Concilium Bulletin May 2013 - Reports
REPORTS
MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA
MEXICOMexico City Senatus: During the reporting period 1 Regia, 3 Comitia, 10 Curiae and 3 praesidia reported. One Curia has 14 praesidia, which includes 4 junior praesidia. The attached Regia of Acapulco with 27 praesidia, 20 Curiae and 7 Comitia reported one person convinced not to have an abortion and 19 returns to the Church including a whole family. One praesidium reported knitting classes under the heading “True Devotion to the Nation”. A Curia of 86 members in 8 praesidia is in 4 of the 7 parishes in its area. Extension is ongoing in 2 of the 4 parishes.
Merida Senatus: The Senatus holds a meeting of correspondents every month. Large numbers were prepared for the sacraments including families who had joined other religions. In an attached Comitium 25 out of 107 contacts persevered in the Legion. 16 members are catechists. A strong praesidium offered to help a weak praesidium with recruiting and apostolate. A rural Curia reports very few praetorians or adjutorians because there is no daily Mass.
Leon Regia: An attached Comitium reported that of 247 couples contacted, 38 received the sacrament of marriage. 150 adults and children were baptised, 47 legionaries are extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist.
Hermosillo Regia: An attached Curia is setting up 1 junior and two senior praesidia.
Monterrey Regia: 24 legionaries took part in a Holy Week parish project in the Saltillo area visiting all the homes; contacts were encouraged to come back to the sacraments and 6 praesidia were set up. The Parish Priest was very grateful for their cooperation. Legionaries are participating in different parish projects for the ‘Year of the Faith’ e.g. encouraging people to pray the Creed, Saturdays with Mary and Public Rosaries.
Guadalajara Regia: The attendance at the Regia meeting is good but no extension work is undertaken at Regia level and frequently both praesidia and attached Curia do not present reports to the meeting when due.
CENTRAL AMERICA
GUATAMALA
Camotan Regia: (under the caretakership of the Merida Senatus). A second visit is being carried out by Merida Senatus and particular attention is being given to the City of Guatemala with a view to setting up a higher council in the near future. The Regia in Camotan is very active; the officers have visited the Senatus of Merida and found the exchange of views and experiences very valuable. There are 13 junior Curiae in the Regia area.
Panama Regia: The Regia has very good communication with the attached councils and praesidia. During this period 1 Comitium, 5 Curiae and 5 praesidia reported and 4 new praesidia were set up. A book barrow apostolate has been initiated with great success.
EL SALVADOR
San Salvador Senatus: A new Vice President of the Senatus has been elected and all officers have pledged their loyalty to the Concilium. The Archbishop attended the Senatus meeting and has appointed a new Spiritual Director.
Costa Rica Senatus: A letter has been received from the Senatus and news is awaited.
NICARAGUA AND HONDURAS
Nicaragua: Maribel Guzman and Agustin Luque from the Madrid Senatus visited these two countries. Agustin Luque is the correspondent for the Granada Regia, the higher council in Nicaragua. The visitors were present at the Regia meeting and they had meetings with the Regia officers. Among many points raised they emphasised the need to work as a team. They met the Archbishop, a number of Spiritual Directors and priests. They all appreciate the Legion and mentioned its persevering solid work. The sects are very active in Nicaragua. As well as visiting the Legion in the capital Granada, they visited the new Comitium in Leon. In both cities there are young enthusiastic legionaries.
Honduras: They also made a short visit to Tegucigalpa Senatus in Honduras. This council has been out of touch with Concilium for over a year. However they were well-received and made contact with the officers and visited a praesidium. They met officers of attached councils who confirmed that the Legion in their area is well with the young and not so young. The visit confirmed that a longer more thorough visit to this country is necessary. Both legionaries thanked the Concilium for their prayers.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Conso Tello and Javier de Frutos will visit the Dominican Republic from the 3rd to 18th June 2013. There are two Senatus in the country. This visit is long overdue and we are very grateful to the two legionaries from Madrid for their generosity. They thanked the Concilium for their confidence in them and ask for prayers for the success of the visit.
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ASIA
PAKISTAN
13 senior praesidia have an average membership of 19, while the 2 junior praesidia have 12 and 16 members. Home and hospital visitation is carried out as well as much Church related works. Literacy is an issue but the Handbook is explained and the members are well formed. About 35 attend the Curia meeting.
SRI LANKA
They organised a Rosary rally at which 8,000 attended including the Papal Nuncio, Bishop, priests and religious. Home visitation is done and even non-Catholics are happy to host Holy Hours in their homes. Cottage Masses were arranged, Marriages were sanctified, and people are brought to Sunday Mass.
THAILAND
In Chiangri province legionaries work at a Catholic centre for the poor and for Hill Tribe people. 20 Rosary groups were set up, the lapsed are encouraged to return and Catechism is taught to students. Legionaries help doctors in mobile clinics in remote areas and in immigrant detention centres. They continue to help the Legion across the border in a nearby country where a Curia was due to be set up on 16th April with the Bishop and Spiritual Directors present.
VIETNAM
After a considerable silence, April minutes were received. 66 attended the Senatus meeting. 3 Curiae reported giving their 11th, 9th and 18th reports. 42 adults were prepared for Baptism, 44 couples had their marriages regularised, 151 lapsed returned to the practice of their faith. The Spiritual Directors are very supportive. Extension is very much to the fore, they express great love for the Handbook. One Curia reported working in very difficult terrain of canals and rivers making visitation an added challenge.
INDIA
A letter advising of the Concilium’s decision to re-affiliate the Madras-Mylapore Comitium was sent.
Tuticorin Comitium: Home visitation brings them in touch with many including Hindus and Muslims. Attached councils and praesidia are visited regularly and extension is given priority.
Coimbatore Comitium: Home and hospital visitation is done and extension is encouraged. 240 attended the Reunion, while 400 attended the Acies.
Calcutta Comitum: The Bengali Curia is doing well and the new praesidium in Bamanpukur has 27 members.
Kottar Regia: Home and hospital visitation is carried out and catechism classes are conducted. Our Lady of Good Health praesidium together with their parish priest visited 33 non-Christian families and encouraged them to think about the Christian faith. All attached praesidia and councils are visited. 2 seminars were organised to consider the Year of Faith in the lives of legionaries.
Pondicherry Senatus: Archbishop A. Anandarayar along with 28 priests concelebrated Mass and declared the new Viriyur Comitium open. This was preceded by a procession in which 3,000 legionaries participated. Works undertaken include visiting hospitals, homes for the aged, for the handicapped and those with leprosy. The dying and destitute are also met.
Karnataka Senatus: Reports highlight extension and recruitment efforts included 2 new praesidia with 25 in one and 30 members in the other. The junior Curia was undergoing some problems and the senior Curia was asked to ensure there was better supervision. A pilgrimage to a Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes was arranged with 178 legionaries taking part. The importance of evangelisation, especially in this Year of Faith is emphasised. Many good contacts with Muslims and Hindus are reported. This Senatus visited Hyderabad Archdiocese at the request of Concilium and Bishop Thumma Bala along with the Spiritual Director at Hyderabad. They explained the desire of the Concilium to re-establish contact and to help build up the Legion in the Archdiocese. His Grace expressed his desire to have the Legion in all the parishes of the Archdiocese.
Mumbai Senatus: Extension is high on the list with many new praesidia and Curiae being established in 3 new dioceses. Among the apostolic works done are prison visitation, street contact, promotion of the Sacrament of Confession. As a result of home visitation, many return to the Sacraments. An engineer member of the Senatus has produced a vexillum. This Senatus cares for Nepal at the request of the Concilium. They visited there in March and found the curia was not meeting as the officers were away in different places. However, the 3 praesidia are functioning well. They also met with the Bishop who granted permission for them to visit East Nepal in the hopes of extending the Legion.
THE HOLY LAND
Resurrection Comitium, Jerusalem: Works carried out by the Jerusalem praesidium are visitation to hospitals, aged persons in homes, assisting the handicapped and reciting the Rosary; teaching catechism and preparing a student attending a non-Catholic school for first Holy Communion and Confession and 11 students for Confirmation. Officers visited Bishop Marcutso, the Vice Patriarch of Nazareth and Galilee, and discussed matters relating to extension of the Legion to Jordan and Haifa/Israel. He thanked the legionaries for their work and assured them of his support. A combined Acies was arranged for all Comitium members.
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EUROPE
BELGIUM
Brussels Senatus plans a PPC project for the Year of Faith to Beauraing and a Bishop was present during the entire PPC weekend at Strasbourg. Preparations are being made for the establishment of 2 praesidia in Stockel and St. Remy.
BELGIUM
Antwerp Regia have 115 active and 228 auxiliary members in a total of 19 praesidia and one in the process of being set up. Hasselt Comitium has 3 Curiae: Hasselt, Maaseik and Beringen, while Antwerp has a total of 7 praesidia. Efforts are being made to establish a new praesidium and they are looking at the many people of other nationalities living in their area.
THE NETHERLANDS
Amsterdam Regia: After a long illness, the President of the Regia passed away in April, may he rest in peace. Efforts are ongoing to start a Spanish-speaking praesidium. In the February report there was mention of 2 Patrician meetings, one with 6 and the other with 14 in attendance.
DENMARK
The praesidium undertakes visitation of hospital and elderly Filipinos with no relatives or family in Denmark. Legionaries led the Stations of the Cross before Mass during Lent and two legionaries assist in the parish with adult catechesis.
FRANCE
Paris Regia: The Regia officers received letters of encouragement from Bishop Moulins-Beaufort and Fr. Kerheul, Secretary of the Bishops Conference of France. At the PPC Conference in Strasbourg, Bishop Caster gave an inspiring talk. A new praesidium was started in Rumengol in Brittany. A praesidium holds its meetings in Lingala, one of the languages of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A praesidium visits religious communities as a way of recruiting auxiliary and Adjutorian members.
Valance Regia: Two praesidia based in the town of Valence have 6 and 8 members and works include nursing home visitation and visiting sick, disabled and depressed people in their own homes. Nice Curia has set up a new praesidium at Var, and the Regia has been invited to take part in a Marian festival in Lyon where the Legion will have a stand.
ENGLAND
Birmingham Senatus: The Senatus Officers and Spiritual Director had a very fruitful meeting with the Archbishop in March and he encouraged them to more outreach to young people, contact with young adult groups and an approach to Oscott Seminary with a view to starting the Legion there. A praesidium in Oxford assists the book barrow apostolate in Oxford city centre where good contacts are made. The Junior Curia in South Birmingham reports that for the Year of Faith all praesidia are having group discussion on “YouCat” and one praesidium has started house meetings for young people to come together to discuss “YouCat”. One contact, met 10 years ago, finally received the Sacrament of Confession and was overjoyed.
Northampton Comitium (in care of Birmingham) One praesidium invited families of children baptised during the year to a get-together to discuss bringing up the children in the Faith.
Liverpool Senatus: Manchester Comitium report monthly Rosaries in the town centre and Rosary groups in secondary schools. In Bolton for the Year of Faith they organised a 10-part DVD film presentation. The Easter PPC project in St. Mary of the Angels and St. Clare was very successful and the parish priest was very pleased with the results. Fylde Curia organised a day of Recollection to mark the Year of Faith; the attendance was over 50.
Newcastle Comitium reports a new praesidium at St. Benedict’s Hindley. Brent and Harrow Curia has 4 praesidia and the Curia is mainly of Indian and West Indian origin. To honour Venerable Edel Quinn a pilgrimage took place to Aylesbury on May 11th.
Central London Curia: In the parish of St. Monica, Hoxton, a “prayer in the square” event took place, recitation of the Rosary and tours of the Church. A number of praesidia organised retreats in their parishes with good attendance. The Rosary is recited at Speakers Corner in Hyde Park. An elderly Polish man was visited and brought the sacraments before he died. West Middlesex Curia: 3 reporting praesidia have membership of 8, 22 and 5 members and works include home and hospital visitation, public Rosaries, contact work in local parks and reciting the Rosary on feasts of Our Lady between the hours of 5 am and 7 pm on the day.
Brentwood Comitium has two new praesidia at Chingford and Claybury both of which are thriving. A lady contacted at the Legion stand at last year’s Eucharistic Congress in Dublin is now an active member in Chelmsford. The parish magazine published her story and this in turn brought a new probationary member. Nursing home visitation brought one man into the Church before he died.
Hammersmith Curia: The praesidium in Hampton Hill has 4 active, two probationers and 20 auxiliaries. Legionaries visit Bronzefield Prison for women under the direction of the Prison Chaplancy.
SWEDEN
The praesidium in Malmo has 6 active members from different countries and visits the sick and older parishioners in their homes and nursing homes. The Rosary in Swedish is said before the Vigil Mass each Saturday. The Acies brought legionaries from Malmo and Lund together. The translation of the Swedish Handbook is now complete and Liverpool Senatus paid for the translation from funds raised from the sale of their Legion house.
WALES
Swansea Curia has 5 praesidia. In Swansea City homosexual apostolate is done weekly with some positive results. One young man told the legionaries that since wearing the Miraculous Medal he has not been in trouble with the law.
GERMANY
Frankfurt Senatus: Extension is ongoing to the Eritrean and Filipino communities. A PPC weekend was held in Maria Einsiedel and a mini PPC was undertaken in Frankfurt Airport with the support of the airport chaplain. The railway station is the focus of the praesidium in St. Gallus, Frankfurt. Munich Regia comprises 3 Comitia in Stuttgart and Augsburg. New praesidia were set up in two areas, extension is ongoing and a new praesidium was set up in an old peoples home in Munich Perlach. Works include street apostolate, praying the Rosary with prisoners and inviting people to “stay and pray” during a “nightfever” apostolate. Cologne Regia reports a new praesidium in Hamburg Curia and Duesseldorf Comitium has established a new Polish praesidium. In Berlin Comitium a lady returned to the Church after 30 years and contact work at railway stations was undertaken. Freiburg Comitium reports 21 Roma asylum seekers being prepared for baptism.
SIBERIA
The priest in Abakan supports the new praesidium there. There are new officers in the Curia and praesidia and extension is ongoing.
Luxembourg Curia was visited by its caretaker council Cologne Regia and an extension team went there in April.
SWITZERLAND
Zurich Comitium has 59 active members. Exploratio Dominicalis projects and an apostolate in the Red Light area were mentioned, and PPC projects planned to Lourdes, Luxembourg and Norway.
NORWAY
The praesidium in Tonsberg has 7 members, 1 probationer and 14 auxiliaries. Their apostolate includes teaching catechism to children, visiting the sick, involved in many parish activities and regular contact with auxiliary members. Drammen praesidium organised a monthly parish get-together after evening Mass and Adoration. A Fatima film was shown and many invitations to homes followed. On May 11th the first ever procession in honour of Our Lady in Drammen was organised by the praesidium.
SCOTLAND
A praesidium with 11 active, 2 probationers and 3 praetorian members work among the homeless in the Wayside Club. Our Lady of Light Curia reports an increase of 7 members in the past 6 months and for the Year of Faith have undertaken a new programme of work to include Retreats, studying the documents of Vatican II and greater efforts towards bringing back lapsed Catholics to the Church. Other praesidia do contact work in parks, home and hospital visitation and one plans an officers meeting.
FINLAND
Fr. Michael Kennedy and a number of Irish legionaries will again join the PPC project this year.
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AFRICA
IVORY COAST
Good communication has been established with the President of Abidjan Senatus. At the February meeting A Comitium with 6 Curiae and 48 praesidia reported. Approximately 13,000 visits were made to homes, hospitals, markets, railway stations, factories and schools. There was a rich harvest of returns to practice (46), marriages regularised (55), catechumens enrolled (101), bringing the total catechumens to 838. 32 legionaries are engaged in teaching Catechism. A Day of Recollection for all legionaries in the Archdiocese of Abidjan has been organised and a Day of Prayer in solidarity with those who have suffered greatly in the recent war. The Vice-President of the Senatus with 4 legionaries is planning a mission to Mali.
TOGO
Lome Regia: In January the 500th meeting took place and visitors from Benin, Ghana and Ivory Coast were welcomed. Nearly all Councils in the Lome Diocese report on having either junior Curiae or praesidia. Two members were assigned to do the annual audit of the Regia account for 2012. In December Kara Comitium set up 3 new Curiae and is organising an extension project in Bassar.
CAMEROON AND CHAD
Douala Senatus: The Legion of Mary is established in a new Diocese, a new Regia in Bertoua was set up in March, 3 new Comitia, 10 new Curiae and many new praesidia were some of the statistics given at the annual Bishops Conference last month. The junior movement is in 20 Dioceses, consisting of 10 junior Curiae (under 18 years of age) and 96 praesidia with a total of 1385 members. Works include visiting orphanages, prisons, the sick as well as the apostolate against drug addiction and prostitution. In the Diocese of Yokadouma, Bertoua Regia, the junior movement reported 166 new members. Limbe Comitium had 67 converts, while Regina Pacis Curia, Douala mentioned a junior praesidium of 32 members and a Curia organised an Exploratio Dominicalis by juniors.
BENIN REPUBLIC
Cotonou Regia: Two praesidia reporting Mother of the Saviour praesidium has 28 members and Our Lady of Good Counsel has 22 members. The contacts made by the first praesidium includes 1471 persons of whom one-third were non-Catholics and 91 were Muslim, 12 catechumens were recruited, 32 returned to Sunday Mass and 5 to the sacraments and one marriage was regularised. The second praesidium contacted 2523 persons of whom 920 were non-Catholics and of these 429 were Muslims, 63 catechumens recorded, 4 marriages were regularised and one troubled family was united. Gabon: All 3 Comitia in Gabon are functioning well and sending reports to Cotonou Regia. Republic of Niger: Cotonou Regia propose to visit the Curia of Niamey in the near future.
Burkina Faso: Ouagadougou Comitium is currently marking the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Legion in their country with each parish organising its own event. The Spiritual Director, Fr. Narcisse Guigma writes to say “I assure you that the Comitium of Ouagadougou is alive”.
REPUBLIC OF CONGO
Brazzaville Regia: Visitation of councils and praesidia is undertaken regularly by Regia Officers. Reports include large numbers undertaking catechetical instruction and many returns to the sacraments, marriages regularised and requests for baptism. Legionaries invite those contacted to come and pray in the Catholic Church. One man who had lost his faith after losing all his possessions and contact with his family returned to the Church when contacted by legionaries and praying the Hail Holy Queen and Legion prayers. A Comitium reported contact with a sick person who made a miraculous recovery a few days after praying with legionaries.
EQUATORIAL GUINEA
The Comitium in Malabo is about to set up two new Curiae, there are up to 50 praesidia in a distant Curia. The secretary of the Comitium, when in Madrid, was informed by their correspondent on the steps necessary for setting up a new Curia. The plan for the Year of the Faith is to organise retreats and set up new praesidia.
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