Sao Paulo Senatus: There was a large attendance at the celebrations in September to mark the 50th anniversary of the Legion in Sao Paulo. His Eminence Cardinal Claudio Hummes OFM, Archbishop of Sao Paulo was chief celebrant at Mass in the Cathedral and in his homily paid great tribute to the spirit and work of the legionaries. With the sanction of the Concilium, the Senatus is working towards the setting up of a Regia in the State of Santa Catarina. A meeting in Lages with officers of the ten Comitia in the State is planned; the Bishop hopes to attend. Reports mention many children and adults prepared for the Sacraments. Santo Andre Comitium has seven new praesidia including two junior ones. Ponta Grossa Regia had about 3500 at a Mass celebrated by three Bishops and many priests to celebrate its Golden jubilee.

Belo Horizonte Senatus: On an Exploratio Dominicalis project fifteen auxiliaries were recruited and twenty two Evangelicals were contacted. Some features from reports included Biblical reflection and study in homes visited, courses for parents and godparents of babies due to be baptised and youths, adults and prisoners prepared for First Holy Communion. Many returns to the Sacraments, marriages regularised, Protestants and Evangelicals visited were also recorded.

Salvador Senatus: Five Curiae were set up in the distant city of Senhor do Bonfim and three in Araci. A Comitium and two Curiae directly affiliated to the Senatus were also established. Members of one Curia provide a nursing home service, giving injections, baths for the bedridden and accompanying patients on a visit to the doctor. In another area legionaries organised a community marriage ceremony for 78 couples.

Rio De Janeiro Senatus: In several areas of the Senatus the apostolate to children involves helping parents to prepare nutritional food, home cures and giving health education to families and pregnant mothers. The parents and godparents of 114 children were prepared for their responsibilities relating to the Baptism of their children. On hospital visitation, the Sacraments of the Eucharist and Anointing of the sick are promoted.

Brasilia Regia: A recent festival of the Eucharist, in which the Legion had a significant role, had an attendance of over one hundred thousand, mostly young people. The Sacraments of Confession and the Eucharist were promoted as well as Marian devotion and other aspects of Christian living. Junior legionaries visit an orphanage and present truths of the faith in a creative way through theatre and music.

Belem Regia: Among works listed are conducting Christmas Novenas, visits to bereaved people and to the dying where prayers are said, hospital and prison visitation, teaching catechism and preparation of children and adults for the Sacraments.

Sao Luis Regia: A varied apostolate includes radio programmes, bible circles, visits to jails, orphanages, drug addicts, prostitutes and irreligious families.

Fortaleza Regia: The Regia was connected to an E-Mail service recently and an E-Mail message was received in November.

Buenos Aires Senatus: A full day’s programme is planned to celebrate the anniversary of the death of the Servant of God, Alfie Lambe. All City Councils will attend Mass celebrated at the graveside. Many rosaries will be recited and crowd contact will be carried out in the area. A youth walking pilgrimage to the grave will take place later and will be used to promote the Cause and to invite young people to take an active part in the Church apostolate. Two legionaries from the Senatus on a recent visit to Patagonia travelled thousands of miles giving practical advice and encouragement to the Councils of that vast area.

Salta Senatus: Senatus meetings are very lively with a lot of comments, questions and general participation. Most of the directly affiliated praesidia and Councils have 100% attendance with all four officers present every month. Catamarca Comitium where the late Joaquina Lucas founded the first Legion group in Argentina now has one junior and five senior Curiae. They have a new Spiritual Director who attends all meetings, takes part in Legion activities and is very successful in recruiting active members.

Cordoba Senatus: Over one hundred legionaries attended the Acies. A special meeting for juniors had an attendance of sixty. Two new senior and some junior praesidia have been established.

Rosario Regia: A Congress held in August had a good attendance; the theme was “The Eucharist”. An attached Curia with seven senior and one junior praesidia have 96 active members. Among their many works are visits to a women’s prison where they teach inmates to pray the rosary. They also give pre-Baptismal and pre-marriage talks. In all parishes the teaching of catechism is the responsibility of legionaries. Parana Comitium has over 1000 active and 5000 auxiliary members with 165 Praetorians. Visitation of homes with the statue of Our Lady, including the homes of gypsies, has resulted in many returns to the Sacraments. A junior praesidium evangelises through a page on the internet.

Senatus of Austria: A praesidium in Vienna contacts drug addicts and AIDS victims. Extension was carried out in a number of parishes in the city including Croatian and Filipino parishes. Bregenz Comitium: A presentation on the Legion was made in a parish in Liechtenstein. Twenty seven and forty nine children participated in a pilgrimage to Mascazell. Innsbruck Comitium: A prayer group in Birgitz with thirteen members became a praesidium. Salzburg Curia: A Nazareth group with seven children was restarted. Linz Comitium: Forty children and twenty five adults attended a Nazareth Festival.

Croatia: A Curia in Split is in formation.

Hungary: Fifteen new praesidia were established in recent months. Seventy six children attended a Legion summer camp.

Moldova: It is planned to form a second Curia in the north.

Romania: With the establishment of two new praesidia Curia Bucharest now has eleven praesidia.

Slovenia: Curia Ljubljana has three praesidia and has started operating a book barrow.

Minsk Comitium Praesidia reports show excellent apostolic work undertaken - adults prepared for the Sacraments, priests brought to confess ill people in hospital including an Orthodox priest brought to confess Orthodox people.

Baranovichi Curia has reactivated a praesidium in Nova Mish and strengthened another praesidium on point of closure. Molodechna Curia how has fourteen praesidia and another junior praesidium in prospect. Stolbtzi Curia is working well. Mozer Curia made extension efforts in Petrikobo.

Riga Comitium has twelve directly attached praesidia and three Curiae. Legionaries from ten praesidia attended a day of prayer in June at which seven priests concelebrated Mass. One new praesidium has been started in the Liepaja Curia.

Kaunas Comitium: A reporting praesidium has eleven active members, 157 auxiliaries, 7 praetorian and 15 adjutorians. Seventeen children of different age groups were baptised and some received First Holy Communion. One couple had their marriage regularised after 20 years. The priest was brought to 15 very ill people in their homes.

Lublin Regia: One intermediate and seven senior praesidia have recently been set up. New Curiae are planned for Sividnik and Chelm. All the usual works are undertaken. Some fruits of the legionaries’ apostolic efforts were: Baptism of 7 children, 5 children catechised for First Holy Communion, 3 children’s Rosary groups set up, reception of the Sacrament of Matrimony by a co-habiting couple and a sick person received the Sacrament of Penance after a lapse of 30 years. Warsaw Comitium: Extension continues. A Curia has been set up in Malbork and two praesidia in the vicinity of Gdansk. The Legion has also begun in Elk, the Diocese of Bishop Mazur.

Senatus of Kenya: The monthly Rosary at Venerable Edel Quinn’s grave is constantly promoted. The Senatus is arranging meetings with various Curiae in the Archdiocese to reorganise the Legion in line with Concilium guidelines. Embu Comitium reported 15 returns to the Sacraments with 22 marriages validated. Machakos Comitium had 171 lapsed returned to Church, 26 marriages validated and many non-believers were invited to join catechism classes and children were invited to join Sunday school. Makueni Comitium had 223 lapsed persons return to the Church and 63 were received into the Church.

Enugu Regia: Reports show 622 members recruited and eighteen new praesidia established. One Thousand and seventy eight lapsed Catholics returned to the Church, 308 people converted, 53 Block Rosary Centres were cared for and 15 legionaries were ordained.

Ikot Ekpene Regia: As a result of apostolic work 55 lapsed Catholics returned to practice. Nine praesidia were set up and ten Block Rosary Centres were established.

Benin City Regia: An attached Curia hopes to set up a praesidium in a prison. A senior Curia in Benin City has set up a second junior Curia and also established a catechism class at a Mass centre. In Warri Comitium they have two projects in campsites and the Bishop of Warri has promised his prayers and he hopes to visit the camps during the projects. The Regia Spiritual Director, Fr. Okunbor, has been installed as the Vicar General of Benin City Archdiocese.

Ibadan Regia: The University of Ibadan Curia has 29 praesidia and a junior Curia. Nineteen of the praesidia are based in the University.

Lagos Regia: A Curia helped in the establishment of an out-station in one parish.

Abuja Regia: Minutes contained reports from six Comitia, four Curiae and one praesidium. One Comitium has 3827 active members including 1016 Praetorians. Another Comitium established ten new praesidia.

Kaduna Regia: A Curia with fourteen praesidia and a Junior Curia attached with a total of 630 members reported. Achievements included 422 marriages regularised and 10 lapsed brought back to the Faith. Memorial Masses for the Servant of God, Frank Duff and the Venerable Edel Quinn had attendances of 195 and 150 respectively.

Blantyre Regia: A well planned ceremony was held on 11 September in Blantyre to mark the official launch of the Regia. The ceremony included the recitation of the Rosary and Legion prayers and a Mass celebrated by His Grace Archbishop T. Ziyaye and fourteen priests. About fifty five delegates from other countries and legionaries from all the Dioceses in Malawi attended. Two Concilium officers travelled to Wales to meet the Regia President who was attending a Conference there and they discussed various matters relating to the governance of the Legion in Malawi. The organisation continues to grow and the Regia is carrying out visitation of Councils in Dioceses which recently became attached to it and a network of correspondents has been established for them.

Lusaka Regia: Primary evangelisation is done through home visitation. Members of sects are invited to take instruction in the Catholic Faith; arrangements are made to have children baptised and adult Baptism is also promoted with good results. Marriages are validated; and prison praesidia are increasing.

Kasama Regia: A new Spiritual Director has contacted Concilium by E-Mail stating that he is “pleased with the work of the legionaries and especially the extension work which is going very well”. The Legion has been started in a camp among refugees from the Republic of Congo and a letter has been received from them reporting that the Legion is very active and growing in the camp and has about 300 members in four praesidia.

Freetown Curia: Meetings are held monthly and a bi-annual Congress was due to take place in October.

Monrovia Curia: All reporting praesidia visited homes and prisons and met Muslims and lapsed Catholics. A Rosary procession was cancelled because of conflict in the city. A letter was received from Fr. Gary Jenkins (who previously visited Concilium). He reports positive developments – the re-opening of a school with 750 students of whom 350 are ex-combatant children and they seem to be integrating well. He speaks of the help from Aid Agencies and the great work being done by Catechists. Three people were ordained in the last couple of years.

Uganda Senatus Legion growth in the prisons continues. A Curia of five praesidia and 95 members has been established in one. Follow up includes tracing family members, putting members in touch with the Red Cross for sugar, soap and other basic necessities. Teaching of catechism is the main work undertaken, two Muslims have returned to the Catholic faith, the sick are visited and the desperate consoled. Two former prisoners, now active legionaries have married. Visits have been made to the Sudanese Refugee Camps. One praesidium already established was affiliated to the Senatus and praesidia in other camps are in formation. A seminary has a praesidium of 41 members and a praesidium of six Congolese legionaries has started.

Seoul Senatus: The legionary apostolate includes reaching out to those who have not got the Catholic faith and inviting them to enrol in catechism classes, helping with these catechism classes, after care of newly baptised Catholics, visitation of Catholics who are in irregular marital situations, visitation of bereaved Catholic and non-Catholic families and visitation of Catholics and non-Catholics who are sick or infirm. One Comitium in Seoul with a total of 2837 active members lost 199 during the year, while another Comitium also in Seoul gained 112 active members, making a total of 2516. A request has been received from the Senatus for a Regia in the new Diocese of Eoijungbu , which has been set up from Seoul Archdiocese. There are four Comitia in the Diocese with a total of over 8,000 active legionaries.

Gwangju Senatus: One Comitium reported an increase of three praesidia and 46 active members. Another Comitium has 19 junior praesidia. One Curia reported 122 returns to the Church. Another Curia recruited 124 catechumens.

Daegu Senatus: Many reports show good numbers of catechumens recruited and many Baptisms. A Comitium in Wolsong reported that 420 people had received Baptism. Susong Comitium reported 39 adult and five infant Baptisms. Recruitment of active and auxiliary legionaries is also very fruitful in many Councils. Songseo Comitium recruited 44 active and 18 auxiliary members and Bumeo Comitium recruited 32 active members and 10 auxiliaries. Sangin Comitium has shown an increase in the number of junior praesidia.

Osaka Senatus: Archbishop Ikenaga attended the Senatus Acies on 4 April and gave the address. Two praesidia reporting had four members each while four others had 6, 8, 9 and 10, respectively. A Korean Curia set up in 2002 has 30 members. One praesidium invites their non-Christian neighbours to a social evening in their parish where tea is served and there is music and sometimes a film show. They see this as a kind of evangelisation. Another praesidium reported that as a result of visiting the ill with the Blessed Eucharist, a lady, who was a friend of a legionary and who was suffering from terminal cancer was baptised two days before her death. Her two children are now attending the Church class. Another praesidium reported that a lady of 92 years was baptised three months before her death. One of her sons then expressed a wish to be baptised and started studying the catechism. A praesidium in Hanshin Curia celebrated its 2,500th meeting and Kobe Curia had a Mass in May for the beatification of Venerable Edel Quinn. In other correspondence it is mentioned that the Senatus has set up an extension working group. Tokyo Regia reported one new praesidium and Kagoshima Comitium in Nagasaki Regia recruited some new members from newly baptised people.

The Senatus governs the Legion in all seven Dioceses of Taiwan. The smallest number of praesidia in any Diocese is two. One third of all Councils, and just under half of all praesidia, are situated in the largest Diocese. the Taipei Archdiocese. This is in keeping with population statistics, where approximately half of the population live in the Taipei Archdiocese. The praesidia outside Taipei are slightly larger than those within the Archdiocese. The average praesidium size inclusive of all Dioceses is ten active members.

Hong Kong Comitium: The Comitium organised an Officers Formation Camp for all Junior Curiae officers accompanied by their seniors on 17th – 18th July at one of the campsites on an outlying island. This event was intended to boost relationships among themselves. One third of Legion membership in Hong Kong are juniors. Activities include contacts at Airport, Sunday school, caring for prisoners, internet contact, visitation of a Home for street sleepers, praying at funerals and bringing the blind and the elderly to Mass.

Singapore Senatus: The Order of Malta organised a big celebration in the stadium on 4 December 2004 in honour of Our Lady of Lourdes and to mark the 150th anniversary of the proclamation of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception. The Senatus provided 800 Miraculous medals for the function. Praesidia took responsibility for bringing parishioners to the stadium. The Junior Curia Golden Jubilee was marked with a Mass celebrated by His Grace Archbishop Chia.

Kuala Lumpur Regia: Reports were received from six Curiae and two praesidia, two of the Curiae are Chinese. Sample of works: Home and hospital visitation to Catholics and non-Catholics, teaching catechism, pre-marriage counselling, conducting R.C.I.A. classes and promoting the rosary devotion in homes. Members teach catechism in Tamil and conducted the way of the Cross in Tamil during Lent. The liturgy for a Chinese Mass is prepared; members attend funeral Masses and participate in prayers for deceased in Churches and homes. For Our Lady’s birthday two Curiae animated Mass and the Rosary.

Jakarta Senatus: A Comitium in Pontiank (Kilamantan Island) has 11 senior and 7 junior praesidia, working in the Archdiocese and 2 Suffragen Dioceses; a new Curia was set up last year. Intensive visitation has been carried out to Councils and praesidia on the recommendation of the Senatus. The Secretary and Correspondent visited the Diocese of Sintang and set up two praesidia where there was no branch of the Legion. Works mentioned: visitation of the sick and of a blind person, also helped to bring a broken family back together.

Malang Senatus: A Comitium in Atambua reported that legionaries bring lepers to a rehabilitation home run by Sisters. Three new praesidia have been set up in a prison. Special attention is given to prisoners resulting in their repentance. Works include care of a sick Muslim, teaching religion in a state school and helping a teenager to abandon drugs and return to Church.