Concilium News March 2011

Earthquake Disaster in Japan

The Concilium has sent letters of condolence and assurance of prayers to Most Reverend Leo Jun Ikenaga,S.J., Archbishop of Osaka, who is also President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Japan, and to the President of the Osaka Senatus of the Legion of Mary expressing our sympathy on the earthquake and tsunamis, which have afflicted Japan recently. We have expressed our sadness, particularly, at the loss of life. The Concilium asked legionaries to remember in their prayers the Japanese people as well as those affected by the earthquake in New Zealand and in war torn countries currently in the world news.

Meeting of Dublin Legionaries

About 350 legionaries from the Archdiocese of Dublin attended a special meeting on 5th March 2011 during which they were inspired and encouraged by an address from Most Reverend Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin, who showed his great appreciation of the charism of the founder of the Legion, the Servant of God Frank Duff. The legionaries were also enthused by talks given by Rev. Fr. Bede McGregor, O.P., Concilium Spiritual Director, and by Rev. Fr. Pádraig Ó Cochláin, P.P., who is hosting a weeklong home visitation project in his parish of Finglas in Dublin in April this year. The meeting was an opportunity also for the legionaries to share their ideas and over one hundred suggestion sheets were submitted. The meeting closed with concelebrated Mass.

Peregrinatio Pro Christo

The first Peregrinatio Pro Christo in 2011, organised by the Dublin Committee, took place 12th – 19th March when a team of ten legionaries went to Birmingham, England. A team of 12 will work in Oxford during Holy Week and another team of 12 will go to Kent for Easter Week. Many projects are planned for the summer. Prayers are requested for the legionaries taking part in these projects and for blessings on their apostolate.

Visitors from Malta and Turkey

The Concilium gave a warm welcome to Monsignor Ruzar Borg, Spiritual Director of the Gozo Comitium attached to Malta Regia, and to Rev. Fr. Anton Bulai, OFM.Conv., Spiritual Director of a Curia in Istanbul, Turkey, and also to Bro. Joseph Micallef Treasurer of Malta Regia and Sr. Felicia Saliba and Sr. Josephine Formosa of Gozo Comitium. We were happy to learn about the progress of the Legion in Turkey and in Albania, with which the Malta Regia is in contact though visits and correspondence.