal minutes of the monthly meeting of the Comitium to the Senatus in Abidjan and have continued to send minutes every month since then. The Senatus in Abidjan is planning a visit to Mali to encouraged further development of the Legion there.

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