Concilium Bulletin May 2007
REPORTS - AFRICA
Benin: Cotonou Regia reports large numbers of Catechumens recruited and prepared for Baptism. A Triduum of prayer formed part of preparations for the inauguration of a new Curia in Fidjrosse - consisting of 15 praesidia from two parishes. The Junior Curia has 6 attached praesidia with 131 members. There are two ‘Frank Duff Clubs’ which cater for 60 younger children.
Gabon (under the care of Cotonou Regia)
Oyem Comitoa has 11 Curiae and 16 directly attached praesidia.
Burkina Faso
Abbe Narcisse Guigma has been appointed by Archbishop Campaore as Spiritual Director of the Legion of Mary in Ouagadougou. Works include home visitation and the formation of praesidia in some areas.
Cameroun
Reports indicate home visitation to Catholics and non-Catholics. Exploratio Projects and Patrician Meetings. A Junior Curia organises visits to a Prison.
Guinea Equatorial
Malabo Comitium is extending outside the city. Two new praesidia have been set up recently. A new praesidium was set up on the island of Annobon.
Bata Comitium: A new Curia has been set up.
Togo
Togo Regia: Works include home and hospital visitation which resulted in many returns to the Mass and Sacraments and instruction of adults and children for Baptism. Novenas of prayer were organised to promote the Causes of Frank Duff, Edel Quinn and Alfie Lambe - as well as talks and discussions. A Vigil Mass to celebrate the foundation of the Legion of Mary took place which had a very large attendance of young people.
Senegal (in care of Lome Regia)
The recently established Dakar Curia has organised another adult and another junior praesidium - bringing the total to 18 praesidia. The main work of the praesidia is visitation of homes, health centres and orphanages - where contacts are mainly Catholics and Muslims.
Pikane Curia has 14 praesidia who do similar work.
EUROPE
Cyprus
The praesidium in Nicosia has divided and formed 2 new praesidia. They visit and pray with the sick in their homes and in hospitals, promote the Rosary and arrange the Sunday liturgy. The 3 praesidia held their Acies together.
Greece
A praesidium in Thessaloniki with 8 Filipino members and a Spiritual Director visit the sick and follow up lapsed Catholics. A recent new work is teaching Catechism to young people. A Mass for deceased parishioners, organised by the praesidium had an attendance of 92.
Gibraltar
A former Legionary was ordained to the Priesthood and celebrated his first Mass in Gibraltar. New members have been recruited recently.
Italy
Rome Senatus: A new praesidium conducted a public Rosary during May with the Priest reading and explaining relevant Gospel passages, has an apostolate to single mothers, down and outs in a tent city at Castel San Angelo and to Muslim girls needing to catch up at school.
Milan Regia: A Filipino praesidium with 11 active members visited 108 families for block Rosaries in a year. Padua Comitium: A book on Venerable Edel Quinn written by Veronica Margesin was presented to the library in Lana, Sth. Tyrol. Nazareth groups feature in all praesidia reports.
Spain
Madrid Senatus: The Curia of Las Palmas, Gran Canaria set up 4 new praesidia recently. Officers of the Curia met Senatus officers and took part in late night street contact with young people called “Fishing for Youth”. 30 to 40 are contacted nightly on this work. The Madrid praesidium working with street girls invite their contacts to the Legion office to talk with them and keep contact with the girls who have given up life on the streets and also prepare their children for the Sacraments.
Barcelona Senatus: A praesidium working with multiple sclerosis patients teach painting and recite prayers together. The Frank Duff prayer has been translated into Catalan.
Bilbao Senatus: The legionaries are involved in liturgy groups, parish councils etc. In Besauri a junior praesidium was set up. The Comitium of Santander has started a prison visitation.
Portugal
Lisbon Senatus: A praesidium attached to Porto Regia succeeded in setting up 3 praesidia in nearby towns. Most of the Councils in this Regia record new praesidia. Among the works of a praesidium attached to the Senatus is organising a pilgrimage to Fatima for parishioners on the 1st Saturday of each month, 360 took part during the year.
ASIA
India
Calcutta Comitium: Good contacts are made with all, including non Christians helping with many needs, including consoling the grieving.
Mumbai Regia: Two extension workers have been appointed. The Pioneer Total Abstinence Association and Alcoholics Anonymous are promoted. Hospital visitation has resulted in a person entering the Church. A second Comitium has been established in Goa.
Chennai Regia: The Comitium in the Andaman Islands has 4 Curiae and 16 directly affiliated praesidia. The legionaries have very good relations with their Hindu and Muslim neighbours. This Comitium also hosted a PPC team of 9 legionaries from Chennai from 7th - 17th May. Other reports at the Regia show 2 Curiae with 13 senior and 15 senior and 3 junior praesidia working in 3 parishes respectively, while a third has 27 senior praesidia and junior Curia with 9 praesidia attached.
Kerala Senatus: In addition to the usual works, lepers, cancer patients, the bereaved and alcoholics are visited. In one area 73 alcoholics were helped back to sobriety and 19 were converted to Catholicism.
Pondicherry Senatus: Most reports mention Bible Study Groups, one Curia has 800 attending, 200 of whom are non-Christians. Other works include an apostolate to pregnant women, to drug and alcohol addicts, counselling for suicidal people and reconciliation of family members.
Sri Lanka
Our Lady of Lanka Comitium with 13 senior and 6 junior Curiae and 8 directly affiliated praesidia report the setting up of new praesidia. Galle Curia report continued suffering in the area resulting from the tsunami. Reporting councils mention contacts with youths, health education, visitation of the mentally ill and others with addictions.
Thailand
Follow up from hospital visitation has resulted in 13 lapsed returning to practice. An area affected by a natural disaster was visited and much suffering encountered. 15 attend Catechism classes in a prison, among whom are a number of Buddhists. A man, away from the Church for 50 years, was visited regularly resulting in his return to practice before he died.
Myanmar
Reports show that 45 marriages were regularised.
Pakistan
200 attended the Acies. Archbishop Evarist Pinto attended a bilingual Mass which was organised. Among other works mentioned was assisting in the Don Bosco orphanages.
CENTRAL AMERICA
El Salvador
Senatus of San Salvador: There are 17,500 active and 4,500 auxiliary legionaries in the attached Regia of Santa Ana. 34 praesidia including 4 junior praesidia and 3 Curiae were set up recently. The attached Regia of San Vicente reported one suicide prevented and 930 celebrations of the Word. 11 praesidia and 2 Curiae were set up. The junior Curia is working well.
Nicaragua
Regia of Managua: Among the works carried out by the legionaries in Managua are enthronement of the family to the Sacred Heart. In the course of home to home visitation, the rosary is promoted, particular attention is given to lapsed Catholics encouraging them to return. Legionaries also carry out an apostolate to drug addicts. They also transmit a radio programme on Radio Maria.
Guatemala
The Regia of Camotan was set up in October, affiliating the Legion in the whole country including the Comitia of Guatemala and Jalapa as was agreed when Bernardo De Nardo visited that country. During 2006, 27 praesidia, one senior and one junior Curia were set up. As a result of intensive home visitation in all areas many people have returned to the practice of the faith. Large numbers have been prepared for the Sacraments.
Belize Curia: A praesidium runs a bereavement group and also visits the bereaved families. During the month of October the Rosary is said in many homes.
Panama Comitium: The Comitium has 13 Curiae including 3 junior Curiae and 10 praesidia attached. Most of the Curiae have between 8 and 18 praesidia attached.
Costa Rica
Senatus of San Jose: Legionaries take part in the parish evangelisation as well as taking the Eucharist to the housebound and bringing the Priest to sick parishioners. In the course of home visitation lapsed Catholics are encouraged to return to the Sacraments. Prison visitation is done with good results. Catholic newspapers, Rosary beads and the Miraculous Medal are all distributed on Legion work.
Mexico
Mexico City Senatus: In addition to the usual apostolic works, legionaries make contact with taxi drivers and do crowd contact in bus stations and metros. Prison visitation is done. 20 sick and elderly, who returned to the Church, now receive the Eucharist every Friday
Merida Senatus One Comitium reported 10,000 active members. There are 44 Curiae attached to this Comitium. 5 people have been instructed and received the Sacraments. A Curia reported that out of 953 recruiting attempts, 30 accepted Legion membership and persevered. Crowd contact work is done by most councils with very positive results particularly with the sects.
Guadalajara Regia: An attached Comitium “Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe” with 4 Curiae is quite active. Their apostolate includes preparation talks and classes for the Sacraments. They visit the jail, they held a retreat for prisoners.
Hermosillo Regia: The Comitium of Chichuahua is trying to counteract the work of the sects. 52 returned to the practice of the faith. Legionaries also run Catechism classes, 25 young people were prepared for the Sacraments. The same Comitium set up a number of new praesidia recently.
Monterrey Regia: A third praesidium has been set up in the city. Legionaries organised a prayer group with an attendance of 15-20.
Election of Concilium Secretary
Enda Dunleavy was re-elected for a second term as Secretary to the Concilium Legionis Mariae. Tommy McCabe thanked him for his dedication and for the many services he rendered to the Concilium particularly in his capacity as Secretary.
Venerable Edel Quinn - Commemoration Mass
At St. Saviour’s Dominick Street, Dublin 1
This year we celebrated the 63rd anniversary of the death of Venerable Edel Quinn. Holy Mass was concelebrated in St. Saviour’s, Dominick Street. The Chief Celebrant was Fr. Adrian Farrelly O.P., Parish Priest who was joined by Fr. John Harris O.P. who gave the homily and Fr. Leahy O.S.A. 500 people were present. The prayers of the Faithful were said in Spanish, Filipino, Polish, Irish and English.
Extension Worker - Susana Maciel in Bolivia
Susana Maciel has just finished her mission in Bolivia after working there for 10 months. In her final weeks, she visited most of the Councils of the provinces accompanied by Senatus officers and made return visits to all the new praesidia set up, especially the praesidia of young adults which are doing very well. She had many meetings with the Senatus officers, extension workers and correspondents before saying her goodbyes. All the Bolivian legionaries are very grateful to her for giving new life to the Legion in their country.
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.
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