Bulletin November 2003

Senatus of Amsterdam: The praesidium in Groningen is progressing well with 7 active members and 1 probationer. They visit a prison and asylum centres in 4 provinces. They concentrate on giving catechetical instruction to adults. One Muslim has been converted. Heerlen Comitium organised a large pilgrimage to Banneux in Belgium.

Brussels Senatus: Members of St. Vith Curia are mainly engaged in visiting aged, blind and invalid parishioners as well as prostitutes. Catholic literature, cassettes and bibles are delivered to them. Peregrinatio Pro Christo projects in Brussels and St. Vith were organised by Paris Regia and Berlin Curia respectively.

Antwerp Senatus: An apostolate directed to migrants resulted in a young Iranian doctor and 4 Kosovan children being given instruction in the faith and being baptised. Many legionaries are engaged in parish works and visiting the elderly in resting homes.

Lucern Comitium: There are 6 directly attached praesidia and a Curia with 3 praesidia at Olten. Lucern praesidium distributes Miraculous medals on street contact. Gossau praesidium has a large number of auxiliary members. It held 2 meetings of Patricians and is endeavouring to do extension work.

Fribourg Comitium: Members visit homes, hospitals and nursing homes and they do works of service for many of the people they visit. A Peregrinatio Pro Christo team from Austria was assisted with the carrying out of street contact work in Fribourg and a legionary from Fribourg joined a Peregrinatio Pro Christo team in Besancon in France. Bishop Bernard Gonond , Bishop of Lauzanne, Geneva and Fribourg wrote a complimentary article about the Legion in a recent publication.

The three praesidia in the Luxembourg Curia are working steadily and efforts are being made to carry out extension in the North and East of the country.

Paris Regia: A praesidium which does street contact meets many young people who are interested in discussing religion. One young man has been prepared for Baptism. Versailles Curia received a good report from a praesidium which was set up in 2001. The members keep in contact with children who do not attend catechism classes regularly and they collect them for the classes. The Baptism of an adult was reported.

Strasbourg Senatus: Two members of a praesidium in Saverne lead a weekly recitation of the rosary with some auxiliary members in their homes. The Holy Father’s encyclical on the Eucharist and his Letter on the Rosary have been studied. A Peregrinatio Pro Christo team comprised mainly of German legionaries carried out a project in Besancon and many elderly lapsed Catholics were contacted.

Mont de Marsan Regia: A praesidium at Hagetmau has 8 members who carry out a varied apostolate in the parish including the visitation of homes and hospitals and the promotion of the rosary, especially the new Mysteries of Light. A Peregrinatio Pro Christo team from Ireland which did a project in Bordeaux received great assistance from the Spiritual Director of the Regia.

Valence Regia: A praesidium at Romans has helped to start 7 new praesidia in recent years. The attached Curia at Clermont Ferrand has 2 praesidia and their apostolate is directed to the sick and the teaching of catechism.

Senatus of Scotland: Attached praesidia in Glasgow do the usual Legion type of evangelisation i.e.visiting homes and hospitals. A Christmas Crib erected in Dumbarton drew many visitors who were given Miraculous medals and leaflets. Edinburg Curia is comprised of 15 praesidia and in the course of home to home visitation the new Mysteries of the Rosary are promoted. Two new praesidia have been set up, one of which resulted from a Peregrinatio Pro Christo project.

London Senatus: Membership varies in the 11 central London praesidia which form the core of the Senatus. The apostolate consists mainly in visiting homes and the sick and promoting the rosary. Some members are involved in the Renew programme which is being promoted by the Cardinal Archbishop. Two Vietnamese praesidia evangelise among their compatriots. Southwark and Arundel and Brighton Comitium reported that a parish priest in Surbiton Curia area expressed his appreciation of the legionaries doing door to door visitation. A Korean praesidium has been discovered in the same area. Northampton Curia has 8 senior and 2 junior praesidia attached. The members do various types of visitation, promote adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and teach children.

One praesidium held 3 Scripture Rosary services followed by a procession and crowning of Our Lady’s statue in May for the purpose of promoting the rosary. In the Leigh Curia area (under Manchester Comitium) a young woman, drug addict accepted Miraculous medals for herself and her boy friend and said she would attend Mass with her mother the following Sunday. A praesidium in Manchester with 7 members visited primary schools and explained the rosary to First Communicants. They also help with the children’s liturgy in a secondary school.

Birmingham Senatus: A children’s rosary rally held in a parish in June had an attendance of 60 – 70 children and adults. A statue of Our Lady was carried in procession through the streets. There was a good reception from the local residents who are mainly Muslims. The rally concluded with a concelebrated Mass in the Church. In Perry Bar a lady was received into the Church at Easter and she is receiving further instructions for her First Holy Communion. In North Staffs Curia, a Polish man met on visitation returned to the Sacraments after a lapse of 40 years. In Coventry a family of Lithuanian refugees with very little English were accompanied to Sunday Mass and they are now attending regularly.

Cardiff Comitium: The attached Curiae at Merthyr and Gwent reported. The main apostolate is to the sick and bereaved.

Wrexham Curia: There are 7 praesidia attached. The members visit hospitals and residential homes. A Congress was held in June.

Denmark in the caretakership of London Senatus Two officers of London Senatus spent a week in Esbjerg at the end of September and with the approval of the parish priest laid the foundations of 4 praesidia including one for Vietnamese youth, one for Iraqi immigrants and one on the nearby Island of Fanno.

Finland in the caretakership of the Senatus of Scotland During a visit to Finland, two officers of the Senatus of Scotland paid a visit to Bishop Wrobel of Helsinki who received them most kindly. He gave his consent to the visitation of all the parishes in Finland for the purpose of offering Peregrinatio Pro Christo teams and to do door to door visitation depending on permission from the local parish priest. A team of 8 peregrini, mainly from Scotland, who did crowd contact in Turko received a letter from a religious Sister there who praised their work of speaking in a friendly open manner to people and conveying spiritual truths very simply to them.

Cologne Regia: A successful Youth Day was held in Leverküsen-Rheindorf and a Peregrinatio Pro Christo was carried out in Herzberg.

Frankfurt Senatus: Separate meetings were held with Archbishop Haas in Geisa and the new Auxiliary Bishop of Mainz. The Frankfurt Korean Curia held a retreat for 13 people awaiting baptism. 13 adults and 4 children were baptised in June. Comitium Freiburg reported that a Legion bookstall was opened in Linkenheim and in Freiburg. Birnau praesidium runs two Patricians meetings. A praesidium in Curia Aschaffenburg was asked by the parish priest to visit people newly moved into the parish. Curia Berlin has 2 Croatian, 1 German, 1 Philipino, 1 Spanish and 1 Vietnamese praesidium. A children’s rosary group was started. The Legion had a stand at the Ecumenical Church day in Berlin on 29 May. The Berlin Korean Curia has 6 praesidia. It has established contact with students in Leipzig.

Munich Senatus: The Senatus is preparing for the World Youth Meeting in 2005. A TV programme on the Legion was broadcast in July in Regensburg. Comitium Augsburg has 5 directly attached praesidia and Curiae at Allgau and Krumback have a total of 11 praesidia. Comitium Ingolstadt has 8 praesidia attached. 25 attended a retreat in Hirschberg. Curia Teisendorf has 11 praesidia and promoted the rosary in 4 towns. Curia Muchen Ost and Curia Amberg Weiden run Patricians meetings. Extension efforts were made by Curia Munich Nordwest in the area around Dachau.

There are 5 Curiae with 36 senior and 4 junior praesidia attached.

Accra Regia: The attached Kumasi Comitium has 12 Curiae with a membership of 4220. A new Junior Curia has been set up and two new praesidia have commenced in non-Catholic schools. 98 were received in to the Church and one Acies ceremony had 1150 in attendance. The attached Sunjani Comitium has an active membership of 2620, a junior Curia has 643 members and a students’ Curia has 435 members. The theme of a recent Retreat was ‘The Rosary as the legionary weapon’.

Bolgatanga Comitium: An attached Curia prepared 146 adults for Baptism and 158 children for First Holy Communion. Twelve marriages were regularised and 45 are under instruction.

Jirapa Comitium: The attached praesidia prepared 495 adults for Baptism at Easter, 1020 for Confirmation, 22 children for First Holy Communion and 282 are under instruction.

Nandom Comitium: 6 adults were prepared for Baptism and 1 praesidium gained 25 new members.

Wa Comitium: Praesidia of 19 and 23 members reported. Several disputes were reconciled and 29 are under instruction.

Tamale Curia: A one day apostolate included the visitation of patients in hospital.

Hwange Comitium: Father Tim Peacock the Spiritual Director was welcomed to the October Concilium meeting. A Junior Congress held in August had an attendance of 55 officers. On 7 September 2003 over 2000 packed the Cathedral of St. Ignatius to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Legion in Africa. Talks were given by two legionaries and an outdoor Rosary procession followed.

Kadoma Curia: A praesidium has commenced at Chisawasha Seminary.

Senatus of Lesotho: Reports show 295 and 190 children under instruction, 132 returns to practice and 46 expectant mothers were instructed about the preparation of their babies for Baptism. The translation of the Handbook into Sesotho is prorgessing.

Cape Town Senatus: The President of the Senatus, travelled a long distance to be with the legionaries from Port Elizabeth on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Legion in Southern Africa on the 8 September 1933 by Mother Evangelist Raleigh O.P. Mass was followed by a Congress. The attached Keimoes Curia has 10 praesidia with 116 members and 2 junior praesidia with 56 members. 150 attended a Day of Recollection at which a talk was given on the history of the Legion in the Cape Province. 450attended the annual Rosary procession which concluded with a sermon and Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

Johannesburg Senatus: Urchins and stranded people met on street contact are assisted and contacts are made with the police, security guards, taxi and bus drivers. The prisons and hospitals are visited, catechism is taught and Holy Communion is brought to the sick and the elderly. St. Augustine’s Comitium: An attached Curia has 11 praesidia with 180 members. Our Lady’s birthday was celebrated with an all night vigil.

Durban Comitium: A praesidium of 26 members work among the HIV/AIDS victims, assist them in washing, etc. and teach them the Rosary.

Mariannhill Comitium: A praesidium of 10 pray with bereaved, stay overnight and accompany the remains of deceased for burial. A Curia of 9 praesidia has 100 members; disputes have been reconciled, corpses have been prepared for burial. Two young men were prepared for Baptism and 250 attended a Retreat. The translation of the Handbook into Zulu is proceeding.

Matatiele Comitium: A praesidium of 14 reported 10 addults and 12 children baptised, 8 marriages were regularised, 6 returned to the sacraments and 16 are preparing for First Holy Communion.

Luanda Regia: One Comitium and 3 praesidia reported. Homes and hospitals are visited and children and adults are being prepared for the sacraments. Benguela Regia also reported.

Jerusalem Comitium: Praesidia in the city visit the sick and elderly and are very successful in encouraging individuals and families to return to Mass and the Sacraments. Bethlehem and Nazareth Curiae reported to the Comitium but Ramallah Curia is not in a position to do so.

Beirut Comitium: This Council and its attached Curiae carry out a worthwhile apostolate in the country.

The Senatus reports that the Korean Curiae visit new immigrants, introduce them to Christ and his teachings and teach catechism. This year 111 people have been baptised. Home visitation is carried out and the RCIA is promoted. Extension continues in the Tonga Islands.

Melbourne Senatus: Home visitation and park contact are undertaken with good results. Six parishes were approached about setting up praesidia. The Vietnamese Comitium distributed 2000 rosaries and leaflets. The Cause of the Servant of God Frank Duff is widely promoted and 20,000 prayer leaflets for the Cause were printed. A Legion stand was set up at a Religious Congress and 3000 Legion packs were distributed. Good attention is given to the Legion in the Pacific Islands.

Madang Regia: Many returns to the Sacraments were reported, 123 families were given instruction in the Faith and 210 people were helped to prepare for Baptism. An apostolate to youth resulted in many availing of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and advice was given on the danger of engaging in behaviour which could lead to HIV and AIDS. A Curia contacted 69 youths and 6 joined the Legion.

Rabaul Regia: Two visitors from Melbourne spent 17 days with the Regia. One parish has 250 active members who reported 80 Baptisms, 33 marriages and many people received into the Church following instruction. 15 Councils unknown to the Regia were discovered. Distances and illiteracy make administration difficult.
Sile Ní Chochláin, president of the Concilium thanked the two Australian visitors for undertaking the visit to Rabaul which involved many sacrifices and problems for them.

Cebu Senatus: There are 67 Councils attached with a huge membership. Evangelising takes the members to homes, hospitals and prisons. Campaigns for the Rosary and attendance at Sunday Mass and the Sacraments feature in reports. Catechism is taught and enthronement of the Sacred Heart and the Patricians society are promoted.

Western Visayas Regia: There is a strong emphasis on prison visitation. 63 persons were catechised. A man who tried suicide was visited and counselled constantly and he eventually returned to the Church. Exploratio Dominicalis projects are helping to counteract the influence of evangelical sects.

Bicolandia Senatus: Reports mention returns to the Sacraments, promotion of the Rosary, Enthronements of the Sacred Heart, hospital and prison visitation. A new praesidium has been established in Bicol University.

Manila Senatus: There are 32 Comitia, 42 Curiae and 17 directly attached praesidia. Some Councils have 230 and more Patricians groups and in addition to the normal Legion apostolate, contact is made with market vendors, bus drivers and sex clubs. Victims of rape are counselled.

Cagayon de Oro Senatus: Reports show that an excellent apostolate is carried out throughout the area of this Senatus

Noel Lynch, former Envoy to Argentina travelled to Columbia on behalf of the Concilium early in November. He received a really warm welcome from legionaries in Bogota Senatus and Bucaramanga Regia and he had meaningful discussions with them.

Councils all over the world are encouraged to continue distributing prayers for the Causes of the Servants of God, Frank Duff and Alfie Lambe and the Venerable Edel Quinn and to report favours received to the Concilium.

The 23rd Anniversary Mass to commemorate the death of Frank Duff was celebrated in St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral Dublin on 15 November 2003. The principal celebrant and homilist was Very Rev. Patrick Carroll, P.P., V.F., Donnybrook. The congregation filled the Church to its full capacity.

This Conference was held in All Hallows College, Drumcondra, Dublin on 1st and 2nd November 2003. About 400 legionaries attended. Overseas participants represented the main Legion Councils in England, Scotland, France, The Netherlands, Austria, Germany and Malta. Detailed reports about various projects carried out in countries ranging from Northern Europe to Central Europe were read and discussed. Teams organised by the Concilium worked in 24 parishes in the UK in addition to a parish in France. These teams were made up of a total of 314 legionaries, 5 Priests and 9 Religious Sisters. Other European Councils organised from 1 to 7 projects in countries outside their own areas. The address at the Conference was given by Tommy McCabe, Secretary of the Concilium.