Concilium Bulletin February 2012

Concilium Bulletin February 2012

REPORTS

AFRICA

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
Butembo Senatus: Two officers from the Senatus attended the Congress of Kisangani, which was a great success. They travelled with Legionaries from Burundi, Goma and Bukavu, a distance of over 1660 km. All Comitia held functions for the 90th Anniversary celebrations, those of Vulema and Oicha Comitia being focused on the Eucharist. Oicha has set up a youth Curia. Musienne Comitium established 5 new youth praesidia and a junior Curia. The Senatus hosted a radio program giving the history of the development of the Legion throughout the Diocese. Mahagi Regia was set up on 25 September 2011 following Concilium directives. The Archbishop and 9 priests concelebrated Mass for the installation of the Regia.

Kinshasa Senatus: Three parish-based city Curiae with a total of 1500 members reported making apostolic contact with over 33,000 persons in the course of a year’s work of whom 56% were Catholic, 42% evangelical and 2% Muslim. There is concern over the proliferation of the sects. Two Regiae, Kikwit and Kisangani organised Congresses to mark the Legion’s 90th anniversary.

Kananga Senatus: The Archbishop received the two visitators Pia Makengo and Henri Kaite and gave them a letter for Concilium in which he praised the Legion for its fidelity.

MAURITIUS/RODRIGUES
The new Regia is working well and the Spiritual Director, Rev. Robert Bathfield, celebrated his 50th year as a priest with a special Mass. Port Louis Comitium organised a Mass to celebrate 90 years of the Legion. The Comitium of Rose Hill and Curepipe held their annual retreats. General works reported included visits to the sick in their homes and in hospitals, public Rosaries during May and October, retreats organised, teaching of Catechism and an Exploratio Dominicalis held in the St. Luc Quarter. Regia Officers and Spiritual Directors had a meeting with the Bishop, Monsignor Maurice Piat, to introduce the new bureau. He takes personal interest in the work of the Legion.

REUNION
The Curiae affiliated to the St. Denis Comitium show solid work being undertaken and includes home and hospital visitation, distribution of Miraculous Medals and teaching Catechism. They reported the reconciliation of a mother and son after 10 years and the marriage of a couple co-habiting for 15 years. The works reported by the junior Curia include accompanying the elderly to Mass, recruiting among peers and visiting mortuaries with adult legionaries where they pray with the families.

Burundi
The Hierarchy has appointed a new National Spiritual Director Fr. Simon Nzigirabarya. He has urged legionaries to consecrate themselves to Our Blessed Lady. Among the many Legion works reported are the conversion of pagans, the weaning of people from the practice of sorcery, Gospel sharing in the homes and saving girls from prostitution. For the poor, they repair damaged homes and work in the fields for the infirm and the bereaved and support the basic Christian communities. The formation of two new Comitia was reported in May.

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
Bangui Senatus: The Apostolic Administrator for Bangui has appointed a Diocesan Spiritual Director, Fr. Judicael-Ulrich Boukanga Serpende, whose services are greatly appreciated by the Legion. The minutes tell of successful interventions in family disputes, threats of violence, prevention of abortions by bringing the parties together, sharing the relevant Gospel passages and allowing all concerned time to discuss and reflect. Many are converted and join the Legion.

RWANDA
Kigali Senatus: Comitium Ruhengeri report on having 20 Curiae one of which operates within a prison and another in a school. There are 39 praesidia with a total of 4,263 active members, 1,346 auxiliaries and 16 Adjutorians. One new Curia has been established. Mwezi Comitium has 25 Curiae and 18 attached praesidia with a total of 4,263 active members.

ASIA

SINGAPORE
Singapore Senatus: In the past year Kenningau Curia in Kotakinabulu Comitium, East Malaysia was raised to Comitium status and two new Curiae were formed in the same area. Kuching Comitium formed two new Curiae and celebrated 60 years of the Legion. These events entailed many visitations by the Senatus Officers. Recorded in reports were helping at funerals, prison ministry, visiting cancer patients, enthronement of the Sacred Heart and a Lenten retreat.

HONG KONG
Hong Kong Comitium: Attendance of the Comitium Officers was 100% and praesidium officers 90%. The numbers of praetorians recorded in praesidia is noticeable. Curia Assumpta with 21 praesidia and junior Curia with 6 praesidia reported an attendance of 148 at the annual retreat. In his Allocutio Fr. Lok commented on the value of evangelisation.

JAPAN
Osaka Senatus: There was an attendance of 152 at the Acies in the Cathedral. Reports include visiting with a Priest to bring Holy Communion to parishioners; support is provided for people who suffer mental health difficulties. The Spiritual Director of the Senatus encouraged legionaries to seek holiness with Priests and Bishops in authority. A praesidium of 16 members carries out works of service, which include informing the lapsed of the next Holy Day of obligation. A member of the Senatus who was diagnosed with cancer reports improvement through prayer to the Servant of God, Frank Duff.

WEST MALAYSIA
Kuala Regia: Works recorded in reports included home visitation to the aged, the lonely, the sick, the handicapped and lapsed Catholics on a weekly basis. A praesidium with 9 active members and 6 auxiliaries recorded home and hospital visitation to Catholic and non-Catholic homes, prayers at the homes of deceased, the Rosary recited at the Church grotto and the teaching of catechism.

KOREA
Seoul Senatus: While there were decreases in membership in Central and Western Seoul Regiae, there were increases in Praetorian and Adjutorian membership. The two show thousands of Baptisms and returns to the Sacraments, many are visited including Catholics and non-Catholics who are sick and infirm.

Gwangju Senatus: Pusan Regia has 27,752 active and 18,411 auxiliaries. The guidelines of a Bishop’s pastoral were to help lapsed to return to the Church, 7,000 lapsed returned and over 5,000 were baptised as a result of the input of the Regia. Jeonju Regia with 1,400 members invited 4,000 to the Church. There is mention of a legionary helping her father become a Catholic.

Daegu Senatus: Two Comitia set up one new Curia each. There was special comment regarding the rebuilding of Curiae, recently many parish priests who put strong emphasis on Small Christian Communities were replaced by new parish priests, many Curiae which were disestablished are now being rebuilt, most of the former parish priests now say they would have difficulty running their parishes without the Legion. Reports from councils show many catechumens recruited and many baptisms and returns to the Sacraments. Visits to hospitals and welfare institutions feature in reports.

TAIWAN
Taiwan Senatus: nine new praesidia have started in Taiwan, one gaining in strength as a result of a Peregrinatio Pro Christo project. Two new Curia have been formed, one from a number of praesidia attached to the Senatus, the other from Taichung Curia which had 26 praesidia. Legionaries provided help and comfort to Chinese tourists who were involved in a major accident in Taiwan.

INDONESIA
Malang Senatus: There is ongoing visitation of councils and praesidia. Kupang Regia West Timor set up three years ago has 8 Comitia, 8 Curiae and 4 directly attached praesidia with a total membership of 6,950 seniors and 635 juniors, 2196 Auxiliaries, 416 Praetorians and 105 Adjutorians. Works mentioned include bringing Communion to the sick and counselling in mental health. A Curia in Blimbing with 9 praesidia has quarterly discussions with the Parish Priest. Works include visitation of sick children, the elderly and a house for the rehabilitation of drug addicts. Merauke Curia has 16 senior and 2 junior praesidia. Semerang Regia in Java with 4 Comitia, 6 Curiae, 9 praesidia has 132 children in Sunday school who are candidates for a praesidium. Ambon, a distant Island in the Moluccas, with a population of 3 million 4% of whom are Catholic was visited by representatives of their higher council in September.

ARGENTINA AND BRAZIL

ARGENTINA
A report on the recent Concilium visit to Argentina can be found elsewhere in the bulletin.

BRAZIL
Belo Horizonte Senatus: Statue visitation is done in homes and shops. A junior Curia prepares children for the sacraments and promotes a ‘smile’ campaign. The Regia of Montes Claros has 22,000 active members. Over 25,000 people were contacted on visitation. Our Lady’s role was emphasised to Evangelicals. On 19 Exploratio Dominicalis projects the importance of the Bible was explained.

Fortaleza Senatus: The Archbishop of Fortaleza wrote expressing his full agreement with the Concilium’s decision to transfer the Regia of Joao Pessoa from the Fortaleza Senatus to the Senatus of Recife.

Ponta Grossa Senatus: There was a large attendance at a formation meeting for officers, which was held in October 2011 at which Most Reverend Dom Sergio Arthur Braschi, Bishop of Ponta Grossa, gave a talk on Vocations, and young legionaries from the Regia of Guarapuava gave a presentation on the Servant of God Frank Duff.

Recife Senatus: The Senatus continues to develop an extension plan that takes in all parishes in the city without the Legion. One Comitium set up two praesidia after an Exploratio project and reported 11 families returning to regular Sunday Mass, 11 families taking on the family Rosary and 25 elderly receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Importance is given to preparing young people and adults for the sacraments. All councils are regularly visited and Correspondents’ meetings are held every three months. After an Exploratio Dominicalis project a couple were converted from Spiritualism and others from an Evangelical Church.

Rio de Janeiro Senatus: A Legionary teacher in a State school teaches evangelical students about Our Lady. In the State of Acre, two praesidia were set up in a rural area and Legionaries presented 14 radio programs. In the State of Roraima visitation included 78 visits to Evangelical families. In an area near the city of Rio people who had been visited in hospital invited Legionaries to visit them in their homes, which resulted in four going to Confession and others receiving the Sacrament of the Sick. In over a thousand homes the Rosary was recited accompanied by Bible readings, hymns and commentary. The Archbishop of Belem has specifically asked for the junior Legion in all parishes.

Salvador Senatus: The Regia of Vitoria de Conquista has almost 15,000 members. There were 60 Exploratio Dominicalis projects. Two members were ordained Deacons. A Triduum was held to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Legion. In an area of severe social disruption in Salvador, besides regular visitation, members hold prayer cenacle meetings in the homes of the sick and those separated from the Church. They also help with hygiene services and domestic work. Guidance was given to young people. In several areas the Legion apostolate includes administering vaccinations, etc. and helping the old and needy to apply for their social welfare entitlements.

Sao Luis Senatus: There were reports of holding 140 cenacle prayer meetings and 17 homeless were helped to get accommodation. 90 Bible meetings were held in prisons. Large numbers were prepared for the sacraments. There is little evidence of visitation of distant councils in the Senatus area, roughly six times the size of Ireland.

Sao Paulo Senatus: A Congress for young legionaries is taking place in February 2012. A meeting of officers of Legion councils in Brazil was planned for 20-22 January. About 3000 attended a Legion Jubilee Mass in the Cathedral at which the Archbishop of Sao Paulo, His Eminence Cardinal Dom Odilo Scherer, gave a wonderful homily. Reports from councils show works being done include home and hospital visitation and visits to the sick at home; teaching catechism, running Bible groups and contacting people living on the streets.

Brasilia Regia: Juniors use dance, acting and music to present the faith to others. There is a significant number of velites. Legionaries made 5,000 contacts at the Cathedral of Brasilia, a popular tourist attraction.

EUROPE

AUSTRIA AND COUNTRIES UNDER THEIR CARE
Austria Senatus: Vienna-North East Curia had as their Congress theme “The Charisms of Frank Duff and the Legion of Mary”. South Curia started a new Czech-speaking praesidium in Remmweg. South East Curia has a Chinese-speaking praesidium with 7 members three of them have taken the Promise. The Filipino Curia founded last May has 3 praesidia and 28 active members. An English-speaking praesidium contacts the African communities. New praesidia were established among the French and Spanish speaking communities. A praesidium reported the return to the Church of a cancer patient after a lapse of 20 years. Hollabrunn Comitium had an attendance of 40 young people at a Summer School, 25 of these were Croatian. Wienerwald Comitium are planning to bring a number of legionaries to the International Eucharistic Congress. Bregenz Curia reported a 95-year old man made his first Confession. The 90th anniversary was celebrated throughout all the councils with the local Bishop concelebrating Holy Mass. The Senatus promoted throughout Austria, Consecration to Our Lady on 8 December following 33 days of preparation.

BULGARIA
Permission was obtained for the Legion to be set up in Sophie and in 8 parishes in Northern Bulgaria. There are now 5 praesidia in Bulgaria.

UKRAINE
The Bishop of Lemberg celebrated Mass for the 90th anniversary of the Legion. Four Summer Schools were held. At present there are 3 Greek Catholic praesidia in Ukraine, which are held in accordance with the Greek Catholic Rite.

SLOVAKIA
Trnaya Curia has set up a new youth praesidium. Details of a favour attributed to the Servant of God, Frank Duff leading to improvement in speech by a little girl are being sought.

CZECH REPUBLIC
Prague Comitium has planned a Spiritual Directors’ day, which will be addressed by Bishop Herbst, Comitium Spiritual Director. Omuetz Comitium promotes True Devotion to Our Blessed Lady. The 33-day preparation booklet is to be translated into the Czech language and used for the celebration in 2013 of the 1,150th Jubilee of the faith among the Czech people.

MOLDOVA
Their Bishop informed Chisinau Curia that “The Legion of Mary is the best organisation I have in the Catholic Church”. A Legion retreat had an attendance of 48 in Ribnitza.

BELARUS
In one praesidium the Patricians were restarted. Orthodox people participate. The two praesidia in Minsk engage in a wide variety of works which includes evangelisation at bus stations, conversations with youth in parks concerning the Faith, visiting hospitals for disabled adults and children and practical help with building the parish chapel. Extension efforts are ongoing. Fr. Juri, Comitium Spiritual Director, and three legionaries visited Pinsk Seminary in November. Fr. Juri gave conferences and the legionaries shared their faith and told about Legion works, but permission was not given to set up a praesidium. There are 4 former legionaries among the Seminarians.

CROATIA AND COUNCILS UNDER THEIR CARE
Zagreb Regia: 500 legionaries and 13 Spiritual Directors went on the annual pilgrimage to the shrine of Marija Bistrica where the Bishop of Poree and Pula was chief celebrant of the Mass. Legionaries travelled by foot and bike. The Zadar Comitium reported record numbers of people receiving the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick and returns to the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Holy Eucharist; one of these after a lapse of 30 years. Extension is ongoing and has resulted in some new praesidia being set up. Osijek-East Curia conducts 7 prayer groups and 7 Nazareth groups. Dugo-Selo Curia organised a workshop on Family Rights after which the husbands of 3 legionaries joined the active Legion ranks.

BOSNIA-HERZGOVINA
Sarajevo Curia has 6 praesidia with 46 active members, 7 Praetorians and 225 auxiliaries. There is one junior praesidium of 5 members. Their apostolate includes visits to families, hospitals and care homes and also to blind people whom they bring to Mass. The Curia Officers had a meeting with the Bishop who expressed his support for the Legion in his Diocese.

SLOVENIA
Ljublijana Curia has 6 praesidia and 762 Auxiliary members.

HUNGARY
Budapest Regia: Reports include visitation of the elderly in hospitals, care-homes and in their own homes. One praesidium helped 134 people receive the Sacrament of the Sick. With the help of the legionaries most of the elderly receive the Sacraments before death. A young lady in her 20’s met in hospital received the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation. Esekessnad Comitium has 4 Curiae organise Eucharistic Adoration, night vigils and led the Family Day for children attending Bible classes. Miskole Curia visited the local Greek Catholic Community.

LATVIA
Riga Comitium has 13 directly attached praesidia and 3 attached Curiae with a total of 17 praesidia. A praesidium increased its membership by 5 as a result of a recruiting drive. An unsuccessful attempt was made to re-start a praesidium in the Catholic Gymnasium in Minsk.

LITHUANIA
Kaunus Comitium has 18 directly attached praesidia and 6 attached Curiae with a total of 32 praesidia. A reporting praesidium has 20 active and 250 auxiliary members. In the hospital where they visit they organised a Mass and talk on the Legion for the 90th anniversary, which was attended by over 200 patients and staff. Telsiac Comitium has 10 directly attached praesidia and 2 attached Curiae. A praesidium of 11 members visited 430 families and enrolled 32 auxiliaries from their visitation. Two persons were baptised, 2 went to Confession - one after a lapse of 50 years and two came back to the Catholic Faith from the sects. Queen of the Families Curia has 9 praesidia and restarted a praesidium in Sveksna and set up a new praesidium in Gardama. Assumpta Curia set up a new youth praesidium and extension efforts are ongoing.

ROMANIA
Satu Mare Regia: Directly attached praesidia have very good membership and their apostolate is mainly works of service and parish activities.

POLAND
Lublin Regia: Extension is ongoing and 17 people attended an information meeting. Swidnik and Radom Curiae have each set up a new praesidium. Legionaries promote the Miraculous Medal and sanctification of the Sunday on street apostolate. Visitation to the neglectful brought about the baptism of 3 children. Legionaries frequently lead the Rosary on Radio Maryja.

Warsaw Comitium is currently preparing to participate in the City Mission Project, which will have Warsaw as its venue in April 2012. The Comitium was responsible for the publication of the Polish Bulletin “Legio Mariae” since 1991 and is currently working on the translation of Allocutios on Legion Spirituality from the Concilium bulletins with a view to publication.

Visitation by Concilium to Argentina

Noel Lynch and Pat O’Donoghue visited a number of councils in Argentina from 20th January to 17th February. Their first visit was to Buenos Aires where the Senatus was host to the 2nd Argentinean National Youth Conference. The highlight of this event was the Mass at Recoleta Cemetery Church on Saturday 21st January to celebrate the anniversary of Alfie Lambe’s death, and a procession to his tomb afterwards where prayers were recited. The Mass was preceded by a full morning of crowd contact. 150 young people from various parts of the country attended; the Salta contingent spending 20 hours travelling the 800 miles by bus.

Officers from Argentina’s higher councils and representatives from Uruguay and Paraguay attended the Senatus meeting on Sunday 22 January.

A meeting was held to discuss the cause of Alfie Lambe. All documents relating to the Cause are 95% ready and can be sent to Rome shortly.

Noelia Garcia Clua, President of the Buenos Aires Senatus, accompanied the Legionaries on their travels throughout Argentina spending 2 days with each of the other four Argentinean higher councils of Corrientes, Salta, Cordoba and Rosario, having meetings with their officers covering a range of issues on the governance of the Legion in their respective areas. Grateful thanks were expressed to Noelia for all she did for the two legionaries during the visit.

Next was a ferry journey to Montevideo of Uruguay where 3 days were spent with the Legionaries there before a flight to Paraguay on 3rd Feb where the 3 days included a meeting with Bishop Medina at the shrine of Caacupe and an encounter with Archbishop Verda at Ascuncion Cathedral.

Síle Ní Chochlain, President of the Concilium, thanked the two legionaries for undertaking this successful visit.

HOLY MASS FOR THE BEATIFICATION OF
THE SERVANT OF GOD ALFIE LAMBE

On Saturday 18th February 2012, in the Church of Mary Immaculate Refuge of Sinners, Rathmines, Dublin, Mass was celebrated to commemorate the Servant of God, Alfie Lambe. Fr. Fergus O’Keefe, S.J. in his homily spoke on the life and work of Alfie as a legionary and an envoy to South America. In attendance was the Argentinean Ambassador. The Cause of Alfie Lambe is very dear to her and she also promoted his Cause among the Brazilian, Peruvian and Argentinean diplomats. Alfie’s sister and nephew also attended the Mass.

Visit to the Concilium Meeting by Legionaries from the
Senatus of Scotland

The Concilium was delighted to welcome fifteen legionaries from the University of Glasgow who attended the February 2012 Concilium Meeting with their Spiritual Director Fr. John Keenan. There are two praesidia in the University and some of the works they undertake are house to house visitation on campus, Park contact, Book Barrow and run a soup kitchen. Síle Ní Chochlain, President of Concilium, thanked Fr. Keenan and the young legionaries for their excellent apostolate.

N O T I C E
Any Legion council officers who are registering for the International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin are asked to note that the June 2012 Concilium meeting will take place on SATURDAY 9th June 2012 at 3.00 pm in Legion headquarters