Concilium Bulletin January 2011
Concilium Bulletin January 2011
Africa
BENIN REPUBLIC
In the course of one year Our Lady of Mount Carmel praesidium met 1,333 persons in home to home visits, recruited 9 active and two auxiliary members, gained 16 catechumens, secured 18 baptisms, 21 returns to Sunday Mass and 13 to the Sacraments, reconciled 8 marriages in difficulty, had 2 regularised and officered a junior praesidium. Our Lady of the Lagoon praesidium had similar results making contact in addition with 74 Muslims. The average membership in the praesidia attached to Our Lady of Peace Curia is 20.
BURKINA FASO
Ouagadougou Comitium meets monthly. Fr. Narcisse Kiswensida shows a deep commitment to the Legion and its founder’s charism, speaking on Newman and Frank Duff, organising formation sessions for legionaries and information sessions for Spiritual Directors at Diocesan and National level. Visits to persons of all denominations including Protestants and Muslims continue with tender loving care for mothers at the Maternity Hospital especially those with little or no back-up.
CAMEROUN
In October the Senatus of Douala held its 100th meeting. In Muyuka Comitium there are praesidia with over 100 members. Steps are to be undertaken to regularise this situation following a visit from the Senatus. Yaounde Regia is doing very well with their extension. Bamenda Comitium is in the process of creating a second Comitium in the Diocese and Bafoussam is setting up another Comitium in Mbouda. In Nkongsamba 3 new praesidia have been set up. In Douala a cancer patient returned to the Church after 3 years of visitation and before she died she brought the rest of her family back into the Church as well.
SENEGAL
The Regia of Lome, Togo, carried out a visitation to the Legion in Senegal in October.
TOGO
On September 7th/8th a vigil was held to celebrate the 89th anniversary of the start of the Legion. Most councils report promotion of the Cause of Frank Duff with novenas finishing on 7th November when Mass was concelebrated by Archbishop Amuzu-Dzakpah. A conference with debate took place on November 13th which had as its theme: “Priests and lay-people, the vision of Frank Duff”. Reports mentioned Congresses, Patrician meetings, Exploratio Dominicalis projects as well as a lot of conversions from traditional religions. Most councils mention enclosed retreats and a Curia in Lome heard the report of a praesidium in the prison. Three new Comitia have been set up, one each at Tsevié and Kara and one in the Diocese of Sokodé and there is a new Curia in Kpomé. A report was given on the Peregrinatio Pro Christo to Ghana in 2010 and efforts are being made to prepare for another in 2011. On Sunday 27th February next a Mass will be said to celebrate the closure of festivities marking 60 years of the Legion of Mary in Togo.
REPUBLIC OF GUINÉE
In Conakry Comitium all four officers were re-elected for a second term in office. A Curia under the Comitium is planning a national Congress for all legionaries in Guinée and the Comitium is in regular contact with this Curia.
Mexico and Central America
MEXICO CITY SENATUS
The Senatus is planning a trip to Dublin to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the foundation of the Legion.
MERIDA SENATUS
Two praesidia, 3 Curiae and 3 Comitia reported and there are plans to set up a new Comitium in Campeche Diocese and a number of praesidia have been set up in different councils. The Senatus Curia (praesidia directly affiliated) had a Congress. A Comitium with 18 praesidia and 2 Curiae visited 11,000 homes.
GUADALAJARA REGIA
Reports indicate baptisms, First Communions and Confirmations resulted from Legion work. A praesidium with 20 members, 10 of whom are praetorians, do home to home visitation and leave the Virgin Statue in the homes for a week to encourage devotion to Our Lady. A number of legionaries are catechists.
LEON REGIA
During this period 6 Curiae, 2 Comitia and 3 praesidia reported. A Curia which is 49 years in existence reported planting trees in areas where there is a concentration of elderly to beautify the surroundings. Legionaries accompany bereaved families in their customary week of prayer after the death of a loved one. A new praesidium was set up in the jail bringing the number of praesidia to three. This year they held their own Acies in the jail.
ACAPULCO REGIA
Seven praesidia and 2 Curiae reported. The praesidium in the prison successfully convinced some Catholics who had changed to the sects to return to the practice of their faith. An attached Curia reported 18 persons returned to the practice of the faith and 5 of those received the sacrament of marriage.
HERMOSILLO REGIA
During this period there were 5 reports given at the meeting. A young priest only one year ordained has been appointed Spiritual Director and is giving great encouragement to the legionaries. A praesidium in the women’s prison is very active and committed; they start the meeting on time even if the outside legionaries have not arrived. Their works include helping sick prisoners, a Bible circle and daily Rosary at 6.00 pm.
DURANGO REGIA
There were 6 reports presented during this period. A large praesidium of 22 members has 20 praetorians. It was suggested that they consider dividing. They reported 30 Sacred Heart enthronements. The Comitium of Mazathian with 5 Curiae and 14 praesidia have 471 active and 1200 auxiliaries. Two legionaries went on extension to a town about 27 km away.
MONTERREY REGIA
Eight reports were presented since last reporting. Two new praesidia were set up, one on a ranch. The Angelus is promoted on home visitation and 3,000 Rosary bracelets were distributed. A praesidium of young adults is being set up. 200 attended a Marian Youth Conference resulting in one vocation to the priesthood. Among events for the 90th anniversary are clubs for children, consecration of homes to the Sacred Heart, the Pioneer Movement and a trip to Dublin.
CENTRAL AMERICA
COSTA RICA
Senatus of San Jose: During the months of May and October the legionaries organise and participate in a Rosary procession carrying a statue of Our Lady, the Vexillum and the Legion banner through the streets. A Bible circle appropriate for children is organised to help prepare them for the sacraments.
Honduras Senatus: The Senatus is working well but have difficulties resulting from natural disasters. A new praesidium with 19 members is very active visiting homes and making efforts in particular to contact young people.
ASIA
This report covers 13 countries in Asia and 8 in the Middle East and encompasses 6 Senatus, 6 Regiae, 16 Comitia, 7 Curiae and 4 Praesidia directly affiliated to the Concilium.
MYANMAR
A workshop was organised for legionaries willing to do extension. Several visits were made to Pathein Comitium covering a large area in the south and strongpoint of the Legion. The Bishop has given go ahead for more Curiae and Comitia to be established. The aim is to work towards a Regia.
PAKISTAN They have approximately 350 seniors and 50 juniors in the Karachi diocese.
THAILAND A Comitium working in the north brought together officers of 21 Curiae to spiritually refresh the legionaries and help to develop and expand the Legion in remote areas which they evangelise.
VIETNAM 82 attended the August Senatus meeting. A Comitium mission territory in the basin of the Mekong river has 327 members working in 3 Curiae. The Bishop is very supportive. The lapsed are brought back, families are reconciled and children are prepared for the Sacraments.
ARMENIA There is one praesidium in Yerevan which has 8 members, 14 auxiliaries and 6 Adjutorians. Among works done is helping with abandoned children. Mother Teresa sisters asked the legionaries to provide Christian formation for paid staff. The Armenian handbook is available only in typed format.
GEORGIA - contact with Legion has been a challenge. The praesidium in Ude with 5 members continues to do good work.
SRI LANKA - Homes hospitals and an apostolate at funerals feature in reports. Three camps were visited and children of prisoners were looked after.
INDIA
Pondicherry Senatus has 17 praesidia. 27 Curiae, 4 Comitia attached having 10,566 senior, 489 junior and 3,225 auxiliary members. Extension continues, contact with lepers, drug addicts, those contemplating suicide, orphans and the handicapped is done.
Kottar - It has 10 praesidia and 28 Curiae attached. They have been asked to set up more Comitia. Training days are held periodically to help with better administration.
Vishakhapatnam - Nearby Curiae attend but attendance of praesidia officers needs improvement. Christians and non-Christians welcome Legion visits to hospitals.
Tuticorin - permission has been given for the formation of a second Comitium in the diocese with 9 Curiae. 72 took part in a mini-PPC project. 300 went on the annual pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of the Snows.
Tiruchy - send an annual report and have been asked to send monthly minutes. Much good work is done by the legionaries making peace among families and having homes enthroned to the Sacred Heart.
Madurai - sent a positive response to being raised to Regia and are planning to send regular monthly minutes.
Palaymakottai - They have 20 praesidia and at least 5 Curiae. Youth Curia has 8 praesidia with 100 members. Students are taught catechism. A 10 day Bible Study venture had 85 boys and girls in attendance.
Port Blair Comitium (situated on Andaman & Nicobar islands) - a synoptic report for 2009 was received and they have been asked to send monthly minutes.
Kolkata - after a silence of several months communication has been restored with the receipt of 6 months minutes.
Kerala Senatus - minutes to November. Communication has been restored. People of all religions contacted, a number of conversions recorded, marriages blessed,.
Ernakulam Comitium is very active with extension. Six new praesidia started, also responsible for 74 returns to the sacraments.
Neyyattinkara Comitium organised a seminar and Marian camp for youth which resulted in the setting up of a praesidium for young men and another for young women.
Tribute to Phyllis McGuinness, R.I.P.
Phyllis Dowdall joined the Legion in Holy Family Parish Aughrim Street, Dublin when she was just eleven years of age. She continued her membership through school years at Stanhope Street and Loreto on the Green. Graduating to Senior ranks, she worked hard for the Junior movement giving special attention to the girls’ praesidia in Dominican Convent school, Eccles Street, Dublin. Elected Vice-President of Veneranda Curia, she had the role of welcoming an ex-UCD legionary Dr Michael McGuinness as incoming Curia President on Frank Duff’s recommendation.
She was one of two legionaries appointed to assist the Hierarchy’s mission to the Irish emigrants in Britain entrusted to the Columban Fathers. Michael meanwhile took up a medical post in London but returned to marry Phyllis and both went back to become a force for good in London. Phyllis worked at the Columbans’ headquarters in Ovingtom Square making vigorous use of the Legion and developing the Columban Recruiting method. Michael was elected President of the London Senatus while Phyllis was elected Secretary. Both became very involved in the legionary apostolate in London, which included street rescue work in Soho resulting in the first Retreat for street girls in London.
In 1969 they returned to Dublin. After their return to Dublin, they had the honour of having Frank Duff, to whom they were always close, convalesce in their home.
As Assistant Secretary of Concilium, she was in charge of the Cause of Frank Duff and mobilised a team of helpers to sort letters and papers and look after Frank’s house. In her final year she was elected to the Presidency of Porta Coeli Curia and showed that she had lost none of her enthusiasm or commitment.
She died on 18th November 2010. The Concilium has extended its deep sympathy to Michael and their daughter Susan. May she rest in peace.
Visitors from Brazil
Verlaine Alves, Secretary of the São Paulo Senatus, Brazil, and Mariana de Moraes, a legionary in São Paulo, whose father, Nelson, is President of the São Paulo Senatus, were welcomed to the Concilium meeting. They both expressed their joy at being present. We heard something about the work of young legionaries in Brazil for other young people, which included organising Retreats and Vigils of Prayer.
Cause of the Servant of God, Frank Duff
Letter from Fr. Bede McGregor, OP
Spiritual Director of Concilium Legionis Mariae
Dear Legionaries,
As Postulator, I am writing to legionaries all over the world concerning the Cause for Beatification of our founder, the Servant of God, Frank Duff. First of all, I wish to thank you for all you have already done to help the Cause and for what you continue to do.
The Cause was formally introduced by Cardinal Desmond Connell in 1996 and consists of several parts. The first part was the huge task of collecting all the writings of Frank Duff: his books, articles and letters (so far totalling about 33,000), his tapes, books written about him and indeed any material that might prove significant in an evaluation of his life and holiness. This part of the Cause process has been completed.
The second part concerned the Tribunal, which consisted of examining witnesses under oath about the life and virtues and any possible faults in our founder. The Tribunal conducted by the representative of Cardinal Connell, the Promoter of Justice, and two secretaries. This took place over several months and has largely been completed.
The third part concerned the theological assessment of the published works of our founder and this has been done by two distinguished theologians. The fourth part concerns the work of the Historical Commission. This has still to be done and submitted to the Episcopal Delegate. We need your prayers to help bring this pivotal part of the process to a successful conclusion as soon as possible.
Alongside all the above work we continue to keep a record of all the favours, big and small, which have been granted through the intercession of our founder.
Once all the above steps have been concluded all the material is submitted to the Archbishop of Dublin. If he judges everything to be in order, he would then forward the relevant papers to Rome for the next phase of the Process.
Integral to all of this is the promotion of the Cause by legionaries throughout the world. This consists of making Frank Duff better known both inside and outside of the Legion. In addition, we need to continue to pray to our founder for favours and especially for miracles. The central point of my letter to you, dear legionaries, is to encourage you to keep on praying for the Cause. Thank you to the many legionaries who have already translated the prayer leaflet into your own languages and dialects. Please continue to distribute these to legionaries and to the general public in the belief that our founder is looking after our needs. One of the first questions, which will be asked in Rome, is: is there any demand for his beatification? Who desires it? Surely at least our estimated membership of 10,000,000 (between active and auxiliary members), would deeply long for it? It is up to all of us to show in practice our desire to have our founder beatified.
Cardinal John Henry Newman, a seminal influence on Frank Duff and very frequently quoted in the Handbook, was beatified recently. His beatification ceremony had a huge impact on those who were present and continues to have an impact on the whole Church. This should spur us on to work hard at making Frank Duff better known. If every country, where the Legion is present, worked to promote his Cause, he would be a source of great blessings and encouragement to many people. His spirit and the spirit of Mary would be a tremendous gift to any individual or group or local Church and indeed to a nation.
It is important to always remember that we are not simply concerned with showing that Frank Duff was a truly great man but we pray that if it be God’s will he should be declared to be a saint. We seek to bring to light for the benefit of the Legion of Mary but principally for the whole Church his heroic practise of the theological and moral virtues, the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit in his life and the inspiration and example of the dynamism and fire of his interior life. We need to know not just the external chronology of his life and his many achievements but much more the story of his very soul. His life illustrates the call to holiness of all the lay faithful of the Church and the limitless call and possibilities of the lay apostolate.
The promotional side is one of the most important aspects of the Cause. This belongs in a special way to every individual legionary. It is a very real way in which you can participate in the process of the Cause. Once again, thank you for the contribution you are making.
Let us pray to Mary, who is the Mother and real Foundress of the Legion, to help us in all our endeavours for the Cause.
Yours gratefully in Corde Mariae,
Bede McGregor O.P.
Postulator for the Cause
Please report all favours received through the intercession of Frank Duff to:
Concilium Legionis Mariae,
Morning Star Avenue,
Brunswick Street,
Dublin 7, Ireland.
Please copy this letter and circulate to all praesidia.
Prayer for the Beatification of
The Servant of God, Frank Duff
God our Father, You inspired your servant Frank Duff with a profound insight into the mystery of your Church, the Body of Christ, and of the place of Mary the Mother of Jesus in this mystery.
In his immense desire to share this insight with others and in filial dependence on Mary he formed her Legion to be a sign of her maternal love for the world and a means of enlisting all her children in the Church’s evangelising work.
We thank you Father for the graces conferred on him and for the benefits accruing to the Church from his courageous and shining faith.
With confidence we beg you that through his intercession you grant the petition we lay before you …
We ask too that if it be in accordance with your will, the holiness of his life may be acknowledged by the Church for the glory of your Name,
through Christ Our Lord, Amen.
This prayer can be obtained from the Legion of Mary website
www.legion-of-mary.ie
All Legion Councils, praesidia and individual legionaries are encouraged to actively promote the Cause of the Servant of God, Frank Duff, through the widespread dissemination of the Frank Duff prayer leaflets, through the organising of Frank Duff prayer groups and the holding of Masses to commemorate his life.
If you need Frank Duff prayer leaflets, please contact the Concilium.
Favours attributed to the intercession of
The Servant of God, Frank Duff
Should be reported to:
Legion of Mary,
De Montfort House,
Morning Star Avenue,
North Brunswick Street,
Dublin 7, IRELAND