Concilium Bulletin December 2012
Concilium Bulletin December 2012
REPORTS
EUROPE
SPAIN
Madrid Senatus: Most praesidia work with Latino immigrants who are arriving in great numbers. Many praesidia make contact with University students. Contact in the red light district is done with both male and female. During the month Pesca Joven, fishing for youth street contact, an average of 5 pairs of legionaries contacted 44 young people on the day shift and 51 on the night shift. The Peregrinatio Pro Christo team to Ceuta, North Africa did excellent work in a parish where a praesidium has been in existence for 15 years. During their 9 days the team made plans for the setting up of a second praesidium. The parish where the team worked is 50% Muslim and growing. 951 homes were visited and street contacts made. 100 Miraculous medals were accepted. The contact with Muslims was very cordial. God, Jesus as prophet, and Miriam, the Mother of Jesus, were amongst the topics discussed. Many younger Muslims had knowledge of Christian culture and traditions. The parish offers material help and free literacy classes to the Muslims, something they do not have in their own community. Catholics are few and just sixty attend the Church for weekend Masses. The team returned home thrilled with the experience and are looking forward to their next project.
Barcelona Senatus: A Curia in Valencia has 16 praesidia. Their works include Patricians, Street contact and prison visitation. One praesidium in Barcelona has 7 groups of nuns as Adjutorians and another praesidium has two. Work for street girls is reported.
Bilbao Senatus: The Curia in Durango celebrated its 50th anniversary. They hold a reunion for the over seventies and do daily shopping for one elderly lady. Book barrow contact in Basauri resulted in one new member.
PORTUGAL
Lisbon Senatus: Homeless people are met on street contact apostolate. A young man was prepared for Baptism and a group of young people for Confirmation. A priest was brought to a terminally ill patient and administered the Sacraments of Reconciliation and of the Sick. Extension efforts continue with visits to priests and with Columban drives. The Rosary is recited with bereaved families in Mortuary Chapels. Shopping is done for the elderly and poorly sighted people. Persons with depression were helped by legionaries visiting their homes. One legionary, who is a physiotherapist, assists people with difficulty of movement. An auxiliary rally was held by a praesidium for its 94 auxiliary members. The Rosary is recited with prisoners in a jail. The Senatus President and correspondent visited the Azores for the 40th anniversary celebration of the Legion’s coming there.
ITALY
Rome Senatus: Legionaries visited the Legion in the provinces during their holidays. The only praesidium of 8 members in Bologna was visited. Filipino legionaries from Rome visited praesidia in Florence, two of which are composed of Filipinos. A visit was made to the Curia at Taranto in Southern Italy, which has grown to 234 members, 22 probationers, 100 praetorians and 468 auxiliary members. The Curia was recommended to divide to cater better for the northern and southern parts of the city. A report on Sicily was positive with new praesidia at Catania where the Archbishop presided at the Acies. Mgr. La Rosa, in his October allocutio to the Senatus, stressed the significance of Frank Duff’s attendance at the closing session of Vatican II as witness to the purpose enunciated by Pope John XXIII to “show forth the pastoral and evangelical face of the Catholic Church”.
Milan Regia consists of 10 praesidia, with 2 Comitia and 1 Curia attached. There is an increase in praetorian and adjutorian membership. Some praesidia have a large number of auxiliary members for whom rallies are held. A person seeing legionaries praying in a Church joined their praesidium. A lady, lapsed for many years was brought back to the Sacraments. Extension efforts are ongoing.
Padova Comitium has 9 praesidia and 3 attached Curiae. Italian and Austrian legionaries joined in a Peregrinatio Pro Christo project to Bressanone in the Tyrol. As a result of a public Rosary during May, a small shrine to Madonna Santissima was built. After much effort, a praesidium of Nigerians has been formed.
CYPRUS
Virgin Most Powerful praesidium celebrated its 21st anniversary. A praesidium does crowd contact work on the streets, parks, bus station and other public places. They supply visitors with details of Church services and encourage the lapsed to return to the Catholic Faith. They also visit with the Pilgrim Virgin Statue and occasionally visit a prison and homes for the elderly.
MALTA
Radio programmes prepared by legionaries were broadcast on Venerable Edel Quinn, and the Servants of God Frank Duff, Alfie Lambe and “The Legion of Mary 90 years on”. Praesidia reports include home, hospital and statue visitation, half-day retreats for auxiliaries, teaching catechism and the consecration of homes to the Sacred Heart. Also reported were crowd contact and Patrician meetings. Two lapsed people were brought to Confession, one of whom died a week later. 40 attended a talk on St. Louis Marie de Montfort. A five-day apostolate resulted in 17 new auxiliary members and nine family homes consecrated to the Sacred Heart. A daily Rosary has been recited in a Band Club for 30 years. The junior Curia has 11 praesidia and one Rosary group. A new praesidium for girls was set up.
ALBANIA
The Skhroder Comitium Officers met the 3 attached Curia in August to discuss the Legion of Mary in Albania. At the November Comitium meeting a discussion took place on the separation of active members from auxiliary members.
GREECE
The Malta correspondent is planning a visit to the Legion in Greece in the New Year. The praesidium in Thessalonica has 12 active and 14 auxiliary members. Their apostolate includes visiting Catholic homes, teaching catechism, visiting prisons and hospitals.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Philadelphia Senatus
Five Evangelisation days were organised. The Seminary praesidium has 12 members visiting the homeless, sick, schools and colleges and with a second seminary praesidium co-hosted a Marian Day at which 500 attended. Much extension is undertaken in the Pittsburgh area. This Regia runs a drop-in centre for street people. Three new praesidia were started by Greensburg Comitium. Prison ministry is also undertaken.
Boston Senatus
Visitation of praesidia and attached councils is undertaken. A Legion website is being set up.
Chicago Senatus
More than 26 members took part in 2 state fairs and at the Gay Pride parade at which many good contacts were made. Five new praesidia started in one Curia area which also has 50 juniors. The Miraculous Medal is used on home visitation. The Hispanic Curia report many conversions and returns to the Sacraments.
Miami Regia
All councils have junior Curiae or praesidia attached. Formation is ongoing for new praesidia in Orlando. Three new praesidia were started in the Bahamas.
Houston Senatus
The Korean Curia provides many services to parishioners and newcomers. 135 attended the Vietnamese Curia Congress with the theme: The Year of Faith and the interior life of Legionaries. The Hispanic Curia report 298 homes enthroned to the Sacred Heart in a 3-month period. Much extension is reported in the New Orleans area. Follow-up is ongoing from a Peregrinatio Pro Christo project held in March.
St. Louis Senatus
As a result of a Peregrinatio Pro Christo project to Colorado, 77 sought Baptism, 24 wished to return to practice, 33 auxiliary and 10 active members were recruited. Prayer services are conducted in the male and female detention centres and Confession is available. Eucharistic Adoration features in many reports. 14 new praesidia were started and 6 were disbanded.
New York Senatus
A Congress was arranged for November. Finola Kennedy, while visiting the USA for other purposes, gave a talk on the life of Frank Duff.
Arlington Regia
The Regia produced a video which is used for extension work. The Junior Curia has 6 praesidia. A number of praesidia attended the state fair making many good contacts. A number of councils held Congresses.
San Francisco Senatus
The challenge of works facing aging members was discussed by Stockton Comitium. Patricians, teaching catechism, visiting rest homes, running book and video clubs and prayers groups were among the suggestions made. This Comitium is planning to introduce the Legion to a youth club. The North San Mateo Curia has 26 praesidia. 14 members took part in a Peregrinatio Pro Christo project in Freemont where 131 cases were left for follow-up.
Los Angeles Senatus
Honolulu Comitium regularly visit the Legion councils on the other islands. Foothill Curia has an equal number of senior and junior active members. Six councils organised Congresses.
CANADA
Vancouver Comitium
60 legionaries participated in the annual Picnic and Fun Day. A praesidium of 17 members was encouraged to think about splitting.
Toronto Senatus
The Korean Comitium has 6 Curiae made up of 76 praesidia, 745 active and 1,501 auxiliary members. Help is given in the preparation of catechumens. Scarborough Comitium report 47 conversations and returns to the Sacraments. The Junior Curia has 14 praesidia. Exploratio Dominicalis projects were undertaken in 2 parishes and religious articles were distributed at a Catholic Youth Festival.
WEST INDIES
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Santo Domingo Senatus
One Curia of 8 praesidia report 600 adults and 1400 children prepared for Baptism, 10 marriages were regularised and many were visited in prison. Other councils report work of catechesis, home and hospital visitation and domestic held provided for elderly living alone.
Santiago de los Caballeros Senatus
Works include visiting the cancer hospital, prisons and the bereaved as well as the running of 10 Patrician groups. After instruction, an elderly man who had never received the sacraments received Confession and Fist Communion.
Trinidad and Tobago Regia
The reporting Curia has 5 praesidia with 66 active and 123 auxiliary members. Home and hospital visitation and instruction work is undertaken, 9 returned to practice.
Haiti Senatus
Visitation of homes including to those still living in tents is done as well as visitation to hospitals, orphanages and prisons. Literacy and catechism classes are run. There are 2 praesidia in the seminary with 29 and 34 members respectively. Patricians and a Legion retreat were among the many works undertaken.
Puerto Rico Senatus
The Virgin Islands - there are 3 praesidia in St. Thomas Island and 1 praesidium in St. John’s Island. They visit the bereaved and invite the lapsed back to practice. True Devotion to the Nation type work is common. They contact emigrants, run prayer groups and visit ex-prisoners when released. Many sick people came back to the sacraments.
AFRICA
KENYA
Kenya Senatus: The monthly prayers at Venerable Edel Quinn’s grave are organised by a praesidium attached to the Senatus. Works included a Curia visiting 66 patients in a psychiatric hospital taught catechism to 14 of the patients, a hundred marriages were validated as a result of home visitation and contact with parents resulted in 22 children being baptised. All reports indicate very solid visitation being done, with many people returning to the sacraments, others undertaking instruction and some quarrelling families being reconciled. Many councils are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Legion.
MALAWI
Blantyre Senatus: Archbishop Tarcizius Ziyaye celebrated an annual Mass for the Legion in Limbe Cathedral. The Senatus gives particular attention to training of officers and correspondents by organising workshops. The Regia in Lilongwe Archdiocese with 15 praesidia and 6 Curiae has increased its attached Comitia from 15 to 18. It hosted a 3-day workshop for the officers of the 4 Regia in the country, which had an attendance of 125, including 3 Regiae Spiritual Directors. The main works include teaching catechumens, instructing the lapsed as they return to the Church and visiting the sick at home and in hospital.
UGANDA
Uganda Senatus: Many works were reported of conversions, lapsed returned and many prepared for the Sacraments. One Comitium was commended for its visits to children in prison and that 300 members of a sect were converted. Seminary praesidia were highlighted. In 2 months 4 such praesidia reported and 2 were visited. Due to their size two were encouraged to split. Their very full college programme limits attendance at council meetings and events, but they work within and outside the Seminaries and do important work with youth praesidia/Curiae in schools and one praesidium awaits permission to visit 2 prisons. In 2013 the Senatus will mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the first praesidium in Uganda by Venerable Edel Quinn, which is still in existence.
NIGERIA:
Abuja Senatus: A Comitium, which was inaugurated as a Regia in September, reported 45 praesidia and 5 Curiae formed and almost 22,000 lapsed returned to the faith. One Curia reported that “the prevalent insecurity in the country hinders their Legion work”, while a praesidium reported a Presbyterian pastor came into the Church.
Kaduna Regia: A new Regia Spiritual Director was appointed. Works include visitation of homes, hospitals, prisons, orphanages, hotels, hostels, people with leprosy and many are prepared for the Sacraments. There is a good apostolate to youth. Visitation of councils and praesidia and extension projects continues. One Comitium encountered 2,500 during a project resulting in many receiving the Sacraments, marriage cases settled, lapsed returned and a new Curia started. Acies, Reunion, Patricians, Frank Duff and Edel Quinn Anniversary Masses and November Masses were referred to. They are working in difficult circumstances due to what they term the “Religious Crises” there and a Comitium officer was recently killed.
Jos Regia: The Legion apostolate continues in the Regia area despite many difficulties caused by unrest there during the year, many of the legionaries had to leave their homes and prayers are requested for peace in these councils. A Curia has 200 probationers while a College Curia has an average of 48 at Patrician meetings.
Ibadan Senatus.
Benin City Regia report 535 conversions and 30 senior and 10 junior praesidia and 4 adult Curiae and 1 junior Curia formed. 2 University praesidia reported having had 48 and 22 meetings respectively. A Praesidium reported that they re-visit lapsed met on visitation.
Lagos Regia: 90% of the membership of a Comitium giving its 1st Report is under 40 years.
Enugu Senatus: A Comitium with 22 Curiae and 2,648 seniors and 1,552 juniors reported that as a result of Exploratio projects, 35 infants were baptised, 38 lapsed returned, 7 family disputes were settled, 8 couples married in Church and 63 non Christians were converted. Another Comitium recruited over 500 members, starting 6 senior and 7 junior praesidia and 2 junior Curiae.
Onitsha Regia: One Comitium prepared 135 for baptism, 517 for Holy Communion, 573 for Confirmation and 444 couples were helped to marry in Church. A College of Education has a Curia of 9 praesidia.
A Comitium attached to Ikot Ekpene Regia established a number of new praesidia. The Regia organised an officers’ training course.
TANZANIA
Dar-Es-Salaam Regia: The Regia was inaugurated on the 8th July and the Auxiliary Bishop of Dar-Es-Salaam, Rt. Rev. Eusebius Nzigilwa concelebrated the inaugural Mass. There was a good attendance including representatives from the Senatus of Kenya and Uganda. Many key points of Legion spirituality and administration were raised at these first meetings of the Regia to be taken into account in planning ahead, including the appointment of correspondents for the councils in the attached dioceses and the importance of Officers’ meetings. One Curia which undertook an Exploratio project in July felt most challenged by some Christians who had defected from the Church.
Hai Moshi Comitium: Reports give details of home/hospital visitation, helping settle marriage disputes, preparing adults and children for the Sacraments and teaching children prayers resulting in many returns to the Sacraments and marriages blessed. Contact with drug addicts features in a number of reports, and as a result of visitation, some ceased the habit.
Mbeya: E-mails are now being received although no minutes as yet. However an officers’ index card, which was forwarded was returned duly completed.
THE GAMBIA
Banjul Curia is contacting all priests in the diocese, encouraging them to have praesidia in their parishes.
Election of Concilium Assistant Secretary
At the November 2012 Concilium Meeting nominations were sought for the office of Assistant Secretary as Ann Murray had completed her second term in this position. Maureen McManus was proposed and seconded and as there were no other nominations, she was duly elected Assistant Secretary of the Concilium. Thanks were expressed by Sile NiChochlain, President of Concilium, to Ann Murray for the wonderful work she had undertaken during her term of office.
Day of Prayer - Knock, Ireland
Fr. Killian Byrne of the Foyer of Charity spoke about the day of prayer for the Year of Faith planned for 2nd February 2013 at Our Lady’s Shrine, Knock.
The day is a tally call, under the banner of Our Lady, to all people of good will who care for the soul of Ireland and therefore the faith of her people, will consist of the Rosary, Adoration, Holy Mass and the talks of 35 minutes duration each on the following themes:
” Urgency of Fatima today;
” The Catechism of the Catholic Church;
” The Eucharist: pearl of great price.
An appeal was made to the Legion to promote this day of prayer, to attend themselves and where possible to organise bus loads to come to Knock.