Concilium Allocutio June 2010

By Fr. Bede McGregor O.P.

Spiritual Director to the Legion of Mary

Confidentiality

The fourth and final item in the Standing Instruction is about confidentiality in the Legion system. Commitment to confidentiality inside and outside the Legion was an outstanding characteristic of our founder, Frank Duff. Bishops, priests, religious men and women and laity from all walks of life confided in him and besides giving them an attentive, sympathetic, listening heart they knew he could be trusted with their deepest secrets and concerns. His spirit of confidentiality was rooted in his absolute respect for the dignity of the human person and the demands of an authentic friendship. He was totally convinced that his whole apostolate and influence depended on his respect for the confidential nature of the information that he received from those who shared their very lives with him. He was outstandingly trustworthy.

The words he put in the Handbook are very strong: 'The Standing Instruction, read to members month after month, should bring home to them the all important place of confidentiality in the Legion's scheme of things. Lack of courage in a soldier is accounted shameful, but it is treachery to the Legion to repeat outside matters of a confidential nature learned or discussed at a praesidium meeting.' I think that one of the easiest ways of understanding the importance of confidentiality is to remember how we felt when we said something to a friend in confidence and discovered it had been shared with a third party against our wishes. Trust vanishes and friendships are destroyed. Or at least we will not share anything of importance with that person again.

The Handbook says that the Legion is akin to a family and its discussions should be like those of a family when it discusses family secrets. Intimate family concerns are not communicated outside the family circle. Where there is a lack of trust because of leaks on confidential matters the praesidium will sooner rather than later disintegrate. Members will cease to speak at the praesidium meeting and so problems will not be properly discerned and tackled. Fortunately, the record of the Legion in this matter is remarkable but we do need to be continually alert because human nature can be very weak in this area. The worst possible indictment of a Legionary would be the reputation for gossiping. But it would be just as bad if he were to be seen as someone who couldn't keep a confidence. The Handbook suggests such a person should be expelled from the Legion because of the damage to souls and the apostolate that he would cause.

Some rare cases may arise when a legionary is perplexed about the keeping of confidentiality or not. The Handbook advises that the Legionary should immediately have recourse to the Spiritual Director or if he is not available to some other competent advisor.

There are many other things that could be discussed about confidentiality that would extend this allocutio too much. We could compare the legionary commitment to confidentiality with that of doctors, counsellors, solicitors, journalists, and so many others. But the Handbook gives us all the basics required for this theme. We need to read it frequently because so much is at stake. As legionaries, we are responsible not only to ourselves and those we meet in the course of our Legion work but to Mary herself. We act in her name, as her representative so to fail in confidentiality we are betraying Mary to some extent and spoiling her name among people who may not know her. The spirit of Mary is our model and inspiration in this as in everything else. Let us turn to her and ask for a share in her discretion and respect for the secrets of the heart that we meet in the course of our apostolate and in all our meetings.

Back to News

May 2010 Concilium News

Election of Concilium Secretary

Nominations were sought for the office of Secretary of the Concilium as Enda Dunleavy had completed his second term. Paddy Fay was proposed and seconded and as there were no other nominations, he was duly elected Secretary of the Concilium. On behalf of Concilium Tommy McCabe President thanked Enda Dunleavy for his dedicated service. He also wished Paddy Fay who is a former Concilium president and had served as an envoy to Mozambique every grace and blessing.

New Regia for Brazil

The Concilium approved the raising of Auxilium Comitium in Cuiabá to Regia. The territory of the Regia covers the Archdiocese of Cuiabá and its nine Suffragan Dioceses: Paranatinga; Barra do Garças; Guiratinga; Rondonópolis; São Luíz de Cáceres; Diamantino; Sinop; Juína; and São Félix do Araguaia, and the new Regia will be affiliated it to São Paulo Senatus

New Regia for New Orleans, USA

The Concilium approved the raising of New Orleans Comitium in Louisiana to Regia. The territory of the Regia covers the Archdiocese of New Orleans and its six Suffragan Dioceses Alexandria, Baton, Thibodaux, Lafayette, Lake Charles and Shreveport, and the new Regia will be affiliated to Houston Senatus


Back to News

REPORTS


AFRICA

KENYA
Senatus of Kenya: Kisumu Regia celebrated its Silver and Nakuru Comitium its Golden Jubilee. Kisumu Regia reported 983 persons received the sacrament of the sick, 183 marriages validated, 1,672 recruited for instruction classes, 104 children baptised and 106 returned to the sacraments. All praesidia and councils do home, hospital and prison visitation with great results. Legionaries were encouraged to read the Handbook in line with the Concilium theme for 2010 "Back to basics through the study of the handbook". Reports indicate that several praesidia have been set up.


UGANDA
Senatus of Uganda: Works carried out in this Senatus include visitation of homes, hospitals, clinics, prisons, bars, markets, schools and teaching catechism. Reports showed many received the Sacraments, returned to the Church and had their marriages validated. Twenty-two Moslems were baptised and 10 Traditional Practitioners stopped the practice. Thirty-three praesidia were set up. Mbarara Regia celebrated 60 years of legionary activity in the Archdiocese and a very successful Senatus reunion was held there with an attendance of between 15 and 18 thousand from all over Uganda. It was an overnight event with 3 Masses, talks, music and drama. The Archbishop of Mbarara was the chief Celebrant at the Mass. A Missionary of Charity Sister, who previously set up the Legion in two areas where she was assigned, has written to say she has started a Legion group with approximately 70 members in her present area.


NIGERIA
Ibadan Senatus: The Yoruba Handbook is ready for printing. A Comitium reported 6 marriages rectified and 5 praesidia set up.

Enugu Senatus: One Comitium established 11 senior and 7 junior praesidia while another reported 59 baptisms and 30 lapsed returned as a result of Exploratio projects.
Lagos Regia: The attendance of council officers was 81% and 39% of praesidia at the meeting.
Abuja Regia: Reports indicate 2,597 conversions, which included 107 Moslems and 1,569 lapsed persons returned to the practice of their faith. Two new Comitia and 162 praesidia were formed.
Kaduna Regia: A two-day conference with topics including "Legionaries as tools for effective communication and reconciliation" had an attendance of 370 legionaries. The Director of the Catholic Media Centre was the lead speaker assisted by one of the Spiritual Directors.
Ikot Ekpene Regia: A Curia within the major Seminary has 107 members.
Onitsha Regia celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of the Legion there. One Comitium reported assisting 3,674 couples to marry in Church.
Jos Hausa Comitium, attached to Jos Regia, recruited 1,255 members. Some members of this Comitium were among those who died in the recent troubles in Jos. One Curia set up the Legion in 4 parishes and also revived praesidia.


MALAWI
Blantyre Regia: The Central Curia, the kernel of the Regia, held a very well conducted Congress and a youth Congress was also held.


ZAMBIA
Lusaka Regia: Works include home visitation and visits to the sick resulting in many returns to the Sacraments and marriage regularisations.


TANZANIA
Dar-Es-Salaam Comitium: Extension in a Moslem area has resulted in 2 praesidia set up and the hope of a third. The 2010 schedule of activities was distributed.
Mtwara Comitium: Members visit the sick at home and in hospital and sometimes accompanied by the priest on visits. One Curia reported 15 couples married in Church and a baptism. Three junior praesidia were started.
Hai Moshi Comitium reported many returns to the Sacraments and marriages blessed.
Rombo Comitium created a new Curia.


LIBERIA
The SMA Superior said that the junior and senior praesidia in Fr. Gary's Mission are progressing and they have received the Handbooks recently sent to them.


THE GAMBIA
Banjul Curia continues to try and extend to other parishes.


EUROPE


MALTA
Malta Regia: The Archbishop of Malta attended the August meeting. He expressed his appreciation of the work of the Legion and said that legionaries should base their formation on the Handbook and on their knowledge of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. 332 people were contacted during a Curia recruiting drive and 11 accepted invitations to join the Legion. Home visitation, Exploratio Dominicalis and Tourists are mentioned in reports. Junior activities included a 7-Aside Football Tournament and a Day Retreat.
Gozo Comitium celebrated its 60th anniversary. Five new active members and 116 auxiliaries were gained during a recruiting drive in Rabat. Nearly all senior and junior Curiae held retreats. Other activities included a barbecue for youth and a meeting for parents of juniors.


GREECE
The Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Rhodes informed the Malta correspondent that there is a praesidium of 8 members with 7 auxiliaries in Rhodes. It has 4 officers and has an apostolate to the Albanian Community visiting the sick and housebound.


ITALY
Senatus of Rome: The Senatus are making great efforts with extension. Prospects in a numbers of city parishes and many places in their immediate territory are followed up by legionaries. The Filipino Curia is extending to Bologna. In Rimini the Patricians continue as well as the apostolate on the beach. A new praesidium of 20 at Zungoli plans to set up a junior group. Mgr. La Rosa has given a series of allocutios on De Montfort's True Devotion.

Milan Regia held a successful Congress. A Filipino praesidium with 19 members reported 37 baptisms. Other praesidia reported returns to the sacraments after many years absence.

Padova Comitium had good attendances at talks on the True Devotion. Legionaries in Bolzano/Bressanone organised 40 days and nights of prayer for priests, religious vocations and for families. The Bishop of Lana wants to have the Legion in all his parishes.



PORTUGAL
Senatus of Lisbon: 40 priests attended a Spiritual Directors' Conference in Fatima from the 25th the 26th October. The Bishop of Coimbra took a leading part and said that not only had the Legion a glorious past but also has a wonderful future and destiny, impelled by the Holy Spirit, just as were Frank Duff and Edel Quinn. Extension work by Coimbra Regia involved visits to eight parish priests in the Diocese of Viseu. True Devotion to the Nation work resulted in employment for two people and children are cared for when parents go to work. A Curia reports 92 people receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Sunday Eucharist and the Baptism of three adults.


SPAIN
Madrid Senatus: Many immigrants are entering the ranks as active members and indeed officers. A well prepared 2½ day Council Officers' Congress was organised by the Senatus with an attendance of approximately 80% of the officers from all the attached councils. Pesca joven (fishing for youth), the weekly street contact to youth is done with a reasonable amount of success. The praesidium dedicated to the street girl apostolate continues to make very many good contacts, even with men who frequent the red light district. Many of their contacts have given up the life and the legionaries keep in contact with them. Patricians are mentioned with attendance of over 20 at meetings. Plans are being made to welcome the many young visiting legionaries who will attend World Youth Day in Madrid next August.

Bilbao Senatus: There are 14 praesidia, 7 Curiae and 3 Comitia directly attached. There are 3 junior praesidia in the Senatus. Works include visiting the sick, elderly and handicapped in their homes and hospices, assisting at funerals and teaching Catechism. The Senatus prepared a brief document and circulated it to young people with the objective of extension and recruiting. A meeting was held in October with Officers of the councils in Burgos to discuss extension and recruiting.

Barcelona Senatus: Many reports included works of consolation for the sick and elderly. A praesidium is engaged in prison work and another praesidium visit former prostitutes. Extension is widely advertised and plans have been discussed with councils.


CYPRUS
There are 4 praesidia in Cyprus, 3 in Nicosia and 1 in Limassol. The formation of a Curia is difficult to bring about because of the members working hours. Members help in various ways with the Sunday liturgy and arrange coffee mornings after Mass. They visit a home for the sick and elderly and are welcomed by both Catholics and Orthodox. One praesidium makes many good contacts on Apostolate to the crowd in parks, streets and bus station in Nicosa. One contact became a Catholic and is now a member of a praesidium. They promote the Rosary on visitation with the statue of Our Lady.


UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Chicago Senatus: The sick were invited to the annual Mass for Frank Duff. Extension carried out included a seminary. True Devotion talks are given twice yearly. In a difficult area, home visitation is done with success.

St. Louis Senatus: New parishioners are contacted in Iowa and Illinois. New praesidia have been started and new members gained for other praesidia. Holy Communion is brought to the housebound and in Springfield Illinois the Legion was present at a State Fair.

Boston Senatus: Works carried out by the reporting praesidia was visiting homes, hospitals and shut-ins. A prisoner visited said: "Contacting the Legion was the best thing that ever happened to me!" Legionaries keep in touch with fallen-away Catholics and accompany the bereaved to funeral homes and follow with a novena of Rosaries. A stroke victim and cancer patient both associated their recovery with the Miraculous Medal. Three new praesidia were set up.

Cincinnati Senatus: Legionaries staffed a booth at a Fair. A praesidium was assigned to a parish where crime and drugs are predominant. Catholic and non-Catholics are met during the visitation of hospitals and nursing homes.

San Francisco Senatus: The six reporting praesidia have a total of 63 active and 236 auxiliary members. One praesidium is Arabic speaking. A Peregrinatio Pro Christo was organised to Sacramento. In Seattle Comitium a Columban Drive is held monthly. North San Mateo Curia is carrying out extension drives. A family praesidium with 4 senior and 3 junior members does home visitation. South San Mateo Curia has a Seminary praesidium. San Hose Comitium has Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean Curiae attached. Anchorage Comitium has a praesidium at the North Pole. Sacramento Comitium teaches Catechism and Portland Curia has sidewalk counselling.

New York Senatus: Holy Communion is brought to the sick and a Priest if required. The Book Barrow is operated at strategic points, like railway stations. Rosaries and times of Masses are distributed. Children were prepared for First Holy Communion and 65 for Confirmation; 40 Baptisms were arranged.

Houston Senatus: The Vietnamese Curiae are a great support to their communities. Northern Curia is three years in existence and has set up many new praesidia. Praesidia works include a drop-in Centre in downtown Houston and helping troubled boys. The first report was received from Belize Curia and reported a new praesidium on San Pedro Island with 15 members. The Northern and Southern Curiae will have a Peregrinatio Pro Christo project to Corpus Christi.

Philadelphia Senatus: An 'E' Day had 41 legionaries participating in Norristown Comitium. A conversion of a prisoner was reported. The Senatus sent a copy of 'The Priest and the Legion" to the 900 clergy of Philadelphia. A Seminary praesidium with 24 members and 25 auxiliaries, prepared 5 young people for Confirmation. Harrisburg Comitium has Patrician meetings and a Frank Duff Prayer group.

Los Angeles Senatus: A new Chinese Curia has been set up.

Miami Regia: Extension is being pursued in several councils. Membership in the reporting praesidia ranges from 4 to 20. The main work is hospice visitation.

Arlington Regia: Fairfax Curia is making their praesidia responsible for extension efforts in neighbouring parishes without the Legion.


CANADA

Montreal Senatus: The sick are brought to Mass, Catechism is taught and candidates prepared for baptism. A new praesidium has been started among the Haitians.

Ontario Senatus: The 75th anniversary of the Legion was celebrated with Mass. Forty-five auxiliary members attended a Mass and had breakfast afterwards.

Edmonton Comitium: This Comitium visits their attached councils and praesidia. Works reported included 32 children at Catechism classes, men in prison taught to pray and a lady through hospital visitation returned to the practice of the Faith. The Comitium covers 5 Dioceses with about 1.5 million Catholics and has 376 active and 1,525 auxiliary members.

Vancouver Comitium: Medals and times of Masses were distributed at the Winter Olympics. Masses were held for the Venerable Edel Quinn and Servant of God, Frank Duff.

Toronto Regia has 4 Comitia, 6 Curiae and 13 senior and 6 junior praesidia. They celebrated their 75th Anniversary on the 7th November 2009. The Council organises visitation of all the councils and praesidia under its control.
A Columban Drive organised by Scarborough Comitium resulted in a new praesidium. London, Ontario Curia has gained a new praesidium and St. John's Curia two new praesidia.
In Hamilton Comitium a lapsed Catholic who became a Jehovah Witness came back to the faith and another lapsed Catholic who was away from the Church for over 30 years returned to the Sacraments.
Eight new praesidia were opened in the last year in the Toronto Korean Comitium.
The Mississauga/Brampton/Etobicoke Comitium has a Curia and 16 senior and 4 junior praesidia attached. Besides visitation of homes their works include book barrow, preparing children's liturgy and Pilgrim Statue visitation. True Devotion is studied by the praesidia. In the Niagara Curia a lapsed Catholic returned to the Sacraments, an Anglican member wants to become a Catholic and a teacher, who was taught the Rosary, now teaches it to her students. In the Winnipeg Curia a legionary's mother returned to the Sacraments after 26 years. True Devotion is being studied by all praesidia. In the Curia of Nova Scotia a new praesidium was established.
St. John, New Brunswick Curia has 9 praesidia with an active membership of 55 and 500 auxiliaries. Among their works is Rosary and catechism instruction, visitation of homes with the Pilgrim Virgin, nursing home and special care homes. The Curia has established a new Korean praesidium.


WEST INDIES

Santiago de los Caballeros Senatus: One of the three Comitia featured in this report has 2 attached Curiae, 9 senior and one junior praesidia and is doing extension to establish more praesidia. They have a twice-weekly radio programme called "Walking with Jesus". Another Comitium has 7 Curiae and 16 senior and one junior praesidia attached. Their total membership is 538. Licey Comitium has one junior and two senior Curiae attached with a total of 474 active and 452 auxiliary members. They implemented the Diocesan Pastoral Plan through home visitation.

Senatus of Haiti: Sadly the Archbishop of Port-au-Prince and the Senatus Spiritual Director lost their lives in the earthquake, but we have not yet learned of the number of legionaries who died. The headquarters near the Cathedral was damaged and then pillaged. In spite of all this the legionaries held a meeting in February. Paris Regia has been very helpful in facilitating contact with Haiti and have organised a supply of Legion literature in French to send to them. Please continue to remember them in your prayers.


Peregrinatio Pro Christo

Peregrinatio Pro Christo projects for 2010 are now underway. So far this year 43 legionaries have taken part in four projects with amazing results.

The annual Dublin Spring Conference took place on Saturday 10th April with an attendance of 43. Reports were received from 3 projects of 2010 and one report on the trip to Brussels last September. It was reported in one of these projects that two legionaries knocked on a door in London. When the man answered the door he said "This is amazing the Holy Spirit sent you. Yesterday myself and my wife were talking about becoming Catholics. Come in!"

Projects are planned for Holland, Berlin, Finland and Sweden. The project to Castlenaudary in France will take place from May 21st to June 6th.

Please pray for the success of these projects.


The Concilium Launches New Look Website
"Thanks to the new communications media, the Lord can walk the streets of our cities and, stopping before the threshold of our homes and our hearts, say once more: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me" (Rev 3:20)." (Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for the 44th World Communications Day, 2010)
Pope Benedict has encouraged the use of the modern means of communications for evangelisation. Like so many other organisations, parishes, dioceses and religious orders, the Legion of Mary has availed of the internet as a means of communicating information and promoting the mission of the Church and the Good News generally.
Improvements in technology in recent years have brought many changes so the Concilium recently launched a new look website (http://www.legionofmary.ie). It is hoped that this development will create a greater awareness of the benefits of using modern technology in a positive way and that this will help bring about the sharing of knowledge and information in a more rapid and effective manner, making it more accessible to legionaries around the world.
As a first step, a section on promoting True Devotion to Mary, containing various articles and talks, has been included. It is planned to develop other aspects and themes during the coming months and to encourage other Legion councils around the world to update and develop their websites, in conformity with guidelines shown on the Concilium website.

Janet Lowthe




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
http://www.legion-of-mary.ie







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

Back to News

CONCILIUM LEGIONIS MARIAE

BULLETIN MAY 2010


REPORTS

ASIA

Thailand
Two legionaries represented the Concilium at a Conference in Bangkok on the
role of ecclesial movements. They gave a presentation on the origins and
charisms of the Legion, the type of evangelisation undertaken and methods used.
Many visited the Legion stall expressing support for the Legion and
praised Maria Legionis.

Sri Lanka
The Archbishop asked legionaries to promote the Family Rosary on home visitation.
Two other bishops met with officers in an area where 1% is Catholic.
Here there are 10 praesidia functioning in a scattered farming community,
the members having kept the faith burning despite 27 years of war.

Myanmar
Archbishop Charles Bo and the Rector of the Minor Seminary facilitated a visit
by legionaries to address seminarians so that the future priests would have a
knowledge of the Legion. The annual novena at Our Lady of Lourdes shrine is visited by legionaries from all over the country. The Senatus officers set up a focal point, which enabled legionaries to meet, discuss problems and buy Legion literature.

Pakistan
250 from the Karachi diocese attended the Acies and Holy Mass with Archbishop Evarist Pinto as chief celebrant. The 2 reporting praesidia have memberships of 21 and 16 respectively - the sick, the bereaved and church related works are undertaken.

Mongolia
The praesidia in the Curia are from the Korean community living and working in this country.

Nepal
There is 1 junior and 4 senior praesidia in operation. Twenty members in the Godavari praesidium visit families, the sick and needy. A Hindu visited now comes to the Church. The praesidium in Baniyatar visit homes, hospital and jail often at a distance. The parish priest was stabbed; the legionaries came to his assistance, carried him to hospital and are grateful he survived. Each praesidium prepared an item for the Curia reunion and a poetry competition was organised for children under 14 years.

Vietnam
The Nha-Trang Regia looks after mission land in 3 dioceses working in 460 parishes, 32 small parishes and 78 apostolic centres. They work among people of 28 races and different languages and much poverty. There are 6 Comitia, 40 senior Curiae with 8,709 members and 20 junior Curiae with 3,884 members. Much good work is done in winning people back to the faith, regularisation of marriages and arranging for the sacraments.

Kazakhstan
Kokshetau Curia: the praesidium in Petropavlovsk has 12 members visiting the hospital and its drug unit. They meet their auxiliaries regularly for readings, prayers and refreshments. The Church is now permanently open so they organise adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
Karaganda Curia the reporting praesidium also has 12 members and 7 auxiliaries. Another praesidium with 7 members does much work for those affected by abuse of alcohol and their families.

India
Mumbai Regia set up 4 new Curiae in a 2-month period. The bishops attended the inaugural meetings in each case and appointed spiritual directors. Visitation of the hospitals has been delegated to the Legion by the Archbishop in Mumbai and regular reports are sent to him.
Pondicherry Senatus Edel Quinn's life by Cardinal Suenens has been printed in Tamil. To mark her anniversary 350 attended a function and young legionaries portrayed her life story.
Kottar Comitium has 15 praesidia and 28 Curiae attached. There is also a Comitium in each of the 3 dioceses. The Comitium organise Exploratio Dominicalis projects and run training days for officers with 100 attending in one instance.
Visakhapatnam Comitium looks after the Legion in its own Archdiocese and 6 suffragan dioceses and in the Archdiocese of Hyderabad with its 7 suffragan dioceses with distances between 102 and 631 kms from the centre.
Tuticorin: They have produced their own table vexillum.
Kerala Senatus - since the last report updates were given on 12 Comitia, 6 Curiae and 6 praesidia. Apostolic works are substantial with great numbers of Catholics, non-Catholics and non-Christians being visited in their homes. Some conversions and returns to the sacraments are reported and many homes are consecrated to the Sacred Heart.
Calcutta Comitium continues to work despite difficulties. They are due to visit Bangladesh.
Port Blair Comitium (Andaman Islands) Legionaries undertook a week-long project to 2 parishes setting out at 4.30 a.m. arriving at 9.30 a.m. Home visitation was undertaken, members were obtained for existing praesidia and new praesidia were set up. Visitation of praesidia and Curiae is undertaken.

Bahrain there are 8 senior and 4 junior praesidia attached to the Curia.

Lebanon
There are 360 members, 261 of whom are in the 18 - 40 age group, and there are over 300 junior members. The 792 auxiliary members provide great support for the active members. The members work often under difficult circumstances. During the Easter season the Patriarch for the Armenian Catholics was visited.

MEXICO

Mexico City Senatus
Parents of children who attend catechism classes are encouraged themselves to attend Mass and receive the Sacraments. The First Holy Communicants are encouraged to form the altar servers group and the catechists are recruited as Auxiliaries. Every praesidium is encouraged to set up another. Steps are being taken to extend into one of the Dioceses without the Legion in the Senatus area.

Merida Senatus
A new Curia was set up and another was divided. Attendance averages at 75%. Reports were received from 3 praesidia, 2 Curiae, 2 Comitia and 1 Regia. An Exploratio Dominicalis project resulted in the visitation of 437 homes. A number of young couples were prepared for the Sacrament of Marriage. The prayer to Frank Duff is distributed and encouraged in the course of street contact apostolate.

Guadalajara Regia
The Legion is active in 5 of the 7 Dioceses in Guadalajara. A large praesidium assists families after the death of a family member. It is customary to have 9 days of prayer in the home after the death but in many cases the family is not accustomed to praying and need help. A number of praesidia promote and encourage Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. In the course of home visitation, themes such as love of neighbour, the importance of prayer and the sacraments are discussed.

Hermosillo Regia
Six reports were received in which one work is visitation to a prison where inmates appreciate the visit. Extension is being organised to the town of Tecoripa.

Durango Regia
A praesidium was set up and efforts are being made to consolidate weak praesidia.

Monterrey Regia
The Regia had a visit from Cardinal Orteaga. He listened to their concerns and plans and gave them advice and encouragement. One praesidium of 12 members has 200 auxiliaries. In the course of home visitation they distribute the Sunday Mass leaflet and the Mass times.

CENTRAL AMERICA

El Salvador Senatus of San Salvador
The two attached Regiae - Santa Ana and San Vincente - reported recently to the Senatus. Both councils are working very well with large numbers of young legionaries and many returns to the Sacraments as well as returns to the faith from other religions and sects. Six praesidia and two Curiae were set up in San Vincente Regia, the young legionaries have a radio programme aimed at young people. Five new praesidia were set up in Santa Ana area.

Guatamala Regia of Camotan
The Legion is extending in the area. An attached Curia divided and a number of praesidia have been set up. Reports indicate many returns to the Sacraments.

Senatus of Managua, Nicaragua
During the season of Lent the legionaries visit the homes emphasizing the death of Jesus with the recitation of the sorrowful mysteries of the Rosary. A special effort was made for five week-ends to visit people in a remote area ending with a short retreat which proved very successful. The legionaries also teach catechism.

Costa Rica Senatus of San Jose
Enthronement of the Sacred Heart in the homes and devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary are promoted on home visitation. Legionaries get involved in the Easter processions with a view to bringing a more spiritual Christian note to the ceremonies. There are many reports of returns to the Sacraments after many years and a number of couples have been prepared and received the Sacrament of Marriage. Legionaries are involved in the teaching of catechism.


EUROPE

Netherlands
Legionaries in Amsterdam Senatus are undertaking a Peregrinatio Pro Christo project to Northern Ireland. Two praesidia are amalgamating; the praesidium for street girls and one for the homeless. A Hindu family in Rotterdam has asked to become Catholics.
Antwerp Senatus will celebrate the 450th jubilee of the Diocese in 2010. The report from Curia Beringen mentioned the Acies, retreat and outing.

Norway
The new praesidium in Drammen has 8 members; apostolate includes teaching catechism, bible study with the Filipino community, visiting the sick, etc.

Belgium
A Curia has been erected in St. Vith to cater for the 4 existing praesidia in the area. A further two praesidia have been set up and all works are being faithfully performed.

England
Senatus of Birmingham: The new Archbishop expressed his appreciation for the apostolate and prayers of the legionaries. Permission has been given for extension in two new parishes and for a legionary to speak at a Deanery meeting. A Vietnamese praesidium of 9 members carries out an apostolate to its own community. Birmingham Junior Curia has 4 praesidia each with a Spiritual Director. Bristol Curia reported a cure attributed through Our Lady's intervention with the Miraculous Medal. Coventry Curia had an Exploratio Dominicalis Project to Warwick University resulting in 100 contacts from 16 different nations.

Senatus of Liverpool: A Congress is planned for June. Newcastle Comitium has 5 attached Curiae and reports a thriving junior praesidium with 9 members. Works include circulating newsletters to boarding houses, libraries, etc. The praesidium formed in Leeds Comitium following a PPC project in 2007 is progressing very well. In Warrington members of a praesidium set up following extension are still awaiting CRB clearance but work with the Parish Priest who is keen to have the praesidium. Juniors in Blackburn (Manchester Comitium) are mentored by a legionary who is 52 years in the Legion. A praesidium, working with a priest who is a Spiritual Director, piloted and re-started a new RCIA programme and as a result a number of people renewed their faith and several expressed a wish to join the Catholic Church.

Southwark Comitium has 3 Curiae, 6 senior, 1 intermediate and 3 junior praesidia attached, and 415 auxiliaries. Mass details are given to hotels by one praesidium and another visits substance misuse centers. Newly baptized adults are visited and the intermediates and junior visit First Communion and Confirmation classes and visit the sick with the Pilgrim statue. Extension resulted in a senior and junior praesidium being set up.

Brentwood Comitium has 2 Curiae and 13 directly attached praesidia. The new praesidium in Chelmsford is doing very well. The apostolate of the Comitium includes helping with RCIA, First Holy Communion and preparing 20 candidates for Confirmation.

Brent and Harrow Curia reports an increase in the number of praetorians and a corresponding improvement in attendance at meetings. In one of the nursing homes visited members of the Muslim staff participated in the recitation of the Rosary and the Nativity play at Christmas.

Central London Curia: In the 4 reporting praesidia, one of which has a junior praesidium attached, has 107 auxiliaries, 4 Praetorians and 9 Adjutorian members. Patrician meetings, with attendances of up to 16, were mentioned among the other works of home/hospital visitation, crowd contact and visitation of pubs and restaurants. Hindus and Muslims are among those contacted on home visitation. Extension is ongoing.

Westmiddlesex Curia: The two reporting praesidia are engaged in contact work in Gunnersby Park, visiting the sick and elderly and 6 of their auxiliaries attended the annual retreat. Legionaries led a Holy Hour during 40-hour Adoration for the Parish Jubilee celebrations.

Hammersmith Curia has 8 attached praesidia and legionaries co-operate with the Parish Priest on works of service and church activities.
Northampton South Curia has a new junior praesidium for the Aylesbury parishes, and members of a praesidium in Northampton North Curia prepares children for the Sacraments.

The Isle of Wight: The praesidium has 7 full members and 13 auxiliaries. They hope to get the biographies of the three Legion candidates for beatification into local school libraries.

Scotland
The new praesidium in Aberdeen is progressing well. Ayrshire Curia reports regular prison visitation and success with park contacts. Another praesidium has 3 Praetorians and will celebrate its 30th anniversary in October. Motherwell Curia mentioned Patricians and excellent contacts at the Cribs during the Christmas period.

France
Paris Regia: A Haitian praesidium in Paris has 8 members who visit their community in their homes and hospital. Sympathy was expressed to the legionaries in Haiti on the death of the Spiritual Director, Mgr. Charles Benoit. Lorient Curia's apostolate includes visitation of homes, encourage attendance at Mass and the Sacraments and promote the Miraculous Medal. Paris Regia cartakes the Comitia in Guadeloupe and Martinique. In Guadeloupe attached Curiae and praesidia are visited regularly, an Auxiliary function was mentioned and a Marian Day. In Martinique membership ranges from 6 to 15 in praesidia and works include home, hospital and nursing home visitation, teaching catechism and accompanying the priest for the Sacrament of the Sick.
Valence Regia: A praesidium of 7 members visit elderly, disabled people and bereaved families, teaches catechism to young people and also visit priests and religious in a retirement home. In Chateauneuf de Galaure legionaries contact retreatants from other countries and their juniors are recruiting. Lyon Comitium has three attached praesidia and also a Vietnamese Curia with four praesidia.

Strasbourg Senatus has one Curia and 24 praesidia attached, including 2 junior praesidia and caretakes Fribourg praesidium in Switzerland and looks after the Permanence in Lourdes. Their PPC Conference drew legionaries from neighbouring countries. The praesidium in Cronenbourg, started a year ago, has 4 members and their Parish Priest encourages them to do home visitation and to follow up contacts, especially those in high-rise flats.

Dax Regia: The apostolate of the Regia comprises works of service, visiting the housebound and teaching catechism in primary schools. The Legion of Mary in France was founded in 1940 so they are celebrating their 70th anniversary in Navers on Saturday 20th November 2010.

Germany
Munich Senatus has 2 directly attached Comitia, 10 Curiae, 13 praesidia, total membership of 533 active and 5,620 auxiliaries. An extension drive in Heroldsbach resulted in a new praesidium, which started in February with 10 members, and a praesidium in Geretsried has been restarted. A winter school took place in December, 18 attended and it included a Patrician meeting and street contact work with good contacts. One street praesidium has 15 members, and contacts young people, prisoners, prostitutes and homosexuals. Legionaries visit Bernau Prison weekly and others contact passengers on the Danube boats.

Sweden
Virgin Queen of Peace praesidium in Malmo has 11 members from South America, Asia and Africa and they visit the sick and housebound, instruct and prepare children for First Confession and Holy Communion.


AFRICA

Cameroon
Douala Senatus: The 5,000 Tesserae in French have now been printed locally. In Nkongsamba Comitium there is a mention of a new Curia and in Bamenda Comitium 4 new junior praesidia. Limbe Comitium is organising a PPC project. A Congress is also planned in Bamend Comitium. An octogenarian couple has rectified their marriage in the Church after a visitation of 5-years by the legionaries. Various councils mention the return to the Sacraments and the regularisation of marriages and the setting up of senior and junior praesidia.

Guinea
Conakry Comitium: Conakry Comitium has been in existence just over 40 years and has been holding its meetings regularly despite the break in communications for nearly five years. Reports in attached Curia show works which include visitation in Catholic and Muslim neighbourhoods.

Burkina Faso
Ouagadougou Comitium: Works undertaken include home and hospital visitation, visitation to Muslims and Protestants and visits to the elderly. There is one junior praesidium. Three members of a Muslim family are taking instruction and 15 people were brought back to the Sacraments.

Equatorial Guinea
Bata Comitium: The Spiritual Director reported that the new officers were elected and is hopeful of a new springtime for the Legion in Bata.

Benin Republic
Cotonou Regia: Over 100 legionaries attend the Regia meetings and there is a membership of 145 in the Junior Curia. Two Frank Duff Clubs cater for 62 children. They propose to carry out visits to the territory under their caretakership, namely Gabon Republic with its three Comitia: Libreville, Oyem and Mouila. They will supply the Republic of Niger with handbooks.

Congo Republic
Brazzaville Regia: The Regia held a day of formation at the Lycee Chaminade on the history of the Legion of Mary. The Comitium Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament with 9 praesidia and 6 Curiae visited 3,216 holdings in 165 streets contacting 21,712 persons of all denominations. Work is progressing on the translation of the Handbook into Lari.



New Regia in Cuiaba, Brazil
At the Concilium meeting on the 16th May 2010 the Comitium of Auxilium in Cuiaba, Brazil, which has 8 praesidia and 7 Curia directly affiliated was raised to Regia status and the following three Comitia will be affiliated to it: Medianeira Comitium with 8 praesidia and 6 Curiae attached; Regina Coeli Comitium with 12 praesidia and 4 Curiae attached; and Mae Amavel Comitium with 8 praesidia and 5 Curiae attached and will govern the Legion in the Archdiocese of Cuiaba and its nine Suffragan Dioceses.

New Regia for New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Also at the Concilium meeting on the 16th May 2010 the Comitium Immaculata, New Orleans which has 18 praesidia and 2 Curiae directly affiliated was raised to Regia status and the following Comitium and 3 Curia will be affiliated to it: Lafayette Comitium with 6 praesidia and 2 Curiae attached; Sulphur Curia with 5 praesidia and Baton Rouge Curia with 6 praesidia. The 2 remaining praesidia in the Houma-Thibodeaux Diocese will also be directly attached to the new Regia. The Regia will govern the Legion in the state of Louisiana, in the Archdiocese of New Orleans and its 5 Suffragan Dioceses.

Tommy McCabe, on behalf of the Concilium, wished the 2 new Regiae every grace and blessing and thanked the members for their dedication and commitment.

Election of Concilium Secretary
Nominations were sought for the office of Secretary to the Concilium Legionis Mariae. Paddy Fay was proposed and seconded and as there were no other nominations, he was duly elected Secretary for a 3-year period. Tommy McCabe thanked him for his generosity in letting his name go forward and wished him every grace and blessing. He also thanked the outgoing Secretary, Enda Dunleavy, for the many services he rendered the Concilium, particularly in his capacity as Secretary.




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
http://www.legion-of-mary.ie







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

Back to News

Allocutio


By Fr. Bede McGregor O.P.

Spiritual Director to the Legion of Mary


Substantial Active Legionary Work


Today I would like to offer a reflection on the third item of the Standing Instruction. It really is self-explanatory and many legionaries probably known it by heart. Nevertheless it is so fundamental to the very existence of the Legion that we do need to go back to it at least once a month. We need to ask ourselves are we really living this basic principle of Legion spirituality: ‘the performance of a substantial active legionary work, in the spirit of faith, and in union with Mary, in such fashion that in those worked for and in one’s fellow members, the Person of Our Lord is once again seen and served by Mary, his Mother.’

I think it might be helpful to put this great Legion principle in a Gospel context. Every Christian vocation is primarily contemplative. This is true for the lay person, the priest, the bishop, and Our Holy Father. Being a contemplative means being at ease and habitually at home with the indwelling Trinity at the core of our being; it means being in tune with the liturgical life of the Church, especially with Mass and Holy Communion; it involves a deep and authentic relationship with Mary and the Communion of Saints; it includes an habitual effort to live the theological and moral virtues and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Basically, it means abiding in Jesus. This is the most radical and central truth of a biblical spirituality. Abide in Me. Without Me you can do nothing. Abide in Me and you will infallibly bear much fruit.

There are of course many other things I should speak about when considering the primacy of contemplation in the life of every Christian. So we should have a special devotion to the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives; we should be immersed in Sacred Scripture and the guidance of the magisterium of the Church; the duties of our state in life play an integral part in a truly contemplative life. All this should be self evident to a legionary because the spirit of the Legion is the spirit of Mary and she is the contemplative par excellence. She habitually abides in Jesus and keeps all his words in her heart. But there is a special dimension to the contemplative life of the Legion and without it the Legion would simply not exist. It is the apostolate. Not simply apostolic in theory but in practice. The substantial active legionary work has its roots and source in its contemplative spirit but the apostolate is also a grace filled means of forming a contemplative soul.

Mary is also a woman of action, she is in a sense the apostolate and the Legion joins itself to the spirit and action of Mary. The Legion seeks to be an instrument of Mary’s maternity of the mystical Body of Christ and indeed of all mankind without exception. The way and the spirit of our apostolic work are of supreme importance. First it must be done in a spirit of faith and not simply out of a natural inclination to do good and to feel useful. It must be done in union with Mary and thus it would be a good thing to prepare our work with her, to be aware of her at least in some general way during the actual work and again to reflect with her and in the company of our fellow legionaries on the work done.

The last part of this third item of the Standing Instruction is the key to all legionary work and a major factor in living a truly contemplative life. We must see and serve Jesus in those we work for with the eyes and heart of Mary. We must also and I would say especially see and serve Jesus in our fellow legionaries in the spirit of Mary. It is my conviction as Spiritual Director of Concilium that wherever in the world there is tension and division and grave infidelity to the spirit of the Legion embodied in the Handbook it must inevitably be because some legionaries have ceased to live the Standing Instruction especially the sentence that invites us to see Our Lord in each other with the eyes and heart of Mary. Getting back to basics must mean getting back to the role and presence of Mary in our personal lives as legionaries and in all our meetings.


Back to News

The Concilium Launches New Look /design Website

On Friday the 16th April, the Feast of St Bernadette the Concilium launched a new design website http://www.legionofmary.ie The new site has a search engine incorporated and hopefully will be easier to negotiate.

Correspondents were asked to bring the new website address to the attention of their councils and also to encourage them to update and develop their own websites, in conformity with website guidelines shown on the Concilium website.

Tommy McCabe, Concilium President reminded all councils that their websites should be supervised and controlled by the Council, and they should not be under the sole control of individual legionaries.


Back to News

Concilium Allocutio April 2010

By Fr. Bede McGregor O.P.

Spiritual Director to the Legion of Mary

The Daily Recitation of the Catena

The second item of the Standing Instruction that we are reflecting on in this year of going back to basics in the Legion is the Catena. Catena is the Latin word for link or chain. So basically the praying of the Magnificat every day is the chain or link that binds together all members of the Legion whatever their kind of membership. Indeed even those who have left the Legion for one reason or another are encouraged to pray the Catena and thereby keep some vital connection with the Legion. It is important to understand the essential role the Catena plays in the prayer life of the legionary.


The Catena starts with the question: Who is She? Who is Our Lady? Then Mary gives us the perfect answer in her Magnificat. There Mary reveals her deepest identity, her very heart and soul. There she gives us the most perfect picture of her spirit and as the Handbook says the spirit of the Legion is nothing more than a sharing in the spirit of Mary. At the Annunciation, Mary identifies herself simply and profoundly as the Handmaid of the Lord. She has no other aim in life but to live according to God’s will. Here in the Magnificat she explains in joy and song the same theme: she is totally wrapped up in God.


In the Magnificat the Legion touches what is deepest in Our Lady, her prayer life, her relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Her heart is the place where the Holy Trinity loves to dwell and it is the place where we must learn to dwell too. In a real sense we already have a place in her heart because she is our Mother and every mother carries her children in her heart. Our Lady precisely as our Mother wants to share everything that she has with us. There is nothing in her that she does not want to share with us. She shares with us her relationship with her Son Jesus, her relationship with the Holy Spirit and with God, Our Father. So in the Catena we pray with Mary in her own words and ask her to give us a share in her spirit that expresses itself so beautifully in her Magnificat. It really is an absolute masterstroke that Frank Duff places the Magnificat at the centre of the Legion prayers. But of course he would say, and rightly so, that it is the choice and the gift of Mary to give her heart and prayer life to the Legion.


Let me just briefly indicate some of the convictions of Our Lady revealed in her Magnificat. First she is aware that God totally and unconditionally loves her. She knows that she is specially chosen by God. She believes that God loves her in her lowliness or nothingness. She wants us to have these same convictions.

She is utterly certain that anything that is good in her is the work of the Lord. Her very soul proclaims the goodness of God. She knows that God has redeemed her and she rejoices in God my Saviour. We legionaries should remember the words of St. Ephraem so well: ‘May the spirit of Mary be in every soul to glorify the Lord.’ In one simple sentence Mary expresses everything she is: my soul glorifies the Lord. She does nothing else and invites us to do the same.

She is aware that at the very root of her personal existence is the Mercy of God. And she tells us that this Mercy of God is available for all those who reverence Him.

She warns us that pride is the most destructive force in the world and blocks the offer of grace. The Lord scatters the proud hearted. We know this to be true from our own experience and have seen that how it can destroyed or gravely diminish even Mary’s own Legion.

Mary tells us about the power of humility. Grace flows abundantly wherever there is authentic humility. Humility must play a role in the solution of every problem or difficulty the Legion has to face.

The Magnificat really does lead us into the deepest heart and spirit of Mary. That is why the Catena is so important for the formation of the Legion spirit. Might I suggest that while we always pray the Magnificat together at all our meetings that sometimes we should also pray and meditate over it personally and in solitude. If you really want to know and love and serve Mary the Catena is a splendid place to begin.

Let me end this allocutio which is being given during the Easter Season with a quotation taken from St. Ephraem and is found as the last words of the Handbook: ‘Through you O Mary, we have a most sure pledge of our Resurrection’.

Back to News

REPORTS

Africa
Guinea:
Great joy was expressed at receiving the first minutes since 2003 from Conakry Comitium, which governs 3 local Curiae and an undisclosed number of Curiae throughout the country. The works of a reporting Curia include visits to hospitals and prisons, visits to families both Catholic and Muslim and teaching Catechism. Sixteen returns to the Sacraments were recorded.

Congo:
At the Brazzaville Regia, a reporting Curia undertook visitation of 8 streets meeting 306 Catholics, 162 Protestants, 72 Salvationists, 80 Muslims, 80 pagans and 40 members of sects. In the course of this mission, 5 people promised to come to pray at the Catholic Church, 3 enrolled for Catechism and one couple was encouraged to marry in the Church. During the year a praesidium contacted 4,530 people of all denominations and none. The Regia keeps an annual tally of streets, homes and persons visited, the latter figure rising from 80,000 in 2005 to 170,000 in 2009.

Equatorial Guinea:
The Comitium of Malabo is showing signs of extension. A new praesidium has been set up and another has been divided. The Comitium has given 2 Handbooks to each praesidium.

The Cameroon, Chad:
Dovala Senatus reported that three thousand Handbooks have been printed, 2,000 in French and 1,000 in English. Some of these will be provided to Chad which the Senatus caretakes. Yaounde Regia will be visiting the Buea Comitium. Extension and conversion work is prominent in reports. A Congress was held by the Curia of Obili as well as an Exploratio in Mvog Ada Curia. A nativity play was organised in a prison by Obili Curia. In Kumba, a new Comitium and 2 new Curiae have been established. Bamenda Comitium set up a new Curia in Bambui, which organised a Congress. Other councils mentioned new senior and junior praesidia as well as the holding of retreats. The Regia in Yaounde has 14 Comitia, 13 Curiae of which 3 are outside as well as 17 directly attached praesidia, totalling 12,000 active members spread over 3 Ecclesiastical provinces.

Burkina Faso:
Ouagadougou Comitium governs 16 Curiae in the Archdiocese, which between them care for 120 adult praesidia. Great efforts are being taken to develop the junior and youth Legion with a view to increasing the number of literate members. Works include home visitation with outreach to Muslims and the homeless and visits to the maternity hospital. The National Spiritual Director Abbé Narcisse Kiswendsida is working hard since his visit to Concilium to mould the Legion to its true profile both in Ouaga and in the other Dioceses.

Ivory Coast:
The new Senatus in Abigan presents a vivid picture of multifaceted works. Bouaké Comitium reported 122,128 persons contacted in a year (52,000 Catholics and 70,000 non-Catholics), among them a family restored to good living and regular practice of their faith. The Spiritual Director of this Comitium says the legionary apostolate is irreplaceable. Other Comitia reported worthwhile works were suburban Abobo-te and towards the West, San Pedro. St. Kizito praesidium Our Lady of the Holy Trinity extended its apostolic outreach to hospitals, homes, restaurants, waste ground, telephone kiosks, dressmaking and hairdressing salons as well as the markets



Asia and Oceania

Philippines

Senatus of Northern Philippines:
The average attendance for the last 6 months was as follows: Junior Curia 91%, Malolos Regia 87%, Metro Manila Comitia 87%, Provincial councils 85% and directly attached praesidia 53%. A Congress was held in August. The Annual audit was carried out. A number of Comitia were divided during the period.
• In Vigan Comitium, a school district supervisor established five praesidia.
• Kalmana Comitium set up 3 new Curiae.
• Binangonan Comitium organised 19 junior praesidia in a Catholic College.
• Antipolo Comitium was raised to Regia status at the August Concilium meeting.
• A praesidium of 8 members catechised 47 couples and brought 200 persons to the Sacraments.


Bicolandia Senatus:
A Congress was organised with the theme “Faith in Service to God to Conquer the World”. The institutional praesidium in Bicol University formed a senior praesidium when the membership of their junior praesidium graduated from junior ranks following intensive prayer to the Servant of God, Frank Duff.

In Daet Comitium a parish has formed 12 senior and 2 junior praesidia. Visitation of homes and hospitals is carried out. The Rosary is recited with the inmates during visitation of a jail and many people have been brought back to the Sacraments through home visitation.


Mindanao Senatus:
Wonderful works of conversion are being done with great sacrifices been assumed. Two medical cures were reported through the intercession of the Servant of God, Frank Duff and medical evidence has been requested. The University legionaries are encouraged to continue membership in their local councils after graduation. The Patrician movement is growing and legionaries are greatly encouraged by their clergy, who are actively involved as Spiritual Directors of councils.


Cebu Senatus:
Many legionaries joined with Cardinal Vidal in celebrating the 75th Jubilee of the Archdiocese of Cebu. The Senatus invited legionaries to pray for priests in this the “Year of the Priest”. Regular visitation of praesidia and councils is undertaken. Numerous councils reported Exploratio Dominicalis projects.

Talibon Regia reported on extension in the Municipal jail where 5 praesidia were established. Legionaries in several praesidia encouraged tricycle drivers, security guards and vendors to attend Mass and Confession. In many of the reports conversions, Patrician meetings, auxiliary rallies, extension and recruiting, new Curiae and Comitia were quoted.


Western Visayas Regia:
At a meeting of the Regia 5 Comitia and 13 Curiae gave their reports. Mothers of juniors were recruited as active legionaries. Two suicidal attempts were averted. Follow-up apostolate resulted in returns to the Sacraments.


Papua New Guinea

Rabal Regia:
A 7th Day Adventist who converted to Catholicism is now an active legionary. A Curia has arranged the baptism of 12 children. Regular prison camp visitation is undertaken.

Mount Hagan Regia:
This Regia is delighted to have been elevated to Regia status. Legionaries help drug addicts, which is very serious among the young. Five persons with HIV/AIDS joined the Legion. Street girls are visited in their homes.

Madang Regia:
Legionaries offer literacy classes and work in marriage preparation courses. One hundred people were dissuaded from gambling and juniors are involved in catechesis through their peers.


New Zealand

Auckland Senatus:
The Councils in Tonga were visited last September. There are 8 praesidia attached and juniors have 20 to 30 members in praesidia. Works include home visitation with the pilgrim statue and visits to the sick and housebound. The translation of the Tongan Handbook is nearing completion.

American Samoa was visited and they met Bishop Quinn who is a legionary for 50 years. Prayers were requested for the restarting of the Samoan Curia. The four praesidia in the International Curia comprise of Samoan, Tongan, Filipino and English speaking legionaries. Handbooks, Vexilla, Statues and literature were requested.


Western Samoa
Apia Comitium had 90% attendance. Four senior and one junior Curiae are attached. In the Saval Curia a junior group teach 5-7 year olds how to read the Bible, say the Rosary and seniors teach religion at Sunday school. The Archbishop of Samoa thanked the legionaries for their work for the Church.


Australia

Sydney Senatus:
A Korean Curia with 14 praesidia brought 34 contacts back to the Church. Extension efforts continue and many contacts are made to Muslims and Buddhists. Their apostolate includes book-barrow work, Patrician meetings and teaching Catechism in state schools.

Brisbane Comitium:
This Comitium had 2,000 prayers leaflets of each of the 3 Causes – Venerable Edel Quinn, the Servants of God, Frank Duff and Alfie Lambe – printed and organised a Mass for the Servant of God, Alfie Lambe. Three of the Officers travelled 1,500 miles in Queensland to visit outline praesidia. The Korean Curia does home visitation and teaches Catechism to new immigrants.

Melbourne Senatus:
Fourteen new praesidia were started in 2009. Four of these praesidia are attached to Adelaide Comitium and includes one junior group. At the request of a Parish Priest, Perth legionaries spent 3 days visiting small farms to invite them to a parish mission. Bishop Timothy Costello led the annual Mass for the Servant of God, Frank Duff. Four hundred adults and 50 children attended. True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary was well promoted.




Raising of Bangui Regia to Senatus (Central African Republic)

Bangui Regia currently controls 12 praesidia, 5 Curiae, 23 Comitia and an active membership of 38,000.

In July 2009 permission was given by Concilium to take steps towards raising a Senatus in Bangui with Regiae in the provinces.

Formal sanction for the raising of Bangui Regia to Senatus status to govern the Legion in the whole of the Central African Republic was given by Concilium at its meeting of 21st March 2010.

Four provincial Regiae are being considered in:
• Bangassou controlling 2 Comitia with a total of 4,439 active members;
• Berberati controlling 4 Comitia with a total of 2,627 active members;
• Kaga Bandoro controlling 3 Comitia with a total of 2,867 active members; and
• Alindao with 2,276 active members.

More details on these proposed Regiae are to be brought before the Concilium to enable them to be raised.

Tommy McCabe, on behalf of the Concilium, extended warm congratulation to the new Senatus in Bangui and said it was a great step forward for the Legion in the Central African Republic.




Two New Regiae in Rio de Janeiro Senatus Area, Brazil

The Senatus of Rio de Janeiro is a very big council, which governs the Legion in the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro and the 2 adjacent Archdioceses with 12 Suffragan Dioceses as well as the Legion in the Amazonian area with 3 Archdioceses and 27 Dioceses.

At the March 2010 Concilium meeting, Tadhg McMahon, Concilium correspondent for the Senatus, proposed the raising of two Regiae in the area close to the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro.

First Proposal:
To raise the Comitium Deigenitrix in the Archdiocese of Niterol to Regia status to govern the Legion in the Archdiocese of Niterol and the suffragan Diocese of Nova Frigurgo. The other eleven Comitia in that Archdiocese as well as the two Comitia in the Suffragan Diocese of Nova Friburgo are to be affiliated to the proposed Regia. The proposed Regia with 13 Comitia, 17 Curiae and 8 praesidia, will be affiliated to the Senatus of Rio de Janeiro.

Second Proposal:
To raise the Comitium Regia Apostolorum in the Diocese of Duque de Caxias to Regia status to govern the Legion in that Diocese as well as the Legion in the Dioceses of Nova Iguaca and Itaguai. The other Comitium in the Diocese of Duque de Caxias, the five Comitia in Nova Iguaca Diocese and the two Comitia in the Diocese of Itaguai are to be affiliated to the proposed Regia. The proposed Regia with 8 Comitia, 7 senior and 1 junior Curiae and 8 praesidia will be attached to the Senatus of Rio de Janeiro.

The Senatus of Rio de Janeiro will then govern 4 Regiae, 28 Comitia, 2 Curiae and 12 praesidia.

These proposals were formally seconded and then approved by the Concilium body.

Tommy McCabe, on behalf of the Concilium, wished the two new Regiae every grace and blessing.




Northampton and Leicester Curiae

At the March Concilium meeting, permission was given to raise Northampton Curia to Comitium status and to attach Northampton South Curia to it. This will govern the Legion in the Diocese of Northampton, which is a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Westminster. It was also agreed to explore the possibility of Birmingham Senatus caretaking the new Comitium as well as Leicester Curia, which governs the Legion in the suffragan Diocese of Nottingham.

Ecclesiastical approval will be needed for this caretakership.




Visit by Correspondents to the Comitia of Southwark and Brentwood

As correspondents for Southwark and Brentwood Comitia, London, Sile Ní Chochlain and Miriam Phelan visited the two council meetings on 15 and 16 February 2010.

A very warm welcome, by both councils, was experienced and there was an opportunity to have a short meeting with officers after the meetings.

The reports presented at both Comitia were of good quality and there was good participation from the body of the meetings. One of the reports from a junior praesidium has a membership of 32 and carried out very worthwhile works.

Both councils were encouraged to continue in their extension efforts and thanked for the good work the legionaries are doing in the two Archdioceses.




Commemoration Mass for the Servant of God, Alphonsus Lambe

Holy Mass for the Beatification of The Servant of God, Alfie Lambe, Legion of Mary Envoy to South American from 1953 to 1959, took place on Saturday 27th February 2010 in the Church of Mary Immaculate Refuge of Sinners, Rathmines, Dublin. The chief celebrant and homilist was Fr. Oliver Skelly, P.P., Vice Postulator for the Cause along with seven other concelebrants. In his talk Fr. Skelly spoke on Alfie’s presence at the Eucharistic Congress held in Rio in 1955. There was an attendance of approximately 350 people, which included the Argentinean Ambassador to Ireland. The organist was John Hughes and the soloist Joanna Campbell Griffin whose music and singing contributed greatly to the ceremony.




The Holy Eucharist as an Instrument of Conversion

Too much time is often spent on arguments, which – even if they are proved – do not attract to the Church. The aim in all discussions should be to make those outside the Church catch a glimpse of the treasures, which are within. There is no more effective way of doing this than by the presentation of the doctrine of the Eucharist.

Even those who know Jesus dimly and uncomprehendingly are lost in admiration of him. On the strength of human evidence they acknowledge that he exercised an unexampled power over nature, so that the elements obeyed him; the dead returned to life; and infirmities fled at his command. He did all these things directly of his own power, because, though man, he was likewise the Eternal God himself, who made all things, whose word is might.

The Scripture tell how once that God-man – among innumerable other wonders – accomplished the sweet miracle of the Eucharist. “Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said ‘Take, eat; this is my body’.” (Jn 6:60) The objection of some even of his own disciples has echoed down through the centuries to the infinite loss of souls: “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” (Jn 6:52) Those disciples could almost be pardoned for their unbelief, for they had not grasped the real nature of him who stood in their midst. But what is it that clouds the minds of those persons who acknowledge the Divinity and hence the omnipotence of Christ? Surely these should see how deceptive – how unthinkable therefore – it would be for that same Divine Person – when solemnly addressing simple folk – to say “My Body,” while meaning “not My Body.” Let them absorb the ruthless logic of Pascal: “How I detest this folly of not believing in the Eucharist. If the gospel is true; if Jesus Christ is God; where is the difficulty in the matter?”

The challenge of so overwhelming an idea as the Eucharist cannot be heard unheeding. To hold up persistently to the notice of those who are not Catholics this crowning glory of the Church must force their minds to contemplate its possibility; so that many will reason to themselves: “If this is true, how dreadful is my present loss!” In the pang of that thought will come the first big impulse towards their true home.

Legion of Mary Handbook – pages 317-18




Request for articles for Maria Legionis

In a recent issue of the Maria Legionis it was stated: “Since set up by Frank Duff in 1937 the magazine has been the voice of the Legion of Mary, bringing to life its spirit through articles on doctrine, devotion and practice combined with news of Legionary activities throughout the world.”

In order that the magazine should continue to fulfil this purpose legionaries are invited to send in articles (of not more than 800 words) dealing with the apostolate and mission of the Legion of Mary. Cameos and short narratives, based on legionary activities and experience, depicting interesting legionary apostolates, contacts or functions will be welcomed for consideration for possible publication in Maria Legionis. It would be helpful to have good photographs to accompany and illustrate the articles, which should be addressed to:

The Editor,
Maria Legionis,
De Montfort House,
Morning Star Avenue,
Brunswick Street,
Dublin 7, Ireland.

e-mail address: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)




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, IRELAND.

Back to News

This year both the Christians of the West following the Gregorian calendar and our brothers and sisters of the Eastern Churches who follow the Julian Calendar will celebrate Easter on the same day. On 2nd April we celebrate Good Friday and this day is also the 5th anniversary of the death of Pope John Paul II in 2005.

I remember, when I was a student living in Italy many years ago, visiting provincial art galleries in the towns of Umbria and seeing a great many painting of the crucifixion in one gallery. However, they were not the portrayals of the Crucifixion I had grown up with. These were different. In every case it seemed that rivers of blood were coming from the wounds of the Crucified Christ, his hands and feet and side. In some depictions the blood was being gathered by angels into chalices. I came to appreciate that these were representations in art of our belief that in his death Jesus poured out his life for us.

Each Good Friday the Liturgy is a celebration of the Lord’s Passion. On this day having pondered St John’s account of the Passion, we pray the general intercessions or Universal Prayer following the wording and form handed down by an ancient tradition. This could be said to be a forerunner of the Prayer of the Faithful in today’s liturgy. The Liturgy offers us ten different intercessions. We pray for the Church; for the Pope; for Bishops, priests and deacons and all the laity of the Church; for those preparing for baptism; for the unity of Christians; for the Jews; for non-Christian believers; for those who do not believe in God; for all in public office and finally for all in special needs.

When we make these prayers we are uniting ourselves in a special way to the prayer of Christ who has shed his blood for all so that sins may be forgiven. In this way the Church commemorates its own origin and its mission to extend to all peoples the blessed effects of Christ’s passion. (Cf. Ceremonial of Bishops, 312).

Good Friday also marks the first day of a novena of prayer that prepares for the Feast of Mercy on the Sunday after Easter. In this increasingly popular devotion, Our Lord first asked St. Faustina that she lead souls to him, each day a different group. From sinners the first day, priests and religious, the devout, unbelievers, our separated brothers and sisters, the meek and humble, those devoted to the divine mercy, those in Purgatory and then finally the lukewarm.

In the Legion of Mary we honour she who is “Mediatrix of all Graces”, anxious that all her children share in the Mercy of her Son. We know that the first praesidium of the Legion was given the title Our Lady of Mercy. As Mary’s Legion, we seek to be instruments of mercy not for a day, not even for nine days. Instead our commitment is to be that each and every day. Christ has shed his blood for us and for the whole world. Let us not hesitate to propose the Legion as a path to true holiness, a means of growing in God’s merciful love, and as a preferential path to bringing the mercy of God to all.

Back to News

The Concilium approved the raising of Bangui Regia to Senatus to govern the Archdiocese of Bangui and the suffragen dioceses of Alindao, Bambari, Bangassou, Berbérati, Bossangoa, Bouar, Kaga-Bandoro and Mbaïki.

Back to News

The Concilium approved, subject to ecclesiastical permission:

1. The raising of Deigenitrix Comitium to Regia. The territory of the Regia covers the Archdiocese of Niteroi and the suffragen diocese of Nova Friburgo, and the new Regia will be affiliated to Rio de Janeiro Senatus.

2. The raising of Regina Apostolorum Comitium to Regia. The territory of the Regia covers the dioceses of Duque de Caxias, Nova Iguaca and Itaguai, and the new Regia will be affiliated to Rio de Janeiro Senatus.

Back to News

The Concilium Vice President Sile Ni Chochlain thanked all councils who submitted their census details and appealed to all councils who have not yet returned their Census to do so as soon as possible to allow the Census of Legion membership to be completed.

Back to News

Council officers and correspondents were asked to bring the following request for articles for the Maria Legionis to the attention of their attached Praesidia and Councils.

Maria Legionis

Request for articles

In a recent issue of the Maria Legionis it was stated: “Since set up by Frank Duff in 1937 the magazine has been the voice of the Legion of Mary, bringing to life its spirit through articles on doctrine, devotion and practice combined with news of Legionary activities throughout the world.”

In order that the magazine should continue to fulfil this purpose legionaries are invited to send in articles (of not more than 800 words) dealing with the apostolate and mission of the Legion of Mary. Cameos and short narratives, based on legionary activities and experience, depicting interesting legionary works, contacts or functions will be welcomed for consideration for possible publication in Maria Legionis. It would be helpful to have good photographs to accompany and illustrate the articles, which should be addressed to:

The Editor, Maria Legionis,
De Montfort House,
Morning Star Avenue,
Brunswick Street,
Dublin 7, Ireland.

e-mail address: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

We ask councils to please bring this to the attention of your attached Praesidia and councils.


Back to News

Reminder to all Councils re the requirement of an annual audit for all Praesidia and Councils

All Councils were reminded that all Councils and Praesidia should ensure that an annual audit is carried out on their accounts. Correspondents were asked to bring this to the attention of their Councils and also to ask them to remind and follow up with their attached Councils and Praesidia.

Back to News

The 51st Anniversary of the death of The Servant of God Alfie Lambe

To commemorate the 51st Anniversary of the death of The Servant of God Alfie Lambe, in the Diocese of Meath, Ireland, a Commemorative Mass took place in the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption, Kinnegad, Co. Westmeath on Sunday 24th January 2010. Fr Emmanuel Abuh from Northern Nigeria who is currently studying in Maynooth College was the main celebrant. Fr Oliver Skelly PP Vice Postulator for the Cause also concelebrated. The Mass was very well attended and everyone was impressed by the enthusiasm of Fr Emmanuel who was greatly taken by the missionary work and life of the young Irish Man in South America.

Back to News

Camotan Regia celebrates 50th Anniversary of the Legion

Camotan Regia recently celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the Legion and two legionaries Laydy Buenfil and Ligia Mendez from Merida Senatus, Mexico visited Camotan Regia and represented the Concilium at the Celebrations. Bishop Rosolino Bianchetti Boffelli and a large number of priests concelebrated Holy Mass. Bishop Boffelli thanked the legionaries for their great contribution to the apostolate and to the Church. The visiting legionaries met with the officers of councils in Camotan, Jalapa and Guatemala City and visited a number of Praesidia.

Back to News

The Weekly Meeting Revisited

In the context of our program of going back to basics and the ongoing renewal of the Legion, I think I should revisit the subject of the weekly meeting of the praesidium. It is worth repeating again what the Handbook says before offering some brief reflections. The Handbook states: ‘This weekly meeting is the heart of the Legion from which the life blood flows into all its veins and arteries. It is the powerhouse from which its light and energy are derived. It is the treasury out of which its own special needs are provided for. … The Legionaries should therefore regard attendance at their weekly meeting as their first and most sacred duty to the Legion. Nothing else can supply for this; without it their work will be like a body without a soul. Reason tells us, and experience proves, that neglect in regard to this primary duty will be attended by ineffective work, and will too soon be followed by defection from the Legion’s ranks.’ These words are massively important for the very existence of the Legion and especially in a program of going back to the basics.

The Handbook gives a great deal of space and detail to discussing the weekly meeting of the praesidium. Everything is given its importance from heating and light, the seating arrangement, the work sheet, who takes responsibility for different items at the meeting and the special duties of the Officers and so much more. But in the Standing Instruction four things are singled out as imperative with regard to the meeting.

They are punctuality and regular attendance at the meeting and then an adequate and audible report on work done. Why on earth are these four things singled out as more important than other things at the meeting? Should not prayer, especially the Catena be placed first in this primary item of the Standing Instruction? Perhaps the spiritual reading or even, God forbid, the Allocutio should have been given special emphasis. But for Frank Duff it is punctuality, regular attendance and an adequate and audible report that are the most basic elements with regard to the weekly meeting.

Punctuality is the first courtesy and respect we pay to the meeting and to the other members. As the saying goes: the grace of God is in courtesy. From a faith perspective punctuality is an expression of courtesy and respect to Our Lady who calls the meeting and presides over it. But even from a purely secular point of view a lack of punctuality gradually undermines the whole spirit of a meeting. Of course, a habit of punctuality is a very formative discipline and an asceticism that makes a member more reliable and responsible. It sometime supplies the self-sacrificing element in our devotion to Mary and her Legion. It is in these apparently small things that we show great love for Mary’s Legion and its members.

Regular attendance at the weekly meeting is the language of the heart and fidelity. If we really love Our Lady and her Legion, we will show faithfulness and perseverance in attending this weekly rendez vous with Mary and her designs for the apostolate. It is a fact of experience that when these qualities of punctuality and regular attendance are absent the praesidium rapidly declines and everyone suffers both in the order of nature and grace. Regular and persevering attendance at the weekly meeting is our special gift to Our Lady and to our fellow legionaries.

The Legion is not only a school of holiness but also a school of evangelisation. And it is in the giving of an adequate and audible report of apostolic work done that the Legion forms apostles. There is a striking little paragraph in the long section in the Handbook on giving the weekly report. It runs as follows: ‘In its own way the report is as important to the meeting as the prayers. They supplement each other. Both elements are necessary to the meeting.’ These are staggering words but they are also very true. Why is this so? Well, I think it is the reports that stimulate and form legionary apostles. First there is the witness to actual apostolic work done. We don’s just talk about apostolic work but we actually do it. Nothing can substitute for actual evangelisation. Without it the rest is simply hot air generated by a talk shop. Then we describe what we actually did in our Legion work. This is how we learn and teach each other the best methods, what to say and what not to say, how to approach different situations and needs. This is the way we encourage each other and become better prepared to tackle even very difficult situations. We critique each others apostolic work in a spirit of friendship and mutual support. I can think of no better way for forming real apostles. But the reports must be as good as we can possibly make them and of course they will be useless if they cannot be heard properly. I cannot recommend too strongly that we read the extensive section of the Handbook on the giving and receiving of the weekly apostolic reports.

Let me say in conclusion that the four points highlighted in the first item of the Standing Instruction form a very down to earth expression of true devotion to Mary which is, in the first place, the very reason why we are legionaries of Mary. We are legionaries because we want to love and serve Mary the Mother of God and our mother too.

Back to News

REPORTS - Mexico
Mexico City Senatus: An attached Comitium in Puebla has been raised to Regia status. This particular Comitium was very active; they set up a new Curia and three new praesidia recently. A retreat to prepare parents and godparents of children making their Confirmation was organised by the Legion.

Merida Senatus: Extensive home visitation and crowd contact is done throughout the Senatus area. Many who have changed over to the sects are met, resulting in some cases in the return to the practice of the Catholic faith. Legionaries accompany the priest when he celebrates Mass in the prison. They also visit separately and prepare the prisoners for the Sacraments. The attached Comitium in Campeche has 21 senior and one junior Curiae. Two new praesidia were set up. The ‘True Devotion to Mary’ was mentioned in a number of reports. The Legion Causes are promoted on all Legion works.

Acapulco Regia: A Curia of 11 senior and 4 junior praesidia in an indigenous area with no priest, teaches catechism and leads Sunday service. Dialogue with members of the sects has been very positive in this area, 21 returned to the Catholic faith. Some praesidia promote True Devotion to the Nation by encouraging residents to clean up the streets. A third praesidium has been set up in the jail.

Leon Regia: A new praesidium in the jail provides a lending library service. One prisoner was received into the Church; his family (wife and 4 children) then took instruction and also received the Sacraments. The prison legionaries help other prisoners to read and write. A special effort has been made by all legionaries during the year of the Priest to encourage prayer for priests and vocations.

Hermosillo Regia: A new Curia was set up in the Diocese of Ciudad Obregan. On Ash Wednesday legionaries distribute ashes on street contact. A Curia was assigned to follow up a request from the inmates of a female prison to visit them and set up the Legion. The inmates said the Legion presence was a sign of God’ mercy for them. The Archbishop asked legionaries to contact the families of prisoners as well.

Durango Regia: The President with other legionaries gives talks to young people every Friday with the hope of encouraging them to consider junior membership. A youth Bible group has 20 children between 4 and 10 years. The attached Comitium of Mazathlan reported for the first time in many years, they organise Lectio Divina, pre-Sacrament talks and catechism.

Monterrey Regia: There are plans to visit the neighbouring Diocese of Linares where there is only one praesidium. A praesidium in the city was about to close but with the help of another praesidium they recruited 8 new members.



Central America

Honduras Senatus: A new Treasurer has been elected. The country is going through a difficult period but the correspondent has assured the Senatus of our prayers.

Camotan Regia, Guatemala: Recently two legionaries from Merida Senatus, Mexico visited the Regia on behalf of the Concilium to take part in the 50 years celebrations in October 2009. The celebrations included Holy Mass celebrated by the Bishop Monsignor Rosolino Bianchetti Boffelli and a large number of priests. The Bishop thanked the Legionaries for their great contribution to the apostolate and to the Church. The two visiting legionaries visited a number of praesidia and meet officers both in Camotan Jalapa and Guatemala. In the attached Comitium of Jalapa there are 16 Curiae.

Nicaragua Regia of Managua: The Regia has made efforts to promote the True Devotion to Our Lady. To encourage more devotion to Our Lady they recite the Rosary in the homes when convenient. Prayer groups have been formed with, among others, auxiliary members. Extension has been carried out in three parishes.

Panama Comitium: A very comprehensive report on the Legion was received from Panama. The Legion is established in five of the nine Dioceses. Many praesidia and Curiae function in communities where there are no priests but the legionaries lead a Sunday service and generally keep the faith alive in those areas. The remote three Dioceses where the Legion is still to be established includes reservations and remote jungle areas with different cultures and where travelling is difficult.

El Salvador: Reports from the Senatus of San Salvador indicate that legionaries are reaching out to everybody including the lapsed and those who have gone over to the sects and other religions. A number have returned and received the Sacraments. A one-day retreat resulted in 400 people going to Confession.



Europe

Netherlands
Amsterdam Senatus: A praesidium for the English community in Amsterdam runs a Patrician group as well as a book barrow and parishioners are visited at the request of a priest. A block Rosary was organised and 2 pilgrim statues were circulated with a view to promoting auxiliary membership. A Mass was organised for an interested group and they agreed to become auxiliaries. A Cape Verdian praesidium recites the Rosary with children in Rotterdam.

Belgium
Antwerp Senatus: A new praesidium for Africans, mainly from Rwanda, was set up. Auxiliaries are visited and help is given with the Liturgy.

Brussels Senatus: A praesidium gained 3 new members as a result of promoting the prayer for the Servant of God, Frank Duff. A Peregrinatio Pro Christo project was carried out in Kockelberg in 2009 by Irish and local legionaries and they met people of many nationalities.

Scandinavia
The praesidium in Tonsberg, Norway carries out a varied apostolate in the parish and another praesidium has been set up in Drammon. In Copenhagen, Denmark, the 15 members of the praesidium celebrated its 30th birthday in 2009. The Chaldean community in the Stockholm area in Sweden is visited. A number of children are being instructed in the faith.

Germany
Munich Senatus: Directly attached are 2 Comitia, 10 Curiae, 13 praesidia with a total of 533 active and 5,620 auxiliary members. The entire number of praesidia is 80 and the Legion is in 8 out of 10 Dioceses. There are some Praetorian and Adjutorian members. Legionaries are constantly contacting priests to interest them in starting praesidia. Visits are made to new residents, the sick, bereaved, families of new baptised and reports mention street apostolate, book barrow work and preparing children for First Holy Communion.

Frankfurt Senatus: Extension efforts continue including an approach to the Indonesian community in Frankfurt Roedelheim and new praesidia have been set up in Krefeld and Kaiserlautern as well as a Croatian praesidium in Neuss. The Korean Curia in Frankfurt has a new praesidium in Kronberg bringing its total strength to 10 praesidia. In Berlin the Korean Curia has 5 praesidia including a student one; it teaches Catechism and 6 adults have been baptised. An international child Rosary meeting was held in Berlin with 300 children attending and Curia Darmstadt organised a two-week Rosary crusade for the year of the priest. Cologne Regia is growing and is now has 2 Comitia, 5 Curiae and 9 directly attached praesidia with a total of 290 active members.

Switzerland
Curia Zurich has 9 praesidia including a Tamil speaking one in Basel. Works include a Patrician group and street contact. Curia Luzern has 3 praesidia and Curia Olten has 2. An officer’s day for all German speaking Switzerland was held in 2009.

Siberia
Two legionaries from Frankfurt Senatus spend 2 weeks in October visiting praesidia in Bratsk, Atschinsk, Bogotol and held a autumn school.

France
Strasbourg Senatus: There is a total of 24 praesidia including 2 junior ones comprising 123 active and 436 auxiliary members. The Legion is in 4 of the 9 Dioceses. Legionaries organised an annual day for the sick which includes the Sacrament of the sick followed by a meal. Visitation of the lapsed resulted in a few persons returning to Church.

Aire and Dax Regia: There is a Curia at Bordeaux and works of service are done.

Paris Regia: The Vietnamese Curia reports on home and hospital visitation, organising pilgrimages and helping to run the Catholic Vietnamese Centre in Paris. This Curia recruited 5 new members and had one adult Baptism. There is a newly established praesidium in a secondary school and has about 15 members aged 12 to 14 years. The newly appointed correspondents with Guadeloupe and Martinique have made contact with their councils. The Comitium in Guadeloupe has a total of 850 members.

Valence Regia: The attached Curia at Nice has 8 praesidia spanning a number of Dioceses including Monaco. Works include some street contact, teaching Catechism, visiting nursing homes and bringing Holy Communion to the sick. A meeting with Mgr. Bagnard, the Bishop responsible for the Legion and some other lay organisations in France, was held in Paris in November. There were more than 100 legionaries from different parts of France in attendance, including a good number of young people.

England
Senatus of Birmingham: Directly attached are 10 praesidia, 4 senior Curiae and 1 junior Curia. Meetings have been held with the priests and visits are paid to the homes of the children preparing for Baptism. Returns to the Sacraments have resulted from regular visitation of homes and 6 children from the travelling community have been prepared for First Holy Communion. First Saturday all-day Adoration for priest has been organised in the Coventry Deanery.

Westminster Archdiocese: Praesidia in the Central London Curia visit homes and nursing home and bring Holy Communion to patients. The Rosary is recited publicly at Speakers Corner in Hyde Park. The praesidium in St. Patrick’s Parish, Soho has 6 members who visit homes and do some street contact apostolate. A half-day retreat was held based on the True Devotion to Mary. Hammersmith Curia with 8 praesidia, one of which is in Shepherd’s Bush has 9 active and 50 auxiliaries. The latter are visited 4 times a year. Among the works of 3 reporting praesidia in West Middlesex Curia with 17 members is the organisation of an annual Mass for the anointing of the sick and devotions to Our Lady of Sorrows on Good Fridays.

Brentwood Comitium: A new junior praesidium has been established in Brentwood East Curia and a new praesidium will start in Chelmsford in March. Many auxiliary members were recruited at a Legion stall during a parish mission and a newly set up Youth group meets monthly. Recruiting is directed to people met on visitation of homes, after Masses and new members received into the Church at Easter time. Events for the Causes are mentioned in many reports and works undertaken by most praesidia are home visitation where people of many faiths and none are met and legionaries speak to them of belief in God and in the Eucharist; visiting the elderly in their homes, nursing homes and bringing them Holy Communion.

Northampton Diocese: Both Curiae are working well. Worthwhile contacts are made with prisoners during prison visitation and the daughter of a lady visited regularly for 14 years decided to become a Catholic and asked a legionary to be her sponsor.

Southwark Comitium: Reports included details of 3 junior praesidia with a total membership of 56 and an intermediate one of 30 members who teach catechism, train altar servers, organise a monthly Rosary procession and a Faith study for youth.

Liverpool Senatus: The Archbishop, Most Rev. Patrick A. Kelly attended the September Senatus meeting. New praesidia have been set up and a Rosary club for children has resulted in the instruction of a child and its mother in the Faith. The Rosary is recited in Wakefield prison with about 18 men.

Senatus of Scotland: During contacts made at Fresher’s Day in Dundee University, names were got of 20 prospective legionaries. The praesidium, which runs the Wayside Club in Glasgow, has 19 members who cater for the spiritual and other needs of those who attend. Following extension and Peregrinatio Pro Christo work in Aberdeen, a praesidium has been set up with 32 possible members and 16 new auxiliaries.

Wales: Swansea Curia includes in its apostolate the running of a drop-in centre. A number of parishes in the Diocese have been approached for extension. Wrexham Curia has gained a new praesidium.




Visit to Concilium by Liverpool Senatus Officers

On Friday 12th February a meeting took place in Concilium with the Senatus President, Treasurer and Assistant Secretary of Liverpool Senatus as well as their correspondent and Concilium Officers. Attached to the Senatus are 15 praesidia, 8 Curiae and 5 Comitia and there is a Legion presence in 5 of the six Suffragan Dioceses. They are also caretakers for Sweden, Cardiff and Wrexham.

The main objective of the Senatus for the past two years has been extension and their efforts have been blessed with success in a number of the Liverpool City Parishes as well as two new praesidia established in North Lancaster. Visitation and keeping in close touch with their attached Councils was recommended as well as making a visit to each of the Bishops in the six Suffragan Dioceses.

In Sweden there are now 6 praesidia, which includes one in Lund University. They plan to visit Sweden in the coming year. In Wales there is a new praesidium in Cardiff University and a new praesidium has also been established in Wrexham.

Thanks were extended to the legionaries for the great Legion work they are undertaking and for their visit to Ireland.




Visit of UK Organisers of Peregrinatio Pro Christo and Council Officers to Concilium

On Saturday 13th February a meeting was held with the UK organisers of Peregrinatio Pro Christo and officers of the Senatus of Birmingham, Liverpool and Scotland. Also in attendance were the members of the Peregrinatio Pro Christo Committee and Concilium Officers.

A review of the 2009 projects indicated that a total of 325 volunteers participated. In relation to long-term evangelisation, legionaries in Scotland visit areas where there is no Legion presence, in the Liverpool vicinity it is proposed to organise regional conferences in areas, which are weak. The Birmingham council have an annual project to Berlin and Amsterdam.

A discussion took place on the main purpose of PPC - conversion work. It was suggested that officers of each council should focus on a parish where a PPC project has been completed and extension should be discussed with the Parish Priest and obtain permission to set up a praesidium. Follow-up is an important element of Peregrinatio Pro Christo. Birmingham officers put forward a challenge for 2010 that more organisers should be recruited so that a personal approach could be made to priest when proposing Peregrinatio Pro Christo to them.

Sincere thanks was expressed to all those who took part in the meeting.




Prayer for Christian Unity

On Saturday 23rd January 2010 in St. Theresa’s Church, Clarendon Street, Dublin prayers for Christian Unity were held. A Holy Hour conducted by Rev. Father Peter Sexton, SJ, University Chaplin T.C.D. was followed by Concelebrated Mass, the principal Celebrant and Homilist was Rev. Monsignor James Cassin, Executive Secretary, Episcopal Commission for Education.

In his introduction, Monsignor Cassin said, “This year emphasis is placed on the link between missionary endeavour and the desire for Christian Unity. The missionary commitment of the Church goes hand in hand with its ecumenical commitment. Because of our Baptism we are already one body and we are called to live in communion. God has made us brothers and sisters in Christ. This is the fundamental witness that we are called to. We pray God’s blessing on the work of Christian Unity. We ask pardon for our part in the things that divide us.”

A large attendance was present at this function and the Concilium thanked the legionaries in Assumpta Curia, Dublin for organising this successful event.




Commemoration Mass for the Servant of God, Alphonsus Lambe

To commemorate the 51st Anniversary of the death of The Servant of God Alfie Lambe, a Commemoration Mass took place in the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption, Kinnagad, Co. Westmeath on Sunday 24th January 2010 at 3.00 pm.

Fr Emmanuel Abue from Northern Nigeria, currently studying in Maynooth, was the main celebrant, Fr Oliver Skelly PP, Vice Postulator for the Cause also concelebrated. Nine of the juniors from the local praesidium read the prayers of the faithful. All those in attendance were greatly impressed by the enthusiasm of Fr Emmanuel who was greatly influenced by the missionary work and life of the young Irish Man, Alfie Lambe, in South America.

Everyone was invited to the refreshments afterwards and they were delighted to hear about the great promotion of Alfie Lambe’s Cause in Argentina in a short talk given by Edel Garcia and Laura Emilia Rodriguez, two former Concilium extension workers from Argentina.




Request for articles for Maria Legionis

In a recent issue of the Maria Legionis it was stated: “Since set up by Frank Duff in 1937 the magazine has been the voice of the Legion of Mary, bringing to life its spirit through articles on doctrine, devotion and practice combined with news of Legionary activities throughout the world.”
In order that the magazine should continue to fulfil this purpose legionaries are invited to send in articles (of not more than 800 words) dealing with the apostolate and mission of the Legion of Mary. Cameos and short narratives, based on legionary activities and experience, depicting interesting legionary apostolates, contacts or functions will be welcomed for consideration for possible publication in Maria Legionis. It would be helpful to have good photographs to accompany and illustrate the articles, which should be addressed to: The Editor, Maria Legionis, De Montfort House, Morning Star Avenue, Brunswick Street, Dublin 7, Ireland. e-mail address: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)




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
http://www.legion-of-mary.ie




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

Back to News

“Get back to Basics through the Study of the Handbook”

The Concilium was reminded of the theme for the Legion of Mary worldwide in 2010 “Get back to Basics through the Study of the Handbook”, as agreed at the December 2009 Concilium meeting. Councils were asked to ensure that all Praesidia receive a copy of the Handout given at the December meeting with the details, which are on the Legion website.

Back to News

Reports - AFRICA

CENTRAL AFRICA
Bangui Regia: The report for 2008/09 indicates that there are 20,870 Legion members in the Archdiocese of Bangui with a further 23,262 in the remaining 8 Dioceses. The Regia has submitted the text of the Handbook in Sango with a view to having it printed in that dialect.

DEMOCRATIC CONGO
Kinshasa Senatus: The Senatus has over 160,000 active members. A new Comitium, Mary Mother of Youth has 8 Curiae, 71 praesidia, 1,722 active members, 13 auxiliaries, 294 praetorians and 347 junior members. In a year, they visited 3,512 homes.

Bukavu Senatus: Election of officers took place on the 20th December 2009. The printing of the Handbook in Swahili is being undertaken.

Butembo Senatus: Legion matters are being managed well. The Senatus organised a pilgrimage to a shrine of Our Lady.

Lubumbashi Regia: There are good works undertaken by the Regia, which includes work in the prisons and this is well organised.

BURUNDI
Gitega Senatus are planning a Congress for next August. Bujumbura Regia announced with great joy the foundation of a Curia at Tenga, one of the black spots of ten years ago.

RWANDA
Kigali Senatus are considering a proposal for the establishment of a Regia at Cyangugu.

MARITIUS
Mauritius Regia: Regular reports from attached councils with particular attention being given to youth through organisation of retreats, teaching of Christian Doctrine to school children, recitation of the Rosary in families, preparation of children for First Holy Communion and Confirmation. New praesidia were recently formed in three colleges, Port Louis, Goodlands and Terre Rouge. Other works include home to home visitation, visitation of hospitals, accompanying Priest to the ill, care of the poor and AIDS sufferers. 150 legionaries were present at a Retreat organised by the Curia of Curepipe. The annual visit was undertaken by two legionaries to Rodrigues.

REUNION
St. Denis Comitium: Works for juniors include visitation of sick and aged accompanied by adults. They also help the priest by serving Mass and distributing Mass leaflets. Recruiting of juniors is one of their works. Work reports by senior legionaries include visiting the sick at home and in hospital, doing mortuary work, which includes recitation of prayers in the mortuary and at wakes and taking part in the Mass for the dead. They also counsel the bereaved. The Rosary is recited in retirement homes and first Saturday devotions organised. Five members are catechists.

MADAGASCAR
Curia Cause de Notre Joie held its 257 reunion in September 2009. The strongest Curia in the country is Stella Maris de Morondava.



ASIA

INDIA
Calcutta Comitium has 15 praesidia and 8 Curiae attached with an active membership of 650 senior, 75 junior and 350 auxiliary members. In the mountain regions of Nagaland there are 17 praesidia and the plan is to have the Handbook translated into the Angami language. Fishermen and farmers make up the majority of members in South Bengal. The Legion is Bangladesh is visited periodically, Chittagone was visited and Dacca, the capital, is due a visit.

Mumbai Regia: The Cardinal has allocated visitation of hospitals to the Regia, it in turn carried out a census of the hospitals and allocated them into the care of nearby praesidia. The apostolate to non-Christians, monthly extension and efforts to promote Edel Quinn are ongoing.

Kerala Senatus: The Legion works in 25 Dioceses and operates in all 3 Rites. Extension features in most reports. Catholics, non-Catholics and non-Christians are visited and much catechetical works are done.

Karnataka Regia operates in the Archdiocese of Banglore, which has 10 Suffragan Dioceses with the Legion working in all but one. Five Comitia, 15 Curiae and 10 praesidia make up the Regia. Families are encouraged to return to practice and in 2 slum areas 15 people changed from their illegal way of life.

Pondicherry Senatus: An Exploratio Dominicalis type project was undertaken by 51 legionaries to an area 300 kms away and split into 4 teams. Six praesidia were rejuvenated and 4 new ones were formed.

Tuticorin Comitium has 16 directly attached praesidia. The praesidia reporting have an average of 19 members and a new Comitium and Curia was established. 106 parishes don't have the Legion yet so each council has been tasked with some of these parishes for extension.

MYANMAR
The Senatus celebrated its 60th anniversary at which the Auxiliary Bishop Charles Bo said "almost all parishes have benefited from the apostolate of legionaries". The Senatus governs 2 Comitia, 7 Curiae and 19 praesidia. In a distant area 17 praesidia were discovered working well and are being formed into a Curia. In another area a curia almost wiped out in a cyclone in 2008 has reformed thanks to the support of Fr. Lay Cho - 10 of the 16 praesidia have restarted.

THAILAND
Much work in the area of Bible Study is being done for the education of adult Catholics, a work in which legionaries are assisting. 38 out of 60 couples in irregular situations had their marriages regularised. Students of all faiths are met. Study of the Handbook is been stressed.

PAKISTAN
In deference to the majority attending the Comitium meeting the proceedings were carried out in Urdu. Encouragement is being given to have minutes come more regularly. The legionaries ask for prayers in these troubled times.

SRI LANKA
Works mentioned include home, hospital and prison visitation. Health and nutritional education is added to the spiritual apostolate. English is taught to poor children. 51 attended a Legion Congress and the Lanka Comitium celebrated its golden jubilee with a Mass attended by the Archbishop, clergy, religious and over 3,000 lay people.

VIETNAM
Good statistical information is provided and a very solid apostolate is undertaken throughout the country. The officers have been invited to provide more details in reports presented to the Senatus. Higher councils are required in some Dioceses.



CENTRAL ASIA

KAZAKHSTAN
Minutes of the 2 Curiae have been received and are being translated.

ARMENIA
The Curia Mary Queen of Apostles in Yerevan consists of 2 senior and 1 junior praesidiae with hopes of further development. The membership is made up largely of a mix of nationalities, with a dedicated Spiritual Director Fr. Petros. Visitation of families, those with difficulties counselled and children for Baptism discovered.

GEORGIA
The praesidium in Ude have 6 members and since they started in February 2009 prepared 19 people for Confession and others for the Sacrament of Marriage as well as bringing 9 families back to the practice of their faith. The legionaries are hampered by not having the Handbook in Georgian. The praesidium in Vale also has 6 members.



MIDDLE EAST

ISRAEL
The Comitium in Jerusalem has 4 Curiae and praesidia are also working in Bethlehem, Nazareth, Jericho, Jaffa & Ramla, Ramallah, and Galilee/Meilia. Their membership is 548 active and 183 auxiliary members. This congress was attended by 450 members and had sessions on The Legion is Handbook Living, Commitment, Consecration and Obedience.

LEBANON
The Legion was well represented at a two-day meeting for Laity and at a National Forum for Youth. 25 young people participated in a holiday camp for youth organised by legionaries. 105 attended an all-day celebration of the 88th anniversary of
the foundation of the Legion after which a film on the start of the Legion in Dublin and in Beirut was shown.




NEW REGIAE

PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Mount Hagan
The Concilium raised the Comitium in Mount Hagan to Regia status.
The territory takes in the Archdiocese of Mount Hagan and its 4 Suffragan Dioceses (in this mountain region). There are 7,506 members been seniors and juniors. The new Regia comprises 11 praesidia, 5 Curiae and 3 Comitia. Ecclesiastical permission has been granted for the Regia.

NORTHERN PHILIPPINES
Lipa Regia
The Senatus of Northern Philippines (Manila) at its October 2009 meeting recommended a proposal to be put to the Concilium to raise Lipa Comitium to Regia. The territory covers the Archdiocese, its 3 Suffragan Dioceses, 2 Apostolic Vicariates and 1 Prelature. Between senior and juniors the membership is 4,772. The new Regia would comprise 21 praesidia, 1 junior and 6 senior Curiae and 3 Comitia. The 3 Comitia are located in Lucena (11 praesidia, 1 junior and 5 senior curiae), Gumaca (18 praesidia, 2 junior and 2 senior Curiae) and Calapan (9 praesidia, 1 junior and 6 senior Curiae). Ecclesiastical permission has been sought. The Senatus itself would be left with 13 praesidia, 1 junior, 2 senior Curiae, 15 Comitia and 3 Regiae. This new Regia in Lipa was approved by the January 2010 Concilium meeting.




Theme for the Legion of Mary worldwide in 2010:

"Get back to Basics through the Study of the Handbook"
At the December 2009 meeting, the Concilium agreed the above theme for the Legion worldwide during 2010 to generate a more intense and systematic study of the Handbook by all active legionaries.

"If every legionary were to spend 5 minutes a day in 2010 reading the Handbook what a difference it would make", said Tommy McCabe, President of Concilium.

It would lead us all to do the following:

"Have a greater presence of our Lady in our lives, to help us to see and serve Christ in everyone.

"Be more gentle in our treatment of people and our fellow legionaries.

"Get to know better the spirit of the Legion as well as the rules.

"Improve our government of the Legion through greater knowledge of Chapter 28 in the Handbook on "Government of the Legion ".

"Focus on the visitation of praesidia and councils and remember to use constructive suggestions at meetings, and all dealings with people. The Handbook tells us "to exclude all words and attitudes which are hostile to charity" and "to saturate meetings with the spirit of prayer and full Legion devotion". (Chapter 28,Section 1.25)

"Consult the Handbook as a first port of call when confronted with an issue or problem.

"Renew our zeal for evangelisation through study of the Handbook's Chapter 40 "Go Preach the Gospel to the Whole Creation". Be more aware that a council is responsible for its whole territory and not just the parishes, which have the Legion.




VISIT OF OFFICERS OF PARIS AND DAX REGIAE, FRANCE
The Officers of these two Councils had come to Dublin for discussion with the Concilium Officers and attended the Concilium meeting on Sunday 17th January 2010.
President of the Dax Regia, Marie Claire Brethous requested prayers to create a stronger council. She also thanked the legionaries whose work of evangelisation at the Permanence in Lourdes was gratefully appreciated. She thanked the Concilium for their welcome, help and prayers.

Monique Chevrot, President of the Paris Regia, said this year the Regia will be celebrating its 70th anniversary having been established in 1940.

Tommy McCabe, President of Concilium, thanked the Officers for coming to Dublin and wished them many graces and blessings in their work for the Legion of Mary.




VISIT OF EXTENSION WORKERS
Edel Teresa Garcia and Laura Emilia Rodriguez

The two legionaries thanked the Concilium for the privilege of working on extension on behalf of Concilium and also for the prayers for the work they carried out over a six-month period in the Senatus of Cordoba and Regia of Corrientes in Argentina.

In the Cordoba area they worked on the setting up of junior and young adult praesidia directing their efforts to parishes with a high number of young people and also the University parishes. During their stay in Cordoba they were also successful in organising a conference for young legionaries from different provinces in Argentina. They also had fruitful discussions with the Senatus officers.

In Corrientes Regia they were very impressed with the zeal of the legionaries and also the many that did great work setting up new praesidia in the shanty towns and rural areas. They were able to travel extensively to make contact with the distant councils attached to the Regia.

Edel and Laura also reported on the work done by young legionaries to promote the cause of the Servant of God Alfie Lambe. Meetings, discussion groups, a puppet show, a play and a video as well as many contacts with the youth were undertaken.

Each year a procession of young people including many legionaries walk a distance of 30 miles through the streets of Buenos Aires and with a police escort to Alfie's grave. On the way prayers, hymns and contact is made with those taking part. The legionaries invite onlookers to join them.

Tommy McCabe, President of Concilium, thanked them for coming to Ireland and for the great work they undertook in Argentina and to hear first hand what they are doing for the Cause of the Servant of God Alfie Lambe. He also thanked Ann Murray, Concilium Officer, and Noel Lynch, correspondent, for organising their itinerary.




The Servant of God, Alphonsus Lambe
Alfie Lambe was a model of patience, kindness, charity and perseverance - qualities which were apparent in all his dealings with his family, his friends, those he worked for and in his freely-chosen activities on behalf of the Legion of Mary. He considered no obstacle too great, no hardship too severe if by overcoming such handicaps he could win another soul for Christ.
He was born in Tullamore on June 24th 1932. From an early age his one ambition was to be an Irish Christian Brother. He entered the order at thirteen years of age, but the doctors decided that he would hardly be able to stand up to the rigours of religious life.

Returning home dejected, he later joined the Legion of Mary where he realised his true vocation. He volunteered to go as envoy to South America, into a vast territory that included Argentina, Ecuador, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia. Life was not easy. He had to learn to speak Spanish and adapt himself to the different customs of those around him. But Alfie was not a hermit, he was deeply interested in every individual with whom he came into contact.
Before Alfie was twenty-one, he was chosen to introduce the Legion of Mary to Ecuador. Here he did great work amongst the people and glowing reports were circulated about him. His days, weeks, months and years abroad were packed with activity. Alfie's apostolic zeal helped him to reach objectives, which could be called superhuman, even for a long and rich life. It is difficult to keep pace with his travels. Yet everywhere the branches of the Legion he established and flourishing and bear witness to his sound vision and practical outlook.

Alfie's holiness expressed itself about all things in his actions, in the simple and natural fulfilment of what he recognized as his duty - and this to the utter giving of self.

On the 21st January 1959, the feast of St. Agnes, the Concilium received a cable with the news of the envoy's death the wording of which said 'Alfie joined Edel today'.

Alfie Lambe Legion Envoy by Hilde Firtel




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, Ireland.

Back to News

New Regia for Northern Philippines

The Concilium approved, subject to ecclesiastical permission, the raising of Lipa Comitium to Regia. The territory of the Regia to cover the Archdiocese of Lipa, its 3 suffragen dioceses, 2 Apostolic Vicariates and 1 Prelature and to affiliate it to Manila Senatus. The new Regia to comprise 21 Praesidia, 1 junior and 6 senior Curiae and 3 Comitia.

Back to News

New Regia for PNG

The Concilium approved the raising of Mount Hagan Comitium to Regia and affiliating the Legion in the Archdiocese Mount Hagan and its 4 suffragen dioceses to the new Regia, which will then comprise 7,506 members, 11 Praesidia, 5 Curiae and 3 Comitia. Ecclesiastical permission has already been granted for this new Regia.

Back to News

Edel Garcia and Laura Emilia Rodriguez from Argentina were welcomed to the January Concilium meeting, they gave a brief insight into their extension on behalf of the Concilium in Argentina, where they made great efforts to contact the youth, students etc, encouraging them to join the Legion, establishing Praesidia and also working and encouraging the legionaries there.

They also reported on the wonderful efforts of the Argentinean legionaries to promote the Cause of the Servant of God Alfie Lambe, making him known through various activities, organising Pilgrimages / processions etc to his grave. Tommy McCabe, Concilium President thanked Laura and Edel and extended the Concilium's best wishes to all the Legionaries of Argentina.

Back to News

The Weekly Meeting

At our November meeting of the Concilium Officers (2009) to plan for the coming year we decided that the deepest renewal of the Legion all over the world would best be achieved by going back to the basics of the spirit and government of the Legion. We go backwards only in order to go more truly forward. With this aim n view we began with the Legion Promise. It is important to be always aware of what the Legionary has promised the Holy Spirit and Mary with a view to bringing Jesus into the center of our own personal lives and to ensure that the Legion is everywhere and at all times absolutely christocentric. The presence of Jesus comes into the world through the relationship of the Holy Spirit and Mary. The legionary seeks to enter into that mutual and intimate relationship.

Now we wish to reflect on the Standing Instruction that is so important that the President of the praesidium must read it prayerfully and attentively at the first meeting of every month. The first item of the Instruction may seem to be very matter of fact and surprisingly simple and perhaps even uninspiring but it contains a limitless possibility for holiness and an extraordinary power for apostolic fruitfulness. It reads as follows: 'Legionary duty requires from each legionary:- First, the punctual and regular attendance at the weekly meetings of the praesidium, and the furnishing there of an adequate and audible report on the work done'.

The question arises: why does the Handbook and why does Frank Duff throughout his life put so much emphasis on the weekly meeting of the praesidium? The Handbook puts the importance of the weekly meeting this way: 'This weekly meeting is the heart of the Legion from which the life-blood flows into all its veins and arteries. It is the power-house from which its light and energy are derived. It is the treasury out of which its own special needs are provided for. It is the great community exercise, where someone sits unseen in the midst of them according to promise; where the peculiar grace of the work is bestowed; and where the members are imbued with the spirit of religious discipline, which looks first to the pleasing of God and personal sanctification.

'The legionaries shall therefore regard attendance at their weekly praesidium meeting as their first and most sacred duty to the Legion. Nothing else can supply for this; without it their work will be like a body without a soul. Reason tells us, and experience proves, that neglect in regard to this primary duty will be attended by ineffective work, and will too soon be followed by defection from the Legion's ranks.' Those are very striking words indeed.

Still we ask why the weekly meeting is the primary duty of every legionary. Well, first the praesidium is a cell of the mystical body of Christ; it is a place where we meet the Risen Christ alive and acting in his body. Where two or three are gathered in his name there He is in their midst. We come to pray with Our Lord and to plan with Him to play our part in the work of the salvation of souls. A Legion meeting is not like a Board of Management meeting or any other type of purely secular committee meeting with secular goals and ethos. It must always be primarily a meeting of a cell of the mystical Body of Christ and that is its essential ethos. Its ultimate goal must always be the salvation of souls. The Legion must always have an eye on eternity and it seeks with its whole being that souls should enjoy eternal life in heaven. Other organisations may deal with the praiseworthy and important aims of saving the body and political goals but the Legion is unswervingly focused on the health and eternal life of the soul.

Inseparably linked to the fact and conviction that the praesidium is a cell of the Mystical Body of Jesus and therefore a special presence of the Risen Lord is the truth that the Praesidium is also a special presence of Mary to the meeting, Mary is the mother of the Mystical body and wherever you have a cell of this Body you will have a special presence of Mary mothering and working through its members. The Handbook puts this truth very cogently: 'That apostolate is united to and sustained by the mothering of Mary "who gave to the world the Life that renews all things, and who was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role" (LG 56). She continues to fulfil that role through the ministry of those willing to help her. A praesidium places at her disposal a group of loving souls eager to help her in that office. It is certain that she will accept that aid. Therefore a praesidium may be imagined as a sort of local presence of Mary through which she will display her unique gifts and reproduce her motherhood. So it can be expected that a praesidium, which is true to its ideals will bestow around itself life and renewal and healing and solutions. Places with problems should apply this spiritual principle.' I think that fidelity to the weekly meeting is a very practical way of practicing central aspects of St. Louis Marie's true devotion to Mary.

Finally, the praesidium meeting is a Cenacle experience: A gathering of disciples around Mary with a view to receiving the Holy Spirit and therefore to be sent out as missionaries of Mary to wherever the spiritual needs of people are most urgent and profound. So to go to a Legion meeting should be to go to a place of grace and joy and apostolic zeal. It should be an experience of Pentecost. In our efforts to go back to basics I think it is of supreme importance to go back to the doctrinal foundations of the weekly meeting.

In our next Allocutio we shall tray to show how the practical details of a praesidium meeting can and should be sources of great grace and growth for the Legion and its individual members.

Back to News

Tommy McCabe, Concilium President informed the Concilium that proposals from the Concilium Officers annual planning meeting held in November 2009, will be brought before the Concilium for discussion in the coming months. The first proposal from the Concilium officers was their recommendation for the Legion theme for the next year, namely: “Get back to Basics through the Study of the Handbook”

After some discussion, the Concilium agreed that “Get back to Basics through the Study of the Handbook ” would be the theme for the Legion of Mary worldwide in 2010.

“Get back to Basics through the Study of the Handbook”

The Concilium recommends a more intense and systematic study of the handbook by all active legionaries.
This should lead us all to do the following:

- Have a greater presence of our Lady in our lives, to help us to see and serve Christ in everyone.

- Be more gentle in our treatment of people and our fellow legionaries.

- Get to know better the spirit of the Legion as well as the rules.

- Improve our government of the Legion through greater knowledge of Chapter 28 in the handbook on “Government of the Legion “.

- Focus on the visitation of praesidia and councils and remember to use constructive suggestions at meetings, and all dealings with people. The handbook tells us “to exclude all words and attitudes which are hostile to charity” and “to saturate meetings with the spirit of prayer and full Legion devotion”. (Chapter 28,Section 1.25)

- Consult the handbook as a first port of call when confronted with an issue or problem.

- Renew our zeal for evangelisation through study of the handbook’s Chapter 40 “Go Preach the Gospel to the Whole Creation”. Be more aware that a council is responsible for its whole territory and not just the parishes, which have the legion.
If every legionary were to spend 5 minutes a day in 2010 reading the handbook what a difference it would make.

@ December 2009

Back to News

Last month we suggested that some of the most basic and empowering elements in the spirit of the Legion as found in the Handbook are the Legionary Promise and the Standing Instruction. What exactly do we commit ourselves to in the Legionary Promise? It is crystal clear that we promise to submit ourselves totally to the Holy Spirit with Mary, in Mary and through Mary. The Holy Spirit is the principle of fruitfulness in the Church and therefore in the Legion too just as he is pre-eminently fruitful in Mary. There cannot be any fruitfulness in the apostolate without the Holy Spirit being at work in the apostolic activity. He is the primary agent in evangelisation and our personal sanctification. Our founder, Frank Duff was so profoundly convinced of this principle that he entrusted the whole Legion to the Holy Spirit and enshrined it in the Legionary Promise. He sees Mary as the best way of becoming radically open to and consecrated to the Holy Spirit. So we are totally and utterly dependent on Mary as the most effective way of having a true devotion and consecration to the Holy Spirit.

Of course, these doctrinal principles did not originate with Frank Duff but are rooted directly in Sacred Scripture and the great tradition of the Church. The Advent and Christmas Liturgy is full of the roles of the Holy Spirit and Mary in bringing Jesus into the world and into our own personal lives. The Legion is steeped in the good news of the Incarnation; it is essentially a Christmas movement and therefore rooted in the joy of God coming among us and dwelling within us. Let us take a brief look at the texts of St. Mathew's Gospel: 'This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His Mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they came together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.' And then an angel of the Lord came to explain to Joseph this important principle: 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit.' Saint Luke emphasises the same principle: 'How can this come about since I am a virgin?' 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you' the angel answered and 'the power of the Most high will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called the Son of God.' The Legion has seized on these Gospel texts so that they have become her very soul and most powerful inspiration. Jesus comes into our world through Mary and the Holy Spirit. There is no other way in God's plan.

What is true of the birth of Christ in the Incarnation is also true of the birth of Christ in his mystical Body, the Church. It is the relationship between Mary and the Holy Spirit that brings Jesus close to us in his mystical Body and enables Jesus to abide in us and we in Him. And it is this abiding in Jesus that bears must fruit. Without him we can do absolutely nothing that has any eternal value. So we think of Pentecost the birth of the Church as described in the Acts of the Apostles: 'All these joined in continuous prayer, together with several women, including Mary the Mother of Jesus and with his brothers.' It must be noted that the Holy Spirit comes upon them when they are in the company of Mary. That is always the case. We remember the words of our great Patron, Saint Louis Marie de Montfort: 'where there is Mary there also is the Holy Spirit.' This saying like almost everything in the Handbook finds its roots in Sacred Scripture: 'Now as soon as Elizabeth hear Mary's greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.' The Legionary is someone who listens for the voice of Mary that he too may be filled with the Holy Spirit.

So let me end by wishing all my brothers and sisters in the Legion a happy Christmas and a joyful New Year. And as you enter more deeply into the Liturgy of the Christmas Season, may you come to realise once again how deeply the graces of this time are embedded in our Legionary Promise and our Legion life.

Back to News

REPORTS - AFRICA
KENYA: Senatus of Kenya: A praesidium of 18 in Nairobi restarted a junior praesidium, and care for Venerable Edel's grave. Kisumu Regia with approx. 25,000 members celebrated its Silver Jubilee. Reports show 712 adults, in danger of death, were baptised, 613 marriages validated, 1,255 adults and 760 infants baptised, l67 lapsed legionaries rejoined. Twelve visits were made to prisons. Ten witch doctors were visited and 5 agreed to burn their tools and are taking instruction.

Machakos Comitium reported 10 Protestants under instruction. Please pray for rain to alleviate Kenya's current great famine.

UGANDA
Uganda Senatus: Works include home and hospital visitation, teaching catechism, contacting street girls and the homeless. Legionaries working in prisons console and encourage people not to lose hope. Another work is counteracting witchdoctors' activities. Reports show many conversions, returns to the Church, marriage validations etc. One Tertiary Institution Curia with 19 Praesidia set up a University Praesidium and revived 4 groups. Three priests and 362 students participated in a School Congress. Twenty traders at a city commercial hall began praying the Angelus daily. A Mass for Frank Duff was held on 7th Nov. Southern Sudan - under Ugandan caretakership has 12,199 senior members, 10 praesidia, 103 Curia and the Legion is in 5 of the 6 Dioceses.

NIGERIA
Abuja Regia: Twenty-five praesidia were started in one Comitium. Another Comitium recruited over 400 members, yet another council reported 14 conversions including 3 Muslims. Kaduna Regia covers 7 dioceses and has 7 praesidia, 1 Curia and 15 Comitia directly attached with 12,820 senior and 6,631 junior and 1,248 auxiliary members. Lagos Regia: A Comitium reported 30 senior and 30 junior praesidia plus two junior Curiae formed, four street girls left a brothel and now attend a catechism class. Two new Comitia have been set up. A Comitium and a Curia both reported increases of over 600 members.

Ibadan Senatus: Attendances - 53% of praesidia and 67% of Council officers. Benin City Regia reported 479 conversions including 31 Muslims. One Comitium had 129 marriages regularised and 312 lapsed returned.
Enugu Senatus councils and praesidia reported large numbers being prepared for the Sacraments, organising the blessing of marriages and the settling of family disputes. The Bishops of Abaliki and Nsukka gave approval for two new Regiae in their Dioceses. The Legion is in all areas of Onitsha Regia. Evangelisation projects to weaker areas were undertaken. An attached Comitium has 2 junior Curiae in a secondary school, 2 of its 19 senior Curiae are in a University and 5 of its 15 attached praesidia are in the University training hospital. 62 pagans were converted and 47 senior praesidia were established. The Hausa Comitium in Jos Regia reported conversion of 6 traditionalists and a Muslim, 359 marriages blessed and 1,255 legionaries recruited.

MALAWI
Blantyre Regia is pleased with the restructuring of the Legion in Malawi as reported in the November bulletin. An annual report and audit have been received. A junior congress was held. Poor attendance in some areas is caused by the rainy season. The Bishop of Manguchi blessed the new Regia office accommodation.

ZAMBIA
Lusaka Regia: Works include visits to the sick at home, in hospices and hospitals. 180 members attended a retreat. A legionary spoke at the National Council for Catholic Women. An Edel Quinn Mass was held and True Devotion to Mary is studied. Kasama Regia has 9,124 senior and 3,378 junior members. It covers 3 Dioceses and has 14 praesidia, 7 Curiae and 14 Comitia directly attached.

TANZANIA
Dar-Es-Salaam Comitium has 10 Curiae and 139 praesidia, distance contribute to poor attendance. The 3 Legion Causes are promoted especially Venerable Edel Quinn. Two legionaries are to attend monthly to help a praesidium in a Moslem area. The 'Meet the Legion' DVD was shown on TV. They find the Concilium bulletin beneficial. Bukoba Comitium with 2,949 seniors (majority under 40) and 500 juniors has 36 praesidia and 27 Curiae attached. Kahama Comitium has 4 praesidia and 10 Curiae directly attached with 947 seniors (majority under 40), 83 juniors and 204 auxiliary members. 152 attended the Acies Ceremony, which was preceded by a retreat. Mbinga Comitium has 1,740 seniors, 1,700 juniors and 35 auxiliary members. Njombe Comitium: June and July minutes are being translated. Sumbawanga Diocese: Half of the 3,545 seniors are under 40 and there are 60 juniors and 596 auxiliaries. The Legion is in 18 of the 19 Dioceses and there are 158 praesidia, 37 Curiae and 6 Comitia. Hai Comitium has 9 Curiae and 14 presidia attached. Rombo Comitium with 16 senior, 2 junior Curiae and 29 praesidia attached, is recruiting juniors and reviving praesidia. 24 praesidia were discovered in Geitha Diocese. Mtwara Comitium visits the sick, has 26 praesidia and 5 Curiae directly attached. Mpanda has 62 praesidia, 10 Curiae and 1 Comitium.

GAMBIA
Banjul Curia welcomed two officers from Accra Senatus who attended praesidia, worked with members and discussed their main work of home visitation. Christians and Moslems live harmoniously together. In Faranfenni 35 adults and 27 juniors were recruited. A Priest commended the Legion for "being the sole society in the Church bringing in hundreds of converts".



SOUTH AMERICA

COLUMBIA
Bogota Senatus: In Villavicencio 29 praesidia were set up and a Comitium divided. Catechism is taught to prisoners and soldiers receive the sacraments. A new Comitium has been set up in the Diocese of Soacha and a junior praesidium in Bogota. A Columban drive resulted in 23 praesidia of youths between 14 and 25 years old; also 2 new Curiae of 4 and 6 praesidia. The Comitium in Bogota reported that the public rosary has resulted in many conversions. A praesidium in a poor area taught poor people how to make jam and sweets.

Medellin Senatus: The legionaries of one Curia give classes for reading and writing with attendances between 80 and 100. Legionaries have succeeded in convincing couples living together but not married, to go to confession and receive the sacraments. Another Curia visits prison inmates to console them and teach them catechism. In October they study and deepen their knowledge of True Devotion to Mary. They encourage prayers of intercession to the 3 Legion Causes and ask that any favours granted be reported to the Senatus. A third Curia evangelises on local radio and in rural areas they teach people to cultivate gardens.

ECUADOR
Senatus of Quito: They have many new members, some young. An extension project resulted in 20 taking the promise; the priest has requested the Legion in 2 other barrios. Attention is given to street children in Riobamba and a meal is given to native Indians at the Bishops request (he is the Spiritual Director). Portoviejo has 24 junior praesidia; catechism is provided and they were advised to start the Patricians as the sects are working hard here. One Curia was set up and another is in formation.

PARAGUAY
Senatus of Asuncion: A Peregrinatio Pro Christo project was held in the Cacupe area in several parishes; 1116 homes were visited with 3321 adults and 2112 children spoken to. Workshops were held to show legionaries how to properly record information during contact work.

URUGUAY
Senatus of Montevideo: The legion promise is renewed every 3 months. They have a Tribune, the former Senatus President who knew Alfie Lambe. The Vice Postulator for Alfie Lambes cause Irene Sauer, spoke on TV for 20 minutes and was also on the radio; a report was published in the Diocesan newspaper.

VENEZUELA
Senatus of Caracas: Councils have regular Columban Drives and Exploratio Dominicalis and candidates are being sought for an Incola Mariae project. Four Peregrinatio Pro Christo projects and one Maria et Patria project resulted in some new praesidia. They have held a Congress. News is awaited on the division of the Regia of Barquisimeto where nine new praesidia were formed. There is much development among the young: a biblical theatre was held; 3 new junior praesidia have been set up; 119 young people attended a praesidium function while 25 attended a retreat with hopes of forming a junior praesidium from it. Conversions include a Jehovah Witness, a youth practicing witchcraft and a prostitute who was taught to be a dressmaker. In Los Teques contact is made with 20 native Indians.

CHILE
Senatus of Chile: Extension: New praesidia are being set up in parishes where they had not existed before according to the reports of the Junior Curia and other attached councils. The Junior Curia has two senior and two junior officers. The Legion Causes are reported on and Masses are held to celebrate the anniversaries. Special attention, naturally, is given to Alfie Lambe as "one of their own". Prayers through the intersession of Alfie are being offered by legionaries and non-legionaries for a cure for a Senatus officer, diagnosed with lung cancer. True Devotion has been highlighted in the last few months and legionaries were encouraged to attend retreats, which are being given by a religious congregation dedicated to spread of the True Devotion. Works: Junior legionaries do home visitation with seniors as well as train new alter servers. When legionaries do statue visitation, the host family invite their friends and this gives the legionaries a wider scope to evangelise.

BOLIVIA
Senatus of La Paz: Extension into new areas is ongoing; there are reports of new praesidia set up and the aftercare of recently set up praesidia; all Dioceses of the country have the Legion. The Legion Causes are mentioned and, as in Chile, prayers through the intercession of Alfie are being offered. True Devotion to Mary comes up in correspondence and is being discussed at the Senatus congress. The Senatus Spiritual Director, Auxiliary Bishop of La Paz, makes a point of holding meetings with the legionaries of the country's interior when he goes on visitation of outlying Dioceses. Both Bolivia and Chile Senatus are excellent in sending on their monthly minutes shortly after the meeting so that they have an answer back from Concilium in time for the following meeting.

PERU
Senatus of Lima: During the period 4 Comitia, 6 Curiae and 6 praesidia reported. Most councils have either a junior Curia or some junior praesidia. Reports indicated that 21 new praesidia were set up. Most of the councils report a praesidium working in the local jail and one Curia has a praesidium of 8 in the jail. Large numbers of prisoners have returned to the practice of the faith. One Curia, of mostly illiterate indigenous people, works with their own community. Many reports indicate an apostolate to taxi men and street traders. A praesidium, which had difficulty accessing apartment blocks, persevered and met over 300 families. A successful, well-attended retreat was held for members of the Senatus praesidia. An apostolate is carried out to patients in an Adventist Clinic. Public rosaries are commonplace.

CUBA
Havana Comitium: During this period one Curia and 5 praesidia reported. Reports indicate that the main works of the Legion is teaching catechism. Legionaries led prayers with families of prisoners. Some families receive the Fatima statue in their homes. Two new permanent deacons were ordained, both had been active legionaries.



EUROPE

AUSTRIA
A programme "60 year of the Legion in Austria" was shown on the Catholic TV station, which also filmed part of a Senatus meeting. A praesidium attached to the Senatus organized a retreat for homeless AIDS suffers. Comitia and Curiae give news of visitation to their attached praesidia and Curiae. Extension efforts resulted in the setting up of a senior and junior praesidia and five Patrician groups. 220 persons attended a retreat organized by Unter dem Wienerwald Comitium for those away from the Church.

SLOVAKIA
A second Slovakian praesidium was set up in Zeliz Comitium.

CZECH REPUBLIC
Bishop Karel Herbst was appointed as Spiritual Director to Prag Comitium. Bruenn Comitium have printed the Austrian Legion magazine and the Edel Quinn prayer leaflets in the Czech language.

MOLDOVIA
The Bishop thanked Chisinau Curia for organizing the baptism of adults.

UKRAINE
During a four- week period in the Summer Elizabeth Kriss and Rita Laner from Austria accompanied by 2 local legionaries visited the Zhitomir Comitium, 7 Curiae and 6 distant praesidia. Legionary apostolate in Western Ukraine has resulted in many people led to prayer, confession and many marriages regularized. In Eastern Ukraine the focus is on caring for newly converted people, teaching the Rosary, and distributing the Miraculous Medal. The Austrian correspondents group of 6, for the Ukraine, is working satisfactorily.

BELARUS
After their return home from their visit to Dublin, the Comitium Officers met with Archbishop Kondrusevich, gave him an account of their visit and presented him with books on Frank Duff and Edel Quinn. He has agreed to offer Mass for Frank Duff on 7th June 2010, circumstances permitting. He would like them to put information about the Legion on their Catholic website. The Comitium is in the process of following up on some of the suggestions made at their meeting with the Concilium Officers. Curiae and praesidia continue with extension efforts in new parishes. A recently established praesidium in Minsk tells in their first report to the Comitium of 10 persons brought back to the Sacraments and the baptism of a boy.

CROATIA
Zagreb Regia has 13 directly attached praesidia, 5 Curiae and 2 Comitia. Extension is ongoing. New senior and junior praesidia were established. All degrees of Legion membership are promoted. Many priests have undertaken the Adjutorian degree. Prison visitation figures prominently in reports. A prison director commended the legionaries for their work, saying he noticed a positive change in behaviour, not only of prisoners but also the guards. Many prisoners accepted the invitation to Confession and Holy Mass. Other items of interest were the conversion of a Moslem and of a declared atheistic journalist, who through the persevering efforts of legionaries asked for the Sacrament of Reconciliation at the end of his life.

BOSNIA AND HERZGOVINA
The Legion is established in one of the three Dioceses. There is one Curia in Sarajevo, which has 4 praesidia. Contact was made with two Parish Priests who are willing to have the Legion. Legionaries help the Priests to organize Confession and Mass in a Gerontology Centre where 60 people received the Sacraments.

HUNGARY
Works undertaken include visitation to hospitals, welfare homes, orphanages, Bible classes for children and organizing pilgrimages. In the Hungarian speaking region of Western Romania there is a praesidium among traveling people in Szatmar Comitium and a Nazareth group among their children. Nagybatomy Comitium has 56 Nazareth groups. They have been encouraged to set up junior praesidia.

LATVIA
Extension efforts were made in Jelgava and Riga. Priests were visited, the Legion explained and the Handbook left with them. The Bishop of Liepaja invited Legionaries to speak after Sunday Masses. One new praesidium was set up in the Rezekne Diocese.

LITHUANIA
A Comitium is to be established in Telsiai Diocese, subject to ecclesiastical approval, where there is 3 Curiae with 24 praesidia. Kaunas Comitium has 10 Curiae attached having gained 2 new Curiae. A new praesidium of 7 members has started in Panevezs Diocese. Items featured in reports were: work with drug addicts, teaching catechism to adults and children and return of practice of a lapsed family.

POLAND
Lublin Regia: four new praesidia have been set up. Church Curia in Swidnik and the Curia in St. Jadwiga Parish, Lublin do extensive visitation of homes. Other works mentioned were: working in a night shelter, organizing children's Rosary groups, a men's living Rosary circle, pilgrimages and a Pauline Congress with 63 legionaries participating. Some of the results reported were 20 people receiving the Sacrament of Penance, 2 couples had their marriage regularized and 5 baptisms. Warsaw Comitium: On 25the September 2009 the first meeting of the new Comitium Warsaw/Praga was held. Archbishop Hoser appointed Fr. Tomasz Nowaczek, PP of Our Lady of Lourdes, Warsaw as Spiritual Director. The Comitium governs 3 Curiae and 16 praesidia. On 12th September the fifteenth National Pilgrimage of the Legion of Mary in Poland to the National Shrine of Czestochowa gathered approximately 8.000 people. Two Bishops and 70 Priest concelebrated the Mass.



Death of Fr. Herman Nolan, C.P.
An obituary on the life of Fr. Herman Nolan was given by Sile Ni Chochláin, Vice President of Concilium.

Fr. Herman was born on 14th June 1931 and died on the feast of St. Lawrence O'Toole 14th November 2009. He grew up in the environs of Mount Anville where his father looked after the convent grounds. He has been described as poet, artist, mystic and prophet. He could turn his hand to mending anything from bicycles, locks, statues, to the crib in Mount Argus when he could carve and sculpt in equal measure. He loved the bicycle and nothing gave him greater pleasure than to cycle to Glendalough.

He was ordained a Passionist on 22nd December 1962, an Order he loved and served well. He was a lover of souls, whether he met them at the back of Mount Argus, as he would say himself, when he was mooching around, or while out on the Dublin mountains or on the Legion cycling trips with Frank Duff.

His other great love was the Legion of Mary having been a member prior to entry into the Passionists and resuming soon after he was Ordained. He was ready to say yes to any request made of him. He was appointed Spiritual Director of Praedicanda Junior Curia in the 1960's and later of Mary Spouse of the Holy Spirit Senior Curia in Dublin where he attended each month. He was Spiritual Director of Our Lady of Loreto praesidium in Annunciata Curia and the Friday morning praesidium in the Morning Star Hostel where he faithfully attended, he also regularly attended An Réalt meetings and the Patricians in Rathmines and many other Legion functions until he was struck with Legionnaire's disease four years ago.

All who knew him will remember him with fondness as an optimistic, generous hearted priest who loved his country, his language, the Legion and his Priesthood giving his all, right to the end of his journey, on this earth.

May his soul rest in peace.



Visit to Brazil
In September Tadhg McMahon visited 5 Senatus, 2 Regiae and several Comitia, which covered seven States in the South, Centre and Northeast of Brazil. In each area, meetings were held with council officers and correspondents.

In Rio de Janerio he had a live radio interview of about 20 minutes, visited the Archbishop Dom Orani Pestana, and had a meeting with the Auxiliary Bishop Dom Edson Castro Homem who is Spiritual Director of the Senatus and the representatives of the National Bishops' Conference to the Legion. In Rio the main event was the Eucharistic celebration in the Cathedral with an attendance of 6,000, which lasted four hours. This was to mark the Golden Jubilee of the setting up of the Senatus. Other councils visited were the Senatus' of Belo Horizonte, Salvador, Recife, Sao Luis and the Regiae of Brazilia and Maceio.

The Legion in Brazil continues to grow and develop with many younger members helping with the work of administering the increasing numbers of praesidia and councils and the setting up of the Legion in new Dioceses.

Tommy McCabe, President of Concilium, thanked Tadhg McMahon for making these visits to the various councils during his stay in Brazil at the request of the Concilium, while there in a private capacity.



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, Ireland.

Back to News

Nominations were sought for the office of Assistant Secretary of Concilium as Ann Murray had completed her first 3 year term. Ann Murray was proposed and seconded and as there were no other nominations, she was duly elected Assistant Secretary for a second term.

Back to News

Tommy McCabe,Concilium President and Paddy Fay, Concilium correspondent for the Legion in Korea represented the Concilium recently at a meeting in the offices of the Pontifical Council for the Laity ,Rome .The Legion was invited to participate and contribute to this meeting , in preparation for a Congress of Catholic lay people from Asia on Evangelization, to be held in Seoul ,Korea August/September 2010 .

Back to News

In order for the Legion and every Legionary to realise our full potential we have to habitually go back to the basics. There is no other way for the Legion to be renewed and flourish. If we don't commit ourselves again and again to the basics, there is a real danger or indeed the probability that we will implode and take deviant paths and fail Mary and the Church. But what are the basics? The basics are to be found in the Handbook but there are surely some parts of the Handbook, which are more important than others although every part is important and we neglect them at our peril. I would suggest that the indispensable core of the Legion Handbook is the Legion Promise and the Standing Instruction to be read out at the first meeting of a praesidium every month. If these two imperatives of the Legion are frequently pondered and joyfully lived, then the Legion will inevitably become a school of holiness and of authentic apostolate.

One can get an extended and helpful commentary on the Legion Promise in the book 'The Theology of the Apostolate' by Cardinal Suenens. That book has earned a place in every Legion library. Let me just offer a few reflections and suggestions. The Promise is a most intimate and radical conversation with the Holy Spirit and marks the beginning of a whole new way of life that changes us forever. We promise and earnestly ask that the Holy Spirit will be at the very center of our lives. We say:

'Most Holy Spirit, desiring to be enrolled this day as a Legionary of Mary,
Yet knowing that of myself I cannot render worthy service,
Do ask of you to come upon me and fill me with yourself,
So that my poor acts may be sustained by your power and become an instrument of your mighty purposes.'

So the first thing every Legionary does is to ask the Holy Spirit to come upon him. He asks to be totally immersed in the Holy Spirit. Come O Holy Spirit fill the heart of your faithful. This prayer needs to be prayed not only at the beginning of every Legion meeting but at the beginning of every Legion prayer of activity. Would it not be so right and fitting that both inside and outside the Legion that the Legion would be known as a place where the Holy Spirit is truly recognized, loved and honoured. Legionaries are people who are totally committed to the Holy Spirit and live and rejoice in Him. The Holy Spirit must have absolute primacy in the Legion.

But how do we establish this relationship with the Holy Spirit in the Legion? The next paragraph of the Promise gives us the answer.

'But I know that you, who has come to regenerate the world in Jesus Christ, has not will to do so except through Mary.
That without her we cannot know or love you;
That it is by her, and to whom she pleases, when she pleases, and in the quantity and manner she pleases,
That all your gifts and virtues and graces are administered;
And I realize that the secret of a perfect legionary service consists in a complete union with her who is so completely united to you.'

We need to go over this passage very slowly and reflectively because as the Promise states: here you have the secret of the Legion. What precisely is the secret of the Legion? Well, first the legionary is convinced that without Mary we cannot know and love the Holy Spirit. Secondly, the secret 'consists in a complete union with her who is so completely united with you'. The first part of the secret is a complete union with Mary. We need to underline the words 'complete union with Mary'. It is not only union at certain times and places and certainly not half hearted union but complete and utter union with Mary in everything and everywhere, with our very souls and with nothing held back. It is this complete union with Mary that infallibly leads us to complete immersion in the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit together with Mary that brings Jesus into the world. It is at the heart of our Catholic Creed: 'El incarnates est de Spiritu Sancto ex Maria Virgine' which means that God took flesh from the Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit. That is eternally true and the living of that truth is what it means to be a Legionary. The complete union of the Holy Spirit, Mary and the Legionary is the doctrinal basis and specific charism or vocation of the Legion. We bring Jesus into the world by uniting ourselves completely with Mary and the Holy Spirit. And that is evangelisation.

When the doctrinal foundation of the Legion is obscured the Legion becomes weakened and vulnerable. We need to keep hammering at our call to complete union with Mary in order to be completely open to the Holy Spirit. Then the Legion becomes a school of holiness and the apostolate because that is how Jesus comes into our own lives and the life of the world. We will continue our return to the basics in our next allocutio with the help of the Holy Spirit and Mary.

Back to News

The raising of a Senatus and four new Regiae

There has been significant growth and development of the Legion in Malawi in recent years. The Concilium approved, subject to ecclesiastical agreement, the raising of four Comitia (St Peter's,Mzuzu Diocese , Maula, Lilongwe Diocese , Dedza,Dedza Diocese and Balaka, Mangochi Diocese ) to Regia status and the raising of Blantyre Regia to Senatus,to govern the Archdiocese of Blantyre and the six suffragen dioceses of Malawi

Back to News

REPORTS - SOUTH AMERICA
ARGENTINA: Cordoba Senatus: - Correspondence is being undertaken by email. One of the attached Curia has set up its first junior praesidium. Corrientes Regia: There are plans for extension and for opening of new councils. Street contact with the Miraculous Medal is done in preparation for important "Fiestas Patronales". Rosario Regia: A Curia with 14 praesidia has 12 catechists who teach catechism to children and adults and also to inmates in the jails. The Rosary is being recited at a bus terminal. A Comitium with 5 attached Curiae and 43 praesidia reported that there were many returns to the practice of the faith, especially among the elderly. Some parents and children received the sacraments together for the first time. They have many prayer groups and visit the jails weekly.

BRAZIL
Belo Horizonte Senatus: - True Devotion to Our Blessed Lady is promoted on home visitation. In two apartment buildings the recitation of the Rosary has developed a good community spirit. In a prison where a rebellion had taken place contact was made with the new prison governor and the rebellious prisoners. Street contact in the city center leads to lively contacts with people of all ages and members of various religions including religious leaders. Legion membership in the attached Montes Claros Regia increased from about 13,500 to almost 20,000 in the past four years.

Recife Senatus: This Senatus have begun to publish a Legion journal for Brazil with a circulation of 20,000 copies. Three hundred young legionaries took part in an all night vigil. The result of a Peregrinatio project is the building of a chapel.

Rio de Janeiro Senatus: The Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro, Dom Orani Pestana attended the September Senatus meeting and invited legionaries to be in a permanent state of mission, depending on Mary, Our Mother, the first Evangeliser, to evangelise with renewed enthusiasm. On the previous day, 5,000 legionaries were present when the Golden Jubilee of the setting up of the Senatus was celebrated with Mass in the Cathedral. The chief celebrant was Dom Edson Castro Homem, Auxiliary Bishop and Senatus Spiritual Director. Catechesis and visitation to promote the reception of the Sacraments is the primary work of the Legion in the Senatus. A legionary from the Senatus spent three months visiting 34 praesidia, 12 Curiae and 5 Comitia in the Amazonian region and set up three new praesidia. The attached Belem Regia set up the Legion in four more Dioceses.

Salvador Senatus: The affiliated Regia of Aracajú celebrated the Golden Jubilee of the founding of the Legion there with Mass in a sports stadium at which the Archbishop of Aracajú, Dom Jose Palmeira Lessa was chief celebrant. This was preceded by a procession of thousands of legionaries through the streets to the stadium. During some entertainment later a special tribute to Ireland was presented by a display of céili dancing
.
São Luis Senatus: The Sacraments, the Bible and the Rosary are promoted on visitation. A group of 77, including children and adults, were prepared for Baptism. Care was given to a young person dying of aids, arranging medical care and his obsequies.

São Paulo Senatus: The Senatus celebrated its Golden Jubilee in June and the Second Spiritual Directors' Conference was held in Sao Paulo in October. A retreat for young legionaries had an attendance of 80. Some results from the legionary apostolate were: the return to Mass and the Sacraments of a family, the return to the Church of a 99 year old lady who had become an evangelical and seven people receiving Baptism and the Eucharist as a result of home visitation.

Brasilia Regia: The Regia has included the Concilium bulletin and two of Frank Duff's articles on their website. Five thousand legionaries took part in a special Eucharistic celebration on 7 September.
Ponta Gross Senatus: A report in their journal shows an attendance of about 50,000 legionaries at the National Legion Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in June.



ASIA

JAPAN
Osaka Senatus: - Japan is composed of three islands in the Pacific Ocean with approximately one percent of the population Roman Catholic, of these there are Brazilians, Filipino and Korean immigrants. The Legion has its seat in Osaka with a Senatus and two Regiae, one Regia in Tokyo and one in Nagasaki. There are approximately 4,500 active and auxiliary legionaries in Japan. Mass was celebrated for the 21st anniversary for the founding Spiritual Director of the Senatus Fr. Maeda, at which the Archbishop concelebrated. Works carried out include visiting the lapsed who are encouraged to return to the Sacrament and the sick are visited accompanied by the priest with the Blessed Sacrament.

MALAYSIA
Kuala Lumpur Regia: - A number of Legion days were held: one Curia had 95 members split into 10 groups visiting homes, lapsed Catholics and hospitals. Another Curia had 70 members split into 7 groups visiting orphanages, homes for disabled, old folks home and a home catering for HIV. Another Curia had 8 members visiting old folks home and an elderly lady in her home, a group of 18 members visited 30 families in a distant zone in Kajang parish.

TAIWAN
Taiwan Senatus: - The Senatus has a Comitium with 14 Curiae and a membership of 2,105 members and 1,671 auxiliaries. The Legion is established in all Dioceses. Last year Taiwan celebrated 150 years of Christianity, arising out of this the Church are holding a Gratitude Convention in November, the Legion are being invited to take part. Extension efforts have resulted in a number of praesidia increasing in membership from 153 to 195 since July 2009.

HONG KONG
Hong Kong Comitium: - The highlights of the minutes are the Allocutios given by their Spiritual Director with emphasis on Our Blessed Mother, the Handbook Legion work, weekly meetings, Evangelisation, good preparation for meeting and work and Praetorian membership. One Curia reported a high standard of attendances both at the Curia and praesidia meetings and there are no vacant officerships.

KOREA
Seoul Senatus: - Attendance at the Senatus is usually around 80%. Three praesidia for taxi drivers were established. The Eastern Seoul Regia and the Central Seoul Regia have set up a new Comitium, 18 new Curiae, 187 senior praesidia and 10 junior praesidia with a total of 1,712 active members, 248 Praetorians, 47 Adjutorians and 124 Auxiliaries. Wonju Regia has an additional 7 senior and 1 junior praesidia. They reported 1,671 enrolled in Catechism classes, 1,231 Catechumens baptized and 1,195 returns to the Sacraments. Chuncheon Regia had an increase of 2 Curiae and 10 praesidia with a membership of 4,077 active members.

Gwangju Senatus: Membership has also increased in the council. Inviting people to the Church is a feature of all reports. One Comitium started street missionary project, legionaries make contacts bearing leaflets and missionary magazines, as a result 120 people have come for instruction.

Daegu Senatus: The Legion apostolate focuses on instruction of catechumens, baptisms, returns to the Sacraments as well as visiting hospitals and institutions. A Curia in Daegu Catholic University is composed of students, professors and staff. There is a total membership of 2,874 in the Andong Regia.

INDONESIA
Jakarta Senatus: - The Curia in Cililitan carry out a variety of works including visitation of patients in a psychiatric hospital. Curia Mirror of Justice Campus has 14 praesidia in 5 different Universities in the city of Jakarta.

Malang Senatus: A new Curia with 8 praesidia has grown from 2 in 2007 in West Nusa, Lombok Island. A Comitium from Manado were commended for the variety of their work. The Senatus reminded members that an important work of the Apostolate is visitation of the people.



NORTH AMERICA

Chicago Senatus: The Spanish Curia in Indiana reports the Baptism, reception of First Holy Communion and Confirmation by children, young people and adults. Peoria Curia: A former praesidium President celebrated his first Mass and a Curia President has entered Religious Life. At a nursing home the Rosary is said and it is mostly non-Catholics who attend. Legionaries offer the lapsed a leaflet styled "Come home for Christmas".

St. Louis Senatus. New praesidia were started in Kansas and Nebraska. An 87-year old Baptist was received into the Church, prisoners requested scapulars, four men have entered the seminary, 6 adults returned to the faith, 7 Baptisms were recorded and a Marriage was validated. In Lincoln Curia 11 parishes were contacted with a view to starting the Legion. Colorado Comitium reported several returns to the faith.

Boston Senatus: Jail visitation is carried out by several praesidia and there are praesidia meetings held within the prison. The legionaries teach the inmates reading and writing and talk to them about the Catholic Church. Newly baptized adults are encouraged to join the Legion. A Catholic who became a Jehovah Witness accepted a Brown Scapular and has now returned to the Church. Twenty homes had their homes enthroned to the Sacred Heart.

Cincinnati Senatus: There are a number of junior praesidia in the Senatus. They visit schools and promote the Rosary. Five new senior praesidia have been set up and extension efforts continue. Legionaries staffed a stall at two country fairs.

San Francisco Senatus: Crowd contact is done monthly. Works include hospital visitation, enthronement of the homes to the Sacred Heart, the Rosary is promoted and retreats are mentioned in reports. A new praesidium was set up in Napa State Hospital. Five hundred people attended a one-day celebration for the Year of St. Paul. The Spiritual Director spent the day hearing Confessions. Works in the various attached Comitia include home visitation, contact work in a shopping mall, Patricians, book-barrow apostolate and promotion of the Rosary.

Arlington Senatus: The Bishop of Raleigh attended the Acies. Two Comitia were set up.

Los Angeles Senatus: A Chinese praesidium with 9 members has as their main work RCIA and home visitation. The Vietnamese have four communities in Orange County and its Council has 23 senior praesidia.

New York Senatus: A junior Curia attached has 14 praesidia with 128 members. One of their works is to accompany a senior member on Legion work and translate for them where necessary.

Philadelphia Senatus: A Mass to commemorate the Servant of God, Frank Duff was held on 7th June and had an attendance of 700. Norristown Comitium runs a drop-in center for street people twice a week. In Scanton Curia a praesidium in a prison transforms the lives of the inmates. Another prison praesidium in Greensburg was responsible for 5 converts and 14 Confirmations.

Houston Senatus: Almost 500 attended the PPC conference. The chief concelebrant at the Mass was Archbishop-Emeritus Fiorenza. The rector of the seminary, Fr. Cahill, spoke on priestly vocations and Cardinal Suenens involvement in the Cause of Venerable Edel Quinn. The Senatus agreed to caretake Belize for two years. Mother of Fatima (Korean) and Stella Maris (Chinese) Curiae are the backbone of their communities, supporting all parish initiatives, including contacting students and new immigrants. Redemptoris Mater Northern Curia, only three years in existence, has gained at least 5 new praesidia. Many contacts were made at the Strawberry Festival in Bay Area Curia. The junior legionaries brought children and their parents to the booth for sacramentals and conversations with the adult legionaries. A prison praesidium reported 120 conversions over a 10-year period.

CANADA
Ontario Senatus: As a result of a Columban Drive new praesidia have been started. Works include visiting a detention center, hospital and nursing homes. Religious classes are held on Sundays where children are prepared for First Holy Communion. The Rosary is said in funeral homes, street contact is done and a day of recollection for handicapped people had 11 in attendance.

Montreal Senatus: Recruiting is on the agenda each month and generally new members are mentioned. Holy Communion is brought to the sick and a home for the elderly visited.

Toronto Regia: Halifax and London-Windsor Curiae have been visited by the Regia and given support and guidelines for development. The Comitia attached to this Regia carry out a variety of works, which include conversion apostolate, visit shut-ins, nursing homes, catechetical instruction and preparation for Baptism, prison visitation, patricians, book barrow apostolate. In Mississauga Comitium 42 active and 44 auxiliary members were recruited in the last 3 months. In the Peterborough Curia they visit a youth correctional institution. The Rosary was taught to students in an elementary school and 3 other schools have requested that it would be taught in their schools. In another Curia it was reported that members of 4 praesidia completed 33 days preparation for True Devotion.

Edmonton Comitium: Ninety children attended a retreat and a new Curia was set up with 8 praesidia in Calgary.

TRINIDAD
Trinidad Regia: Reporting praesidia are involved in hospital visitation and religious instruction in schools. Five legionaries from the Regia took part in a Peregrinatio project to Surinam. They visited the Bishop, schools and a praesidium.

The Barbados Curia reported that in a Catholic school 15 students were taught to pray the Rosary.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
There are two Senatus, Santo Domingo and Santiago de los Caballeros with a total of about 30,000 legionaries.

The Senatus of Santo Domingo have only two praesidia directly attached in addition to 10 Curiae and 8 Comitia. Praesidia membership is usually 10 to 20 active members, with Praetorian, Auxiliary, and Adjutorian featuring in most reports. There are a number of Junior Praesidia attached to many Curiae. Extension features in most reports. During Holy Week an Exploratio Dominicalis is carried out in a parish where the Legion does not exist.

The Senatus of Santiago de los Caballeros has 12 Praesidia, 1 Regia, 21 Comitia, and 6 Curiae attached. The Comitium Sagrado Corazon de Maria of Moca celebrated the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Legion in Moca with Eucharistic Celebrations in the parishes of its area. Most Praesidia help with the Church Pastoral plan where they visit homes seeking children for Baptism and Holy Communion. Works include home visitation, visiting hospitals, clinics, cancer hospitals, mental homes, prisons, and the bereaved, promoting the rosary, preparing children for First Holy Communion and Confirmation; catechises to youth and adults; conducting retreats, and processions though the streets. All praesidia have Masses for Frank Duff, Edel Quinn, and the Legion Anniversary. An Exploratio Dominicalis project revealed many un-baptised children and many without knowledge of the faith. They are now receiving instruction. Through the efforts of a legionary a terminally ill Protestant lady was received into the church and received the sacraments before she died.

HAITI
Senatus Notre Dame de l'Assomption The Legion is in 9 of the 10 Dioceses. There is a total membership of 9,868 seniors, 987 youth and over 3,000 auxiliary members. Visitation of councils continues. Reports include visits to homes, hospital, prison and work with street children, literacy and catechism classes. Many people have returned to the Church. Two of the reporting praesidia are in seminaries and have 25 and 27 members. They work within the college.

COSTA RICA
Costa Rica Senatus. This council has one Archdiocese in San Juan and 5-Suffragan Dioceses attached. There are 9 adult praesidia, 6 Curiae and 2 junior praesidia attached. A new Comitium was set up in Cayey and another has divided. A Jehovah Witness has returned to the Church, a suicide was prevented and large numbers prepared for the Sacraments. True Devotion to the Nation type of work features prominently in reports.



Raising of Councils in Malawi - November 2009
Blantyre Regia currently has 14 praesidia, 16 Curiae, and 10 Comitia in the Blantyre Archdiocese, there are also 56 Comitia in the other 6 Suffragan Dioceses, all under the care of Blantyre Regia.
The Concilium approved, subject to ecclesiastical permission the raising of Blantyre Regia to Senatus status and raising four Comitia to Regia status, which had been agreed by the Regia, as follows:

To raise St Peter's Comitium to Regia and attach the other 12 Comitia in the Diocese of Mzuzu, to govern the Diocese of Mzuzu, giving the proposed Regia 16 Praesidia, 7 Curiae and 12 Comitia directly attached with total membership of 10,626.

To raise Maula Comitium to Regia and attach the other 15 Comitia in the Diocese of Lilongwe, to govern the Diocese of Lilongwe, giving the proposed Regia 11 praesidia, 10 Curiae and 15 Comitia directly attached with a total membership of 42,965.

To raise Dedza Comitium to Regia and attach the other 8 Comitia in the Diocese of Dedza, to govern the Diocese of Dedza, giving the proposed Regia 16 praesidia, 12 Curiae and 8 Comitia directly attached with a total membership of 15,692.

To raise Balaka Comitium to Regia and attach the other 10 Comitia in the Diocese of Mangochi, to govern the Diocese of Mangochi, giving the proposed Regia 8 praesidia, 5 Curiae and 10 Comitia directly attached with a total membership of 7,652.

To raise Blantyre Regia to Senatus, its territory being the Archdiocese of Blantyre and the 2 Suffragan Dioceses of Chikwawa and Zomba, and attach the 4 proposed Regiae to it, to govern the Archdiocese of Blantyre and the 6 Suffragan Dioceses of Malawi, giving it a structure as follows: 14 praesidia, 16 Curiae, and 20 Comitia (10 Comitia in the Blantyre Archdiocese, 4 Comitia in Diocese of Chikwawa and 6 Comitia in Zomba Diocese).

On behalf of the Concilium, Tommy McCabe, President, extended congratulations to the new Senatus and Regiae on their great achievements and wish them every grace and blessing in their new status.



Election of Assistant Secretary
Nominations were sought for the office of Assistant Secretary of Concilium, which includes responsibility for Central and South America, as Ann Murray had completed her 3-year term. Ann Murray was proposed and seconded and as there were no other nominations, she was duly elected Assistant Secretary for a second term. Tommy McCabe, Concilium President, wished her every grace and blessing and thanked her for her generosity in going forward for a second term.



Annual Legion Pilgrimage to Our Lady's Shrine, Knock, Ireland
The annual Legion pilgrimage to Our Lady's Shrine, Knock took place on Sunday 27th September 2009. There was a significant gathering of over 6,000 legionaries with the Basilica packed to capacity. Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin, Most Rev. Eamon Walsh was the Chief Celebrant of the Mass and also the Homilist. Legionaries from all parts of the country and some from abroad attended the ceremonies. Sincere thanks was extended to Catherine Murphy, Concilium Officer, the officers of Tuam Comitium and all those involved in the organising of this event.



Visit to Bangkok
On their recent visit to Bangkok, Paddy Fay and Declan Lohan were able to attend a praesidium meeting where they heard some good reports including the visitation of Pakistani Muslim asylum seekers. They spend an 1½ hours with the Vicar General and were also privileged to meet the recently retired Archbishop of Bangkok, Cardinal Michael, who is an great supporter of the Legion. On another occasion they attended a Curia meeting, which was conducted in Thai.

A meeting was arranged with the Spiritual Director, President, Secretary and Treasurer of the Senatus as well as a few of the correspondents. Some of the items discussed were retreats, True Devotion to Mary, Peregrinatio Pro Christo, Causes for Beatification and correspondents.

They were very grateful to the Spiritual Director and other officers of the Senatus for their welcome, to Suphannie, Celine and John Michael for looking after them so well on their unexpected visit. They extend a sincere thanks to the Cardinal and Vicar General for meeting them at short notice.



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, Ireland.

Back to News

New Regia for Panama

Recently the Legion in Panama was visited on behalf of Concilium by two legionaries from Bogota, Colombia and found the Legion working very well. A proposal to raise Panama City Comitium in the Panama Archdiocese to Regia status was approved, subject to ecclestical permission by the Concilium, two affiliated Curiae are to be raised to Comitium status and the Legion in the Country will then be governed by the Regia in Panama City with 2 Comitia, 9 Curiae and 13 directly attached praesidia.

Back to News

Today is Mission Sunday so I thought it would be appropriate to give a few reflections on Evangelisation. In order to really engage perseveringly in the work of evangelisation one would need to be convinced of its supreme importance. Pope Paul the sixth wrote: 'Evangelising is in fact the grace and vocation proper to the Church, her deepest identity. She exists in order to evangelise, that is to say, in order to preach and teach, to be the channel of the gift of grace, to reconcile sinners with God, and to perpetuate Christ's sacrifice in the Mass, which is the memorial of His death and glorious resurrection.' The Legion too exists to evangelise; it is her deepest identity. But what exactly does it mean to evangelise? Basically it means to introduce Jesus to another person. To meet Jesus will spill out into many other activities but without that meeting with Him the rest is largely froth. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in a recent document on Evangelisation puts it very succinctly: 'In any case, to evangelise, does not mean to teach a doctrine, but to proclaim Jesus Christ by one's words and actions, that is, to make oneself an instrument of His presence and action in the world.'

Just take a look at one of the great Patrons of the Legion: St. Paul. He writes: 'I believe that nothing can happen that can outweigh the supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For Him I have accepted the loss of everything and I look on everything as so much rubbish if only I can have Christ and have a place in Him. All I want is to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and to share his sufferings by reproducing the pattern of his death.' Or again he says: 'I am determined to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and Him Crucified.' Or yet again he cries out: 'For me to live is Christ.' It is this kind of love of Our Lord that must be at the heart of all evangelisation. This kind of conviction is a grace and we need to pray for it. And we need to keep on striving after it. Dear Legionaries there is no greater deprivation in any human being than the deprivation of not knowing and meeting Jesus in friendship. To remove that deprivation is the reason for the very existence of the Legion.

How does the Legion go about evangelisation? First, we turn to Mary. Her vocation and mission, her very identity is concerned with bringing Jesus into the world. There is not even a fraction of a moment of her existence that is not a reference to Jesus. She introduces the whole world and all history to Our Lord. Mary is the most effective way of evangelisation. She is the perfect instrument of Our Lord's presence and action in the world. The Legion knows this from long experience. We evangelise with Mary, in Mary and through Mary. We give ourselves entirely to her that with her we might bring Jesus to every person we meet. In a year of evangelisation we cannot do better than to start with Mary and introduce her to everyone and share our treasure of true devotion to her. Where Mary is you will always find Jesus. This insight was at the core of the inner life of Frank Duff.

Secondly, where do we find Jesus in our world today? Of course, we find him really and truly and personally present as sheer gift in the Eucharist. John Paul II puts it so well when he writes: "The Church has received the Eucharist from Christ her Lord not as one gift - however precious - among so many others, but as the gift par excellence, for it is the gift of himself, of his person in his sacred humanity, as well as the gift of his saving work." If evangelisation is bringing Jesus to others and involving them in the redemptive activity of Jesus than it is very easy to understand why the Second Vatican Council stated that 'the Eucharist is the source and summit of the total work of evangelisation'. When I was a young Legionary in the ninety-fifties, a phrase we used a lot to describe our work was 'bringing people back to the Sacraments'. I remember the extraordinary joy we experienced when we were instrumental in some way in bringing someone back to the sacraments. It simply means bringing people to Our Lord. More than fifty years later I still see this apostolate as a top priority with the Legion. Mary is the expert in bringing people back to Jesus and we as her Legion must strive to become experts in this work too.

Several years before he founded the Legion, Frank Duff began the League of Daily Mass. Later the whole spirit of this movement became embodied in the Handbook. The Eucharist must be the source and summit of the total work of evangelisation in the Legion. Along with the Eucharistic Apostolate is the work of bringing people to the Sacrament of Reconciliation as a major part of Legion evangelisation. Also, of course, Legionaries sought to bring the priest to the sick and dying for the Anointing of the Sick. However, we shall have to postpone to other allocutios a development of these themes in what evangelisation should mean to legionaries. People often ask me what should we do during a year of Evangelisation. My first suggestion is that we go back to our roots and engage in all our great apostolates with renewed courage and enthusiasm.

Let me close with a quotation from a document from the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith which I think describes so accurately the spirit and method of the Legion's work of evangelisation: 'The primary motive of evangelisation is the love of Christ for the eternal salvation of all. The sole desire of authentic evangelisers is to bestow freely what they themselves have freely received. Evangelisation is not only accomplished through public preaching of the Gospel nor solely through works of public relevance, but also by means of personal witness which is always very effective in spreading the Gospel. Indeed, side by side with the collective proclamation of the Gospel, the other form of handing it on, from person to person, remains valid and important. It must not happen that the pressing need to proclaim the Good News to the multitudes should cause us to forget this form of proclamation whereby an individual's personal conscience is reached and touched by an entirely unique word that he receives from someone else." Person to person, that's one of the secrets of our Legion apostolate too.

Back to News

New Regia for Mexico

The Concilium approved, subject to ecclesiastical permission the raising of Nuestra Senora del Rosario Comitium in Puebla City to Regia and affiliating the Legion in the Archdiocese of Puebla and the Archdiocese of Jalapa and the corresponding 11 Suffragen Dioceses and to affiliate it to Mexico Senatus.

Back to News

REPORTS - EUROPE
SPAIN: Madrid Senatus: It is noticeable how the Legion in this Senatus are keeping in mind what they learned when the 3 Senatus visited Concilium as well as the many practical recommendations made by Bernardo on his visit to Spain. Many praesidia have spiritual directors who attend weekly meetings. Extension: Their area is well covered and revisits to parish priests have produced many new praesidia. Extension is always mentioned in council reports. Youth: Many legionaries do what they call "pesca joven" (fishing for youth). Sometimes this is done during the day but also at night when youth congregate in the bars and plazas. The members who do this are mainly senior legionaries but are well received. The Archdiocese has a Youth Movement connected to the forthcoming World Youth Day, which the Senatus has offered to assist in any way possible. Home visitation is insisted on in the planning of works for the year. Many of those not doing it have agreed to undertake it. Getting into apartment blocks is a problem. As a remedy, the legionaries arrange a special Mass for porters on St. Peter's feast day. Two young legionaries from the Senatus, aged 20 and 21, came to Dublin during the summer and worked in the Morning Star and Regina Coeli Hostels. They also took part in youth projects, visited Curiae, and did Legion work with many Dublin legionaries. They gave a wonderful report at the Senatus meeting on their return.

Senatus of Bilbao: The Legion is established in 11 of the 13 dioceses in the north of Spain for which the Senatus has responsibility. Attached to the Senatus are 14 praesidia, 7 Curiae and 3 Comitia. The Senatus has 772 active members. There are three junior praesidia in the Senatus. Praesidia are endeavouring to find Spiritual Directors.

Barcelona Senatus has 16 praesidia and 6 Curiae directly attached. Many praesidia reported work of consolation visiting old people's homes and geriatric hospitals. Some legionaries teach catechism to children and adults. A praesidium in the city of Barcelona contacts immigrants and recruited some of them as active or auxiliaries members. The Senatus prepared a brief treatise called "The Legion of Mary and the Parish Community" with the objective of extending the Legion in the different parishes. A meeting was held recently with officers of the councils in Valencia to discuss plans of extension.

PORTUGAL
Lisbon Senatus: The importance of extension and recruiting was stressed. A praesidium of 10 of whom 7 are Praetorians, has 33 Auxiliary and 2 Adjutorian members for whom they hold 2 rallies each year. Legionaries doing street contact meet members of the sects and other religions as well as drug addicts. Legionaries engaged in catechetical work in Primary Schools made contact with the School Directors. The Annual Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady at Fatima is held in October. The correspondent and another legionary visited Lisbon and Fatima and attended a meeting with the officers and some of the correspondents.

Coimbra Regia: is doing good extension and work among students. A praesidium gave catechetical instruction to some taxi drivers they contacted. Members who are ministers of the Eucharist bring Holy Communion to the housebound. Funchal in Madeira is visited by the Senatus.

CYPRUS
There are now 4 praesidia in Cyprus composed mostly of Filipinos with a small number of Africans. Membership varies from 20 to 25. They act as lectors and stewards at the Sunday liturgy and distribute refreshments afterwards allowing them to make contact with the congregation. The Rosary is promoted through statue visitation, Rosary processions, and the recitation of the Rosary at a grotto beside the Church. Homes for the elderly are visited. One Praesidium does crowd contact in shopping areas, a market, bus stations, and parks. They pray to Our Lady to lead them to those she wishes them to meet. Many lapsed Catholics are met and, where possible, they get follow up details.

MALTA
Malta Regia covers the Archdiocese of Malta and the Suffragan Diocese on the island of Gozo. The Legion is established in almost all 85 Parishes on the two islands. Two new morning praesidia were set up for women who do not work outside their homes during the day. Many praesidia carry out an apostolate to tourists. Weeks devoted to home visitation are mentioned in many reports and during one such week 5 members were gained for a new praesidium. An Italian-speaking praesidium, which visits the Italian community, celebrated its 1000th meeting with a Mass of thanksgiving at which the Italian Ambassador and his wife were present. One of the attached Curiae organised an evening for Parents and had an attendance of 200. Prison visitation and an apostolate to refugees also featured in reports.

Gozo Comitium: The Bishop was chief celebrant at the Acies and also attended the July Comitium meeting. The Bishop also led a Marian function attended by 700 people. 1000 families were visited for the Diocesan mission and resulted in one returning to the sacraments after 30 years and to one person receiving instruction for reception into the Church. Youth: 30 attended a seminar for young people at which divorce, abortion, immigration, faith and science were discussed. The Rosary is recited at a prayer group for youth and is followed by a discussion.

ALBANIA
Skhroder Comitium in Albania governs the Legion in the Archdiocese of Skhroder and the Suffragan Dioceses of Sape and Lezhe. There are two praesidia in the Archdiocese of Tirana-Durres. The Comitium has 31 praesidia, 2 distant praesidia and 3 Curiae affiliated. There are large numbers in most of the praesidia. During the visit of the Maltese/Irish legionaries it was explained that those who are not in a position to carry out their work assignment should become auxiliary members. A total of 6 praesidia reported at the May, June and July Comitium meetings. The September Comitium meeting was combined with a seminar, which was led by the Archbishop of Skhroder on "The Church's Relationship with People". Priests, Nuns and representatives of lay movements attended the Seminar. During this Seminar the apostolate of the Legion was discussed. Malta Regia is following up with the re-printing of the Handbook, the Tessera and the prayer leaflets for the 3 Causes.

ITALY
Rome Senatus: Renewed extension is planned. One Parish Priest with ten groups of neo-catechumenate is still anxious to have the Legion. In Rocco Giovine, ten persons have given their names to join and the possibility of reviving the Legion in San Clemente is under discussion. In Campania, several groups are near the point of affiliation. Paternò Comitium, which looks after 4 Curiae in Sicily has submitted an encouraging report with membership in praesidia averaging 15 and enterprising works such as visits to the juvenile prison. The Archbishop of Catania attended the Acies and praised the Legion for its faithful service. Maltese Peregrini tackled a problem area of the city and brought many back to the Sacraments. A Congress is planned.

Milan Regia: They are preparing for a congress in October in honour of the 50th anniversary of the death of the Servant of God, Alfie Lambe. Some returns to the sacraments were reported among people who attended prayer meetings but who had not been attending church. An Albanian woman was instructed by legionaries at the request of a Parish Priest and has been received into the Church. Cardinal Archbishop Tettamanzi encouraged the work of the legionaries on his visit to a Parish. There is a new Filipino Praesidium in Turin.

Padova Comitium: Families of the newly baptised are visited. At the chaplain's request the Rosary is recited over a hospital radio in Italian and German. Legionaries helped to prepare two meals for immigrants. Auxiliary members are visited regularly and helped in time of crisis. The True Devotion and the Theology of the Apostolate are being studied in depth.



AFRICA

CAPE VERDE
Cape Verde Regia: At the August meeting the Regia was pleased to welcome Br. Jose Vaz the President of Guinea Bissau Comitium. Br. Vaz thanked the Regia for its support and was grateful to the Concilium for affiliating the Legion in his country to Cape Verde. Emigrant Cape Verde Legionaries in Holland and Paris plan to hold a joint outing to Belgium. All praesidia reporting carry out Exploratio Dominicalis projects. Details are requested on a work called 'Sharing the word'. Besides the regular visitation of homes, works also include apostolate to the crowd and catechesis with one Comitium reporting that 120 youths were prepared for Confirmation, 450 children for First Holy Communion and 40 for the Sacrament of Baptism. Cleaning work is done in churches and homes. One difficulty presented in a Comitium report is the inadequacy of officers. Guinea Bissau reported via Cape Verde that they have 571 active members in the Comitium with 7 directly attached Curiae and 8 praesidia. They held a congress at which there were 300 participants.

MOZAMBIQUE
Maputo Regia: Minutes of September and December 2008 meetings have been received. The Regia holds a meeting every three months. One Curia with 28 praesidia set up five new praesidia. Among other works Legionaries visit the sick and prisoners. They prepared 20 couples for Marriage. Another Curia set up a new praesidium with 15 members. The Curia has 30 catechists. The Regia planned to celebrate its Golden Jubilee on 5th October.

ANGOLA
Benguela Senatus: The retired Bishop of Benguela, D. Oscar Braga, attended the December 2008 meeting of the Senatus and the new Bishop, D. Eugénio dal Corso attended the February meeting this year and thanked the legionaries for their courage and perseverance. He urged everyone who could possibly travel to go to Luanda for the visit of Pope Benedict XVI. The Vicariate Apostolic of Namibe, where the Legion is very well established has been raised to the status of a Diocese. The new Diocese has a Comitium, which is affiliated to the Bengeula Senatus. The Senatus has asked councils to hold their Acies in March and not at other times of year.

Luanda Regia: The minutes for the August meeting were received by the correspondent. A pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima at Kalulo - Libolo was held in July. During the Mass, Bishop Dom Benedito gave an inspiring homily. In the course of the Pilgrimage a meeting was held with officers of councils in the interior of the country. The Regia also organised a meeting of officers of councils in Luanda and a meeting with young people, which was considered very positive. A junior Curia in Muxima affiliated two new praesidia and is proposing the setting up of a new junior Curia in Golf. A praesidium of 22 members visited 140 prisoners. There has been no recent news on the situation in Cabinda. The President of the Cabinda Comitium attended the May meeting of the Regia in Luanda. He expressed his appreciation of the help received from the Bishop.

GHANA
Senatus of Accra distributed 10,000 copies of the Frank Duff leaflet and 14, 000 more have been printed. They have also made great efforts in promoting the True Devotion to Mary, purchasing literature and organising talks etc. Two of the Senatus officers met with 28 Seminarians, 9 of these are deacons who are all legionaries in Cape Coast Seminary, particular mention was given to the promotion of the Enthronement to the Sacred Heart and the promotion of True Devotion to Mary by the Senatus, encouraging them to become involved. An appeal was made to them to remain involved in the Legion and to help promote and strengthen praesidia in parishes.

Sunyani Regia asked its 6 attached Comitia to organise three day retreats, the main theme was to be "The relevance of Lay Apostolate in the Church today ". Among the activities of the retreat was home visitation. The report from one area indicated that they were well received at the homes but that the rate of non-Communicants among the Catholics met was very high, and the relevant councils were asked to follow up on these contacts. Reports indicate many Catechumens being prepared for the Sacraments and a lot of contact with couples experiencing marriage difficulties, legionaries found that many of these difficulties were overcome following meeting and discussion with the couple.

Lesotho Senatus: The Senatus has 12 Comitia, 3 Curiae and 5 praesidia. At the last five meetings an average of 12 council officers (and that includes the Senatus officers) and eight praesidia officers attended. It seems that many councils have very few praesidia directly attached. Reports in minutes include return to the sacraments and marriages regularised in church. Many Acies seem to be a two-day event. Work is nearly complete in translating the handbook into Sesotho.

ZIMBABWE
Harare Comitium: Feb, March and June 09 minutes have been received. The legionaries plan to visit the local seminary.

Hwanage Comitium: The Legion in this area is surviving despite great difficulties. Many legionaries are leaving the country. Prayers are requested for them.

SOUTH AFRICA
Johannesburg Senatus: Included in the work of a praesidium of 16 members is teaching the Rosary to the local Anglicans who appreciate the efforts of the legionaries and they are improving immensely. Our Lady Queen of China praesidium has a lot of contact with the Chinese community, regularly visit the Chinese home for the aged and arrange an annual retreat for the Chinese. Among their extension efforts is the formation of a Malawian praesidium at the Cathedral.

Soweto Comitium has 7 attached praesidia. The Senatus is making efforts to extend the Legion and visits attached councils.

Cape Town Senatus: A praesidium of 18 active members do home and hospital visitation, has 33 auxiliary members, do prison visitation and also organise and attend funerals. The Cause of Frank Duff is promoted and a novena was made to Frank Duff for a legionary's daughter who was extremely ill. Although not completely cured there is a great improvement. They also make Novenas to Frank Duff for praesidia no longer functioning and for the growth of the Legion. Namibia presented its annual report at Cape Town Senatus.

Marian Hill Comitium: The Legion is functioning well and good reports are received. A couple who were about to split up were counselled by legionaries and they sorted out their differences.

Durban Comitium: A praesidium of 10 members visit an Aids centre on a monthly basis and also do home and hospital visitation. Fifty-five adults were baptised at the Easter Mass. Kwamashu Curia in Durban has 66 active members and had a full attendance at the Acies.

Matatiele Comitium: A praesidium of 17 members do home visitation, teach catechism and have public stations-of-the-cross in Lent. They organise an Exploratio Dominicalis project every September. Bizane Curia had 56 catechumens received into the church and 66 youths and 27 adults are ready for First Communion.

EGYPT
Senatus of Egypt: Heliopolis Curia held an annual conference on "The Secular and the Priestly Life" with an attendance of 57 officers. Praesidia have been asked to organise a spiritual day which is held every 3 months, all the other Praesidia in the Curia attend with their families. Forty juniors attended a spiritual day for formation for juniors held by Shobra Curia. The reports on meetings sent recently show the various councils and legionaries appear to be extremely involved in organising conferences at all levels.



Peregrinatio Pro Christo
The final two teams came safely home since the September Concilium, one from the Parish of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, Surrey Docks and one from the Basilica of Kierkelbert in Brussels. Both projects were excellent and we gather the Parish Priests were very happy with the work done.



Raising of Councils
At the October 2009 Concilium meeting the following councils were raised to Regia status:

PANAMA
Panama is a small country with the Legion established in 5 of the 9 ecclesiastical divisions. There is a Comitium in Panama city with 16 Curiae attached, 9 of the 16 Curiae are in the Archdiocese and the rest are in 4 of the other Dioceses.
Recently the Legion in Panama was visited by two legionaries from Bogota, Colombia and found the Legion working very well. They made the following suggestions: to raise the Comitium in Panama city to Regia status with 13 praesidia directly attached and 9 Curiae in the Archdiocese.

There are 7 Curiae in the Provinces and it is proposed to raise two Curiae in the Provincial area to Comitium status and affiliate them to the Regia: Madre de la Iglesia in the Diocese of Colon and affiliate two adjacent Curiae, and Madre Reina de la Paz in the Diocese of Santiago and affiliate the remaining 3 Curiae.

The Legion in the Country will then be governed by the Regia in Panama City with 2 Comitia, 9 Curiae and 13 directly attached praesidia.



MEXICO

Mexico is a very large country with a population of 142 million in 93 Dioceses. The Legion is governed by two Senatus and six Regiae. Two year ago three new Regiae were raised and a fourth was planned. These steps were taken to enable the Senatus of Mexico city to govern better and to extend. The Senatus now governs 4 Archdioceses and 21 Dioceses. The new Regia will be in that area.
It is proposed to set up that fourth Regia in the Archdiocese of Puebla by raising the Comitium Nuestra Senora del Rosario in Puebla city to Regia status and affiliating the Legion in that Archdiocese and the Archdiocese of Jalapa and the corresponding 11 Suffragan Dioceses. In all there will be 8 praesidia, 13 Curiae and 4 Comitia attached. The new Regia will be affiliated to Mexico Senatus.
This move will leave Mexico City Senatus with 8 praesidia directly attached, 14 Curiae, 7 Comitia and one Regia to govern 2 Archdioceses and 10 Suffragan Dioceses.
Concilium sends their congratulations to the new Regia in Panama and Puebla Regia, Mexico on their great achievements and wish them every grace and blessing in their new status.



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, Ireland.

Back to News

"Our Father in Faith. Outstanding Servant of the Mauritian Nation"

So spoke the headlines of La Vie Catholique announcing the death of His Eminence Cardinal Jean Margéot of Mauritius at the age of 93. The Legion of Mary owes a great debt to the late Cardinal. Edel Quinn arrived in Mauritius on 22nd January 1940, and on April 28th held her first Curia meeting there for 19 newly founded praesidia. Archbishop Leen appointed his youngest priest as Spiritual Director of that Curia, Fr. Jean Margéot. He was a tower of strength to Edel and also a keen observer of her. His appreciation of her spirit is to be judged by the testimony, which he gave of her sanctity and heroic quality to the local tribunal of her Cause. His words echo the words of Frank Duff about her in an extraordinary way. His opinion of her and the movement she introduced is evidenced by his subsequent encouragement and support of the Legion during the rest of his long life. So much so that the Osservatore Romano in its list of important roles filled by the late Cardinal includes that of "animator of the Legion of Mary".

A letter from Mme. Lorna Lamy, President of Port Louis Regia, tells of the sorrow of all the legionaries of Mauritius and Rodrigues at his passing, describing it as the loss of an indefatigable servant of the Lord and His Mother who, through his vision, introduced them into the universality of the church as a true pastor does. "It is a grateful nation, she adds, that renders homage and unceasing thanks to God for bestowing such a gift on us."

May his great soul rest in peace.

Back to News

The Church has given us innumerable names for Our Lady and we pray them in the various litanies in her honour. But Our Lady has also given herself different titles and it is good to give special attention to them. Let me just briefly reflect on two of them. At Lourdes she says: 'I am the Immaculate Conception'. This title leads us into the very heart of God's plan for the redemption of the world. Mary was conceived in the state of grace; she was called to be the Mother of Divine Grace, the Mother of the Redeemer and the perpetual sign of hope in the midst of the world and in each one of us personally; she is a grace filled heart where each and every one of us can feel at home. In the battle with evil and Satan she is the sign of victory, the woman of Genesis: 'I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.' (Gen 3:15) The title - the 'Immaculate Conception' leads us into the whole world of grace, of redemption, into the personal world of Jesus, Son of God and Son of Mary. It is God's proclamation of what God's love has planned for the world. We will never come to an end of all that is revealed in Mary's name: 'I am the Immaculate Conception'. And it is a favourite title of Mary in her Legion.

But at Fatima, Mary gives us another name for herself through the three little children seers. She declares: 'I am the Lady of the Rosary'. This does not mean only that Mary is one who prays the Rosary. This is what she certainly showed us by example at both Lourdes and Fatima and in so many other places. It is much deeper than that. She is defined in terms of the Rosary! What does that mean? It means that her very being and identity are immersed in the mysteries of Jesus. From the first moment of his existence in her womb to the eternal now of her togetherness with Him in heaven there is nothing in Mary, which is not a reference to Jesus. In the Gospel portrait of Mary we read that she was profoundly absorbed in the mysteries of her Son. Luke writes: 'As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart'. This treasuring and pondering was not simply a matter of thinking about them but even more of allowing them to shape her whole life to its utmost depths. She lived these mysteries of the life of Jesus. Luke says again after the episode of the finding of the boy Jesus in the temple: 'His mother stored all these things in her heart'. One could say on the basis of these texts that no one has ever prayed and lived the mysteries of Christ like Our Lady. In other words no one has prayed and lived the Rosary like her.

So even in Heaven Mary is living the Rosary in all its richness and profundity. She looks with joy and thanksgiving on every mystery of Jesus down to the last detail. Everything about Jesus is unforgettable to Mary. She sees with the greatest clarity that the Almighty has done great things for her. She sees that everything that is true, and good and beautiful in her is the unique fruit of the redemptive love of her Son. In her mind and heart resides the totality of the Gospel. In the Rosary Mary wants to share with us her experience of Jesus and with Him to enter into the heart life of the Trinity. No wonder Our Lady invites us again and again to pray the Rosary as a gentle but sure way of opening our lives to the Gospel and the Persons of the Trinity. No wonder the Rosary is at the heart of the spirituality of the Legionary because the spirit of the Legion is the spirit of Mary and she is the Lady of the Rosary. I believe it is Mary herself who placed the Rosary as an essential part of every Legion meeting. It is her special way of putting Jesus at the centre of the Legion. The Rosary is not simply a cerebral thing but a raising of the mind and heart to God. It is an accessible and effective way of practicing the presence of God revealed to us in the humanity of the Son of Mary.

Let me conclude this little reflection on the Rosary with some words from the Apostolic Letter of Pope John Paul II on the Rosary: "The Rosary, precisely because it starts with Mary's own experience, is an exquisitely contemplative prayer". Without this contemplative dimension it would lose its meaning, as Pope Paul VI clearly pointed out: "Without contemplation, the Rosary is a body without a soul, and its recitation runs the risk of becoming a mechanical repetition of formulas, in violation of the admonition of Christ: 'In praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think they will be heard for their many words' (Mt 6:7). By its nature the recitation of the Rosary calls for a quiet rhythm and a lingering pace, helping the individual to meditate on the mysteries of the Lord's life as seen through the eyes of her who was closest to the Lord. In this way the unfathomable riches of these mysteries are disclosed."

"It is worth pausing to consider this profound insight of Paul VI, in order to bring out certain aspects of the Rosary, which show that it is really a form of Christocentric contemplation."

Back to News

REPORTS - ASIA & OCEANIA
MELBOURNE SENATUS: The Senatus governs the Legion in the metropolitan provinces of Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth and numerous Pacific islands. Constant attention is given to extension and new senior and junior praesidia are set up fairly regularly. The main apostolate includes home visitation, visiting nursing homes and hostels, bringing Holy Communion to the sick and assisting in parish activities. The immigrant communities are visited and the Legion is well established among the Vietnamese people. Hobart Curia celebrated the 75th anniversary of the setting up of the Legion in Tasmania in February with a Mass concelebrated by Archbishop Adrian Doyle and 6 priests. The Legion in Vanuata islands in the Pacific is governed by 3 Comitia and 2 Curiae and is comprised of 44 directly attached praesidia and 11 Curiae.

SYDNEY SENATUS: The Legion exists in 10 of the 11 dioceses covered by the Senatus with a senior membership of 2,176 and 257 probationers, 281 juniors and over 8,000 auxiliaries. Attached to the Senatus are 2 Comitia, 2l Curiae, 14 praesidia. The Koreans have 60 senior and 5 junior praesidia and the Vietnamese have l3 senior praesidia. Works listed include visits to Catholics and non-Catholics among the Koreans, Indonesians, and Vietnamese with excellent results; evangelisation at market fairs, operating a Catholic information centre and book barrow, teaching state school catechism and visiting prisons, seamen and hostels.

SOLOMON ISLANDS covers 3 dioceses and the Legion is in 2. There are 11 and 21 praesidia respectively in each Curia with 420 active legionaries and 204 auxiliaries. Recently 4 new praesidia were established. Visitation to homes, seamen and a prison were reported. 26 children were Baptised and Exploratio Dominicalis projects were carried out.

BRISBANE COMITIUM celebrated their 70th anniversary at the July meeting. A Mass and reception preceded the meeting. A congratulatory letter received from Concilium President was read and appreciated. There are l3 directly attached praesidia and 2 Curiae with 207 members. The Legion is in l3 parishes of the Brisbane Archdiocese. There is a Legion presence in each of the other 4 dioceses of Queensland and in recent months 2 new praesidia have been formed.

AUCKLAND SENATUS: Four new praesidia were set up since January in parishes where the Legion did not exist. Auxiliary rallies are held by all and great care and attention is paid to their membership. A Patrician meeting has an average attendance of l8. The correspondent has encouraged more patrician groups to be set up. The Junior Curia has 8 praesidia and l30 members who work with seniors on hospital and nursing home visitation, run a religious stall and help with the Sunday liturgy, altar serving and rosary apostolate. Works reported by the seniors include marriage validations, visits to the sick and housebound and bringing Holy Communion. Through regular visits many lapsed returned to the sacraments. On 29th May, 11 Maori New Zealanders aged l3 to l5 years were baptized and confirmed. On visits to a war veterans home and a prison, legionaries read scripture and prayed the Rosary. Koreans, Chinese and Filipino praesidia work among their own communities.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Conversions from the sects features in most reports. Legionaries are helping Basic Christian Community groups by encouraging their leaders to get members involved in the apostolate. Rabaul Regia, Two letters were received in March and July outlining progress and expansion in areas where the Legion did not exist particularly on the large island of Bourgainville..

PHILIPPINES
MINDANAO SENATUS: The Biennial conference for all Filipino councils was held in Cagayon De Oro and was judged a huge success. Members learned a great deal especially regarding the government of the Legion. Conversion is a priority with the council and many inspiring reports of returns from the sects were detailed. The need to form at least one new Regia was urged by the correspondent.

BICOLANDIA SENATUS marked the 50th anniversary of the death of the Servant of God Alfie Lambe by organising a Mass and talk on his life. A congress is planned for the year of Evangelisation. The Acies was held in the Carmelite Monastery with the Sisters who were former legionaries joining in. Two praesidia in a jail have 24 members. A junior Curia set up 4 new praesidia. Legionaries help the priest in preparing children for their first confession. Returns to the faith of Born again Christians and Seventh Day Adventists were reported.

WESTERN VISAYAS REGIA: Attendance of Council officers was 75% and praesidia 65%. Exploratio Dominicalis is promoted. There are university and seminary praesidia and a good presence of junior legionaries. A new Comitium was set up and more are being organised. Conversion of a Muslim mother and Baptist woman and her children were reported. Illoilo Curia arranged a "Day with street children". Junior legionaries in Oton Curia encouraged 653 persons to attend Mass.

CEBU SENATUS: Eighteen Curiae reported covering 188 senior and 78 junior praesidia. Eleven new senior and 4 junior praesidia were set up as a result of extension work. Assisting in the training of disabled and handicapped is the work of juniors. Four Comitia have 13 senior and 1 junior Curiae. Extension and Exploratio are mentioned in reports. Three Regiae reported a membership of over 9,000 members and 700 on probation with over 15,000 auxiliaries, 690 praetorians and 332 Adjutorians. Computer cafes are targeted for recruitment of juniors. Extension efforts resulted in 4 new Curiae and 2 senior and 6 junior praesidia being set up.

MAASIN Regia was inaugurated in February with Concelebrated Mass led by the Episcopal Vicar. 4,000 legionaries attended.

SENATUS OF NORTHERN PHILIPPINES: Conversions of Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, and Born again Christians were reported. An account of 41 Confirmations and 250 Baptisms featured. Junior members graduated to senior ranks. Lipa Comitium showed marked improvement in attendance. Silang Comitium supervise 28 praesidia at Boystown and 33 at Girlstown; both are institutions. Imus Comitium had 147 individuals from various religious dominations converted to the Catholic faith. Visits to orphanages, institutions for street and abandoned children are the work in Tarlac Comitium. Different praesidia take turns in leading the weekly broadcast of the Rosary at the only Marian Radio station in Asia. The Senatus celebrated the 69th anniversary of the founding of the Legion of Mary in the Philippines on 21st July. The Legion exists in 6 Archdioceses and 23 Dioceses. There is just one diocese, which does not as yet have the Legion.



EUROPE

NETHERLANDS
The Senatus of Amsterdam has one attached Comitium at Heerlen in the South of the country, which governs about 4 praesidia and one Curia. The Cape Verdian Curia in Amsterdam organised 3 coaches to take pilgrims to Fatima. It has one Patrician group. The praesidium visiting street girls reported that some of them had left the area and had asked for help to start a new life. Legionaries carry out the works asked for by various parish priests including visiting the sick at home and in hospital, welcoming new comers to the parish and visiting the parents of newly baptised children.

DENMARK
The praesidium in Copenhagen has a membership of 20. There are 104 auxiliary members. The apostolate includes block rosaries, visitation of hospitals and sick people in their homes as well as other types of church service.

NORWAY
The praesidium in Tonsberg has six members and their apostolate includes teaching catechism, visiting the sick and housebound and assisting the Parish Priest with church services and activities. Following their visit to Concilium in May they are planning to establish a praesidium in the town of Drammen.

SCOTLAND
The Senatus based in Glasgow with 17 directly attached praesidia governs two local Curiae and 4 other Curiae. There is a total of 75 praesidia in the country. The Legion is established in 6 of the Dioceses. Extension and recruiting efforts are being made and in April a visit was made to Aberdeen and 8 people attended a meeting there. A praesidium set up in 2008 in Glasgow University has 5 members who attend the Wayside Club, visit homes with the Pilgrim statue and do fruitful contact work with a book barrow outside the university Library.

FINLAND
Scottish legionaries took part in a PPC project in Jyvaskyla in July. A prayer group set up in Oulu following a previous PPC project, meets twice a month. The members who are all Finnish converts pray the Rosary and the Legion prayers.

BELGIUM
Brussels Senatus: A new praesidium has been set up in Molenbeck. Four Peregrinatio teams worked in the Brussels area this year. Antwerp Senatus: There are 3 directly attached praesidia with a total membership of 16 and a Curia at Gent, which has 3 praesidia. The works consist mainly of visiting the sick and elderly and bringing Holy Communion to them.

SWITZERLAND
In Fribourg, legionaries work apostolate includes visiting the sick at home and in hospital, bringing them Holy Communion, contacting people on the streets and public areas, works of service and helping with Church activities.

GERMANY
Munich Senatus has 2 directly attached comitia, 10 attached Curiae and 13 attached praesidia with a total of 533 active and 5,620 auxiliary members. Extension is being pursued and a new praesidium has been set up in Bad Goeggin by Ambert-Weiden Curia. Contact has been made with the Portuguese and Italian communities in Stuttgart for the purpose of extension. When visiting a prison, legionaries spoke to female prisoners and distributed Rosary beads and Miraculous Medals. Contact will be maintained with the prisoners through correspondence.

Frankfurt Senatus: The German Legion website is updated and supervised by the officers of both Frankfurt and Munich Senatus. Annual reports from praesidia in Usingen, St Gallus and Eltville reported on works, which included railway station apostolate, a bookstand in the city centre and a retreat for non-Catholics. The Senatus was represented at the PPC weekend in Strasburg. Curia Darmstadt visit those who are been Confirmed. The Curia did extension in Otterstadt, Speyer Diocese.

The nine praesidia in the Korean Curia Frankfurt arranged the Baptism of 6 adults and one child, and held Advent retreats. Comitium Freiburg did extension in Hirschberg, Leutershausen and in Ludwigshafen Mundenheim. Curia Bodensee organised a retreat and runs 3 Patrician groups. Comitium Berlin had a stand at the diocesan World Youth day on 4 April 09. The Korean Curia has begun instruction of 6 adults for Baptism.

Cologne Regia: The new Dusseldorf Comitium gave its first quarterly report. A praesidium of 8 members in Essen Steele-Horst reported. 160 Korean legionaries attended an annual retreat. There is a new praesidium in Bochum Stiepel, which is attached to Essen Comitium. Both the new praesidia in Dortmund and Witten are working well. There is a new Vietnamese praesidium of 10 in Duesseldorf. The Regia was represented at the Church Evangelisation Day in Cologne.

LUXEMBOURG
Quarterly meetings with the officers of Curia Luxemburg are held by the Cologne Regia officers. Two officers from Luxembourg Curia attended the February Regia meeting and gave a report. There are two praesidia in the Curia.

SIBERIA
The praesidia in Bogotol and Atschinsk are keeping in touch with Frankfurt Senatus and the latter praesidium is visiting the new praesidium in Bratsk. Three legionaries from the Senatus will visit Siberia for 12 days in September and a summer school for all 3 praesidia will be held.

SWITZERLAND
Curia Zurich has 8 praesidia and 39 active members. 50 people from the Tamil community in Basel attended an information meeting. Curia Luzerne undertakes a restaurant apostolate.


AFRICA

EQUATORIAL GUINEA
Bata and Malabo Comitia both now correspond by email, which ensures correspondence is received regularly. Both councils are extending.

CAMEROON
Douala Senatus and Yaounde Regia: 2,000 French Tesserae and 1,000 English Handbooks are being printed and will soon be available; this will greatly enhance their extension plans.

BURKINA FASO
The newly appointed National Spiritual Director of the Legion by the Archbishop of Ouagadougou, Monsignor Campaore, is assisting in the development of the Legion in the country.

CONGO REPUBLIC
Brazzaville Regia comprises 26 praesidia, 19 Curiae and 7 Comitia. The Regia visits its upcountry councils and follows the Handbook in French and in Lingala.

GUINEE
The Legion comprises of a Comitium at Conakry and 10 Curiae throughout the country.

IVORY COAST
The Regia is making plans for the development of the Legion to Regia level at Bouaké in the centre and Korhogo in the north of the country.



Visit to Concilium by Officers of Belarus
On Sunday 20th September 2009, the Officers and Spiritual Director of Belarus Comitium attended the Concilium meeting. The President Marya Martynenko, Secretary Halina Kalevich, the translator Alena Kantratchyk and their Spiritual Director Rev. Fr. Yury Nakhodka had discussion on the development of the Legion in Belarus with the Concilium Officers on the previous day.

The Legion is now in every diocese in Belarus. The Legion was founded in Belarus in the early 1990's and today consists of one Comitium with 10 senior and 1 junior Curiae and 7 praesidia affiliated. All Curiae have full Curia officerships. Curiae and praesidia are visited regularly and visitation is reported on at Comitium. Their apostolate includes Home and Hospital visitation, preparation for Confession, First Communion and other sacraments, contact in squares, streets, railway stations, religious instruction in an orphanage and Fr. Yury reported on giving retreats to juniors. Almost every praesidium does extension.

Marya, the President, thanked Our Lord and Our Blessed Lady for giving them the privilege of attending the Concilium meeting. Tommy McCabe, President of Concilium, thanked Fr. Yury and the officers for coming and spending a few days in Dublin and for their great spirit, courage and commitment to serve Our Blessed Lady. He also sent the Concilium's best wishes to all legionaries in Belarus and looks forward to hearing about further development of the Legion in this country. Thanks were also expressed to Patricia O'Hara, the correspondent for Belarus.



Death of Cardinal Jean Margéot
"Our Father in Faith. Outstanding Servant of the Mauritian Nation"

So spoke the headlines of La Vie Catholique announcing the death of His Eminence Cardinal Jean Margéot of Mauritius at the age of 93. The Legion of Mary owes a great debt to the late Cardinal. Edel Quinn arrived in Mauritius on 22nd January 1940, and on April 28th held her first Curia meeting there for 19 newly founded praesidia. Archbishop Leen appointed his youngest priest as Spiritual Director of that Curia, Fr. Jean Margéot. He was a tower of strength to Edel and also a keen observer of her. His appreciation of her spirit is to be judged by the testimony, which he gave of her sanctity and heroic quality to the local tribunal of her Cause. His words echo the words of Frank Duff about her in an extraordinary way. His opinion of her and the movement she introduced is evidenced by his subsequent encouragement and support of the Legion during the rest of his long life. So much so that the Osservatore Romano in its list of important roles filled by the late Cardinal includes that of "animator of the Legion of Mary".

A letter from Mme. Lorna Lamy, President of Port Louis Regia, tells of the sorrow of all the legionaries of Mauritius and Rodrigues at his passing, describing it as the loss of an indefatigable servant of the Lord and His Mother who, through his vision, introduced them into the universality of the church as a true pastor does. "It is a grateful nation, she adds, that renders homage and unceasing thanks to God for bestowing such a gift on us."

May his great soul rest in peace.



Peregrinatio Pro Christo
Since the last Concilium meeting, teams have come home from Birmingham, Aberdeen, Preston, Milford Haven, Tooting, Oxford, Glasgow, Paisley and Soho. On the 19th September a team of 9 legionaries set out for the parish of the Immaculate Conception at the Surrey Docks. A team of 9 including a religious sister traveled in September to Koekelberg, Brussels for a project where local legionaries assisted them.

The Autumn Conference will take place in St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra on Saturday 31st October.



Year of the Priest
Every Priest Needs the Legion - Mary Shall Reign by Frank Duff

"… The Legion is ideal as a priestly mechanism. It possesses the same outlook, the same methods, and - a very important thing - it has in it the element of correct and due subordination. Lay people realize their position in the Legion and conform to it completely and eagerly. I have not got to labour that point, because you who work in the Legion know it. It is a feature not invariably found in the lay societies. It would be hard to find a better means for the priest to express himself and to multiply himself. This notion of broadcasting himself is vital to the priestly function, not only because it is part of its essence, but as well by reason of the fewness of the priests in relation to the needs. It is also necessary psychologically, for an effective and smooth contact with people demands a mediating class, or what we might call an interpreting class, one sharing the point of view of both sides. It must have the priest's outlook and yet belong to the people. It explains one to the other and forms the uniting link."



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, Ireland.

Back to News

Our Concilium meeting today is taking place the day after the feast of the Assumption of Our Lady into heaven. I, therefore, feel compelled to speak about this aspect of the mystery of Mary and its practical implications for the life and apostolate of the Legion.

On November the 1st 1950, Pope Pius XII defined the Assumption of Our Lady, body and soul into Heaven as a dogma of our Catholic faith. I was only a teenager at the time but even then I realised that it was an event of enormous significance for the Church and the world. It made the whole church focus in a new way on the meaning of the Assumption and its pivotal place in our daily lives. Of course, the Church always believed in the Assumption and it is the oldest feast of Mary in the liturgical year. It would be unthinkable for Mary to be anywhere else but in heaven in the totality of her personhood, that is body and soul. She was conceived without original sin and was free from any personal sin; she is the Mother of God and shared not only deeply in the life of Our Lord but also in his passion and death. It follows logically that she would share in his Resurrection.

Let me just mention a few things that this dogma about Our Lady should offer us legionaries. First of all it should offer us tremendous hope for our personal lives and for our apostolate. One of the great joys in the life of Frank Duff took place on Thursday, May the 10th 1979. That day he attended the Mass of Pope John Paul II in his private chapel together with three other legionaries and they also received Holy Communion from him. Afterwards they had breakfast together and had a wonderful discussion on the Legion and its worldwide apostolate. In the course of their conversation the Holy Father said: 'I must tell you a story.' It went as follows: 'When Cardinal Hlond of Warsaw was dying, a young priest knelt by his bedside. There had been great difficulties, not only in Poland but also in many other countries as well. The Cardinal, as if leaving a last testament, said: "Victory will come through Mary." Then His Holiness added: "and that is my message to the Legion of Mary - 'Victory will come through Mary.' "And a thrilling message it was."'

Before the Holy Father said his final farewell he said again "Remember the words 'Victory comes through Mary.' Dear legionaries that is also the message of the dogma of the Assumption.

In her Assumption Mary proclaims in a wonderful way the total victory of Christ in his death and resurrection. What has taken place in her will take place in us too. This is what our bonding with Mary as our mother guarantees; this is what our consecration to her brings about. What St. Paul writes about in the first letter to the Corinthians is first of all realised in Mary and by her maternal intercession and care comes to be realised in us too: 'When this perishable nature has put on imperishability, and when this mortal nature has put on immortality, then the words of scripture will come true: Death is swallowed up in victory. Death, where is your victory? Where is your sting? Now the sting of death is sin, and sin gets its power from the Law. So let us thank God for giving us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.' The Assumption is the most perfect fulfilment of the promise in Genesis of the victory of the Woman and her seed. We Legionaries must think not only about the prophecy in Genesis but its superabundant fulfilment in the Assumption of Our Lady into heaven.

Mary's spiritual maternity of souls comes to perfection in the Assumption. Now she sees us not by faith and obscurely but she sees us now with total clarity down to the very last details of our lives in the beatific vision of God and her Son. The special charism or vocation of the Legion is the call to share in Mary's maternity of souls and therefore it is important for us to be receptive to the graces and meaning of the Assumption. It is not a relationship to the Mary of history that is the centre of our Legion spirituality but Mary as she is living here and now in heaven as the heart of the Trinity. We treasure every moment and aspect of the mystery of Mary our Mother but especially in the way she is actually living and acting now. Victory comes through Mary assumed into heaven. Let us finish with the opening prayer of the Liturgy for this great feast: 'All powerful and ever living God, you raised the sinless Virgin Mary, Mother of your Son to the glory of heaven. May we see heaven as our final goal and come to share her glory. Amen.'

Back to News

REPORTS - EUROPE
FRANCE: There are 4 Regiae governing the Legion of Mary in France:

Paris Regia: The Legion has a presence in 15 dioceses and it has 22 directly attached praesidia and 3 more in formation as well as 3 Curiae. Membership includes 330 senior, 14 junior and 540 auxiliary members. A reporting praesidium organised a November Mass for deceased parishioners and it circulates a pilgrim Statue in preparation for the feast of Our Lady of Fatima on 13th May when a special Mass is celebrated. A DVD made about the Venerable Edel Quinn in 2008 was shown for 8 days on a Catholic TV station in France.

Valence Regia has 3 praesidia in the town of Valence and other ones spread throughout the Diocese and distant ones in Clermont Ferrand, Grenoble and Nimes. The 2 senior and 2 junior praesidia in Chateauneuf de Galaure held a reunion in June, which included a visit to the room of the late Marthe Robin, a stigmatist and a legionary for many years. The junior members are all boarders in the local secondary schools. The boy's praesidium has been meeting for 31 years and some former members have been ordained priests. The Vietnamese Curia based at Lyon has 4 praesidia, which visit hospitals and hold 2 retreats every year for active and auxiliary members and their families with an average of 60 people attending. A pilgrimage to Ars is held in November to commemorate Vietnam's 115 martyrs.

Aire and Dax Regia: There are 9 directly attached praesidia and 2 Curiae based at Bordeaux and Bayonne. Works of service and catechetical work is done. The Regia organised a very successful weekend in Lourdes in June to celebrate the 120th anniversary of the birth of the Servant of God, Frank Duff at which the Bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes addressed the French and Irish legionaries who were present. The French translation of the booklet on Frank Duff and Cardinal Newman by Finola Kennedy was launched at the ceremony.

Strasbourg Senatus has one Curia (directly attached) in Colmar, 24 praesidia including 2 junior praesidia and looks after Fribourg praesidium in Switzerland. The Legion is in 4 dioceses. The average membership in a praesidium is 4. A new praesidium started in Strasbourg-Cronenbourg in February 2009. The praesidium is in an area of high-rise flats with a multi-cultural and multi-denominational population. There are many Muslims living here. The Senatus has chief responsibility for manning the Permanence in Lourdes. One of its members recently moved permanently to Lourdes to serve the Permanence and joined the local praesidium. Strasbourg Senatus hosts an Annual Peregrinatio Pro Christo Conference.


ENGLAND
Southwark Comitium: Directly attached are 22 praesidia including 2 intermediate and 2 junior ones and 6 Curiae. Four praesidia in Cornwall (Plymouth Diocese), which were formerly governed by Birmingham Senatus were officially transferred back to Southwark Comitium in April 2009, as directed by the Concilium. Extension efforts have resulted in the setting up of new praesidia in Battersea and Hartley. The annual Edel Quinn pilgrimage to Aylesford, which took place on 9 May 2009 was well attended. The chief celebrant of the Mass was Bishop Paul Hendricks. A function was held for Spiritual Directors in February to show appreciation for their services. Bishop Hendricks was the guest of honour and priests from Southwark, Hartley and Croydon attended.

Westminster Archdiocese: The Central London Curia governs 14 praesidia out of a total of 30 parishes. Works carried out range from home-to-home visitation and the running of Patrician meetings to street contact in Soho and surrounding streets. A recruiting drive in Soho resulted in 2 former members returning to the Legion. Three other Curiae based at Hammersmith, Barnet and Middlesex have a total of 21 praesidia comprising 132 active and 451 auxiliary members.

Brentwood Comitium: The Diocese of Brentwood is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Westminster and has twelve deaneries and 135 parishes. In 2006 the Catholic population was 230,700, which represented 8.4% of the population. The Comitium consists of 2 Curiae and 12 directly attached praesidia. One Curia has 9 senior and 2 junior praesidia consisting of 44 senior and 4 probationary members and 13 juniors; the second Curia has 4 praesidia with 30 members. The Curia in Brentwood East have carried out recruitment drives in two areas resulting in 16 people showing an interest in Westcliff and three in Canvey Island. A praesidium reported that a 16 year old boy from Sri Lanka was instructed by legionaries and received his First Holy Communion at Easter, also a non-Catholic parishioner, instructed by the legionaries, was received into the Church in October.

NORTHAMPTION SOUTH AND NORTHAMPTON NORTH CURIAE: Due to changes in the Northampton diocese there are now 13 Pastoral Areas instead of 9 Deaneries. Each Pastoral Area has a Dean; this has also brought about amalgamation of Parishes etc. Northampton South is trying to start a Junior Legion in Aylesbury and is also visiting parish priests in Luton seeking permission to start praesidia. The Praesidium in Bletchley organized Masses during the year in residential homes. In Northampton North, Eucharistic Adoration is supported in many parishes. Two praesidia are involved in the preparation of children for the sacraments of Holy Eucharist and Reconciliation. A praesidium visits a prison and prisoners are encouraged to join in the Divine Mercy devotions after Mass.

LIVERPOOL SENATUS: This council governs the Legion in the Archdiocese of Liverpool and its suffragan dioceses as well as the Legion in 2 Dioceses in Wales and praesidia in Sweden. It has 5 Comitia, 8 Curiae and 16 directly attached praesidia. Legionaries assist at Baptisms, recite the Rosary in schools, prepare children for First Holy Communion and do other various works. Newcastle Comitium with 5 attached Curiae promoted devotion to Our Lady of Walsingham and in Sunderland, Apostleship to the Sea is undertaken. One Curia reported well-attended Patrician meetings.

BIRMINGHAM SENATUS: There are 5 attached Curiae including a junior one and 10 directly attached praesidia in the Archdiocese of Birmingham and its 2 suffragan dioceses. Talks on the True Devotion to Mary are widely promoted. Extension efforts continue. A meeting was held with officers of the councils in the West Country to discuss plans for extension. Coventry and Wolverhampton Curiae each has set up a new praesidium. In Saltley and Perry Bar, 2 and 3 contacts respectively were received into the Church at Easter. Patrician meetings are held in Birmingham University and a function organised for the Pauline Year in Coventry had an attendance of 30 including 12 non-Catholics. Following previous Pauline events, the Rosary is being taught to several non-Catholics. Birmingham Junior Curia has 5 praesidia with a membership of 47. Rosary groups, distribution of Holy Water and working with senior members are among the works done.


WALES
Wrexham Curia had the privilege of having Bishop Edwin Regan and 3 Spiritual Directors at its Acies ceremony. Cardiff Comitium reports the special ministry of taking Holy Communion into homes, nursing homes and hospitals and conducting Eucharistic Services where no priest is available. A celebration of the lives of the Venerable Edel Quinn and the Servant of God Alfie Lambe took place in Abergavenny. Swansea Curia with 4 attached praesidia organised a Peregrinatio Pro Christo Conference at which the new Bishop of the Diocese was present and made very valuable contributions.


SWEDEN
There are 6 praesidia in Malmo, Vaxjo, Sodertalja and Lund. Members visiting Nursing Homes are reaching out to non-Catholic residents.



MEXICO & CENTRAL AMERICA

Mexico City Senatus: The Senatus is extending in the diocese of Toluca, a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Mexico where there has been no Legion. Equally so the two comitia in the dioceses of Veracruz and Jalapa are extending. Two attached Curiae merged because the number of praesidia had decreased. Devotion to Venerable Edel is promoted.

Senatus of Merida: Five praesidia, two Curiae and 2 Comitia reported that the Legion in this area continues to extend, a number of praesidia have been set up in the different attached councils. Home-to-home visitation and street contact is done by all councils resulting in many people returning to the sacraments and couples have regularised their marriage. A number of people have returned from the sects. The Miraculous Medal is used on visitation, the Causes are promoted and a recruiting drive resulted in 205 people accepting an invitation to join the Legion.

Hermosillo Regia: A praesidium of 14 men has brought back 26 people to confession and 4 Jehovah Witnesses have converted. Eight female prisoners are being prepared for First Holy Communion. The attached Curia in Obregon has divided. The Bishop of Obregon thanked the Legion for the support in his diocese. Chihuchua Comitium set up a junior Curia recently, they also reported two senior praesidia set up and a third in formation.

Durango Regia: This Regia has established better contact with the distant Comitia and they in turn have pledged loyalty to the Regia. Five ranch-based praesidia will form a new Curia.

Monterrey Regia: At a retreat in February the Bishop thanked the Legion for their commitment in his diocese particularly the home visitation. He urged them to set up the Legion in each parish if possible. A new Curia was set up in the city. An attached Curia has a junior Curia attached. An initiative with children during the Summer months "Holidays with Jesus" included sport, singing, etc. with an emphasis on evangelising; there was an attendance of 280 children. The junior legionaries also took part with the seniors in rural projects. Another attached Curia organises a procession to counteract the pagan customs of Halloween. Two junior praesidia were formed from a theatrical group. The attached Comitium of Saltillo has 19 Curiae attached, they insist that each Curia and praesidium include their extension efforts in their reports.

Guadalajara Regia: The 90 contacts made on recruiting, resulted in 3 coming to the meeting and one remaining. A junior praesidium reported having recruited 13 new members.

Leon Regia: During the reporting period 4 praesidia, 1 senior and 1 junior Curiae and 1 Comitium reported. The junior Legion continues to grow. There are a number of junior Curiae in the Regia. The young legionaries teach catechism to children and for the Feast of the Presentation in the Temple, 320 children were brought to the Church to recite short prayers and receive a blessing from the priest. The young legionaries also carry out an apostolate to drug addicts and young people who are suicidal. A senior Curia and a number of praesidia were set up. The May allocutio was on the True Devotion to Our Lady.

Acapulco Regia: Reports indicate that home visitation is the main work of the Legion in this area because so many have lapsed from the faith. An attached Comitium reported that visitation of 2,558 homes resulted in 247 baptisms, 5 of whom were adults, 239 people returned to confession and 114 couples received the sacrament of marriage, some after a long time. Catechism is taught at 28 catechism centres by both junior and senior legionaries.

Belize Curia: The praesidium on the Island of San Pedro has 15 members. In the course of home visitation a number of people of different denominations are met, some bible study is undertaken with them. Lapsed parents are encouraged to have their children baptised.

Honduras Senatus: Minutes are up to date. Works include home and prison visitation. Legionaries also teach catechism preparing children and adults for the sacraments. Some new praesidia have been set up.

Costa Rica Senatus: Three new praesidia were set up during the year. Home visitation is undertaken with the statue of Our Lady.

El Salvador: During this period a number of praesidia and Curiae and two Regiae reported. In all areas the Regia continues to extend, 8 senior and 6 junior praesidia were set up. Fifty former legionaries returned to the Legion. A family - parents, 3 adult sons and the grandmother - returned to the practice of the faith from one of the sects. Another family discontinued Satanic worship and now have a statue of Our Lady in their home. 112 prisoners attended catechism classes.

Panama Comitium: The two extension workers from Colombia reported that the Comitium is very active with 17 Curiae in 5 of the 8 dioceses in the country. A praesidium did a thorough visitation and census of the parish in preparation for a Mission in September. A large number of young legionaries are catechists giving classes in the different parishes every week. An Exploratio Dominicalis project carried out in a neglected area resulted in many returning to the sacraments.

Guatemala Regia of Camotan: Reports indicate that praesidia are being set up on a regular basis. Home visitation is carried out. A Curia with 39 praesidia divided, the junior Curia remained with the original Curia.

Nicaragua Regia of Managua: Extension is carried out giving particular attention to setting up junior praesidia. During the month of May the True Devotion to Our Lady was promoted on home visitation.



Visit to Concilium by Officers of Seoul Senatus, Korea
On Sunday 16th August 2009, the Officers of Seoul Senatus, Korea, Gregorio Paeng President, Michael Han Vice-President, John the Baptist Jung Secretary, Agnes Han Treasurer, Francis Ha Assistant Secretary and Fr. Pio Min Spiritual Director attended the Concilium meeting. On Thursday 13th August they visited places of interest associated with Frank Duff and the Legion in the Dublin area, on Friday 14th August they had discussions with the Concilium Officers and on Saturday 15th August visited the Marian Shrine of Our Lady of Knock.

Under the care of Seoul Senatus there are 10 Regiae and 109 Comitia with a total of 160,000 active legionaries and 195,000 auxiliary members. The Legion of Mary has contributed significantly to the evangelisation of Korea with the number of Catholics and Legionaries increasing.

Tommy McCabe, President of Concilium, thanked the Legionaries and their Spiritual Director for coming and spending a number of days in Dublin and for their commitment to serve Our Blessed Lady. He also sent the Concilium's best wishes to all members in their Senatus and looks forward to hearing about their increase in their endeavours. Thanks was also expressed to Paddy Fay, the correspondent for Korea.



Visit to Concilium by Officers of Malta Regia
The officers of the Malta Regia Alfred Sammut President, Marjorie Vella Vice President, Joseph Micallef Treasurer and their Spiritual Director Rev. Fr. Leonard Mahoney visited Dublin on Saturday 15th August 2009 to have discussions with the Concilium Officers, which proved very fruitful; they also attended the Concilium meeting on the Sunday.

In his address to the Concilium Alfred Sammut said they have about 1,600 active members and the Regia consists of one Comitium, 13 Curiae, and 13 praesidia. This Regia also caretakes four other countries and have been asked by the Concilium to also care for the Legion in Greece.

Tommy McCabe, President of Concilium, thanked these legionaries for their dedication and commitment to the Legion and Our Blessed Lady.



Peregrinatio Pro Christo
Since the last Concilium meeting teams have worked in five parishes in England and Scotland and recently a team of 10 have set out for St. Peter and Paul's parish in Birmingham and another team of 18 will go to St. Peter's parish in Aberdeen. A word of thanks was expressed to the British council organisers who managed to secure more parishes for the unexpected large number of volunteers for the final two weeks of the PPC year.

On the 29th August three teams will set out; a team of 10 to St. Walburge's Parish in Preston, Lancashire, a team of 12 to St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Milford Haven, Wales and a team of 12 to the Parish of St. Boniface in Tooting, London. On the 5th September 3 teams will travel to St. Dominic Barberi Parish in Oxford, St. Patrick's in Glasgow to Foxbar, Paisley

The project to Soho, which will travel on 4th September, is a follow on to last year's project and the PPC Committee are very grateful to the legionaries who volunteered again for this very challenging assignment.

Ten legionaries will travel to the parish of the Immaculate Conception at the Surrey Docks outside London. This will be the last British project for 2009.

A team of 8 volunteers including a religious Sister for the French-speaking project will journey to Koekelberg, Brussels from 15th to 24th September. Prayers are requested for the success of all projects.

The Autumn Conference will take place in St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra on Saturday 31st October 2009.



Meeting on Evangelisation in Asia
The Office of Evangelisation of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences, which has among its Terms of Reference: "To assist various groups involved in evangelisation to cooperate and integrate their efforts in missionary endeavours on national and international levels" is organising a meeting of representatives of such missionary movements and organisations having their presence in Asia and are engaged in evangelising ministry in Asia.

One of the objectives of the meeting is: To provide a forum for mutual contact and an opportunity to know from one another about:
a) The special and unique evangelical charism and thrust of each of the movements and associations;
b) The creative efforts being made, the methods and approaches used in ministry;
c) To discover the opportunities that open up in different parts of Asia for the work of evangelisation;
d) To reflect together on the Asian dimensions of Evangelisation as set forth by the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences;
e) To discern the need, if any, of a more stable form or fellowship among the associations and movements at Asian level in order to promote mutual inspiration, and to intensify our efforts at evangelisation.

This meeting is being held in Bangkok, Thailand, on 18, 19 and 20 September 2009. As the Legion of Mary is very much involved with the work of evangelisation in many Asian countries, the organisers requested that the Legion be represented. Declan Lohan, President of the Galway Curia, who has worked in an Asian country, and Paddy Fay, Concilium Correspondent with some Legion councils in Asia, have been asked by the Concilium to represent the Legion at the meeting. Prayers are asked for the success of this meeting, which concerns a matter of such vital concern for the Church, the evangelisation of Asia.



The Secret of Influencing Others
There is an art in the moving of others, and those that work for their neighbour must study it.

Do not say "I cannot," or "I am not fitted," or "Nobody heeds me." For there is one thing that can clothe you with power in your dealings with others - affection for them. This is the great secret of all real influence. To possess it, follow this simple rule:
Look only for good qualities in anyone you meet; you will fine them. Never look for faults, for you would find them.
Act thus, and you will easily develop the habit of love. Convince those around you, by deeds, not phrases, that you truly have this feeling for them, and you can lead them where you like.



Can we be Saints? By Frank Duff
"Can we be Saints" booklet is available from the Literature Department, Concilium Legionis Mariae. Cost 50 cents plus postage.



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, Ireland.

Back to News

REPORTS - ASIA & MIDDLE EAST
NEPAL: Kathmandu Curia has 1 junior and 4 senior praesidia. Communication can be erratic due to limited electricity supply. Work mainly consists of teaching the faith to children and adults both at the church and in the homes - much peace and unity has resulted.

PAKISTAN
The reporting praesidia in Karachi have 18 & 9 active and 60 & 45 auxiliaries respectively. They provide officers for junior and Urdu speaking praesidia, visit homes and hospitals. They prepare the Liturgy for special feast days and support the Legion at work in another diocese under the direction of the parish priest.

KAZAKHSTAN
Karaganda started a junior praesidium with 9 members and they hope to extend into 2 parishes. Legionaries are in contact with alcoholics and their families. In Kokshetau the drug and oncology wards are visited. People of other faiths receive the legionaries very well and accept miraculous medals. There are extension hopes in 4 parishes.

GEORGIA
The English speaking praesidium in Tbilisi and the 3 Georgian speaking praesidia in the villages continue to meet.

ARMENIA
The praesidium in Yerevan has 10 members. Fr. Petros attends each week and gives inspiring and helpful allocutios. The purpose of suffering and the importance of prayer are discussed when visiting homes and hospitals. Many contacts need someone simply to listen to them

THAILAND
The Senatus of Bangkok has 4,526 senior and 327 junior members with 9,000 auxiliaries. Catholics number 500,000 of a 63 million population. With the encouragement of spiritual directors interfaith dialogue is taking places. Mosques and Buddhist temples are visited and people of all faiths are met. Legionaries co-operate with medical teams and with government agencies for the welfare of the people.

MYANMAR
Despite difficulties the legionaries continue to meet and work. The Legion exists in the 3 archdiocese and 9 suffragan dioceses. The Comitium in Mandalay undertook the translation of the Handbook into Burmese, which is now complete under the direction of Fr. George a very zealous and interested spiritual director.

VIETNAM
Concilium was pleased to receive the recent news from Vietnam. The minutes show well-organised praesidia and councils, which know what their territory is, where the Legion needs to extend and growth continues. The Legion is in all 26 dioceses and membership stands at 43,556 senior, 14,822 juniors and 74,370 auxiliaries.

INDIA
Archdiocese of Mumbai: The Regia consists of 26 local & 10 distant praesidia, 13 Curiae and 5 Comitia, 19 of the 45 dioceses have the Legion. Extension in Jallandhar made the discovery of praesidia in existence including one in the Seminary with 43 members thanks to a dedicated Rector. He has also arranged for the Handbook to be translated into Punjabi.

Archdiocese of Bangalore: The Karnataka Regia has 8 directly attached praesidia, 17 Curiae, 5 Comitia and is in 7 of the 8 suffragan dioceses. Classes for alcoholics resulted in 17 now abstaining. Two slum areas were adopted, Mass and Confession was arranged and 15 gave up an illegal way of life. The audited accounts were received.

Archdiocese of Kolkata: There are 7 suffragan dioceses but no details are available. Extension and visitation has been curtailed due to excessive heat and a cyclone. This Comitium also cares for the Legion in BANGLADESH where a visit is planned for October/November.

Archdiocese of Pondicherry: Due to the illness of the Correspondent up to date information is not to hand.

Archdiocese of Chennai: A large slum area was visited: fishermen and their wives work long hours. Each Wednesday in Lent Stations of the Cross and Public Rosary were held with between 150 and 175 attending. 300 attended the specially arranged Mass celebrated by the Auxiliary Bishop. Coimbatore Comitium and Avadi Curia have been in touch.

Archdiocese of Trivandrum: The Kerala Senatus is working in all 17 dioceses and in all three rites - Latin, Syro Malabar and Syro Malankara, has 22 praesidia, 14 senior and 8 junior Curiae as well as 16 Comitia with about 20,000 members.

Diocese of Kottar: The Bishop has written seeking higher status for the Comitium. It currently has 7 praesidia and 27 Curiae attached with 5,876 senior and 1,924 junior members. With other proposed attachments the membership rise to 8,711 seniors and 2,696 juniors. Tuticorin Comitium established another curia and Comitium with permission. There are 106 parishes in the diocese and all Curiae were allocated some each for extension purposes. Excellent apostolic work is done by all in homes, hospitals and various institutions to Catholics and non-Catholics, including Hindus and Moslems and many Catholics returning to practice.

SRI LANKA
16 praesidia, 28 senior & 6 junior Curiae & 10 Comitia make up the Senatus. Due to the war many of Curiae were dissolved but praesidia seem to have continued. All homes are visited with evangelisation of all, the Rosary prayed with non-Catholics, a small number have entered the Church. True Devotion is mentioned in a number of reports; 3 Causes literature is available in the 3 languages of Sinhala, Tamil and English.

ISRAEL AND PALESTINE
The Comitium in Jerusalem comprises 11 praesidia in Jerusalem, Jaffa and Ramla and 4 Curiae in Bethlehem, Ramallah, Nazareth and Galilee with a membership of 548 active in a total of 39 praesidia. Minutes are being received regularly. A business men's praesidium has a membership of 20 and other reporting praesidia are doing various works of consolation and invite the lapsed back to practice. Travel restrictions during the Gaza conflict were the cause of deferral of a congress to have taken place in Jericho.



AFRICA

DEMOCRATIC CONGO
Kinshasa Senatus cares for the Legion in over one-third of the area of Democratic Congo. This area mostly speaks Lingala. It is a highly efficient body. It has 12 praesidia, averaging 20 members, 7 parish-based Curiae, 11 city Comitia and 2 diocesan Comitia and finally five Regiae: Matadi, Kikwit, Mbandaka, Kisangani and Isiro. All the usual works are undertaken. Details give account of teenage fathers counseled and persuaded to reform their lives, teenage mothers induced to join a choir, prostitutes persuaded to live honestly and work at the market and family break-ups due, often to marital infidelity, resolved with apologies and promises.

Members of Kananga Senatus are actively engaged in apostolic activities. Bukava Senatus: Discussion are ongoing in relation to the printing of the Swahili Handbook.

Butembo Senatus: The Senatus has appointed a correspondent for Concilium and the building of the Legion premises is near completion.

BURUNDI
Gitega Senatus is planning a Congress. Works include encouraging laity to participate in their basic communities, promoting family devotion to the Sacred Heart and enrolling youth in the "Friends of Montfort".

RWANDA
Kigali Senatus has a membership of 86,000 active legionaries.

CENTRAL AFRICA
Bangui Regia: Proposals have been forwarded to consider the raising a number of their councils to a higher status.

Madagascar: This large country has 21 dioceses. The Legion whose flame has been kept alive by visits and correspondence from the Regia of Reunion has 2 Curiae and a scatter of isolated praesidia.

Reunion Island: St. Denis Comitium, Reunion reported on works of home visitation, bringing Holy Communion to the sick and aged, recitation of the prayers in the mortuary on the occasion of funerals, leading the Rosary and Stations of the Cross and also teaching catechism especially to juniors. The Pilgrim Virgin Statue is also brought to homes and legionaries pray with families.

Mauritius Regia: The Regia has 2 Comitia, 6 Curiae and 19 praesidia. Venerable Edel Quinn spent 8 months there and established the Legion there in 1940. She was present at the first Curia meeting on 28th April - Feast of St. Louis Marie de Montfort. Works reported include visitation of homes, nursing homes and hospitals - teaching catechism to children and preparing them for the Sacraments, organizing retreats for adults and youth; promotion of Eucharistic Adoration and the Rosary. On 7th June 2009, to mark the 120th anniversary of the birth of the Servant of God Frank Duff, Archbishop Piat celebrated Mass in the Cathedral with all the priests with past or present connections.
Nigeria

At the Concilium meeting on 19th July 2009 the following was proposed and agreed:
Enugu Senatus currently has 20 praesidia, 11 senior and 12 junior Curiae, 18 Comitia and 3 Regiae directly attached. The Senatus is requesting permission to raise 2 Comitia in Nsuku and Abakaliki to Regia status.

The Concilium agreed, subject to ecclesiastical agreement, to raise:
Immaculate Conception Comitium, Nsuka to Regia and attaching 5 other Comitia to this new Regia. It will govern the territory of the Diocese of Nsuka, a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Onitsha, and will comprise of 12 praesidia, 19 Curiae and 5 Comitia directly attached, encompassing a total membership of 13,611 senior and 8,549 juniors.

Gate of Heaven Comitium, Abakaliki to Regia and attaching 5 other Comitia. This new Regia will govern the territory of the Diocese of Abakaliki, a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Onitsha and will comprise 12 praesidia, 14 Curiae and 5 Comitia directly attached, encompassing a total membership of 18,300 senior and 12,210 junior members.

When these two Comitia are raised to Regiae, this would leave the Enugu Senatus with 20 praesidia, 11 senior, 12 junior Curiae, 7 Comitia and 5 Regiae attached



Visit to Concilium by Officers of Paris and Valence Regiae, France
The Paris and Valence Regiae Officers, France were represented at the July Concilium meeting by their officers, Monique Chevrot President, Robert Cambronne Vice President, Marie-Nicole Trimaille Secretary, Paris Regia and Elizabeth Bidault President Valence Regia. The previous day they held discussions with the Concilium Officers.

Paris Regia has the Legion in 15 dioceses. There are 333 legionaries in five Curiae and 22 praesidia directly attached to the Regia. In the last two years two junior praesidia have been established and a new group was formed in a College. In the Valence Regia the Legion is in seven dioceses. There are 298 legionaries in 17 praesidia, which includes 2 juniors. Visitation of their councils is undertaken and their plans are to build up the junior movement and extend the Legion in other dioceses.

Tommy McCabe, President of Concilium, thanked the Legionaries for the work they are doing on behalf of the Legion and wish them every grace and blessing for the future.



Commemoration Mass for the 77th Anniversary of the birth of The Servant of God, Alfie Lambe
On Sunday June 28th 2009, the Commemorative Mass for the Servant of God, Alfie Lambe took place in The Church of the Assumption, Tullamore, Co. Offaly. The Chief Celebrant and Homilist was Fr. Martin Halpin P.P. and concelebrated with 5 other priests including Fr. Oliver Skelly P.P., Vice Postulator of the Cause and Fr. Lorenzo Bracken, former school classmate of Alfie. There was a good attendance and everyone was invited to tea afterwards.

On the previous day, Saturday June 27th a 'Day of Action' took place at which 20 legionaries took part. Six hundred homes were visited in housing estates in Tullamore and contact work was undertaken at a shopping center, the aim being to make Alfie better known in his hometown. The Legionaries were very well received.

Tribute was made to the hardworking committee for all their efforts to promote and organise the annual Mass and their new initiative of the Action Day. They were also commended for their dedicated work during the year. Favours attributed through the intercession of The Servant of God Alfie Lambe to be notified to the Concilium.



Peregrinatio Pro Christo
During the month of June and July teams have worked in parishes in Wolverhampton, Essex, Ardrossan in Scotland, Stretford, Manchester and a parish in Ramsey on the Isle of Man which turned out to be a wonderful project and the Parish Priest in Ramsey has asked for a another team to work in his second parish of Peel. In early July a team of ten worked in the parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, Wolverhampton and within the next few weeks teams will set out for Hayes in Middlesex, St. Catherine Laboure in Glasgow and the parish of St. Charles Borromeo in Hull.

Ten volunteers are going on the project to Koekelberg in Brussels in September. Legionaries are presently working in Finland, which is organized by the Senatus of Scotland. The Liverpool project to Malmo in Sweden will take place from 4th to 14th August, Birmingham's project to Holland will be from 10th to 18th August and the project to Berlin will be in September.

The annual Autumn Conference will be in St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra on Saturday 31st October 2009.



Child Safeguarding Update
Training in relation to the Child Safeguarding continues in Ireland. To date 12 sessions have been held and a total of 224 legionaries have attended for training. One more session is planned for July in the Dublin area - that means two thirds of Dublin Curiae will be covered.



Legionaries should undertake de Montfort's True Devotion to Mary
It is desirable that the practice of the legionary devotion to Mary should be rounded off and given the distinctive character, which has been taught by St. Louis-Marie de Montfort under the titles of "The True Devotion" or the "Slavery of Mary", and which is enshrined in his two books, True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin and the Secret of Mary.

That Devotion requires the formal entry into a compact with Mary, whereby one gives to her one's whole self, with all its thoughts and deeds and possessions, both spiritual and temporal, past, present, and future, without the reservation of the smallest part or slightest little thing. In a word, the giver places himself in a condition equivalent to that of a slave possessing nothing of his own, and wholly dependent on, and utterly at the disposal of Mary.

Text from the Legion Handbook, Chapter VI No. 5
Chapter VI from the Handbook on True Devotion has been produced in booklet form and is available from the Literature Department, Concilium Legionis Mariae. The cost is €8 for 25 copies plus postage.



Special Offer
The following booklets on Venerable Edel Quinn are available at 50 cents each + postage:

"Thanks to Edel" Edited by Fr. Anselm Moynihan, O.P. Former Vice-Postulator
"Venerable Edel Quinn" by Frank Duff
"The Venerable Edel Quinn" by Fr. Anselm Moynihan, O.P. FormerVice-Postulator
"Words of Life from Edel Quinn" Introduction by Daniel Elcid, O.F.M.
An Irish Carthusian Nun writes, "I knew Edel Quinn"

Due to many requests these two books have been reprinted and Concilium would like you to bring them to the notice of all Legionaries:
"Venerable Edel Quinn" by Leon-Joseph Cardinal Suenens
A5 - 276 pages - Cost €6.00 plus Postage

"Mary Shall Reign" by Frank Duff
A5 - 180 pages - Cost €8 plus Postage

Please write to:
Literature Department, Concilium Legionis Mariae, De Montfort House,
Morning Star Avenue, Brunswick Street,
Dublin 7, Ireland.



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, Ireland.

Back to News

The Concilium agreed, subject to ecclesiastical agreement, to raise:

1. Immaculate Conception Comitium, Nsuka to Regia and attaching 5 other Comitia to this new Regia

2. Gate of Heaven Comitium, Abakaliki to Regia and attaching 5 other Comitia.

Back to News

In nearly every diocese in the Church where the Legion is present there are renewal programmes, adult education courses, calls to evangelisation, new ecclesial movements, new ministries, a multiplication of new structures in parishes and dioceses and no small multiplication of reports, meetings and ever more new committees. Every new agenda is tagged as urgent and important. And the Legion is often asked to participate in all this activity and planning. The Legion desires with every instinct of its soul to collaborate with everything that may serve the cause of Christ and His Church. But the question can arise: what is the best way the Legion can contribute to the parish, the diocese or indeed to the universal Church? What should we opt into and what should we opt out of?

Well, I think the best contribution we can make at every level in the Church and to every new initiative of any ecclesial body is to be faithful to our own Legion charism. We must always be fully Legionaries in every situation of time and place. To be steeped in the Handbook and to truly live the spirit of the Handbook is already to offer a profound contribution to any and every Christian community we are part of. We will be at our best when we are true to our Legion identity.

In the context of the overwhelming multiplicity and diversity of demands made on the Legion, I would like to reflect once again on one or two of the cardinal points of the Legion Apostolate. Fr. Thomas O'Flynn, a former Spiritual Director of Concilium, when preaching at the month's mind Mass for our Founder referred to a quotation from an article of Frank Duff that went as follows: 'Vocation to the apostolate begins the moment you realise that apart from the salvation of souls nothing else in life matters very much … and you begin to act accordingly.' Then he adds: 'That sentence - it seems to me - contains the mainspring of everything he thought, every thing he said and everything he did.' It also puts into words everything that can be said of the Legion Apostolate. We are in the business of saving souls and nothing else. We do not get involved precisely as legionaries in collecting funds or distributing them. There are other organisations for that. Every meeting, every activity, every discussion in the Legion ultimately must have the salvation of souls in view. That is the meaning and message of the life of our founder for us today.

There is no greater charity than to pray and work ceaselessly for the salvation of souls. What is the point of getting everything we want and need in this life if we do not get into heaven for eternity? Pope Benedict told the youth of the world to keep an eye on eternity. That is the kind of thinking behind the Legion commitment to seek out and talk to every soul. We must speak with love to rich and poor, good and bad, educated and uneducated, young and old, healthy and sick, happy people and lonely people, in short, no one must be excluded from legionary outreach and apostolic love. We are not simply geared to a one off apostolic program but week in and week out, year in and year out we are always on duty for the salvation of souls. We legionaries must be experts in the follow-up of souls. Infinite patience and sweetness must be lavished on a priceless soul as the Handbook puts it.

But there is another cardinal point with regard to the Legion Apostolate. It is not sufficient to have a great zeal for the salvation of souls. It is equally important to stress how we engage in our Legion work. It is pivotal that we have burned into our very soul the principle that the Handbook puts so simply: Souls are not approached except with Mary. The joy of our Legion work must be the spirit of Mary herself.

We can grow tired of the sacrifice involved in faithfulness to meetings, apparent failure or difficult situations, dryness of spirit, lack of response, the sheer load of demands made on our time and energy. But a legionary is never alone. He has Mary always at his side, it is her work and she asks us to be her living presence with every soul we meet. We don't do any work without her. She makes everything worthwhile. Gradually we come to see our Legion apostolate and vocation not as a burden but as a great gift and privilege. Mary gives herself to us and that is enough. She leads us to Jesus and she brings souls to Him through our courageous and generous Legion work.

Back to News

On Sunday June 28th 2009, the Commemorative Mass for the Servant of God, Alfie Lambe took place in The Church of the Assumption, Tullamore, Co. Offaly. The Chief Celebrant and Homilist was Fr. Martin Halpin P.P. and concelebrated with five other priests including Fr. Oliver Skelly P.P., Vice Postulator of the Cause and Fr. Lorenzo Bracken, former school classmate of Alfie.

On the previous day, Saturday June 27th a 'Day of Action' took place at which 20 legionaries took part. Six hundred homes were visited in housing estates in Tullamore and contact work was undertaken at a shopping center, the aim being to make Alfie better known in his hometown. The Legionaries were very well received.

Favours attributed through the intercession of The Servant of God Alfie Lambe to be notified to the Concilium.

Back to News

REPORTS - Europe
With the exception of Austria, the other 14 countries covered by this report were under the control of atheistic regimes until the 1990's. The Church and Church activities were severely, if not totally restricted. During the last two decades the Church has been working hard at re-establishing itself. The Legion in almost all of the countries came into being with the re-emergence of the Church. Consequently the Legion could be said to be in its infancy or early youth. The works undertaken in many of the countries reflect the historic situation:-

– much visitation of elderly people living alone and in hospitals who had no opportunity of receiving the Sacraments during the greater part of their lives;

– bringing them a priest and enabling them to have the Sacraments before the end of their lives;

– helping couples married under civil law to have their marriages regularised in Church;

– giving talks on chastity to students and seeking through prayer persuasion to counteract the huge number of abortions;

– locating former Catholics and helping them to register so that permission to establish parishes may be obtained;

– helping with the building of new churches which includes mixing and carrying the cement and bricks.

– All the usual Legion works of visitation, street apostolate, organising retreats, pilgrimages and prayer groups are undertaken.


Belarus
Population is just over 9.5 million of which approximately 1.5 million or 15% are Catholic. The Legion is in all 5 Dioceses. There is one Comitium with 10 senior Curiae, 1 junior Curia and 7 directly attached praesidia. All Curiae have full Curia officerships. Curiae and praesidia are visited regularly and visitation is reported on at Comitium. Almost every praesidium does extension. In January they held a very successful Youth Congress with an attendance of 51. They publicised it in a Catholic website on the internet. Legionaries found a family to adopt 2 orphaned brothers. Chernobyl has left the country with enormous problems.


Hungary
Hungary has a population of 10 million, 6 million or 58% of whom are Catholic. The Legion is in 13 of the 16 Dioceses. The Legion in Hungary was given Regia status in 2000 while still under the caretakership of Vienna Senatus, Austria and in 2005 it was directly attached to Concilium. The Regia presently comprises 6 Comitia, 12 Curiae and 25 directly attached praesidia. Three of the councils attached to the Regia are in other countries - 2 Comitia in Romania, 1 Curia in Ukraine, all with Hungarian speaking legionaries.


Latvia
The population of Latvia is 2.25 million of which 22% is Catholic. There is one Archdiocese, 3 Dioceses and 250 Catholic parishes. The Legion comprising 1 Comitium with 3 attached Curiae and 13 directly attached praesidia and is in all 4 Dioceses. Latvian legionaries have been asked by Concilium to care-take Estonia and try and establish the Legion there. Initial steps have been taken.


Lithuania
Eighty percent of its approximately 3.5 million people are Catholic. There are 2 Archdioceses and 5 Dioceses with a Legion presence in all of them. There is 1 Comitium in Kaunus and attached to it 5 senior Curiae, 1 junior Curia and 18 praesidia. Extension drives are organised after Sunday Masses and 2 praesidia were started in Marjiampole Curia in the last 8 months. Patricians feature in reports and non-Catholics met are sometimes taken to meet a Priest.


Croatia
The Officers of Zagreb Regia attended the June Concilium meeting and this report is given elsewhere in the bulletin.


Bosnia-Herzegovina
The country has a population of 3 million of whom 15% are Catholic. The Legion is established in one of the 3 Dioceses. There is 1 Curia in Sarajevo, which has 4 praesidia with 40 active members. Extension efforts were made in 2 parishes and a junior praesidium has been set up. Good contacts were made with Orthodox, Muslims and other Christian denominations.


Slovenia
Slovenia has a population of 5.4 million and 81% are Catholic. Lubljana Curia has 7 praesidia. The Legion is established in 1 of the 5 Dioceses.


Poland
The Catholic population of Poland is over 90%. The Legion in the East and South of the country is governed by Lublin Regia to which are attached 6 Comitia, 13 Curiae and 9 praesidia. The Legion in the Centre and North of the country is looked after by two Comitia. Warsaw Comitium with 4 attached Curiae and 18 directly attached praesidia and Warsaw-Praga Comitium with 1 attached Curia and 15 directly attached praesidia. Lublin gives news of 2 praesidia established during this period and 10 Parishes visited and given Legion information. Warsaw nominated a parish for extension each month. The country has 15 Archdioceses and 27 Dioceses. 24 Dioceses have the Legion and 17 without the Legion.


Romania
The population is 22 million, 5% of whom are Latin Rite or Roman Catholic, 5% Greek Catholic or Uniates and 85% Orthodox. The Legion had its beginning around 1994 following Peregrinatio Pro Christo trips and Curia Bucharest was established in 2001. It has 13 attached praesidia and governs the Legion in 2 Dioceses. Legion contact is made by means of hospital visitation and works of service; home visitation is not possible. The Legion in Hungarian speaking areas comprises of Comitium Nagyvward and Comitium Satu Mare, which are attach to Budapest Regia.


Slovakia
Slovakia has a population of 5.4 million of whom 72% are Catholic. Five of the 6 Dioceses have the Legion. There is 1 Comitium and 4 Curiae governing 34 praesidia with 217 active members. There are parishes where priests are awaiting the Legion. True Devotion to Mary is studied and works include street apostolate.


Czech Republic
Out of a population of 10 million 27% are Catholic. The Legion is in 4 of the 8 Dioceses. There are 2 Comitia and 2 Curiae. Visitation of prisoners and preparing adults for Baptism are among their works. The first Patrician meeting with an attendance of 20 has been held.


Moldova
This country has a population of 4.3 million of whom 20,000 are Catholic. The majority are Orthodox by tradition. There is only 1 Diocese with 9 Parishes and the Legion is in all of them. The Curia based in the capital Chisinau has also 2 junior praesidia. The present number of active legionaries is 128. The Bishop of Chisinau attended the Acies and celebrated Mass with the 100 legionaries present.


Liechtenstein
With a population of 35,000 of whom 71% are Catholic, extension efforts have been made but with no result as yet.


Ukraine
Ukraine has a population of 46m of whom 6.5m are Catholic. 1.5 million are Roman or Latin Rite Catholic and 5 million are Greek Catholic. There are 7 Latin Dioceses and the Legion is in all of them. The Legion comprises 1 Comitium, 13 senior and 1 junior Curiae. A successful Summer School was held at which all Councils were represented. Elizabeth Kriss from Austria, who spent a year there doing extension, will make a return visit this year.


Austria
Austria has a population of 8.2 million of which 72% are Catholic. The Legion is in all 9 Dioceses. The Senatus comprises 10 Comitia and 47 Curiae governing 358 praesidia, 23 of which are junior praesidia with approximately 90 junior members.

Some items of interest from the report:

1. 26 Deaneries were visited for the Marian Congress,

2. 13 attended a day for Spiritual Directors,

3. New innovations were Cemetery apostolate in November and "Google with Jesus" to win over the 4-7 year olds,

4. 35 attended a retreat for lapsed organised by Comitium Muehlviertel, Linz Diocese,

5. Comitium Innsbruck do night apostolate to street girls,

6. Curia Florisdorf organised a 33-day preparation course on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin.

Extension efforts were made by many of the councils with limited success. The reports mentioned 1 senior and 1 junior praesidia with 1 junior Patrician group established. The Legion is in 252 of the 2,934 parishes i.e. 8.5%. The Senatus Officers had a meeting with Cardinal Schoenhorn who endorsed the Legion and the role of Mary in the Church.



AFRICA

The following report on Africa covers a number of countries in East, Central and West Africa, including most of those visited by Venerable Edel Quinn. Councils are affected by one or more problems such as poverty, great distances, poor roads and transport, poor communications, disease, literacy difficulties, civil unrest etc.


Kenya
Kenya has 10m Catholics out of a population of 35m. The Legion is governed by a Senatus in Nairobi and a Regia at Kisumu. The first praesidium in Nairobi was established by Venerable Edel in 1936. A praesidium of 11 in a prison compound has a junior group, visits families in the area and visited 100 inmates in the prison. A Curia had 50 patients attend a Mass organized in a psychiatric hospital. Kisumu Regia reported 1,455 received the Sacrament of the sick, 205 were Baptized in danger of death, over 1,000 marriages were validated, 3,317 adults and 506 children were Baptized, 213 people were received into the church and 42 witchdoctors who burned their tools, are under instruction. Twelve praesidia were set up. The Regia celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. Bishop Emeritus John Njenga was the chief celebrant at the annual anniversary Mass at Venerable Edel Quinn's grave.


Uganda
Uganda has 12m Catholics, about 43% of the population, and has 19 Dioceses including 4 Archdioceses. The Legion is established in all 19. The Senatus of Uganda has 2 Regiae, 14 Comitia, 16 Curiae and 18 praesidia directly affiliated and there are 88,416 active seniors, 22,083 juniors and l4,400 youths. About 60% of members are between 18 and 40 years. Administration is good and much visitation of councils and extension is undertaken and congresses are held. Minutes since November include news of 140 Praesidia having been set up. The Legion is established in many schools and tertiary institutions and one Curia recently reported 8 members ordained deacons and 11 priests. There are 2 Curiae and 5 praesidia in prisons and Legionaries are encouraged to stay involved after release and recently "a Legionary attending Senatus for the first time after 18 years in a condemned prison was warmly welcomed to the meeting". Members from the Senatus of Uganda have visited 4 African countries on behalf of Concilium and they now supervise the Legion in Ethiopia and Sudan on a caretaker basis.


Ethiopia
Three visits were made to Ethiopia, and they discovered approximately 2,700 Legionaries in Taza. These Legionaries are enthusiastic, but need more knowledge and literature. In Jimma the Spiritual Directress and Legionaries are doing good work. During their visits the Ugandans arranged for the translation and printing of Legion literature into the official language - Amharic.


Sudan
Two very successful but challenging visits were made to Sudan where they visited 4 Dioceses. One Diocese has 2 Curiae with a total of 28 praesidia and while they lack books and materials they try to follow the system and do very good work. Another Diocese has the Legion in all 14 parishes, but they do not know the system and many were just returning from refugee camps, while in a third the Legion is in 11 of the 12 parishes with approx. 1,500 members. There is no Legion in the fourth.


Nigeria
The East is approximately 70% Catholic, the South approximately 30% and the North is less than 10% Catholic in some areas. Ibadan Senatus supervises the Legion in Ibadan and Benin City Archdioceses and Iloran Diocese. As well as the 2 Archdiocese there are 8 other Dioceses. The Senatus covers approx. ¼ of the country with a population of 23.3m. The council appears to be working well and the Legion is in all parishes in Ibadan. Enugu Senatus governs the territory of 5 of the suffragan Dioceses of Onitsha Archdiocese and the Archdiocese of Owerri and its suffragans. The Senatus has 20 praesidia, 11 senior and 12 junior Curiae, 18 Comitia and 3 Regiae directly attached. Onitsha Regia governs the Archdiocese of Onitsha and the suffragan Diocese of Nnewi. It has 5 Comitia, 12 senior and 2 junior Curiae, 14 praesidia, with approx 31,000 seniors and 10,500 juniors. Two Comitia reported helping many couples to wed in Church, preparing many for the Sacraments, and had 189 conversions. Great contacts are made during Exploratio projects in parishes, army barracks, marine quarters, etc. Many college campuses have Curiae with membership of staff and students. Ikot Ekpene Regia governs the territory of the Ecclestical province of Calabar and has 5 praesidia, 11 Curiae and 9 Comitia directly attached with an approx membership of 20,000. This Regia has made great progress extending and increasing its membership and 8 Praesidia were revived. A youth conference had 182 juniors present, another council organised 78 legionaries to go on "peace keeping mission to a warring area". Jos Regia covers the Archdiocese of Jos and its suffragans. A Comitium with a membership of approx 3,500 recruited 228 members, formed 6 presidia and revived 5 others, 22 Muslims and 8 prostitutes were converted. Kaduna Regia governs the Legion in the Archdiocese of Kaduna and its suffragans. Abuja Regia supervises the Legion in Abuja Archdiocese and five others. The latest population is 12.82m. The Regia reported 137 conversions in the year, of which 34 were Muslims. 64 praesidia were formed. Lagos Regia governs the Legion in Lagos Archdiocese and two Dioceses.


Malawi
The population is about 13m of whom 20% are Catholic. Venerable Edel Quinn visited in 1940 and set up the Legion in 2 Vicariates. The Regia of Blantyre covers the Archdiocese of Blantyre and 6 suffragans. It has 12 praesidia, 22 Curiae and 11 Comitia in the Archdiocese and a further 48 Comitia between the other Dioceses. Three-day retreats are organized for Legionaries and Congresses are promoted. Venerable Edel's centenary was celebrated in some areas. There are 6 praesidia for youth in the South. A seminary was visited to interest students in the Legion. Handbooks have been printed in 2 languages.


Zambia
There are about 3m Catholics in Zambia, about ¼ of the population and there are 2 Archdioceses. Lusaka Regia supervises the Legion in Lusaka Archdiocese and its 6 suffragan Dioceses and the Regia has 27 Comitia, 174 Curiae and 1053 praesidia with 22,531 active members and 1,794 juniors. Works include home and hospital visitation and many couples were helped to regularise their marriages and Baptism preparation is undertaken. Visitation of councils continues. Kasama Regia governs the Legion in Kasama Archdiocese and its 2 suffragans. A praesidium was set up in a seminary and they held a 3-day meeting for young Legionaries. Promotion of the 3 Causes is undertaken.


Tanzania
There are around 9m Catholics in Tanzania, about 27% of the total population. There are 5 Archdioceses and 26 suffragan Dioceses. Arusha Archdiocese - Rombo Comitium has 16 senior and 2 junior Curiae and 29 praesidia attached with 3,600 active members. Two Curiae were revived and great efforts have been made to recruit and encourage juniors. Kilema Comitium has 10 Curiae and 9 praesidia directly attached. Hai Comitium: Works include home and hospital visitation, doing works of service and assisting the priests with parish activities. Dar-Es-Salaam Comitium with 9 praesidia and 13 Curiae supervise the Legion in Dar-Es-Salaam Archdiocese and its 5 suffragan Dioceses. There are a number of University praesidia. Songea Archdiocese - Songea Comitium, as at July 2008, had 14 Curiae and a total of 103 praesidia and active membership was given as 1,682 plus 159 probationers. Mbinga Comitium: The Diocese of Mbinga has 26 parishes, each with a branch of the Legion. St. Killian's Comitium, as at December 2008, had 14 Curiae and 97 praesidia attached and had 1,707 members. It supervises 3 other Comitia each with 3 Curiae. Njombe Comitium, as at December 2007, had 9 praesidia and 6 Curiae attached. Mtwara Comitium: The Comitium has 9 Curiae, but the Diocese is vast and some Curiae are more than 150 km from Mtwara, so the Comitium Meeting is held in different places. They are working towards having the Legion in every parish.


The Gambia
The Gambia is less than 3% Catholic. Contact has been re-established with Banjul Curia in recent months. They have 7 praesidia with approx 100 members. A praesidium has been revived. Legionaries run preparation classes for the Sacraments especially Marriage as most marriages there are not blessed. Banjul Curia has accepted an offer of help and Accra Senatus has agreed to send two legionaries on a visit there.


Sierra Leone
Freetown Curia is in the Archdiocese of Freetown/Bo. The population of 4m of whom 2% are Catholics. Legionaries from Ghana visited on behalf of Concilium in 2006 and reported the Curia had 11 praesidia. There are 2 other Dioceses with 2 and 3 praesidia. The civil war damaged not only the Legion but the whole Christian institution. And while there are great problems, there is hope as the Bishops want to rejuvenate the Legion and there is great devotion to Mass and Our Lady and the officers in Freetown are very committed.


Liberia
The population is over 3m of which 40% are Christian. English is the official language and there are 16 indigenous languages but only 20% are literate. Monrovia Curia -There is no postal system and the only access to e-mail is via the Bishop's House. Some contact is maintained through Fr. Gary SMA who is very interested in the Legion, but his mission is very far from Monrovia. Backdated minutes were received from SMA Fathers in Scotland recently. There are 19 praesidia, but the Curia is weak with only 2 officers. They planned an officers' workshop before the elections due in May.



SOUTH AMERICA

Bolivia
Bolivia is 13 times the size of Ireland. 85% of the 9.7m% population are Catholic. The Senatus of La Paz governs the Legion in the whole country with 1 Regia, 4 Comitia, 9 Curiae and 14 praesidia attached. There are 2,389 adult members, 223 juniors and 1,793 auxiliaries. There are 12 Dioceses and 5 Vicariates, the Legion exists in 9 of the 12 Dioceses. During the year that Susana Maciel worked on behalf of the Concilium in Bolivia, many new praesidia were set up. Building on Susana's work more Curiae have been formed in the last two years.


Chile
Chile has a population is 15.5m, with 71% Catholic. The Legion in Chile has had a turbulent period which resulted in the seat of the Senatus being changed to another Curia. All of the councils affiliated to the former Senatus are now attached to the new Senatus. The new Senatus is in contact with all of their attached councils. There are 27 Dioceses in the country.


Columbia
Of a population of 44m, 86% are Catholic, however, a poll suggests that 60% don't practice actively. There are two Senatus (one in Bogota and one in Medellin) governing the Legion in 76 Dioceses. Bogota Senatus governs 4 Regiae, 11 Comitia, 5 Curiae, 9 directly attached praesidia in 42 Dioceses. There are 8 Dioceses awaiting extension. Reports indicate that a large number of legionaries are in the younger category. Four praesidia were set up in the Amazon area on the border with Brazil recently. In Villavicencio the young legionaries used every method to recruit - a Columban drive, home-to-home visitation and street contact. A number of praesidia (senior and junior) were set up. Two young legionaries did extension in Panama recently on behalf of the Concilium. The Regia of Bucaramanga set up 2 new Comitia, a senior and a junior Curia. Medellin Senatus governs 1 Regia, 13 Comitia 16 Curiae and 6 directly attached praesidia. Teaching catechism to children to prepare them for the sacraments is one of the main works; as a result of this work, 4 families converted, 2 of whom joined the Legion. A PPC project to Necoclí took place. Works included street contact, catechesis in all the schools and colleges and home visitation; non-Catholic teachers supported the catechesis. Many young people sought Baptism, Communion and Confirmation as a result; a number of couples received instruction in the sacrament of Matrimony.


Ecuador
Ecuador is 3 times the size of Ireland. The population is 13m and 89% Catholic. The Legion was started in Ecuador by Alfie Lambe in Feb 1954. The Senatus of Quito governs the Legion in the whole country with one Regia, 6 Comitia, 5 Curiae and 21 praesidia attached. The Regia of Cuenca governs 3 Comitia, 5 Curiae, 19 praesidia and a further 15 junior praesidia; reports indicate that praesidia function in 3 jails. There are 24 Dioceses in the country. Extension is being done in the Dioceses of Guaranda and Latacunga but the Legion in the Diocese of Tulcan failed to continue. Exploratio is done regularly and statue visitation has resulted in many conversions. A Curia exists among the native Indian population.


Paraguay
At least ? of the population is poor while unemployment runs at 16%. The population of 5.5m is 91% Catholic, 6% Evangelical Christian, 1% other Christian. The Constitution recognizes the historical role of the Catholic Church in public life. The Senatus of Asuncion governs the Legion in the whole country with 6 Comitia, 26 Curiae and 20 affiliated praesidia in 9 of the 15 Dioceses. There are 13,600 active members and almost 20,000 auxiliaries. There is a junior Comitium responsible for 11 Curiae and 310 praesidia.


Peru
88% of Peru's 32m inhabitants are Catholic. It is estimated that only 5% of Catholics regularly attend weekly church services. In all there are 45 Dioceses and it would appear that the Legion is established in most of them. Recent reports indicate a number of new praesidia have been set up including two in a prison in Sullana. The junior movement is also very active and numerous. Many legionaries are catechists, as well as teaching the children they also have an apostolate to the parents, many of them have returned to the practice of the faith and some couples are being prepared for the sacrament of Marriage.


Uruguay
In Uruguay 72% of the 3.2m population is Catholic. There is strict separation of church and state. Religious instruction in public schools is prohibited. There are only 10 Dioceses in the country and the Legion appears to be established in 8 of the 10. Alfie Lambe established a Curia in Montevideo in 1958. The now-Senatus of Montevideo governs the Legion in the country with 3 Comitia, 7 Curiae and 25 praesidia attached (1,238 members).


Venezuela
Venezuela has a population of 28m, 88% Catholic. The Legion was founded in 1950; it exists in all 9 Archdioceses and 29 Dioceses. The Senatus of Caracas with 30 Comitia, 32 senior Curiae and 46 junior Curiae governs the Legion in the whole country. The Senatus has submitted information and statistics with a view to establishing at least 2 Regiae, to facilitate better government and extension of the Legion. Works include contact with people using witchcraft, native Indians, homosexuals and jail visitation. PPC and youth projects have been carried out resulting in 1 junior praesidium of 24 members.


Cuba
In 1959 Cuba officially became an atheist country, restricting and discouraging religious practice. Restrictions were eased in 1992; Pope John Paul II visited in 1998 in response to an invitation by both the government and the Catholic Church. The population is 12.5m with 50-60% Catholic. There are 11 Dioceses but the Legion is established in only 3. There is a Comitium with 9 Curiae attached but most of the Curiae are in the capital Havana.



Visit to Concilium by Officers of Zagreb Regia, Croatia
The Zagreb Regia Officers, Croatia were represented at the June Concilium meeting by their officers, Anto Brkic President, Zedenka Jerkovic Vice President, Robert Premuz Secretary, Mirjana Kovacic Treasurer, and Iva Pavkovic translator, came to Dublin for discussions with the Concilium Officers.

The Legion in Croatia is governed by Zagreb Regia, which has 2 Comitia, 4 Curiae and 13 directly attached praesidia. Among the membership there are 105 juniors and 17 Nazareth groups. Preparations are ongoing to establish a Comitium in the city of Split. The Regia has been working to establish a new Curia of Zagreb-West by dividing the Zagreb-South Curia that consists of 17 praesidia. The Legion is established in 7 of the 15 Dioceses. The Regia is care-taking Bosnia-Herzegovina and Slovenia where there is a Curia set up in each country.

Tommy McCabe, President of Concilium, thanked the legionaries for their visit and their outstanding commitment to the Legion.



Visit to Concilium by Legionaries from Norway
On the 23rd May 2009 Legionaries from the praesidium in Tonberg, Norway met with Concilium Officers. Useful discussions were had on many aspects of the Legion and in particular on extension. In Oslo there are many converts and the priest wants to form a praesidium among them in St. Olaf's parish. Also the Superior in the Seminary would like to have the Legion establish among the seminarians.

Tommy McCabe thanked the legionaries for coming to Dublin and said they should use the True Devotion to Mary as a foundation to build up the Legion in Norway.



Commemoration Ceremony for The Servant of God, Frank Duff
The Annual Commemoration Ceremony for The Servant of God Frank Duff took place on Sunday 7th June 2009 in Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin. Fr. Liam O'Cuiv gave an inspiring address on many of the important aspect of the Legion including the special place of Mary among legionaries and the practice of True Devotion to Mary. There was an attendance of approximately 300 and the ceremony concluded with the Rosary and a procession to the grave of Frank Duff.



N O T I C E

Due to a printing problem, many Councils throughout the world will not have received the No. 1 edition 2009 of Maria Legionis. We sincerely apologise for this and any inconvenience it may cause to legionaries and their subscribers.



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, Ireland.

Back to News

This year we celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the death of the Servant of God Alfie Lambe. As Spiritual Director of Concilium, the governing body of the world wide Legion, I feel it to be a duty and privilege to offer some reflections on his life and his relevance to Legionaries throughout the whole Legion world because I am convinced that he belongs not only to Ireland the place of his birth nor to Latin America the place of his Envoyship but to the peoples of Africa and Asia and perhaps especially to Europe with the tragic loss of faith and therefore of a moral life of so many millions of its people. Hilda Firtel writes: 'He never thought solely of his own field of work or the South American Continent. His interest was as wide as the world, which meant that his apostolic zeal embraced the whole world.' Alfie, like all good legionaries, sought to transcend all that might divide people whether it is language, culture, colour, race, historical rivalries or religion. No one can be excluded from the love and concern of the genuine legionary because he seeks to see our Lord in everyone he meets with the eyes and heart of Mary.

Alfie has left very little documentation but what he did leave has very valuable insights about himself and the Legion. Let me just mention a few things that have struck me forcefully. He writes: 'I am really very weak but I know that Our Lady uses the weak to show her power. For some time past I have made it a practice of reciting the Legion Promise daily towards the end of Mass. Every line of it is full of consolation for weak people.' We all make the Legion Promise when we join the Legion but wouldn't it be wonderful if we frequently prayed this promise so that it becomes the very atmosphere we breathe in our interior life. It encapsulates all the basic doctrines on which Legion spirituality is based. It is the keeping of this Promise to the full that is the ultimate secret of the life and holiness of Alfie.

It has often been said that 'living the Legion' is one of the most common phrases in the letters of Alfie. He writes: 'I am more than ever convinced that living the Legion is living the life of Our Lady, and the more one gives oneself to the Legion the more one finds oneself in Mary.' I think that what Alfie meant by 'living the Legion' is living the Handbook. He sought to translate into his personal interior and external life the spirit and the letter of the Handbook. And he succeeded in doing this according to all the witnesses of his life. It is the living of the Handbook that has made him a Servant of God and God willing some day it will be a major factor in his Canonisation.

The most profound justification for promoting the Legion is because it can make saints. No other justification is really needed. Of course, an intrinsic part of the making of saints in the Legion is that it also includes making them authentic apostles. The Handbook is concerned with the universal call to holiness and the universal call to Mission and Evangelisation.

What stands out in the apostolate of Alfie is Extension Work and the use of the Master and Apprentice method in the formation of others in faith and apostleship. As a young man of eighteen, he learnt the art of extension work in the rural dioceses of Kilalla, Kerry, Waterford, Raphoe and Kilmore under the tutelage and encouragement of his close friend Séamus Grace. He also became a full time indoor Brother of the Morning Star Hostel for 'down and outs' in Dublin and which is surely one of the great schools for acquiring holiness. This Hostel has produced so many outstanding legionaries. This is no wonder because the only way to survive in it is to see and serve Jesus with the heart of Mary in the poor men who reside in it. I mention all this because I believe that whoever does Extension Work or finds his vocation in the Hostel would do well to take Alfie as one of their special patrons. He knows what it is all about.

God had prepared Alfie well for his work as an Envoy in Latin America. He responded magnificently. His influence there was widespread and deep and lasting. It would be easy to chronicle all his outward activity and neglect to focus on the inner core of motives and supernatural faith. He was a praetorian member of the Legion so his basic spiritual diet was daily Mass and Communion, the daily praying of some form of Office approved by the Church and the usual praying of all the Legion prayers especially the daily Rosary and the Magnificat and of course two hours of solid apostolic work per week and the weekly meeting of a praesidium as an essential part of being an active legionary.

Alfie died after a short but painful illness but once more he was well prepared by Our Lord and His Mother for his final homecoming to the Father. I was deeply struck by what he said to a close friend shortly before he died. He said 'do not pray too much for me because I will be able to help you much better from heaven.' All legionaries will be much better legionaries in heaven and this is certainly true of the great legionaries. Alfie will spend his heaven doing good for the Legion. Let him help you by praying to him and sharing with him all the concerns of the Legion.

Back to News

The Annual Commemoration Ceremony for The Servant of God Frank Duff took place on Sunday 7th June 2009 in Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin. Fr. Liam O'Cuiv gave an inspiring address on many of the important aspects of the Legion including the special place of Mary among legionaries and the practice of True Devotion to Mary. The ceremony concluded with the Rosary and a procession to the grave of Frank Duff.

Back to News

REPORTS - NORTH AMERICA
United States of America: The population of the United States of America is about 250 million people spread over 52 states. The Catholic population is about 23% i.e. 64 million with 50% of the said population comprised of Spanish speaking Catholics. By contrast there are 77.4 million Protestants of various denominations, Baptists being the highest proportion with 34 million.

The territory is divided into 11 different councils, 9 Senatus and 2 Regiae. On the west side of the country is San Francisco Senatus and Los Angeles Senatus. In the middle of the country there are three councils, Chicago, St. Louis and Houston - all Senatus. On the East side of the country, there is Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Cincinnati each with a Senatus. Moving southwards there are 2 Regiae in Arlington and Miami.

The highest percentage of number of Catholics in each Diocese and the top 4 so to speak is as follows:
" 4 out of 11 million i.e. 37% in Los Angeles,
" 2.5 out of 5.6 million i.e. 46% in New York,
" 2.4 out of 6.1 million i.e. 40% in Chicago,
" 2 out of 4 million i.e. 50% in Boston,

There are 193 Dioceses in the country out of which the Legion of Mary is in about 20% of the parishes from the statistics forwarded for the North American Legion Conference.

Canadian Statistics:
In Canada there are 18 Dioceses with the largest population being in:
1. Ontario, 3 million Catholics out of population 9 million i.e. 33%;
2. Quebec, is heavily Catholic at 77% or 2.8 million out of 3.7 million population;

Since the North American Legion Conference in 2006, there have been some improvements in the Legion activity, however, the Hispanic population being the largest of the Catholic population, i.e. 50% or 32 million, needs to be focussed on. The Hispanic population is mostly Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican and Central Americans and is not well represented at church level and is poorly organised.


Key Points from reports received:
" San Francisco Senatus - an interesting idea is the family praesidium, which has been in operation for 3-4 years and seems to be having a good effect on families. True Devotion to Mary has been put into action and produced excellent results.

" The Korean community is developing in various councils and they are very active, particularly in Arlington.

" Prison visitation is a very good work in the USA councils especially Boston where three prisoners are under instruction, San Francisco and it is also taking place in Montreal under prison ministry.

" Philadelphia Senatus is involved in organising the Maria Legionis and the printing of "Mary Shall Reign" and various books for North America. They have also undertaken evangelisation days, which have been beneficial to the parishes.

" New York Senatus seems to have a high number of parishes with the Legion at approximately 35%. The Senatus has 7 Comitia, 15 Curiae and 19 praesidia.

" In Arlington Regia, the average age is 45 to 50 and there is good promise here. Since the North American Legion Conference they have set up 2 new Curiae and a Korean Curia is also being planned. Overall, there are 260 praesidia with 1,873 adult and 454 junior members.

" Since raising of the Regia in Pittsburgh in September 2008 it is functioning well, with 15 praesidia, 1 Comitium and 3 Curiae, which covers the western part of Pennsylvania.

" Houston Senatus has 310 parishes with the Legion. They have raised a Hispanic Curia to Comitium level, which is promising.

" In New Orleans hurricane Katrina wiped out all praesidia, except two.

" Miami Regia is actively carrying out a visitation to the Bahamas. The Spanish speaking Comitium has 45 praesidia in Miami. This Regia was formed in the 1970's and is focussed on the Bible belt area where the Catholic population of Miami is 20%, Atlanta is 12% and Alabama is 4%. The Regia is trying to rebuild in Atlanta where a Comitium was formerly present.

" In Chicago two new Hispanic Curiae have been set up in the last 12 months with Columbian drives and Peregrinatio Pro Christo being carried out. The Korean Curia reported 95 people under instruction.

" Los Angeles Senatus has 12 Korean Curiae directly attached, with 14 praesidia in each one and 8 members in each praesidium i.e. 1,400 Korean legionaries. One Korean Council has 7 patrician groups and the others are encouraged to follow the example.


Canada
" The membership of Toronto Regia has increased by 25% in 2008 and this is mainly due to Legionaries taking on the True Devotion of Mary consecration. The Regia has 9 attached Councils of 3 Comitia and 6 Curiae and covers Toronto, part of Ontario, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. It also has a Korean Comitium in Toronto and Legion work includes hospital visitation, recruitment of young people as officers and three became Adjutorian members."

Toronto Regia: Heroic works in the Regia includes visitation of "crack cocaine" houses, running soup kitchens, and meeting people at Airports to arrange accommodation and food. "

Ontario Senatus has 5 attached Curiae. A Chinese Priest is interested in starting the Legion for Chinese people in his parish. Columban Drives have been organised. A Day of Recollection was held for handicapped people. The Ottawa Detention Centre is visited weekly. Market Ministry is done. A Korean praesidium has 10 members and focus on evangelisation. "

Montreal Senatus: There are 229 in parishes in Montreal and the Legion is in 20 of them. Nine parishes are French speaking, ten are English-speaking and one is Korean. One presidium is attached to a sanctuary, two are in residences for the elderly and one praesidium is made up of Haitians. The Senatus covers all of Quebec and has 1 Comitium in Quebec City, 8 Curiae including a Korean Curia and 12 praesidia attached. " Edmonton Comitium a new praesidium has been started in Calgary University. Visitation of councils is ongoing. The Legion is in 26 of 344 parishes and they have established a Korean Curia.


Islands
" Dominican Republic: This is a small country in the Caribbean and has a population of 10 million, 90% of whom are Catholic and 4% Protestant. The two Archdioceses Santo Domingo and Santiago de los Caballeros have a Senatus in each. Santo Domingo has 8 Comitia and 10 attached Curiae with an active membership of about 6,000. The Rosary is promoted on home visitation and at funerals. Praesidia helped in the 3rd Diocesan plan of evangelisation.

" Senatus of Santiago de los Caballeros has 5 Dioceses and has a Regia, 21 Comitia, 6 Curiae and 12 praesidia. There are 12,135 legionaries. The attached Regia has 12 Comitia, 6 Curiae and 13 praesidia with a membership of 8,000.

" Senatus of Notre Dame de l'Assomption Haiti. The Republic of Haiti occupies the western side of the island of Hispanole in the Caribbean. The languages are Creole and French. The population of about 9 million has about 80% Catholic. The country faces huge problems of poverty, natural disasters and violence, but nonetheless the Legion is established throughout Haiti. The spirit and administration at Senatus level is good and much effort is put into visitation of councils and praesidia. Training sessions are held. Reports show that the strength of councils varies a lot. Works include home, hospital and prison visitation and work for street girls. Two Seminary praesidia work in the Seminary and in homes. Many other religions are met and also voodooists. Conversions, returns to the Sacraments, literacy classes and preparation for the Sacraments are all reported.

" Trinidad Regia has 6 Comitia and 5 Curiae attached. The Comitia on the islands are Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Guadeloupe and St. Lucia. Curiae are in Barbados, Curacao, French Guyana and Suriname. Distant praesidia attached to the Regia are in Antigua, San Maarten, St. Vincent and Tobago.



ARGENTINA AND BRAZIL

Argentina
Argentina is the world's eighth largest nation, 50 times the size of Ireland, with a population of about 36 million people. The capital, Buenos Aires, has a population of approximately 13 million. About 89% of the population of the country is Baptised Catholics. There are eight Pastoral Regions with 14 Archdioceses and 47 Dioceses and some Prelatures. Argentina holds the tomb of the Servant of God, Alfie Lambe, who, as Legion Envoy, played such a vital role in extending the Legion there. It was in Buenos Aires that the Cause for his Beatification was introduced. A group of legionaries there help to promote Alfie's Cause and they had an attendance of about 1,500 at his tomb on 21st January to mark the 50th anniversary of his death.

There are now three Senatus and two Regiae directly affiliated to the Concilium. Buenos Aires Senatus, which holds its meetings in Adrogue, a town some 40 minutes train ride outside the city, covers an area about 12 times the size of Ireland and stretches down to the South Pole. They claim to have the most southern praesidium in the world in Antarctica. The Senatus has 5 Regiae as well as other councils, including six junior Curiae, and 15 praesidia directly attached. In addition to many other works, legionaries take part in True Devotion to the Nation projects, which include classes for poor parents and organizing food kitchens for children. The affiliated Regia of La Plata has great numbers of young legionaries, one of whose works is contact with young people in the Internet cafés. Two of the young legionaries gave six months to full time extension work. Salta Senatus continue to extend the Legion in rural areas and many of these areas are now sect free due to the work of the local legionaries. Valuable contacts are made with pilgrims and tourists who visit the Shrine of our Lord and Our Lady of the Miracle. Over 100,000 visit the Shrine each year. Junior legionaries of the Senatus have their own Legion bulletin.

The Cordoba Senatus governs the Legion in two Archdioceses and the 8 corresponding Suffragen Dioceses. The Legion is established in all but one of the Dioceses. There are 2 Comitia, 7 Curiae and 10 praesidia affiliated. In 2008 two young extension workers from La Plata Regia did extension with the local legionaries concentrating particularly on recruiting young legionaries and training them to do home visitation and encouraging the teaching of catechism in the parishes. This resulted in a very positive move for the Legion and an increase in the number of young legionaries in that area. These extension workers also helped in the Corrientes Regia, which governs the Legion in 2 Archdioceses and 6 Suffragen Dioceses. It appears that the Legion is set up in all but two of the Dioceses. There are 5 Comitia, 9 Curiae and 27 praesidia affiliated to the Regia. During the past 5 years 2 new Comitia have been set up and there are plans for a third. The Bishop of the Diocese of Resistencia has asked the legionaries to take on an apostolate to prisoners. The Rosario Regia covers the Legion in the Archdioceses of Rosario, Paraná and Santa Fe. There are 14 praesidia 9 Curiae and 3 Comitia attached to the Regia. Among the works carried out are home and hospital visitation and there is much visitation done with the statue of Our Lady. There have been many returns to the sacraments and catechism is taught to children and adults.


Brazil
Brazil, occupying an area 100 times the size of Ireland, has a population approaching 200 million. During the 55 years since the Legion was set up in Brazil the population increased almost fourfold. With 268 Dioceses, including 41 Archdioceses and some Prelatures, it claims to be the biggest Catholic country in the world. Recently 4 Senatus, 5 Regiae and many Comitia have been set up in order that proper administration keeps pace with increased Legion membership. There are now 8 Senatus and one Regia directly affiliated to the Concilium. Half a century ago Brazil was nominally Catholic with practice as low as five percent. Now, although there has been considerable growth in various sects, the Church has experienced a transformation with an increase in regular practice, priestly vocations among the young and a missionary outreach. One of the clearest signs of Church renewal in Brazil is the missionary outreach by the Church to Kazakhstan, East Timor, and Eastern Europe.

Now the Legion is regarded as one of the greatest instruments of the Church's catechesis and evangelisation. One of the many signs of the Brazilian Hierarchy's support for the Legion is the appointment of one of their members, Dom Edson de Castro Homem, Auxiliary Bishop of Rio de Janeiro, to be the Hierarchy's special link to the Legion. Bishop Edsom is also Spiritual Director of the Senatus of Rio de Janeiro. The Legion continues to thrive with an increase in active membership of more than a third in the past eight years. There are now over 350,000 active members.

In the legionary apostolate, central importance is given to works of visitation and catechesis. In Brasilia, the capital, where there is a Regia, the Legion plays a leading role in a religious festival in which up to 150,000 take part. This annual religious festival centres on Prayer, the Eucharist, Confessions and devotion to Our Lady. The latter is the Legion's particular responsibility, Marian events being held in a circus tent. The Legion also plays a practical role in the hospitality area at minimal cost to those who benefit. All councils promote Peregrinatio Pro Christo and this year a project was held in the most Protestant town in Brazil. Six new Comitia have been set up in the new Senatus of São Luís. In the new Senatus of Recife full details were provided of all parishes in 9 Dioceses.

Growth in the Senatus of Belo Horizonte is seen in the setting up of a Regia and three new Comitia in the past three months. Rio de Janeiro Senatus has sent four legionaries to visit distant Amazónia where they shall spend some months doing extension and visitation. In the Salvador Senatus, in addition to the works of visitation and bringing people to the sacraments, legionaries with some basic nursing skills provide a service to aids' sufferers and undernourished infants. Some legionaries have Bible study groups in the homes in a particularly Protestant district. Legionaries in the São Paulo Senatus area continue to do very valuable apostolic works. These include visits to people of other religions, an apostolate to people on the street, distributing Miraculous Medals in commercial premises including bars and evangelisation of 1,550 prisoners. The Fortaleza Senatus has been very successful in promoting the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart in homes as part of its visitation. Shortly after its inauguration the new Senatus of Ponta Grossa organised a Formation Conference for officers of Legion councils in the States of Paraná and Santa Catarina with 180 participants and a three day conference for Spiritual Directors at the end of March this year.



ASIA

Korea
Korea is divided into the Republic of Korea in the south and the Peoples Republic in the North. Catholicism was introduced into Korea by a Korean layman on his return from China, where he was baptized in 1784. There are around 5.1 million Catholics in the Republic of Korea, a little over 10% of the population. There are three Archdioceses and 12 Suffragan Dioceses. There are about 300,000 legionaries in three Senatus, one in each Archdiocese and 12 Regia. The Legion has contributed significantly to the evangelisation of Korea, with the number of Catholics increasing from 500,000 in 1953 to over 5 million today. In Euijeongbu Diocese there were 3,025 Baptisms and 2,664 returns to the Sacraments reported and the Regia in Cheongju Diocese recorded 2,019 Baptisms and 2,333 returns to the Sacraments.


Indonesia
The republic of Indonesia comprises an archipelago in South East Asia of about 17,000 islands of which about 5,000 are inhabited. Its population is 237 million, the fourth largest in the world 3% of whom are Catholic and 5.7% Protestant. The capital Jakarta is the largest city with a population of 8.8 million. A Franciscan, Fr. Rademaker founded the first praesidium in Indonesia in 1949 and the Legion has expanded throughout the republic. The spread of the Legion throughout that Moslem country has been spectacular with much support coming from the Hierarchy. There are 2 Senatus, 4 Regiae, 10 Comitia, 209 Curiae with a total Legion membership of 25,234.


Singapore
Singapore Senatus: Under the jurisdiction of Singapore Senatus there are 3 Archdioceses and 4 Suffragan Dioceses (2 Archdioceses and 4 Suffragan Dioceses in East Malaysia) with a total population of around 30 million of whom 3.3% is Catholic representing 900,000. A notable feature of the Legion in Singapore is its youth and young people up to third level education, many graduates, continue in the Legion after University. In the city of Singapore there are 9 Curiae, in East Malaysia there are 3 Comitia governing 21 Curiae. A new Comitium was formed on the 10th May.


Taiwan
Taiwan Senatus: In 2008 Taiwan celebrated 150 years of Catholicism and to mark the occasion a vast campaign of prayer was offered. Seven new praesidia were established in 2008. Thirty-seven people were received into the Church and many more are under instruction including prisoners.


Japan
Osaka Senatus: Works of charity on behalf of the parish are undertaken which involves home and area services for those who cannot attend Sunday Mass. Legionaries have adopted the phrase "every member must realize the apostolic mission of the laity".


West Malaysia
Kuala Lumpor Regia consists of an Archdiocese and 2 Suffragan Dioceses. The population is approximately 21 million with 228,817 Catholics. The Regia is composed of 1 Comitium with 20 Curiae.


Hong Kong
Hong Kong Comitium has 3 Chinese Curiae, 3 English Curiae, 3 Chinese Junior Curiae, 2 English Junior Curiae and 1 Korean Curia with a total membership of 1,862 members.



Concilium's Discussion Item: - Role of the Correspondent
The first thing to say about the Correspondent is that those who have the capacity to do so and accept the invitation to be a Correspondent open up for themselves an added channel of grace on the supernatural level and on the human level a channel of interaction with another part of the Legion world which can be very rewarding.

Br. Frank Duff in his talk to Correspondents said the following:

"It is self evident that the fate of the Legion throughout the world depends on the Concilium Correspondents. They are the links between the Concilium and every directly related Council in the world, which in turn transmit the Legionary idealism to the bodies below them. Of course, there are other links such as the Concilium report, Maria Legionis, and perhaps other things. But it has never been our practice to rely too much on these general media. Our reliance is upon that approximation to personal contact, which the Correspondent represents. Accordingly the responsibility of the individual Correspondent is really great. Nobody should undertake that duty unless he means to take it seriously. In practice we are able to see how an area responds to its Correspondent's handling of it either for better or for worse. The possession of quality or lack of quality by the Legion in any place is going to affect very considerably the life of the Church around it. So I repeat that a grave responsibility lies there. The benefits, which will accrue to a Correspondent through a right exercise of that responsibility, will be immense. "

The letter sent by the Correspondent whether it is sent by email, fax of post must be a "worthy proposition" as Br. Duff puts it, as its arrival at the other end can often be analogous to a communication from the Vatican.

Placing Mary at the very heart of all that we do Br. Duff devotes a good deal of attention to two aspects: one is the tone and the other is the content of the letter. One the first point of tone, this is what he says: Never dictate. Let your opposite number understand the reason for everything that is put down as required by the Legion system. Never merely come down on people. If they are put into a bad mood they will tend to resist, and perhaps to defend a wrong point of view. A blunt 'no' will be resented whereas if you say that 'no' in a thousand words, showing that you have taken trouble, it will be cheerfully accepted. This attitude of taking trouble pays rich dividends.

On the second point of content, he asks the Correspondent to exhort the legionaries to give their best attention to the most important works, to recruiting, to building the junior Legion, to Legion literature, to the Pioneer movement, and to offering the Catholic Church to those outside it. He finished his talk by saying - "of profound importance is that we practise ourselves what we are trying to teach. Among the lessons which we seek to impart is the chief one of prayerfulness which is the very cement of the Legion." It would be desirable that each Correspondent would have a map of the territory they correspond with, know how many dioceses are involved, how many parishes have and haven't got the Legion and know what the actual strength of the Legion is, so that with prayer and hard work that the curiae will in time be formed into comitia, the comitia into Regia and the Regia into Senatus.



Visit by Concilium to Albania
Patricia O'Hara and Caroline Gray along with Mgr. Rosario Borg the Spiritual Director of Gozo Comitium, Malta and three legionaries from Malta Joseph Micallef, (correspondent with Albania), Peter Paul Vassallo and Anthony Attard visited the Legion in Albania on behalf of the Concilium. The Curia of Our Lady of Grace in the Diocese of Shkoder was being raised to Comitium status and an inauguration Mass was celebrated on 1 May 2009 to mark this occasion. The Mass was concelebrant with Archbishop of Shkoder, Mgr Angelo Massafra OFM, Fr. Dritan Ndoci, Comitium Spiritual Director, Fr. Kastreot, Mgr Borg, Fr. Emanuel Cutajar and Don Preka. Patricia and Caroline described their visit as an uplifting and humbling experience. While there they attended 4 Curiae meetings 2 Congresses and 2 Acies. A special word of thanks was expressed to the Maltese legionaries for their constant efforts and spiritual input into the Legion in Albania.



Catholic Youth Conference
The 8th Catholic Youth Conference took place the weekend 10th and 11th May 2009 in All Hallows College, Drumcondra, Dublin with approximately 150 to 160 young Catholics in attendance for 2 days of adoration, discussion, talks and social activities.

It was an edifying event themed "The Harvest if Ready for the Reaping" with lively discussions including Holy Hour, liturgy and Confession - there was 13 religious in attendance. The speakers included Fr. Bede McGregor, Fr. Michael Kennedy, Fr. Michael Maher, Fr. John Walsh, Fr. Paul Churchill, Fr. Gerard Deighan with a young Religious Sister, Mother May who is part of a new Religious Community set up 6 months ago. Lay speakers included Dr. James Greenaway, Noel Lynch and Rosemary Swords who all spoke on the theme.

Overall, a great weekend with young Catholics enjoying each other's company in a social atmosphere of faith and friendship with grace abounding to all involved. The youth activities of the Legion have generated 11 vocations over the last 4 to 5 years, which hopefully will be added to over the next number of years.



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, Ireland.

Back to News

During the Year of St. Paul that is shortly coming to an end, I have come to a greater awareness of the profound influence he has on the spirit and apostolic engagement of the Legion. His commitment to evangelisation is an inspiration to all legionaries and many of the key principles in Legion spirituality are directly based on the teaching of St. Paul. He is quoted twice as many times as any other New Testament writer in the Handbook and is the most quoted source in the other writings of our Founder. It is obvious why he is one of the six patron saints of the Legion. If you were to abstract the references to St. Paul in the Handbook, it would be irreparably impoverished. And it is certain that one would never get near to understanding our Founder if one were to ignore the impact of St. Paul on his inner life and apostolate.

It all begins with the conversion of St. Paul on the road to Damascus. In vision Our Lord says to Paul: 'I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. Get up and go into the city, where you will be told what to do' (Acts of the Apostles 9:5-6). Here begins his insight into the doctrine of the Mystical Body of Christ, the teaching that is at the heart of the Legion. For the rest of his life Paul is utterly focused on the Risen Christ especially as he lives in and works through His Mystical Body, the Church. Let us quote some of the texts of St. Paul found in the Handbook that illustrate the Christocentric nature of his life and that of our Founder. 'Neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in the whole of creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Our Lord' (Rm. 8:38-39); 'For me to live is Christ' (Philip 1:21); 'Let the message of Christ, in all its richness, find a home with you and never say or do anything except in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.'

There are other texts that may not be quoted in the Handbook but which, I think, capture the basic attitudes and style of apostolate of Frank Duff: 'Be persevering in your prayers and be thankful as you stay awake to pray. Pray for us especially, asking God to show us opportunities for announcing the message and proclaiming the mystery of Christ, for the sake of which I am in chains; pray that I may proclaim it as clearly as I ought. Be tactful with those who are not Christians and be sure to make the best use of your time with them. Talk to them agreeably and with a flavour of wit, and try to fit your answers to the needs of each one'. (Col. 4:2-6) We Legionaries too should always be asking God and indeed St. Paul to provide us with opportunities to introduce Christ to others. Also, let us ask for the grace to always speak in a spirit of friendliness and humour and with great clarity and adaptation to the specific needs of those we converse with.

A key word in the vocabulary of St. Paul and the Legion is the word Conversion, but conversion to what? Of course, conversion to personal friendship with Our Lord. He must be everything to us, the real centre or hub of our lives. That mind must be in us that is in Christ Jesus. Mary is the supreme instrument of conversion. She has no interest other than helping us to be united to Christ, not only in time, but for all eternity. Prayer to Mary for our own ongoing conversion and for the help we need in converting others to Jesus is always answered. There is a strong tendency in many circles to soft pedal conversion work. True Devotion to Mary and a genuine familiarity with the Word of God mediated to us through St. Paul will help to insure that we never abandon this most urgent apostolate. There is nothing more precious in this life than the gift of personal, intimate relationship with Christ and conversion work is simply offering this gift to others. Can our Catholic faith be important to us if we only make half-hearted efforts to share it? Do we really love Our Lady if we neglect to bring her Son to others with her help?

There are many other pivotal teachings of St. Paul that have immediate and profound resonance in the spirituality of the Legion and Frank Duff, our Founder but we will have to talk about them at another time. Let us just go back to the Christocentric teaching of St. Paul. Frank Duff has written a profound article entitled 'The Legion is pure Christocentrism'. You could say that of his own life and of the Legion at its best. The last words at the end of the index of the Handbook sum up everything Frank Duff and the Legion stand for: 'References to Our Lord have not been indexed; for every word of this Handbook has him in mind, and therefore he should be found in every part of it. In every place, in every circumstance and happening the Legionary should meet Jesus and no less than the poet, be able to exclaim: 'I see his blood upon the Rose and in the stars the glory of his eyes'.

I think the life and writing of our Founder have been deeply influenced by the teaching of St. Paul and therefore, I think, we too should also allow ourselves to come under his influence by reading and praying and above all by trying to live the teaching that Paul has given us under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Especially we should try to imitate his conversion to the Risen Christ living among us in his Mystical Body, the Church. But let us give the last word to St. Paul with a quotation that is given twice in the Handbook: 'I have been crucified with Christ and I live now not with my own life but with the life of Christ who lives in me. The life I now live in this body, I live in faith in the Son of God, who loved me and sacrificed himself for my sake. I cannot bring myself to give up God's gift: if the Law can justify us, there is no point in the death of Christ.' (Gal. 2:20-21).

Back to News

Patricia O'Hara and Caroline Gray Concilium, along with Mgr. Rosario Borg the Spiritual Director of Gozo Comitium, Malta and three legionaries from Malta Joseph Micallef, (correspondent with Albania), Peter Paul Vassallo and Anthony Attard visited the Legion in Albania on behalf of the Concilium. The Curia of Our Lady of Grace in the Diocese of Shkoder was being raised to Comitium status and an inauguration Mass was celebrated on 1 May 2009 to mark this occasion. The Mass was concelebrant with Archbishop of Shkoder, Mgr Angelo Massafra OFM, Fr. Dritan Ndoci, Comitium Spiritual Director, Fr. Kastreot, Mgr Borg, Fr. Emanuel Cutajar and Don Preka.

Patricia and Caroline described their visit as an uplifting and humbling experience. While there they attended 4 Curiae meetings 2 Congresses and 2 Acies. A special word of thanks was expressed to the Maltese legionaries for their constant efforts and spiritual input into the Legion in Albania.

Back to News

REPORTS - EUROPE
Portugal: With an area slightly larger than Ireland has a population 10.5 million. The Azores and Madeira are also part of Portugal and there are strong links with other Portuguese speaking territories such as Capo Verde, Mozambique and Angola. Nominally the population is up to 96% Roman Catholic but the number of those who would identify strongly with the Church was recently given as 80%. There is a 1% Protestant group and 3% said they had no religious affiliation. There are 35,000 Muslims. The Legion exists in 17of the 18 Dioceses. There is a Senatus at Lisbon, a Regia at Porto, and a Regia at Coimbra. Recently extension of the Legion has been prioritised by the Senatus. There are 475 Praesidia.


Spain
Spain with a population of 40 million is 94% Catholic. There are 3 Senatus - Madrid, Barcelona, and Bilbao. Madrid Senatus is a strong body. It is a vibrant council and organised a meeting of the 3 Senatus of Spain. PPC projects are held and many of these are to areas where Moslems are contacted with good results. A great work done is called Pesca Joven - Fishing for Youth. All attached councils engage in this apostolate of making contact with youth. The numbers of young active legionaries is small but the Senatus is hopeful that with their ongoing efforts many will be attracted to Legion membership. Street contact in areas of vice has been carried out for many years and most cases are followed up with many of the girls returning to the practice of the faith. Contact is also made with the men who are active in these areas.

Bilbao Senatus covers 3 Archdioceses- Burgos, Oviedo, and Pamplona with a total of 1,001 parishes. The Senatus has 3 Comitia, 7 Curiae and 17 praesidia attached. The praesidia membership is small but they have many Praetorian and Adjutorian members. There are large numbers of elderly legionaries who do mostly works of consolation. Basauri and Leon Curiae each have a junior praesidium. They have great problems in recruiting although they make strenuous efforts.

Barcelona Senatus: The Legion is established in 12 of the 22 dioceses for which it is responsible. There are 16 praesidia and 6 Curiae with 900 active members attached to the Senatus. Most of the Apostolate of the Legion in the Senatus area is works of consolation for the sick and elderly. Some legionaries teach catechism and in one of the Tourist resorts a book barrow is staffed during the summer. A praesidium in the city of Barcelona contacts street girls, most of whom are foreigners. Attempts are made to visit the prison. Contact with the families of the prisoners is done by another praesidium outside Barcelona.


Gibraltar
Gibraltar has a population of 28,000, which is 75% Catholic. Other faiths include Church of England, Muslim, Jewish and Hindu. There is one Diocese with six Parishes each with the Legion. The Curia has six praesidia The apostolate includes organising Eucharistic Adoration, nursing home visitation, visits to the housebound, as well as some home visitation. The Senatus of Scotland, who had visited the Curia, was given caretakership of Gibraltar by Concilium.


Italy
Italy has a population of 58 million and is 90% Catholic with about one third practising. There is a Senatus in Rome, a Regia at Milan, and a Comitium at Padova. Senatus of Rome numbers approximately 1000 active members in the 9 directly affiliated praesidia and 7 city Curiae. There are also Comitia with affiliated Curiae in Sicily and Sardinia and on the Adriatic coast at Rimini. The last major extension of the Legion was in the Basilicata in the South where the Legion was brought from nil to Curia level. The latest extension is in the Naples region and also at Acerra with the formation of the first praesidium in the Diocese of Ariano Irpino-Avellino.

Milan Regia covers three provinces with a total population of 15 million. It has 2 Comitia, 1 Curia, and 9 praesidia affiliated. It has 338 active and 1205 auxiliaries. The Legion is established in 7 of the 29 dioceses. Efforts to extend the Legion are ongoing. Works include visits to elderly, sick, and lonely in homes, hospitals, catechism classes, encouraging attendance at Mass and return to the Sacraments. The Regia officers keep in touch with Cardinal Tettamanzi who thanked them for their annual report. A pamphlet on the life of Alfie Lambe has been reprinted and a calendar on Edel Quinn has been published.

Padova Comitium covers the area from Trieste to Venezia. The Legion is established in 2 of the 13 dioceses. It has 3 Curiae and 10 praesidia affiliated with a membership of 130 active and 1,268 auxiliaries. It has one Junior praesidium and a few Nazareth Groups for children. The juniors edit and print their own magazine called "Il Giornalino". Works include visits to the old, sick and elderly, Pilgrim Statue visitation, and teaching catechism. Legionaries recited the rosary on a hospital TV circuit at the request of the chaplain. A favour received through the intercession of Frank Duff was reported to Concilium.


Cyprus
Cyprus has a population of 780,000 of whom approximately 10,000 are Latin Catholics. The majority religion is Orthodox. There is one Maronite Bishop and the four Latin parishes come under the Patriarch of Jerusalem. Many of the Latin Catholics are immigrants from the Philippines and Africa who are employed in Cyprus. The Legion of Mary is established in 2 parishes; Nicosia with 3 praesidia and Limassol with 1 praesidium. They are in the process of starting a fourth praesidium in Nicosia. A Curia is needed but as Sunday is their only day off duty and this is taken up with Sunday Mass, praesidium meetings and work there is no time left for a Curia meeting. One praesidium undertakes crowd contacts on busy streets, at bus stations, at a market and in parks.


Greece
Ninety eight percent of the population of 11 million are Orthodox, 50,000 Greeks are Roman Catholic with about 200,000 immigrant Roman Catholics.


Malta
Malta has a population of about half a million people. It is 97% Catholic. Malta Regia has 1 Comitium, 9 Curiae and 11 praesidia directly attached and governs the Legion in the Archdiocese of Malta and the suffragen Diocese of Gozo. There is a Legion presence in almost every Parish. The Archbishop was the chief celebrant at the anniversary Mass for the Servant of God Frank Duff in November. They are organising a series of talks on the True Devotion. The reporting Curiae included many good contacts with people of different religious beliefs as well as jail visitation. Teaching catechism featured in many of the reports. Some visible results included a whole family returning to Mass after a long absence. One Junior Curia organised an outdoor function, which included a BBQ and disco party for members and friends in the age group 13 - 17 and had an attendance of 80.

Gozo Comitium: One Senior Curia reported the return to the sacraments of 8 people. The University praesidium for Gozitian legionaries has 6 members. The apostolate of the attached Junior Curiae includes home and hospital visitation. A junior/intermediate retreat was organised. Contact with tourists is included in the apostolate of most of the praesidia. Peregrinatio Pro Christo projects in 2008 were carried out to Israel, Italy and Birmingham with many good contacts recorded.


Albania
Albania is a country with a population of approximatelly 3 million people, 60% Muslim, 25% Christian orthodox and about 15% Roman Catholic. The Catholic population is mostly found in the north of the country especially in the city of Shkoder and surrounding cities. In the Archdiocese of Shkoder there are two Curiae, the dioceses of Lezhe and Sape have each one Curia and in the Diocese of Tirana-Durres there are three praesidia. Some of the praesidia have large membership. Most of them meet in the early afternoon since there is no transport to and from the villages. Their apostolate includes works of service as well as visits to orphanages, hospitals, Eucharistic Adoration and prayer services with families. The Archbishop will celebrate Mass at the elevation of the Shkoder Curia to Comitium status in May.


Egypt
Egypt Senatus: Egypt has a population of 82 million of which 90% are Muslim. The official Church is the Coptic Orthodox representing about 9% of the population. The Coptic Catholics represent less than 1% of the population. The Senatus has 2 Comitia, 6 Curiae and a number of Junior Curiae. Extension in ongoing and there are three praesidia and a Comitium under formation. The Senatus also has plans to develop the Legion in the Suez Canal area. The apostolate includes visits to families, hospitals and residential homes. Permission is given to visit the prison for foreign people and if there are Moslems they speak and pray with them. This apostolate is carried out weekly. Every legionary in Egypt will soon have a copy of the new Arabic handbook.



AFRICA

Ghana
The population is approximately 21 million with a Catholic population of 2.8 million. All 18 Dioceses have the Legion and plans are underway for the establishment of the Legion in the Prefecture of Donkorkrom.
Legionaries in the Accra Senatus visit Nsawan Medium security prison. At the male prison there are two praesidia with over 100 active members. There are 146 inmates under instruction for First Communion and Confirmation. Twenty Catholics at the female prison requested the establishment of the Legion.

Kumasi Regia comprises 1 Comitium, 9 Curiae and 12 praesidia and report setting up 9 new praesidia. The 8th National Conference hosted by the Regia from 4th - 7th September 2008 with the theme 'Go Preach the Gospel of Justice, Peace and Reconciliation as Legionaries' had an attendance of 1,700 from all over Ghana.

Sunyani Regia has 6 Comitia, 48 Curiae, 1169 and 28 junior praesidia. Berekum Comitium do very solid home visitation and reach out to all. They report 69 returns to the sacraments, 128 Baptisms, 1,340 separated brethren were contacted, 360 Moslems were visited, 56 were converted to the faith. Jirapa Comitium has 1,350 under instruction for Baptism, 661 for First Communion and 1,983 for Confirmation.


Lesotho
Lesotho has a population of 2.12 million, 65% is Catholic, 25% is other Christian Churches, 10% is Muslim, Hindus and Buddhists. Life expectancy is 40 with aids being a huge problem. The Lesotho Senatus has 12 Comitia, 3 Curiae and 5 praesidia directly attached. Attendance at Senatus meeting includes two Maseru Comitia, two Maseru Curiae and three of the praesidia attend regularly. Lesotho also supervises Bloemfontein in South Africa, which they reported had 616 seniors, 19 juniors and 260 auxiliaries.


Cape Verde
The Legion started in Cape Verde on the 8th of December 1953 and developed to unofficial Comitium status and function supervising all Curiae. Finally in October 1985 at the Bishop's request the Concilium sent the Envoy, Maria Senra, where she found all in good order. Cape Verde consists of ten islands off the coast of West Africa and has a population of less than half a million. Emigration resulted after almost half the population died because of drought. Now there are more of its people living outside the country than in it. The Legion is found among the Cape Verde Diaspora with Holland having its own Curia of Cape Verdeans.

Praia Regia administers the Legion in the two dioceses of the country with over 8,500 active members - 10% being juniors. There are 10 Comitia, 37 Curiae and almost 500 praesidia. There are about 500 legionaries between the ages of 18 and 40.

Guine Bissau Comitium with 6 attached Curiae is also affiliated to the Praia Regia. The Regia maintains correspondence links with other Portuguese speaking Legion councils - Brazil, Portugal, Angola and Mozambique. However they are in regular correspondence with Concilium. Minutes are very detailed. Average attendance is 80%. All Legion work is fully integrated with parish plans with special emphasis on visitation and catechesis, the latter directed to children and adolescents.


Mozambique
Maputo Regia: A letter from the Regia Vice President has been received, and mention that in October each year they have a Legion pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady in Namaacha, which is about 50 miles from Maputo. The Regia Spiritual Director is now Parish Priest in Namaacha, but continues as Spiritual Director. They are planning to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Legion in Mozambique in October this year. They proposed the suggested visit by the Concilium could take place at that time. The Regia has one Comitium and 25 Curiae. The population of Mozambique in the 2007 census was 21,397,000. The Catholic population is about 23.8%, that is, about 5,092,486. Mozambique has three Archdioceses and nine suffragan dioceses. Other Christians have about 17.5% and Muslims are about17.8% of the population.


Angola
Benguela Senatus: The new Regiae in Huambo and Lubango were inaugurated with Mass in August 2008. The Archbishop of Huambo, Dom José de Queiros Alves, presided at the Mass in Huambo and the Coadjutor Archbishop of Lubango, Dom Gabriel Mbilingi, presided at the Mass in Lubango. The new Bishop of Benguela, Dom Eugénio dal Corso, was installed on 1st June 2008 in succession to Bishop Dom Oscar Braga. The Comitium of Alto Catumbela has 11 Curiae with a total of 71 praesidia and 1,072 active members and 134 auxiliaries. The Comitium of Lobito was divided into three Comitia. A Curia in Benguela was divided into two Curiae. 652 legionaries took part in a pilgrimage, walking six miles from Benguela to a Grotto at a Trappist Monastery, to mark the 150th anniversary of Lourdes.

Luanda Regia: The Regia has 18 praesidia, 8 senior and 2 junior Curiae, and 8 Comitia directly attached. Among works undertaken in the Regia area are home and hospital visitation, visits to prisons, apostolate to street children and teaching catechism. The Regia continues to cooperate in the 'Campaign of Social Mobilization for the Promotion of Health'. Angola has a population of 15,473,000, of whom, 8,600,000 (55.6%) are Catholic. There are 27 bishops, 794 priests and 2,276 religious. There are 1,236 major seminarians. Pope Benedict XVI visited Angola, mainly Luanda from 20th-23rd March.


Zimbabwe
Hwange Comitium: The Legion is continuing to function despite the difficulties in the country. Many people including legionaries are leaving the country. Great efforts are made to keep the junior Curia functioning although meetings are not held regularly. Visitation is undertaken and legionaries are encouraged to continue in their efforts. The Acies was held on 29 March.


Johannesburg
Johannesburg Senatus: Approximately 12% of the population of Johannesburg is Catholic. The Senatus has a membership of approximately 350 active members -comprises 18 praesidia, 7 Curia and 1 Comitium. The Legion is in 7 of the 13 Dioceses. The Senatus is planning a workshop to instruct Curiae and praesidia in the keeping of the Legion books, etc and also to encourage better attendance at Council meetings. The main works are home, hospital visitation, visitation of the bereaved, teaching Catechism, visitation of families re baptism of babies and visitation of newly converted. One praesidium remains in contact with a group of young drug addicts, praying with them and visiting and encouraging them while in rehabilitation. A squatter camp was visited. Extension and recruiting is on the agenda - praesidia have recruited new members and efforts are being made to hold recruiting drives and start praesidia.

Cape Town Senatus: Works undertaken by the Senatus include home, hospital and prison visitation. One praesidium organised a Rosary procession and five parishes attended. Legionaries at parish level cooperate with the priests and arrange Masses in homes, etc. Legionaries attend wakes and funerals where the Rosary is usually recited. A lady who was released from prison went to confession. Shortly after her death her two children were baptised.

Esigodeni Comitium Contact has been recently re-established with Esigodeni Comitium, which is in the Durban Archdiocese and has 10 Curiae attached. Two new Curiae were established recently. Plans are that a second Comitium will be established in the near future. The Priests are very supportive of the Legion, requesting the help of the legionaries, and most of these Curiae have Spiritual Directors. They had an attendance of 1,034 at a 3-day retreat in October.

Matatiele Comitium has been in contact with the Concilium. Durban Comitium: The officers recently held a planning meeting. Marianhill Comitium: Minutes are received regularly and the Comitium is functioning well.



Go preach the Gospel to the whole creation
Home visitation as a means of Evangelisation

The above topics were discussed at the Concilium meeting:
1. Go preach the Gospel to the whole creation (Mk 16:15) "Faith must strain after people with inextinguishable ardour. Sometimes that essential note is missing. People are not sought after, neither those in the fold nor those outside it. But if that Ascension commandment be disregarded, it will be at a price - the price of loss of grace, of diminution and decay, even to the extinction of faith."
"The Legion must be, so to speak, obsessed by that final commandment. It must, as a first principle, set out to establish a contact of some sort with every soul everywhere. If this be done - and it can be done - then the Lord's command will be moving towards fulfillment." (Legion Handbook page 308) A great deal can be read on this topic in the Encyclicals of Pope John Paul II.

2. Home visitation as a means of Evangelisation The quotation from the Handbook page 232, was also referred to by Fr. Bede McGregor in one of his Allocutio's recently: "Though not its initial venture, the visitation of the homes has been traditionally the preferred work of the Legion. It is a characteristic of the Legion. Through this visitation, personal contact can be made with a great many people and the Church's concern for every person and every family can be shown." The year of Evangelisation will commence on the 29th June 2009.



Election of Concilium Officer
At the March Concilium meeting, nominations were sought for the office of Assistant Treasurer of Concilium with responsibility for the De Montfort Trust, as Declan Lawlor had completed his 3-year term. He was proposed and seconded and as there were no other nominations, he was duly elected Assistant Treasurer for a second term.



Tribute to Kathleen Carroll, RIP
Annette Mulrooney, President of Spouse of the Holy Spirit Curia, Dublin, paid the following tribute to Kathleen Carroll, R.I.P.
Kathleen Carroll was a member of the Legion of Mary for over 60 years and held many officerships within the Legion. She had a very deep knowledge and experience of the Legion.
She went to Venezuela for 2 years with two other legionaries as a Viator. Besides holding a number of officerships she also corresponded with South American councils and with Navan Comitium for many year, in fact till her death. She was a member of the Peregrinatio Pro Christo Committee and went on many PPC projects including projects to Russia. She served also as Concilium Assistant Secretary.
Two years ago, she became Treasurer of Mary, Spouse of the Holy Spirit Curia, Dublin and continued in this office up to two months ago, sharing her great experience with the members. May her generous soul rest in peace.



Visit by Officers of Central London Curia
The Central London Curia were represented at the April Concilium meeting by their officers, Nicholas Fernandez President, Nancy Jobe Vice President, Patricia McGuigan Secretary and Mary Wogar Treasurer, who had come to Dublin for discussions with the Concilium Officers. Nicholas Fernandez, President of Central London Curia, reported that the Curia now has 14 praesidia, which includes a junior praesidium of 6 members between the ages of 12 and16 years. After the Peregrinatio Pro Christo project in St. Patrick's Parish in Soho, a praesidium was established. At Westminster a Mass to commemorate the Venerable Edel Quinn was celebrated and the chief celebrant was Bishop Bernard Longley. Tommy McCabe, Concilium President, in thanking the officers said that it was an inspiring and encouraging report and wished them every blessing in their work and hoped the Legion would grow from strength to strength in their area.



Visit of Fr. Kiswendsida Narcisse Guima, Burkina Faso
Fr. Narcisse, who has been appointed National Spiritual Director of the Legion of Mary in Burkina Faso, visited the Concilium Headquarters where he met with some of the Concilium Officers who discussed the development of the Legion in his country. He also attended the April Concilium meeting. He said that in the 13 dioceses of his country there were many legionaries. These legionaries are true to the Legion and making great efforts to interest the youth. Tommy McCabe, Concilium President, thanked Father for coming to Dublin and wished him every grace and blessing in his new ministry.



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, Ireland.

Back to News

The relationship between the Legion and the Parish is so important that it always merits another look. The normal life of the Legion is lived in the context of a parish and a deep union with the priests of the parish. The reason for this is, as we tried to explain in a previous Allocutio, that the parish is the Mystical Body of Christ in a particular place or among a particular group of people. And the Mystical Body of Christ means everything to the Legion. It means living in union with Our Lord as the branches in the vine. It means sharing in his life and his mission. It means recognising Jesus in all our brothers and sisters and acting accordingly. We pray every day for a 'lively faith, animated by charity, which will enable us to perform all our actions from the motive of pure love of you, and ever to see you and serve you in our neighbour.' It was one of the most extraordinary contributions of Frank Duff to the Church that he made the doctrine of the Mystical Body of Christ understandable and liveable for millions and millions of Catholics. If a parish does not have an awareness that it is a part of the Mystical Body of Christ, it hardly merits the title parish. It is up to the Legion to play its part, in line with all she has ever stood for, to make it the central vision of what it means to be a Parish.

And why does the Legion give a central place to the priest in its life and lay apostolate? Putting it simply, the reason is that the priest represents Christ as Head of His Body the Church and the Legionary wishes by every instinct of its soul to work only with Christ and through Him and out of love for Him. Of course, you will find all these ideas in the Handbook. Let me quote an especially insightful passage: 'To the priest the Legion gives the respect and obedience which are owing to lawful superiors, yet more than this. Its apostolate is built upon the fact that the main channels of grace are the Mass and the sacramental system, of which the priest is the essential minister. All the strivings and expedients of that apostolate must have in view this great end: the bringing of the divinely appointed nourishment to the multitude, sick and hungering. It follows that a first principle of legionary action must be the bringing of the priest to the people, not always in person - for that may be impossible - but everywhere in influence and in understanding.

This is the essential idea of the Legion apostolate. Lay it will be in bulk of membership, but working in inseparable union with the priests, and under their captaincy, and with absolute identity of interests. It will ardently seek to supplement their efforts, and to widen their place in the lives of men, so that men, receiving them, shall receive him who sent them. "Very truly, I tell you, whoever receives one whom I send receives me; and whoever receives me receives him who sent me." (Jn 13:20)

It is a very striking phrase from the pen of our Founder that the Legion and therefore every legionary in it seeks an absolute identity of interests with the priest. Why is this? It is because the priest precisely as priest has no other reason for his personal existence than to bring Christ to his people, to be another Christ for them. This immediately reminds us of Mary, the true Foundress of the Legion, who has no other purpose for her existence than to give Jesus to the world and to each one of us. This indicates a kind of identity of interest between Mary and the Priest and gives us a key to understanding why the Legionary should desire so profoundly to have an absolute identity with the interests and mission of the priest. Mary is intimately involved in all the activities of the priest and works through him in many profound ways. Therefore the Legion seeks to do exactly as Mary does and wishes.

It is normally in the parish and through the priests of the parish that God gives us the most precious gifts he can give us. Through them he gives us the real presence of Our Lord in the Eucharist and the sacrifice of the Mass. He gives us His forgiveness and encouragement in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. He comes to us when we are ill or dying in the Anointing of the Sick. He witnesses and blesses our marriages. He baptises our children and in so many different ways puts us in intimate contact with Our Lord. It is no wonder that Our Lady keeps a continuous maternal eye on the priest and his ministry. For the same reasons the Legion does the same thing.

But it is not only one-way traffic between the parish and the Legion. When the Legion is in a parish, it brings with it all the precious gifts of the Legion. It enriches a parish with the leaven of a true devotion to Mary. It brings a dynamic missionary and apostolic spirit. It points the parish to the centrality of the Mass and Holy Communion with its effort to promote daily Mass and Communion. It brings a great spirit of joy and intense loyalty not only when things are going well but especially when there are scandals and the Church may seem to be under siege. It is then like Mary that the Legion rallies around the priest and the parish. It will bring a group of lay apostles who are not just talkers but doers.

The parish will be deprived of many blessings when the Legion is not allowed to be present and active. Nevertheless in great patience the Legion will continue to love the priest and the parish and be willing to serve both if the opportunity is given to it. Wherever the Legion is present anywhere in the world, it must seek to be characterised by a great love and tireless service of the parish and her priests.

Back to News

The Central London Curia now has 14 praesidia, which includes a junior praesidium of 6 members between the ages of 12 and16 years. After the Peregrinatio Pro Christo project in St. Patrick's Parish in Soho, a praesidium was established. At Westminster a Mass to commemorate the Venerable Edel Quinn was celebrated and the chief celebrant was Bishop Bernard Longley.

Back to News

REPORTS - EUROPE
Denmark: There is one praesidium of 15 active members and 15 Auxiliary members in Copenhagen. The apostolate includes prison visitation, hospital and sick visitation as well as block Rosaries. Bishop Chezlaw Kuzon visited the praesidium meeting recently and was warmly welcomed.


France
Paris Regia: There are 20 attached praesidia and 3 Curiae with a total of about 45 praesidia. Immigrant groups are well represented including a Vietnamese Curia and praesidia for people from Haiti, the Ivory Coast and the Republic of the Congo. Troyes Curia has 10 praesidia with 60 members, including a junior and young adult groups started by a Korean Religious Sister. There have been some losses in remote areas - the praesidia in Vaennes and Caen are continuing to function. The Regia officers recently had a very encouraging meeting with Bishop Bagnard and he selected a date in November 2009 for another meeting.

Valance Regia: The Regia has a total of 17 senior and 2 junior praesidia attached with 3 based in the town of Valance and the rest widely scattered including isolated praesidia in Clermont Ferrand, Grenoble and Nimes. The 2 junior praesidia are based in the boys and girls secondary schools at Chateauneuf de Galaure. The Regia also has a Comitium at Lyon and Curiae in Montelimar and Nice. The Comitium has 2 directly attached praesidia. It also has a Vietnamese Curia with 4 praesidia and 30 members. Nice Curia has 9 praesidia spread over several dioceses including Monaco with 58 active members and about 150 Auxiliaries.

Mont de Marsan Regia: There are 7 directly attached praesidia and Curiae at Bayonne and Bordeaux. Visits are paid to nursing homes and Auxiliary members, Catechism is taught and the Rosary is promoted. Extension efforts are ongoing in Carcasonne. A pilgrimage to Lourdes on 7 June 2009 is being organised to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the birth of the Servant of God, Frank Duff.

Strasbourg Senatus, apart from having its own PPC Conference in January 2009, was also represented at the German PPC Conference at Maria Einsiedel, Gernsheim, Germany in November.


Belgium
Antwerp Senatus: The Legion has about 200 active members in the 4 Flemish speaking Dioceses. While the Senatus is based in Antwerp with 25 active members in that city, the Comitium in Hasselt has 118 active members, the Curia Gent has 30 active and the remainder are divided over 3 other cities. Some of the more notable works undertaken are the contact work at youth concerts and helping in the Permanence in Lourdes.

Brussels Senatus: Refugees are welcomed and helped.


The Netherlands
Amsterdam Senatus: The draft of the Dutch translation of the Handbook has arrived. This is the first new translation since 1965. It will serve not only the Netherlands but also Antwerp Senatus and Suriname. In general the Legion in the Netherlands is greatly relying on non-nationals. In Amsterdam they have an English, a Suriname and an African praesidia as well as a Korean and a Cape Verdian Curiae directly attached. Another 2 praesidia are also directly attached to the Senatus. Further away is a praesidium in Groningen and a Comitium consisting of a Curia and 4 praesidia directly attached. Works by praesidia consist of contact work in the red light district, with some extraordinary results, a praesidium for homeless men, contact work in a park and the praesidium in Groningen works among refugees. A monthly public Rosary is recited in the centre of Amsterdam, after first being introduced by an Irish PPC team in the seventies.


Germany
Munich Senatus: This council has 11 directly attached praesidia, 2 Comitia and 8 Curiae. Efforts are made to promote the Legion at Priests' Conferences. 20 Priests attended a presentation on the Legion in Aichach and extension was carried out in Landau. The Comitia of Augsburg and Stuttgart each has 3 directly attached praesidia and 2 Curiae. In addition to other works, street contact is done regularly. The 8 Curiae in the Senatus range in strength from 2 praesidia in both Curia Nuremberg and Curia Wuerzburg to 11 praesidia in Curia Teisenborg and Curia Amberg-Weiden. Two Curiae have Patrician groups.

Frankfurt Senatus: Frankfurt Korean Curia with 9 praesidia had a study day for 70 legionaries on the Bible and Our Lady. 50 attended the PPC Conference in Maria Einsiedel and15 were present at a retreat for non-Catholics. All the major German speaking Senatus (Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna) have been consulted on the changes to the translation from English to German of prayers on the Tessera and agreed a unified version. Extension efforts were made in 5 parishes and in the diocese of Erfurt.

Cologne Regia: A new Curia is planned for Duesseldorf comprising 4 praesidia. Ecclesiastical permission has been granted to raise a Comitium comprising this Curia and a Korean Curia. Two new praesidia were started in Bochum Stiepel and Neuss.

Comitium Freiburg: 4 praesidia in Curia Gurtweil pray over a map of the world daily.

Comitium Berlin had a 2-day retreat with 55 present organised by the Korean Curia. Monthly adoration is held to support the cause of Frank Duff.

Curia Saarlouis: the 3 praesidia in Saarlouis, Bernkastel and Elm are persevering.


Switzerland
Curia Zurich with 9 praesidia has 55 active legionaries. The Bishop of Chur appointed a Spiritual Director for the Curia. There is a new praesidium in Biel. An Exploratio held in Basel with 6 legionaries from Stuttgart and 10 from Switzerland was a grace filled initiative. Curia Luzern with 3 praesidia in Luzern, Horw and Driens, offered the Legion to parishes.



SIBERIA
The Senatus visited the praesidia in Atschinsk and Bogotol in Siberia last September. It started a new one in Bratsk and made contact with former legionaries in Krasnojarsk. A praesidium is planned for Tschita.



AFRICA

Equatorial Guinea
This is a small country on the West coast of Africa, with a population of 600,000 - 94% Catholic. The country, which has three dioceses, is divided between the mainland and the Island of Malabo. There are 2 Comitia affiliated to Concilium, one on the Island of Malabo, which is also the Capital and has one Curia attached and one on the mainland in Bata, which has 15 Curiae attached. Two new Spiritual Directors have been appointed recently.

Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso North of Ghana and bordering the Sahara Dessert is home to 9 million people of whom 11% are Catholics. There are 3 Archdioceses and 10 Dioceses. The Legion was set up there in 1954. Every diocese has a Comitium. The work is well done and there is a good relationship with the Muslims, who welcome legionaries, especially when someone in the family is ill, as they value the prayers of the legionaries. Recently Ouagadougou Comitium set about developing the Legion among the youth, who numbered 138 at a recent gathering.

Benin
Cotonou Regia has developed into an excellent council with good meetings and pays attention to detail. The Regia has 30 directly attached praesidia. The work programme includes home and hospital visitation and crowd contact with Catholics, Protestants, Pagans, and sects of all kinds. Catechism is taught to adults and children in preparation for Baptism and other Sacraments. The Patricians and Exploratio Dominicalis projects are promoted. In 2008 a Novena was organised in every parish in Citibiy Diocese in preparation for the anniversary of Venerable Edel Quinn, when a pilgrimage was organised to a Marian Centre in Allada.

The Republic of Cameroon
The latest statistics show a total population of about 18 million of which between 20 and 30% are Catholic. The Cameroon has 19 Dioceses and 5 Archdiocese. The Senatus of Douala has 9 Dioceses of which 2 are Archdiocese. There are over 1400 active legionaries and the Legion is represented in every Diocese. The Regia of Yaounde has 15 Dioceses of which 3 are Archdiocese with the Legion represented in all of them.

The Republic of Chad
Chad has 8 Dioceses with the Archdiocese in N'Djamena, the capital, and has about 20% Catholics. An Acies ceremony had a total of 500 legionaries in attendance.



ASIA AND OCEANIA

Australia
Melbourne Senatus governs the Legion in the metropolitan provinces of Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, the Pacific Islands of Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia and Vanuatu. Directly attached to the Senatus are l4 praesidia, 4 Comitia and l5 Curiae. In the Islands there are 9 Comitia and 4 Curiae. There has been consistent extension in recent years and l5 new praesidia were set up in 2008. Homes and hostels are visited in some parishes and the Rosary is promoted through the pilgrim statue apostolate and other ways. Attention is given to junior membership and there are some junior praesidia on the mainland and several in the islands. A yearly Mass is arranged to commemorate the life of the Servant of God Frank Duff. The chief celebrant in November 2008 was Most Rev. Peter J. Elliott, Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne. The Cause of the Venerable Edel Quinn is also well promoted by the Senatus. A new junior Curia with 3 praesidia was set up in Nauru, Fiji. PPC projects are arranged and praesidia encouraged to carry out Exploratio Dominicalis. Financial accounts are professionally audited and the AGM held annually.

Sydney Senatus: Works reported on were pre-baptism instruction, re-visiting the newly baptized after l2 months, crowd contact in parks, homes consecrated to the Sacred Heart and Rosary groups are flourishing. Canberra Curia has 5 senior and 3 junior praesidia with 24 seniors, 13 juniors and 152 auxiliaries. The Korean Curia has 20 senior and 5 junior praesidia. Newcastle Comitium has 6 attached praesidia, and 1 Curia with 5 praesidia.

Brisbane Comitium: the Legion is in 24 parishes spread over 5 dioceses in the state of Queensland the size of half of Europe. There are 11 praesidia directly attached. A Vietnamese Curia consists of 30 members and a Korean Curia has 56. Four recent annual reports showed an increase in auxiliary membership. The Legion House was used during World Youth Day for contacting people.


New Zealand
Auckland Senatus celebrated the 75th anniversary of the Legion in New Zealand. On behalf of the Concilium two visitors from Melbourne Senatus attended and they gave a good account of a very well run function. The Legion is in all 6 dioceses. There are 22 praesidia attached consisting of Samoan, Chinese, Filipino, Malaysian and Korean members. A Congress was held in 2007. New members were gained after WYD. South Auckland Curia has 8 senior and 3 junior praesidia. Hamilton Curia has 5 praesidia. Auckland Junior Curia has 6 praesidia with 83 members. The Korean Comitium comprises 2 Curiae with l8 praesidia each plus 4 junior praesidia. Wellington Comitium has 3 Curiae and 24 praesidia. Christchurch has one Korean and one English Curiae, both with 8 praesidia. The island of Tonga was visited in 2006. It has one Curia with 4 senior and 3 junior praesidia attached on the mainland. Vavua Island has one Curia with l3 praesidia. A new praesidium with 9 members was set up in Niue Island. American Samoa is directly attached to the Senatus and was visited in 2006. Western Samoa has 2 Comitia, l0 Curiae, l4 junior and 24 senior praesidia. The Handbook was translated into Samoan and printed in 2008.


Papua New Guinea
Madang Regia governs the Legion in the Archdiocese of Madang and its 4 suffragen dioceses. The Regia sends legionaries to distant councils to give courses in government and Legion works. Seven Comitia, 26 Curiae and l0 senior and 7 junior praesidia are attached. Main works of the 15,000 legionaries are conversion from the sects, home and hospital visitation and juniors instructing their peers in the Faith. Population is 5.5M with 55% Catholic.

Rabul Regia governs the Legion in the Archdiocese of Rabul and its 3 suffragen dioceses based on the island of New Britain. There are 8 Comitia, 63 Curiae and 6 praesidia and approximately 6,500 members. The sects are very active and legionaries are quite successful with many returns to the sacraments.


Philippines
Bicolandia Senatus is in the South West and composed of many islands where the Councils are situated. They experience many typhoons, torrential rain and mud slides. The Senatus operates in an Archdiocese and 6 suffragen dioceses. Fifteen praesidia are attached with l4 Curia and 9 comitia. There is a Catholic population of 3m in 220 parishes. Visitation of councils is ongoing and attendance is good.

Mindanao Senatus governs the Legion in the main island of Mindanao from its base in Cagayon de Oro city and includes the Archdioceses of Mindanao and Davao with l0 suffragen dioceses. There are 3 Regiae, which includes 26 Comitia, l38 Curiae and 27,000 legionaries. The legionaries carry out excellent works. The 3 Causes are promoted and many favours have been notified. 700 attended an auxiliary rally and all Legion organised functions attract large numbers. The clergy are very supportive of the Legion.

Western Visayas Regia covers the Archdiocese of Jaro with 4 Comitia, 2l Curiae and l7 praesidia. The 5 suffragen dioceses have 6 Comitia.
Cebu Senatus governs the Legion in the main island of Cebu in the Province of Visayas, which stretches 225 km from north to south and is surrounded by l67 smaller islands. The Archdiocese of Cebu has 4 suffragan dioceses and the Archdiocese of Palo also has 4 suffragen dioceses. There are a total of 34,6l8 seniors, 11,000 juniors and 45,300 auxiliary members. Extension efforts are focused on the Cebu south councils where curiae with large numbers of praesidia are divided and new ones established. The visitation to councils is regular. Promotion of the Legion Causes is widespread. All suggested works of the Legion are undertaken including apostolate to tricycle drivers and crowd contact at a bus terminal. A Curia was established in a boys' school with 6 praesidia.

Northern Philippines Senatus is based at Manila, the capital city. The Catholic population is approximately 8l%. From September to December l2 Comitia, 7l Curiae, 151 praesidia and 10 junior Curiae reported. Malolos Regia has 4 Comitia, 5 senior and 1 junior Curiae, and l6 praesidia. 200 were enrolled in the Brown Scapular. Patrician groups exist in 47 out of 49 parishes. 20 juniors graduated to senior membership. Four legionaries entered the seminary. Retreats, Congresses and the promotion of the Legion Causes figure in reports. Paranaque Comitium has 350 legionaries in a jail doing works of cell visitation, counselling and assisting in the infirmary. A Military based Curia was revived. In the Philippines there are l6 Archdioceses, all with the Legion and 57 Dioceses all but one having the Legion.



Bernardo de Nardo - Envoy for Central Asia
The following are excerpts from the address given by Bernardo at the March Concilium meeting:
The first thing that I want to say is that the past five years (2 years as an extension worker and 3 years as an envoy) were the happiest years of my life. When I first thought of offering myself as an Envoy I never had any doubt that it was a calling from God that I had to follow. This experience gave me the unique opportunity and privilege that only a few people have, to see the Church in so many different places, to see how the Church lives, suffers and rejoices. This experience deepened my love for the Church and the Legion; it transformed my vision of both and showed me how universal they both were. No other organization except the Legion of Mary can say that it has the universality of the Church.
For me Envoyship is a vocation, a lay vocation within the Church and within the Legion, which I have always considered as a privilege and an honor. Envoyship helps every legionary to be part of the work of the evangelization of the whole world. Everyone can participate in the work of the Church as She fulfils the command of the Lord, "go preach the Gospel to all nations".

I remember years ago, reading in the Legion bulletin the work of the previous Envoy Maria Smilga in Lithuania and taking part in her mission with my prayers, later in the work of Bill and Morag Mitchell in Kazakhstan and Elisabeth Kriss in Siberia and recently in her work in the Ukraine.

You and many legionaries all around the world accompanied me with yours prayers, during my long journey across Kazakhstan and Central Asia, then in the exotic land of Nepal. Finally in the mountains of Caucasus to Armenia, the first country to adopt Christianity 1700 years ago and from whose capital we can see the Holy Mount Ararat, where Noah's ark came to rest after the flood and after that to Georgia.

In some countries, Catholics are a small minority. This would be an excellent reason to offer them the gift the Legion. My Envoyship was directed towards very small Catholic communities, first in the Muslim world of Central Asia, then among the Hindu and Buddhist world in Nepal, and finally in the Oriental Christian world of Armenia and Georgia. This very recent experience shows us that it is possible to start the Legion even in these places where Catholics are a small minority.

The Lord and His Blessed Mother invite us to read the signs of the times; it is our duty as the international council of the Legion. I am convinced that Envoyship is one of the signs of our times that Our Lady places in our hands and therefore we must use it. To read the signs of the times also means for me to look forward and to be ready for the challenges of the future. I think that we all must be prepared for these challenges, which will come hopefully sooner rather than later.
Bernardo also spoke of his short visit to India and he hoped that the Legion would continue to develop there. His great desire and prayer was to see more envoys from all continents working in new territories to extend the Legion of Mary.

Tommy McCabe, President, thanked on behalf of the Concilium, Bernardo, and said that we were deeply indebted to him and to his family particularly his mother for allowing him to undertake this onerous task, which he carried out with faith, courage, bravery, great will, obedience and dedication. He absorbed the language of every country he visited in order to make acquaintance with his contacts. His patience and faith had been tried and tested. Fr. Bede McGregor, Spiritual Director of Concilium, spoke of the indebtedness owed to Bernardo and thanked him on behalf of priests. Our Lady had formed him for his 3-year Envoyship. He wished him well, his family and friends and said that we need to trust in the Lord and pray for envoys.



Raising of Kupang Comitium, Indonesia, to Regia
As a result of a visit by Singapore legionaries to Indonesia at the request of the Concilium in 2003 their recommendation was that 3 new Regia (Maumere, Semerang and Kupang) should be established. The last of the three, Kupang Comitium, with the agreement of the Malang Senatus and of the Archbishop of Kupang and of the Bishop of Atambua, was given approval by the Concilium at the March meeting.
The new Regia will be affiliated to the Senatus of Malang and will supervise 7 comitia, 42 curiae and a total of 335 praesidia in all. The active membership currently stands at approximately 4,700 members.
The congratulations of the Concilium was extended to all concerned.



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, Ireland.

Back to News

The above topics were discussed at the March Concilium meeting:

Go preach the Gospel to the whole creation (Mk 16:15) "Faith must strain after people with inextinguishable ardour. Sometimes that essential note is missing. People are not sought after, neither those in the fold nor those outside it. But if that Ascension commandment be disregarded, it will be at a price - the price of loss of grace, of diminution and decay, even to the extinction of faith." "The Legion must be, so to speak, obsessed by that final commandment. It must, as a first principle, set out to establish a contact of some sort with every soul everywhere. If this be done - and it can be done - then the Lord's command will be moving towards fulfillment." (Legion Handbook page 308) A great deal can be read on this topic in the Encyclicals of Pope John Paul II.

Home visitation as a means of Evangelisation The quotation from the Handbook page 232, was also referred to by Fr. Bede McGregor in one of his Allocutio's recently: "Though not its initial venture, the visitation of the homes has been traditionally the preferred work of the Legion. It is a characteristic of the Legion. Through this visitation, personal contact can be made with a great many people and the Church's concern for every person and every family can be shown."

Back to News

At the March Concilium meeting, nominations were sought for the office of Assistant Treasurer of Concilium with responsibility for the De Montfort Trust, as Declan Lawlor had completed his first 3 year term. He was proposed and seconded and as there were no other nominations, he was duly elected Assistant Treasurer for a second term.

Back to News

The Parish is central to the identity and apostolate of the Legion. We all know that the Legion will not operate in a diocese without the express permission of the Bishop nor will it work in a parish without the permission of the Parish Priest. This is not just a wise practical administrative rule in the Legion, nor is it just a legal requirement or diplomatic manoeuvre; it is grounded in a profound doctrine of our Catholic faith. It is a fundamental and treasured principle of the whole Legion life and apostolate. It is the doctrine of the Mystical Body of Christ. It would be impossible to rightly think of the Legion without the doctrine of the Mystical Body of Christ because the Legion is nothing else but the habitual effort to live out in the practicalities of our daily lives and in every apostolate the doctrine of the Mystical Body. Even all our rich inheritance of Marian doctrines, as in the teaching of the Second Vatican Council, is situated in the mystery of Christ and his Church. It is not by accident, but certainly in Divine Providence, that the first Allocutio given by Fr. Toher at the very first and foundational meeting of the Legion was on the Mystical Body.

So let us try and unpack this theme of the Legion and the Parish a little bit more. The Parish is the Mystical Body of Christ among a particular group of people and normally in a particular place. The Priest represents the Risen Christ as Head of the Body and the laity represent Christ as his members. The Head and the Body cannot be separated. They mutually help each other. The Priest must have members and the members need the Priest. To work with the Priest is to work with our Blessed Lord. The Legion has grasped this doctrine well and has shown how it can be lived in the most practical terms. It tries to see and serve Our Lord in all the members of his Body and indeed to bring all others into the Body of the Lord. One sometimes meets people who say 'yes' to Our Lord but no to the Church. But one cannot separate Christ from his Body, so to say 'no' to the Church is to say 'no' to Christ inseparably living and working in and through the Church, His Body.
Mary provides another deep motive for the Legion in the Parish. Mary is not only the Mother of Christ in Himself but she is also the Mother of his Mystical Body, the Church. She is the Mother of every unit of the Church and so is the Mother of every Parish. The legionary seeks to share in Mary's maternity of the Parish. The Legion seeks to be a presence of Mary in the Parish and to share in the Parish her conviction and practice of True Devotion to Mary, and because true devotion to Mary involves apostleship, the Legion should therefore make a significant contribution to promoting the lay apostolate in the Parish.

It would not be possible to say everything that could and should be said about the Legion and the Parish in a single allocutio, but it would be imperative to say that our Founder saw the Legion as following the example of Our Lord as closely as possible in his method of evangelisation. The Handbook puts it well: 'The idea of the Priest, with a devoted band pressing round him to share his labours follows the example of Our Lord whose preparation for the conversion of the world was to surround himself with his chosen ones, whom he tutored and filled with his own spirit. That divine lesson was learned and applied by the apostles, who called on all to help them in the winning of souls.' This is one of the preferred ways of evangelising for the Legion: to gather around the priest in the parish who represents sacramentally the Risen Christ as head of the body, and together with him care for the spiritual needs of every person in the Parish, Catholic or non-Catholic, indeed, to seek the salvation of every parishioner whatever their personal situation may be. The Parish of course is not the only place for the legionary apostolate except in the sense that the whole world is the Parish of the Legion. The Legion engages in many apostolates at the request or with the permission of Bishops that transcend parish boundaries but the parish remains the privileged place of the Legion presence and apostolate.

By way of conclusion and as further stimulus to discussion, let me quote from the document on the laity from the Second Vatican Council: 'The parish offers an obvious example of the apostolate on the community level inasmuch as it brings together the many human differences within its boundaries and merges them into the universality of the Church.

(1) The laity should accustom themselves to working in the parish in union with their priests;

(2) Bringing to the Church community their own and the world's problems as well as questions concerning human salvation, all of which they should examine and resolve by deliberating in common. As far as possible the laity ought to provide helpful collaboration for every apostolic and missionary undertaking sponsored by their local parish. They should develop an every-increasing appreciation of their own diocese, of which the parish is a kind of cell, ever ready at their pastor's invitation to participate in diocesan projects. Indeed, to fulfil the needs of cities and rural areas;

(3) They should not limit their cooperation to the parochial or diocesan boundaries but strive to extend it to inter-parochial, inter-diocesan, national and international fields. This is constantly becoming all the more necessary because of the daily increase in mobility of populations, reciprocal relationships, and means of communication no longer allow any sector of society to remain closed in upon itself. Thus they should be concerned about the needs of the people of God dispersed throughout the world. They should especially make missionary activity their own by giving material or even personal assistance. It is a duty and honor for Christians to return to God a part of the good things that they receive from Him.'

Of course, it is the greatest honour and privilege of the legionary to share the gift of the Catholic faith with those who have not yet received it or with those who may have lost their faith.

Back to News

Bernardo said that the past five years (2 years as an extension worker and 3 years as an envoy) had been the happiest years of his life. The experience gave him the unique opportunity and privilege that only a few people have, to see the Church in so many different places, to see how the Church lives, suffers and rejoices. This experience deepened his love for the Church and the Legion; it transformed his vision of both and showed him how universal they both were.

He thanked the many legionaries all around the world who had accompanied him with their prayers, during his long journey across Kazakhstan and Central Asia, then in the exotic land of Nepal. Finally in the mountains of Caucasus to Armenia, the first country to adopt Christianity 1700 years ago and from whose capital can seen the Holy Mount Ararat, where Noah's ark came to rest after the flood and after that to Georgia.

In some countries, Catholics are a small minority. This was an excellent reason to offer them the gift the Legion. His Envoyship had been directed towards very small Catholic communities, first in the Muslim world of Central Asia, then among the Hindu and Buddhist world in Nepal, and finally in the Oriental Christian world of Armenia and Georgia. This very recent experience shows that it is possible to start the Legion even in these places where Catholics are a small minority.

Bernardo also spoke of his short visit to India and he hoped that the Legion would continue to develop there. His great desire and prayer was to see more Legionaries from all continents working in new territories to extend the Legion of Mary.

Tommy McCabe, President, thanked Bernardo on behalf of the Concilium, and said that the Legion was deeply indebted to him and to his family particularly his mother for allowing him to undertake this onerous task, which he carried out with faith, courage, bravery, great will, obedience and dedication. He absorbed the language of every country he visited in order to make acquaintance with his contacts. His patience and faith had been tried and tested. Fr. Bede McGregor, Spiritual Director of Concilium, spoke of the indebtedness owed to Bernardo and thanked him on behalf of priests.

Back to News

REPORTS - EUROPE
Scotland: The Senatus has 18 directly attached praesidia and 6 Curiae. Efforts are continuing in the Senatus territory to bring the Legion to parishes where praesidia are not yet established. Some praesidia have gained new members. A new praesidium of six members set up at Glasgow University some months ago is progressing well. The legionaries make contact with young people outside the University, in parks and on the streets. The activities of the reporting praesidia include book barrow apostolate, door to door visitation, visits to the homes of children preparing for the sacraments and visits with the Pilgrim statue. A praesidium of 19 members is responsible for the physical and spiritual needs in the Wayside club, which has a night attendance of around 50. Edinburgh Curia with 11 attached praesidia continues to visit the secondary schools to explain the Rosary to the pupils. 68 of the 92 active members in Grenock Curia are Praetorians and the combined number of Auxiliaries for the praesidia is 1022 and 36 Adjutorians. Ayrshire Curia has 42 parishes in the Diocese without the Legion and the Curia is very much aware that extension must be a priority. To mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Venerable Edel Quinn the Curia organised a talk on Edel's life at which 50 people were present. An apostolate to schools also featured in most of the reports.



England
The Senatus of Birmingham governs the Legion in the Archdiocese of Birmingham, and the suffragen Dioceses of Shrewsbury and Clifton as well as caretaking the Legion in the Plymouth Diocese. In the Archdiocese of Birmingham there are 9 praesidia directly attached to the Senatus, three Curiae and one Junior Curia. The Diocese of Clifton has one Curia with eleven praesidia and in the Shrewsbury Diocese there is one praesidium. In the Diocese of Plymouth there is a Curia in Cornwall, which has five praesidia. The reporting praesidia even though small in membership are carrying out a good variety of apostolic work and working closely with their Parish Priests. A new praesidium of 4 active and 3 probationers with 20 auxiliaries gave its first annual report. The new legionaries contacted a mother of five children and all are now preparing to be received into the Church. A praesidium of 6 in Perry Bar reported the Baptism of 12 children from visits to parents and from home visitation 3 people are taking the RCIA course for reception into the Church. A city praesidium of seven members gives particular attention to lapsed Catholics and a talk organised for non-Catholics had an attendance of four. Coventry Curia, which has five praesidia attached visit a "half-way" house for homeless teenagers and good contacts are made with staff and residents. From an Ecumenical service held at St. Paul's Church in November the Vicar and some of his congregation as well as a visiting Evangelical Bishop from Burundi have been taught how to say the Rosary.

South Birmingham Curia has 11 praesidia and efforts are continuing to extend into parishes without the Legion. From 3 Exploratio projects 200 homes were visited and some very good contacts were made. Birmingham Junior Curia has praesidia with a membership of 38. In October one of the praesidia organised a celebration in honour of Venerable Edel Quinn. Four papers on her life were prepared and read by juniors. The parents of juniors attended and Fr. Peyton gave a talk on his work as a junior legionary. Wolverhampton Curia has 4 praesidia attached. One praesidium reported that after a long period of visitation a lapsed family returned to practice and the children were helped to prepare for their First Holy Communion.

Liverpool Senatus: The first annual report of a new praesidium showed that there are 7 members. A Mass was arranged in a nursing home. The book barrow featured in the report of another praesidium, successfully marking the Liverpool Year of Culture. Home visitation is the principal work of the praesidium, many Miraculous Medals are given out and Advent cards "Come Home for Christmas" distributed. Cathedral newsletters are distributed to city centre hotels. Following a PPC project a lady who had been baptised but hadn't received any other sacrament was helped to do so, she now helps at RCIA meetings.

Newcastle Comitium has 5 Curiae, 28 senior and 1 junior praesidia. A day with Mary was again very successful and the praesidium in South Shields continues to spread devotion to Our Lady of Walsingham. The other works mentioned include the apostleship of the sea, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and a thriving junior praesidium, which helps the Liturgy group.

Manchester Comitium: Legionaries visiting one family with the Parish Priest brought them back to the Church. A new junior praesidium started with 8 members, now has 10. The Holy Hour for the Servant of God Frank Duff had an attendance of over 100 people. Legionaries visited a primary school and were asked for Rosaries for the children and teachers. A Rosary Rally in September had almost 100 in attendance. The PPC project in St. Joseph's Halliwell, resulted in a new praesidium being set up.

Leigh Curia is actively recruiting and the Rosary is promoted, particularly in the homes. Each Monday in October a Rosary and torchlight procession is held. In Warrington Curia home and hospital visitation is done; at Warrington Hospital legionaries attend every Saturday to help take people to Mass in the Chapel. Another Curia organised a public rosary and book barrow apostolate in Kirby Town centre in October. This attracted many visitors and several of them asked for prayers.

Westminster Archdiocese
The new Central London Curiareported that the praesidium in the Cathedral parish has 9 active members with 1 Praetorian and 50 Auxiliary members. Lapsed Catholics, the elderly and a prison are visited and Hotel contact is done. Another praesidium has 13 active members with 1 Praetorian, 40 Auxiliary and 4 Adjutorian members. The works include crowd contact in a park, visitation of the housebound and nursing homes and involvement with Church activities. Brentwood Comitium governs 15 directly attached praesidia and 2 Curiae in the Diocese of Brentwood. Since 2003, 12 extension and 5 recruiting drives were held.

Southwark Comitium: The territory of the Southwark Comitium covers the Archdiocese of the same name in addition to the 3 suffragen dioceses of Arundel and Brighton, Plymouth and Portsmouth and takes in about 560 parishes in total. Statistics for the Legion are based on reports presented during 2008. The Comitium has 17 senior, 2 junior and 2 intermediate praesidia directly affiliated in addition to 6 Curiae. Membership includes 119 (for the 17 senior praesidia), 26 junior and 49 intermediate members. The 6 Curiae are situated in Mid Kent, East Kent, Surbiton, SE London/North Kent (each have 4 praesidia), North Surrey (5 praesidia) and Croyden (8 praesidia). Works undertaken are heavily concentrated on visitation of the sick, bereaved and elderly at home and in nursing homes. Some home-to-home visitation is done very effectively. There is an outreach to the lapsed especially in the lead-up to Easter and Christmas. Mention is made of promoting Auxiliary membership, the Rosary, the Fatima Statue apostolate and Maria Legionis. Other works mentioned include the running of a prayer group, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, conducting a children's Bible study class and liturgy for children and helping with parish activities.

North Surrey Curia report included mention of coming in contact with non-Catholics when visiting homes for single parents, teaching some residents how to pray the Rosary, a number of whom are interested in the Catholic faith. A legionary was contacted by a lady having a problem with alcohol who is now attending Mass weekly and is much improved. Another lady spoken to at a bus stop is now attending the RCIA programme. Surbiton Curia listed 20 parishes visited over a 2-month period - some showed promise in respect of extension. The Intermediate praesidium in Peckham organises nativity plays in the parish, welcomes people to Sunday Mass, visits the nursing home and brings a blind lady to Mass. The parents were met on a monthly basis and outings to the park and cinema were arranged. Follow up in parishes where a Peregrinatio project took place is undertaken. Tube station contact led to 196 invitations being issued to people to attend Easter services. 98 Miraculous Medals were accepted. One man went to Confession that evening and expressed his gratitude to the legionaries. A Patrician group is well attended in Rotherhithe.

Northampton North and South Curiae: Since the splitting of the Northampton Curia just over 2 year ago, Northampton North has established two new praesidia while Northampton South has also established another praesidium. Both Curiae are making great efforts to contact Priests and legionaries, are very involved in the recruiting drives, where members speak at the Masses and also promote the Miraculous Medal after the Masses. Visitation to a local prison is going well, worthwhile contacts are made with the prisoners, some of whom attend a Prayer meeting and they are encouraged to replace some of the pictures in their cells with a religious one. Visitation to schools has been well received.



Wales
Wrexham Curia - an afternoon of meditation in October had an attendance of 60 - all praesidia were represented. A pilgrimage to Walsingham was held in October.

Cardiff Comitium (5 praesidia and a Curia at Gwent with 3 praesidia). Religious instruction is given to pupils at a large primary school. The Servant of God Alfie Lambe was remembered at Anniversary Masses in St. David's Cathedral and in Abergavenny. A retreat at Merthyr was well attended.

Swansea Curia in the Diocese of Menevia with four praesidia attached has permission for extension in 3 parishes. Street work in Swansea city centre and the weekly running of a drop-in centre are among the works carried out by the legionaries. A young lady who was a drug addict was met on street work and prayed with many times recently died in Church and was given a Catholic burial with the help of legionaries and the local Priest.



OVERVIEW OF MEXICO / CENTRAL AMERICA

Mexico and Central America are Catholic countries but a large percentage of the Catholic population may not be practicing or may not even have been instructed properly in the faith. The sects are also very active in all those countries. There are 15 councils in Mexico and Central America affiliated to Concilium, all 15 are in contact with Concilium and each council has a correspondent. The correspondence is reasonably up to date, maybe delays but no council is out of touch. Equally so the Concilium correspondents are in regular contact with their councils.

The Legion of Mary spirituality is very suitable to the Latin American people. They have a great love for Our Lady and a great devotion to the Rosary. Main works would be hospital visitation, teaching catechism and visiting the sick. Home visitation and street contact is done but on a lesser scale. There is a need to guide and encourage more home-to-home visitation. A common weakness in most of the councils is the strength of the Curia on which the council was set up or in other words the directly attached praesidia. With time the directly attached praesidia seems to decrease and consequently the foundation of the council is weakened.


Mexico
The population of Mexico is 142 million. There are 93 dioceses and 6,100 parishes and about 87% is Catholic. In more recent years there is an obvious change for the better in the practice of the faith. Attendance at Sunday and weekday Masses has increased.

There are large numbers in the Legion, mostly women but there are men, also married couples, young people and juniors. All are very conscious that they must recruit the young.

Of the 93 dioceses in the country the Legion is established in 64 of them. Recently the councils were reorganised and a number of new Regiae were set up. There are now 8 higher councils (2 Senatus and 6 Regiae) attached to Concilium. Each council is aware of its territory and the dioceses for which it has responsibility. The Legion is stronger to the south of the country, they are extending, doing Peregrinatio Pro Christo projects, understand Legion government and have good contact with attached distant councils.

The three Causes are encouraged and promoted among the legionaries but there is a need to broaden the promotion to reach the general public.

Mexico City Senatus: There are 10 praesidia, 1 junior and 18 senior Curiae and 12 Comitia affiliated to the Senatus. The city alone is very big with a population of 22 million.
was set up recently, very active and have extended into the communities. Legionaries arrange a Eucharistic service when there is no Mass. They also teach catechism. There is a praesidium of 15 seminarians in the Dominican seminary. A number of them were legionaries before they entered and said that the Legion helped them to decide their vocation. The Regia has also visited the newly attached Comitium of Oaxaca and its corresponding Curiae.

Merida Senatus in the south of the country is a very active council. A PPC project was carried out last year to Guatamala and another is planned for this year. They also carry out Exploratio Dominicalis projects. Street contact work is done weekly.

Leon Regia was set up recently. Here there are large numbers of young legionaries, all very active. The young legionaries carry out an apostolate to drug addicts and their families with great success.
To the north of the country are the Regiae of Guadalajara, Monterrey, Durango and Hermosillo. They are conscious of the importance of extension. In addition to home and hospital visitation the legionaries visit prisons and teach catechism. Prison work is well done; regularly legionaries make contact with the families of the prisoners particularly if the prisoner has lost contact.



CENTRAL AMERICA

Belize Curia
Belize is a small country with one diocese and 18 parishes. The Diocese is a suffragen Diocese of Kingston, Jamaica. There is a population of 285,000 of which 214,000 are Catholic.
There are 7 praesidia in the Curia and recently a new praesidium was set up on the Island of San Pedra. Two visitors from Houston Senatus have just completed a visit to Belize.

Nicaragua
Nicaragua is a small country; the least densely populated country in Central America with a population of 6.3 million, 82% Catholic. The Legion is established in 4 of the 8 Dioceses. There is a Comitium in the capital Managua, affiliated to Concilium with 5 Curiae attached.

Guatemala
Of the 13.5 million population in Guatemala 77% are Catholics. The Legion is established in 9 of the 14 Dioceses in the country. In 2006 the Concilium raised the Comitium of Camaton to Regia status and affiliated the Comitium of Guatemala city and Jalapa to the new Regia. At that time the Comitium of Camotan was the strongest body but it was pointed out that the seat of the Regia will eventually be transferred to Guatemala City, which is the capital and also one of the two Archdioceses in the country.

Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a small country with 7 Dioceses and 1 Archdiocese, 307 parishes and a population of 1.9 million, 84% Catholic. There is a Senatus in San Jose (the capital) with 10 Comitia, 16 Curiae and 12 praesidia attached but it is not clear if there is a Legion presence in each Diocese. Recently a bad earthquake hit Costa Rica and especially towns close to the capital, there were many casualties, whole villages were buried.

Honduras
There are 7 Dioceses and 1 Archdiocese and a population of 5.7 million with 80% Catholic and 182 parishes. There is a Legion presence in all 8 Dioceses, but in 3 of them there are praesidia only.

El Salvador
There are 7 Dioceses and 1 Archdiocese and a population of 7.1 million with 76% Catholic and 418 parishes in the country. There is a Senatus in the capital San Salvador with 2 Regiae, 2 Comitia, 10 Curiae and 9 praesidia attached. The Legion is established in all the Dioceses and progressing well. Solid apostolic apostolate is carried out resulting in conversions, returns to the Sacraments, etc. Every month the Senatus sends a contribution to the Concilium.

Panama
Panama has a population of 2.1 million, 85.3 per cent Catholic, 1 Archdiocese and 7 Dioceses with 186 parishes. For a long time the Legion did not extend outside Panama city, then a Curia was set up in Colon about 15 years ago and at this stage there is at least one Curia in 6 of the 8 Dioceses. In all there are 15 senior and 3 junior Curiae attached to the Comitium. Two extension workers from Bogotá will visit Panama soon.




THE GOVERNMENT OF THE LEGION

"The government, local and central of the Legion, shall be carried on by its councils, whose duty in their respective spheres shall be to ensure unity, to preserve the original ideals of the Legion of Mary, to guard the integrity of the Legion spirit and rules and practice as set forth in the official handbook of the Legion, and to spread the organisation. The Legion in any area will be as good as these councils wish to make it". (Ch.28:1:1)

Handbook on Government of the Legion

The handbook devotes about twenty pages to this chapter on government. It may be asked: why do we need rules and regulations. The handbook says, in regard to elections: "The fact that the election is in respect of officers of a spiritual organisation is not to be held to justify casual methods."(Ch.28:1:13) This could be applied to Legion government in general. Do away with the legal structure and it is hard to see how the Legion could survive. The government of the Legion, however, could become very mechanical, without a constant striving to infuse the spirit of the Legion of Mary, which is the spirit of Mary herself, into our meetings, and into our dealings with others.

Council is the Governing Body

Some councils find that a pre-council meeting of the officers can be of great help in the administration of the council. It is the council, however, which is the governing body. While council officers have a special role, all the members of the council have a responsibility for the functioning of the council. The handbook says: "The very essence of a legionary council is its frank and free discussion of its business and problems. It is not merely a supervising or decision-making body, but a school for officers." (Ch.28:1:22)

Visitation of Praesidia and Extension

A major function of Legion government is to promote the well being of each praesidium and therefore, the visitation of praesidia, with the aim of encouraging them and "seeing that all things are being carried out as they should be" (Handbook Ch.28:2:11), the taking of reports, the appointment of good officers and generally providing a supporting structure and a system of formation for the members, through the organisation of Legion functions, are required. One of the benefits of visiting praesidia can be the discovery of potential officers, for their own praesidium or for another. Another major function of the council is to promote extension of the Legion. It would be helpful if councils could have a systematic approach to this.

Higher Council
A Higher Council governs attached subordinate councils but always retains curia function itself Higher councils should take regular reports from their attached councils and perhaps they might occasionally visit them. It may be necessary and desirable for the higher council to appoint correspondents for distant councils. The higher council, of course, still has the responsibility of carrying out the functions of a Curia in relation to its directly-attached praesidia.

Election of Curia Officers

In regard to elections of council officers, it is very important that the proper procedures be followed. A basic requirement is that the election be free. "Every legionary is eligible for such election". (Handbook Ch.28:1:10) Elections should be held once an officership becomes vacant, allowing, of course, for notice to be given. A complete record including the names of the candidate or candidates, the names of

Management of Legion Funds

The management of Legion funds is an important aspect of government. Praesidia and councils should see that there are proper procedures in place to ensure that they are managed properly for the purposes of the Legion. For example, it should be normal practice that any expenditure of Legion funds should be sanctioned by the praesidium or council and that at least two officers should be required to sign cheques and that blank cheques should never be signed. The handbook states: "The Treasurer's books shall be audited annually. It is suggested that two members of the Praesidium or the Council (as the case may be), other than the Treasurer, be appointed to that duty."(Ch.24:8) The auditors should verify, through current bank statements and/or actual cash in hands, the balance shown in the Treasurer's book or report. Some time ago, the Concilium recommended that some higher councils, which may have to manage fairly large funds, should arrange for a professional audit to be carried out. In the case of any funds associated with a work of a praesidium, the funds must be managed by the praesidium. No individual officer or other legionary should be left in the position of controlling any funds on their own.




Visit by Senatus of Egypt

The Officers of the Senatus of Egypt who visited Concilium were Rev. Fr. Gabriele El Ahmar Spiritual Director, Ashraf Michel Betros President, Ramy Sami Habib Awad Vice President together with the correspondent for Egypt Senatus, Vince Cachua (Malta Regia) and the Secretary of Malta Regia Bruno Attard, held a meeting with the Concilium Officers on Saturday 14th February and attended the Concilium meeting on the Sunday.

Ashraf Betros gave comprehensive information on the government, works and spiritual exercises undertaken by the Legion in Egypt. There are approximately 300,000 Catholics in Egypt (0.35% of the population) of which 1,457 are senior legionaries, 1,807 junior legionaries and 1,253 Auxiliary members. Affiliated to the Senatus are 2 Comitia, 6 Senior Curiae, 1 Junior Curia, 4 praesidia and 3 Curiae are under formation. Members undertake the usual apostolic works of visiting families, hospital and prison visitation. They also hold an annual conference, Junior Curiae conferences, leadership courses, visitation of councils, etc. He said the Senatus would discuss the Concilium's suggestions for the development of the Legion of Mary in Egypt.

Fr. Gabriele in his talk to Concilium said the Legion was in Egypt for 67 years. He emphasised the necessity to interest young people in the Legion; Christ through Mary calls them in a special way to be legionaries. He also said that is was a pleasure and honour to be able to talk to the Concilium.

Tommy McCabe, Concilium President, thanked the Egyptian officers for their visit, which was very fruitful and also expressed his gratitude to the Maltese legionaries.



Bernardo de Nardo - Envoy for Central Asia

Bernardo is presently in Georgia and in its capital Tbilisi he was invited to talk at all the Sunday Masses and recruit when people were coming out of the Church. The first Mass was celebrated in English, the second in Georgian and the third in Latin and Russian. The first praesidium set up in Georgia was on 3rd February in the Parish of Saints Peter and Paul, four members attended; a second praesidium has been set up in the capital and on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes a third praesidium was set up in the villages of Vale and Arale. One praesidium holds their meeting in English, the other two in Russian. At the second meeting three prospective members came.



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, Ireland.

Back to News

Sometimes we meet people who think that the place that the Legion gives to Mary is exaggerated and even the True Devotion to Mary advocated by St. Louis Marie de Montfort is excessive. These criticisms are normally due to a deficient knowledge of Mary and a defective knowledge of the most basic principles of the True Devotion to her. The objections are sometimes very crude and incredible. It is said that the Legion gives more attention to Our Lady than to Jesus; that the Legion gives ammunition to those who argue that the Catholic Church tends toward Mariolatry. That Mary is a goddess. Even many of the less violent objections to the Marian Theology of our Founder Frank Duff manifest a striking distortion of the teaching of the Handbook and therefore of the theology of De Montfort's True Devotion to Mary.

The most profound principle of the True Devotion to Mary is that it is centred on Jesus. Mary exists for Jesus. Her very identity is a relationship to Jesus. Every thought, word, deed, suffering of Mary is for Jesus. She is absolutely christocentric. As I have said so often before, there is absolutely nothing in Mary that does not point to Christ. She is utterly and totally, willingly and joyfully immersed in Jesus, her Son and the Son of God. So to give anything to Mary is to have it immediately given to Our Lord. Mary is a means and not the end of the True Devotion. Let us quote St. Louis Marie on this point. He writes: 'This devotion consists then in giving ourselves entirely to the Blessed Virgin, in order to belong entirely to Jesus through her.'

Or again: 'All our perfection consists in being conformed, united and consecrated to Jesus Christ; and therefore the most perfect of all devotions is, without any doubt, that which the most perfectly conforms, unites, and consecrates us to Jesus Christ. Now Mary being the most conformed of all creatures to Jesus Christ, it follows that, of all devotions that which most consecrates and conforms the soul to Our Lord is devotion to his holy Mother, and the more a soul is consecrated to Mary, the more it is consecrated to Jesus.

'Hence it comes to pass that the most perfect consecration to Jesus Christ is nothing else than a perfect and entire consecration of ourselves to the Blessed Virgin and this is the devotion that I teach.' In other words we legionaries seek to live in total dependence on Mary and in complete union with her in order to enjoy the greatest possible friendship with Our Lord and the most effective apostolate for the salvation of souls. As the Handbook puts it: 'It was through her that Jesus Christ came to us, and it is through her that we must go to Him.' It is not possible to truly come to know Jesus without Mary.

Several of the great Saints have taught us in the old Latin saying: Numquam satis de Maria, that is, we can never say too much in praise of Mary. This is so true. We can never love her enough or work with and for her enough. But this must always be understood in a christological context. We give everything to her, our whole lives, past, present and to come because we know it will be taken up and be given to Our Lord purified, enriched, deepened, by her and through her.
Let me conclude by quoting a contemporary theologian: 'Marian consecration should never be seen as a gift of love and self that stops solely with Mary, but a consecration of self that will end in the heart of Christ Himself.' As de Montfort describes it, doing all for Mary does not mean: 'that we take her for the last end of our services, for that is Jesus Christ alone. But we take her for our proximate end, our mysterious means, and our easy way to go to Him.'

I realise that most legionaries know well the simple principle that I have put before you in this allocutio but there are many Catholics and non-Catholics who do not know the place of Jesus in our love and devotion to Mary. As a consequence they can acquire a significant misunderstanding of the Legion and indeed of the identity and role of Mary in God's plan for the salvation of the world. It is up to us legionaries to put them right and so facilitate an authentic relationship with Mary and therefore with Our Lord. Amen.

The most profound principle of the True Devotion to Mary is that it is centred on Jesus. Mary exists for Jesus. Her very identity is a relationship to Jesus. Every thought, word, deed, suffering of Mary is for Jesus. She is absolutely christocentric. As I have said so often before, there is absolutely nothing in Mary that does not point to Christ. She is utterly and totally, willingly and joyfully immersed in Jesus, her Son and the Son of God. So to give anything to Mary is to have it immediately given to Our Lord. Mary is a means and not the end of the True Devotion. Let us quote St. Louis Marie on this point. He writes: This devotion consists then in giving ourselves entirely to the Blessed Virgin, in order to belong entirely to Jesus through her.

Or again: All our perfection consists in being conformed, united and consecrated to Jesus Christ; and therefore the most perfect of all devotions is, without any doubt, that which the most perfectly conforms, unites, and consecrates us to Jesus Christ. Now Mary being the most conformed of all creatures to Jesus Christ, it follows that, of all devotions that which most consecrates and conforms the soul to Our Lord is devotion to his holy Mother, and the more a soul is consecrated to Mary, the more it is consecrated to Jesus.

Hence it comes to pass that the most perfect consecration to Jesus Christ is nothing else than a perfect and entire consecration of ourselves to the Blessed Virgin and this is the devotion that I teach. In other words we legionaries seek to live in total dependence on Mary and in complete union with her in order to enjoy the greatest possible friendship with Our Lord and the most effective apostolate for the salvation of souls. As the Handbook puts it: It was through her that Jesus Christ came to us, and it is through her that we must go to Him. It is not possible to truly come to know Jesus without Mary.

Several of the great Saints have taught us in the old Latin saying: Numquam satis de Maria, that is, we can never say too much in praise of Mary. This is so true. We can never love her enough or work with and for her enough. But this must always be understood in a christological context. We give everything to her, our whole lives, past, present and to come because we know it will be taken up and be given to Our Lord purified, enriched, deepened, by her and through her.
Let me conclude by quoting a contemporary theologian: Marian consecration should never be seen as a gift of love and self that stops solely with Mary, but a consecration of self that will end in the heart of Christ Himself. As de Montfort describes it, doing all for Mary does not mean: that we take her for the last end of our services, for that is Jesus Christ alone. But we take her for our proximate end, our mysterious means, and our easy way to go to Him.

I realise that most legionaries know well the simple principle that I have put before you in this allocutio but there are many Catholics and non-Catholics who do not know the place of Jesus in our love and devotion to Mary. As a consequence they can acquire a significant misunderstanding of the Legion and indeed of the identity and role of Mary in God's plan for the salvation of the world. It is up to us legionaries to put them right and so facilitate an authentic relationship with Mary and therefore with Our Lord. Amen.

Back to News

REPORTS - OVERVIEW OF ASIA AND THE LEGION
Armenia: Armenia has a population of 3 million and after independence many Armenians emigrated, the economy broke down. The predominant religion is Christianity — 93 % belong to the Armenian Apostolic church; Catholics number about 180,000. Its capital is Yerevan where a praesidium started in July 2008 by Bernardo de Nardo. It currently has 16 members doing a variety of very solid works.

Bangladesh
Bangladesh has a population of between 142 and 159 million people. 98% are Bengali, the remainder are migrants and indigenous tribal groups. Christians number 0.3% of the population of which the majority are Catholics. The Legion there is under the care of the Calcutta legionaries, which has brought about increased contact.

India
India has a population of 1.1 billion, representing 17% of the world's population. The capital city is New Delhi while Mumbai is its largest city. Hindi and English are the official languages. 70% of the population live in rural areas although migration to urban areas has increased in recent years. The Christian population is 3%. There are 2 Senatus, 2 Regiae and 1 Comitium directly affiliated to the Concilium. Chennai has 9 Comitia in the South of India. Exploratio Dominicalis and mini PPC projects are regularly carried out. The Senatus of Kerala has over 20 praesidia, 22 Curiae and 12 Comitia attached while Pondicherry Senatus has 17 praesidia, 19 Curiae and 5 or more Comitia. The Regia of Karnataka has at least 7 praesidia, 9 Curiae and 4 Comitia attached, while Mumbai Regia has 29 senior praesidia nearby and 10 distant praesidia, 2 junior Curiae, 22 senior Curiae and 4 Comitia attached.

Pakistan
Pakistan has a population of 172 million and its economy is 20% agricultural based and 53% serviced based. English and Urdu are the official languages. Christians are 1%. The officers visited Concilium during 2008 and are intent on re-introducing the Legion into areas where it was in the past. 200 legionaries in Karachi attended the annual reunion in December.

Nepal
Nepal was declared a State in 2007 and a Republic in 2008 with a population of 29 million and Nepali is the official language. Nepal hosts about 130,000 refugees from Bhutan and China residing in camps. Bernardo de Nardo introduced the Legion to Nepal during 2008 and the new members have taken to the Legion system and spirit very easily. They have 5 senior and 1 junior praesidia. They held a very successful function for non-Catholics at which 50 attended an initiative they came up with themselves.

Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has a population of 19 million. The English speaking community set up the Legion originally but its members now are far greater among the Sinhala and Tamil people. Much good is done in contacts with non-Christians.

Myanmar
Myanmar has a population of 55 million and the Christians represent 4%. The Legion is governed by a Senatus consisting of 2 Comitia, 6 directly affiliated Curiae and 16 praesidia, as well as some isolated Curiae and praesidia. Travel restrictions and dangers can interfere with visitation of councils. 17 Curiae were wiped out as a result of the cyclone in 2008.

Thailand
Thailand has a population of 63 million. Christians make up 0.75% of the population. There Legion work includes home and hospital visitation and a campaign for a daily 10- minute reading the Bible is encouraged. A person lapsed for 50 years has returned to the practice of their faith and an elderly lady is under instruction.

Vietnam
Vietnam has a population estimated to be more than 84 million. There are 54 ethnic minority groups, including 40 hill tribal groups. Vietnamese and local languages are in use. Jesuit missionaries brought literacy to the people. 8% are Christians (about 6 m Catholic and 1m Protestant). The Legion is widespread throughout the country.

Mongolia
Mongolia has 6 Christians. When Bernardo de Nardo visited them they were encouraged to establish the Legion among the Mongolians themselves. There are 64 missionaries working among people from 18 nationalities.

Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan has a 40% Christian population. The Legion was introduced by Bill and Morag Mitchell to the country and thanks to the work added by Bernardo de Nardo in the past year there are now two Curiae, one in Karaganda and the other in Astana with 4 and 7 praesidia respectively. Works are done to the homes, the cancer hospitals, the TB centre and the drugs unit. Young people are encouraged to go to the Church. Membership in praesidia range from 5 to 16 members.




Africa

Rwanda
Kigali Senatus: Excellent apostolic work is done in the course of visitation of homes, hospitals, orphanages, prisons. Sick, elderly and handicapped people are helped to avail of Mass and the Sacraments when possible. Those who are lapsed are encouraged to resume religious duties. Following on the tragic events of the 1990's some practical help is given to Religious Sisters running homes and hostels for homeless abandoned people – sometimes sharing tasks with the basic Christian communities. The Senatus is composed of 24 Comitia, 18 Curiae and 19 praesidia – elected officers are involved in excellent work and travel long distances to visit councils covering all areas to meet all existing needs. It was proposed to establish a Regia. The Cause of Venerable Edel Quinn was widely promoted during 2008 and a function to celebrate her anniversary was organized in Kigali Cathedral on 9th September 2008.

Reunion Island
St. Denis Comitium: Works undertaken include home and hospital visitation, bringing Holy Communion to the sick, encouraging prayer in the homes, helping and praying at wakes. The Junior Curia reported visiting the sick and elderly, joining in the school apostolate and taking part in the Church choir. A seriously ill man who refused to see a priest asked the prayers of the legionaries and received the Sacraments of the sick soon afterwards.

Burundi
Senatus of Gitega: Printing the leaflets, for wider promotion, of the 3 candidates for Beatification is planned. True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin has been an important item in the Legion's programme. The youth promote a movement called "Friends of Montfort".

Central African Republic
Bangui Regia: On reaching 18, members in the junior Comitium are encourage to transfer to senior ranks. The Regia reports strong support from legionaries in the basic communities.

Democratic Congo
Kinshasa Senatus: The Archbishop of Kinshasa has appointed a new Spiritual Director for the Senatus. Report from Mother of Joy Comitium mentions high level of spirituality among members. The President is preparing for his journey as Concilium visitator along with another legionary to Ivory Coast.
In the Lubumbashi Regia statistics confirm that the Legion in the Diocese has a membership of 7,500. A new Regia has been set up at Kolwezi bringing the number of Regiae in Katanga Province to 3.




True Devotion to Mary
A discussion was held on the True Devotion to Mary which included the following:

The object of the Legion of Mary is the self-sanctification of the members and what better way to achieve this than undertaking the practice of De Montfort's True Devotion to Mary. It is important in our Legion membership and praesidium that we practice and propagate the True Devotion to Mary.

The following quotation from the Handbook reads:

It is desirable that the practice of the legionary devotion to Mary should be rounded off and given the distinctive character which has been taught by St. Louis-Marie de Montfort under the titles of "The True Devotion" or the "Slavery of Mary", and which is enshrined in his two books, True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin and the Secret of Mary.

That Devotion requires the formal entry into a compact with Mary, whereby one gives to her one's whole self, with all its thoughts and deeds and possessions, both spiritual and temporal, past, present, and future, without the reservation of the smallest part or slightest little thing. In a word, the giver places himself in a condition equivalent to that of a slave possessing nothing of his own, and wholly dependent on, and utterly at the disposal of Mary.

But the earthly slave is far freer than the slave of Mary. The former remains master of his thoughts and inner life, and thus may be free in everything that matters to him. But the surrender to Mary bears with it everything: each thought, the movements of the soul, the hidden riches, the inmost self. All – on to the final breath – is committed to her that she may expend it all for God. It is a sort of martyrdom, the sacrifice of self to God, with Mary as the altar of that sacrifice. How conformed, indeed, to the sacrifice of Christ himself, which likewise began in Mary's bosom, was publicly confirmed in the arms of Mary uplifted in the presentation, embraced every moment of his life, and was consummated on Calvary on the cross of Mary's heart. (Handbook, pages 37–38).




True Devotion to Mary by Rev. Michael Kennedy, CC

"By its fruit you will know it" (Mt. 12:33). The place in France, the year is 1716. At eight o'clock in the evening it is all over. The whole district quivers at the news of Fr. Grignion's death. The roads are crowded with the converts streaming for a last farewell. Rosary beads, crucifixes and medals by the thousand are being brought to touch his body. So vast are the crowds that a guard has to be set around his coffin. He is buried on the afternoon of April 29th where he would have asked to be, in the chapel of his mother. His career is over, or rather, it is just beginning

Today this man is known to us as Saint Louis–Marie Grignion de Montfort. He founded two religious congregations, one of men and one of women, and yet he died at the early age of 43 years after only 16 years of priesthood. Through his teaching of the True Devotion to Mary he was instrumental in the conversion of countless heretics.

In his book Fr. Grignion recorded the following fascinating prophecy: "I clearly foresee that raging brutes will come in fury to tear with their diabolic teeth this little writing and him whom the Holy Ghost has used to write it, or, at least to enclose it in the silence of a coffer in order that it may not appear". Nevertheless he predicted both the appearance of the book and its success. It is of interest to note that while Fr. Grignion died in 1716, his book was not found until 1842.

Another person who read and practised the True Devotion to Mary was the reformed alcoholic Matt Talbot. Many find the book a difficult one to read and yet Matt Talbot, an uneducated saintly man, mastered it and took to himself its spirit. It was one of the most marked books on his shelf. Referring to this book afterwards, in connection with the wearing of a chain, Matt remarked that he "had read of a devotion which lifted him from earth to heaven". The world now knows of its impact on Matt Talbot.

Dublin 1917 was a city of great poverty. The St. Vincent de Paul Society was making strenuous efforts to combat this. One day a group of ladies volunteered their services. Their offer was accepted and one of the brothers was put in charge of them. He was a young civil servant named Frank Duff.

Frank was introduced to a book by a friend. It was "The True Devotion to Mary". Upon finishing the book, he wasn't very impressed. He though it was a bit excessive. This is what Frank later said "I still have recollections of that first reading. The book was laid aside. I would not have opened it again but for the dear tyranny of a friend. He exacted repeated readings, which were grudgingly conceded. Then gradually it dawned on me that the book was an inspired production, that it was right and I was wrong; what it said was true and had the character of a special message; the excesses which I thought I found were really deficiencies in myself, wide gaps in knowledge and apprehension. I realised that I must try to fill them in and to some extent succeeded. Ever since, the book has been a source of light to me so that I add myself to those, who bless the day in which it came to them".

Frank began to give talks on the subject to his group and eventually the question was put: "Why don't we try to put this into practice?" From that a meeting was held – the first ever Legion of Mary meeting. Frank recalls: "It was just like making an electric connection and something happened. We spent the evening talking about the Devotion. I do not say, that even so, we understood it fully, but at least we were in ardent sympathy with it. We desired to practice it. Then at once the Legion happened. A meeting was arranged: 8 p.m. September 7th, 1921, the eve of Our Lady's birthday. It was really born with Mary". So we see that the Legion was the fruit of the True Devotion to Mary.

Alfie Lambe and Edel Quinn also practised the True Devotion to Mary. Both of their causes for beatification have been introduced and Edel's is already at an advanced stage. While in our own day, Pope John Paul II adds his name to this distinguished list.

Frank Duff's cause was introduced and accepted on the 4th June 1996 and he is now to be referred to as the Servant of God.

I mention the fruits of De Montfort's life – countless heretics converted, two religious congregations established, also the heroic life of Matt Talbot, as well as Frank Duff, the Legion of Mary, Alfie Lambe, Edel Quinn and Pope John Paul II for one reason – to show the marvellous effects that the True Devotion to Mary can have on one's life if one takes it seriously.




Celebrating the 1,000th Meeting of the Concilium Legionis Mariae

On Sunday the 18th January 2009, the Concilium Legionis Mariae celebrated its 1,000th meeting. To mark this occasion the Concilium was honoured and privileged to have the Apostolic Nuncio, His Excellency Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza with us at this meeting. He read a letter on behalf of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI in relation to the 1,000th meeting in which he commended all members of the Legion to the loving intercession of Mary, the Queen of Apostles and imparted his Apostolic Blessing. A copy of this letter is on the back page of the bulletin. Tommy McCabe, Concilium President, thanked His Excellency for giving of his time to be at the meeting today. Enda Dunleavy, Concilium Secretary, summarised some of the significant events that have occurred at these meetings. Thanks to Catherine Murphy, Concilium Assistant Secretary, for organising a beautiful cake to mark this special occasion.




Visit to Mexico from the 21 August to 16 September (continued)

As already outlined in the last bulletin, Ann Murray and Pat O'Donoghue visited councils and the officers of three councils came to meet them in Guadalajara. These councils included Hermosillo, Durango and Monterrey. The President and Treasurer of the Regia of Hermosillo represented their Regia. A very interesting meeting was held on the varied activities of legionaries in that city and the attached Comitia in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Soto Maynes, Buenaventura, Magdelena and La Paz. Although they govern a large area they maintain great contact with all the attached councils.

Durango was raised to Regia and affiliated to Concilium less than one year prior to the visit. All four officers, including their recently elected President, and their Spiritual Director Pbro David Vasquez Garcia made the journey. They endured a gruelling schedule; forfeiting 2 nights sleep by travelling overnight by bus the night before our meeting and returning the following night. A thorough review of the state of the Legion in their area was undertaken and all involved learnt much. While it is a new higher council the officers are very committed to extending and strengthening the Legion in the Regia area.

From Monterrey, five officers travelled the long journey, returning on an overnight bus. The many efforts of their legionaries were outlined. One highlight was their emphasis on recruiting and forming young legionaries in Monterrey and the spectacular successes in the attached council of Saltillo where there are 19 praesidia of young members, ranging from juniors to young adults. Pat O'Donoghue remained in Guadalajara for a further week and attended a lively Regia meeting where the Comitium of Aguascalientes gave their wide–ranging report. He was shown great hospitality by the legionaries. Subsequently he spent two busy and fulfilling weeks in the Regiae of Durango, Monterrey and Hermosillo before returning to Ireland in early November.




28th Anniversary Mass for the Servant of God, Frank Duff

The 28th Anniversary Mass for the Servant of God, Frank Duff took place on Saturday 15th November 2008 at 3.00 pm in the Pro–Cathedral, Dublin which was filled to capacity. The principal celebrant was Monsignor Alex Stenson, the Archbishop's delegate for the Cause of the Servant of God, Frank Duff; Fr. Bede McGregor, Spiritual Director of Concilium Legionis Mariae was the homilist and Fr. Padraig O'Chochlain joined them as main celebrants. Thirty priests accepted the invitation of Concilium to concelebrate the Mass and the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Eibhlin Byrne was present and Fr. Michael Ross, SDB, acted as her Chaplain. Fr. Bede's homily focused on Frank Duff's interior life about which he never spoke nor did he write about, but which is revealed through his many letters and writings and above all through the Legion Handbook. The core of his life was his humility and his love for Our Blessed Lady.

The President Tommy McCabe thanked the members of Bethlehem Curia for their excellent organisation of the event, which brought about a most successful occasion.




SECRETARIAT OF STATE

First Section – General Affairs
No. 102.129
From the Vatican, 5 December 2008
Dear Mr McCabe,

His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI was pleased to learn of the one thousandth meeting of the Concilium of the Legion of Mary taking place in Dublin and has directed me to send his greetings and good wishes for the occasion.

The Holy Father wishes me to assure you of his appreciation for the generous service to the Church offered throughout the world by so many members of the Legion who, under the heavenly patronage of Mary, the Mother of God, seek to draw all persons to Christ, the Redeemer of mankind.

Please be assured of His Holiness's prayers for your intentions and for all taking part in the deliberations of the Concilium. Commending you and all the members of the Legion to the loving intercession of Mary, the Queen of Apostles, the Holy Father cordially imparts his Apostolic Blessing.

Yours sincerely in Christ,
Archbishop Fernando Filoni
Substitute
Mr Tommy McCabe President
Concilium Legionis Mariae
De Montfort House
Morning Star Avenue
Brunswick Street, Dublin 7




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, Ireland.

Back to News

Pope Benedict XVI imparts his Apostolic Blessing on The Legion of Mary

On Sunday 18th January 2009, at the 1000th monthly meeting of the Concilium, the world governing body of the Legion of Mary, the Apostolic Nuncio, His Excellency Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza read out a letter from the Vatican which conveyed the warm wishes of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to all the members of the Legion of Mary, thanked them for their apostolate and imparted the Pope's apostolic blessing.

Following the meeting The Apostolic Nuncio, Fr Bede McGregor, Concilium Spiritual Director and Tommy McCabe, Concilium President cut a celebratory cake which was shared by over 150 legionaries who form the Concilium.

Back to News

Homily by Rev. Fr. Brendan Leahy given at Mass for Christian Unity on Saturday 24th January 2009

In a letter Pope John Paul wrote a few years ago he said that men and women today – perhaps unconsciously - ask us not only to speak of Jesus but in some way to "show" him to them. They're tired of words. There are many preachers in the world. What they want is to "see" Jesus.

I heard of an experience recently that struck me in this regard. It came from a company facing the current difficult financial reality. It's a company that has always tried to promote a team spirit for many years. Indeed, even some years ago, as an American company, the senior managers all got generous bonuses but what they did was to take the money and then share it among all the staff. The company is now trying its best to see if it can survive at least to the end of the year without letting people go in the hope things might turn. So, they've implemented a system of three day a week or four day a week work. One man who was being offered the four day a week saw another man with a family who had been longer in the firm was getting a three day. He offered to give up his for the other. This example seems to be a modern form of "showing" Jesus' words about laying down your life for your friends.

A hundred years ago the missionaries came back from Asia and they reported what they were being told in Asia: thanks for your preaching about Jesus. But we really can't believe unless we "see" Christians united, laying down their lives for one another, really interested in one another.

We are celebrating the Week of prayer for Christian unity. Certainly, it reminds us we need to pray, forming what Paul Courturier, one of the major pioneers of the week of prayer spoke of as "the invisible cloister" of people united in prayer worldwide asking for the gift of unity. I know that members of the Legion all over the world also pray for Christian unity in their prayers, especially the Rosary. But this week also reminds us that we are called to give visibility to the body of Christ that we are so that people can see the glory of God as the Gospel tells us.

How? Jesus came not only to save us individually but he also saved relationships. Each one of us can give our contribution to Christian unity by working on improving relationships, the quality of our relationships, the depth and sincerity of Christian love that we bring into our relationships. The reading from the letter to the Ephesians tells us of the qualities of charity that we can live more: patience, generosity, humility, kindness, but above all, charity, the queen of the virtues. Frank Duff wrote on the importance of charity. Mary lived charity in an exemplary way.

All of this holds true for priests and for all of us. In a homily given at an ordination in San Paolo, Cardinal Hummes, now Prefect of the Congregation for Clergy, said: "True pastoral ministry is born in a priest's heart, in his capacity to love each person and every poor person. A new pastoral ministry is born when a priest loves." Afterwards he met the spiritual director of the seminary there and said to him "as a spiritual director you should repeat this a thousand times and put it into the hearts of seminarians." Charity in word and deed, thought and judgement in our apostolate, work, and neighbourly friendship.

There are many ways we can live charity with one another and with our brothers and sisters of other churches. While not yet sharing fully in the Eucharist, we’re not starting from zero. Catholics say that the Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life but it would be wrong for us to concentrate everything on the summit. The Eucharist can be seen as summit only if around it there’s a field and a plane. And there is much in this field and plane that we yet have to explore and live together among Christians. We had so much in common: the Word of God, the Creed, baptism, spiritual gifts.

In particular this year let’s decide to focus on the Word of God. At the Synod of Bishops held last October in Rome dedicated to the theme of the Word of God Cardinal Brady spoke of how much we can admire and learn from Protestant tradition of praying with the Bible at meal. Both he and Archbishop Martin underlined the importance of rediscovering and nourishing ourselves on the Word. Frank Duff had a great love for the Word of God, he nourished himself on it and quoted it.

Frank Duff invited us to have the mind of Mary. The mind of Mary was formed by love of the Word, Scripture. We could say that Mary was clothed with the Word of God. In fact, the Magnificat song that she sung to Elizabeth at the visitation is a litany of texts from the Old Testament. Mary was clearly immersed in the Word of God. She lived it in out day by day in all her thoughts and actions.

One of the great recent developments in the dialogue between Catholics and Anglicans (ARCIC) is the realisation of how much we believe in common about Mary. From John’s Gospel we all realise that Mary was given a motherly role in the Church and we are encouraged to embrace her as a spiritual mother. Above all, Mary our mother teaches us the importance of the Word.

By living out the Word of God in our lives, we’ll find a new light and strength to build up new relationships, relationships of charity, the great virtue that crowns all others, relationships of unity that wants to reach out to those who are different from us.

We owe it to God and to the world to be one, so the world may “see” Jesus and so believe.

Back to News

Today we celebrate the 1000th meeting of Concilium Legionis Mariae or more simply Concilium. Concilium is the supreme governing authority of the world wide Legion. It is Our Lady's instrument for guiding and serving, encouraging and affirming the world wide Legion and when necessary, correcting and cajoling legionaries to a greater fidelity to the spirit of the Legion, to a truer devotion to Mary and a more authentic apostolic life. It would be impossible to count all the graces and learning experiences that Our Lady has given to Concilium and through it to the whole Legion world and indeed beyond it too. So today and always we thank God and Mary, the Mother of God for their loving Providence in regard to the Legion and renew our Legion Promise to continue to strive to be saints and lay apostles for the salvation of souls. We remember and pray for all our Legion members who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith and special devotion to Mary. The great history of their example inspires us for the future. It is wonderful that the Holy See should send us words of congratulations and encouragement to mark this significant milestone in our Legion history. The Legion thanks the Holy See for its gracious words and we hope that we can continue to live up to the expectations the Church puts before us.

Meetings play an indispensable part in the life of the Legion at every level. Perhaps today is a good time to take a look at our meetings as an important tool of our commitment to evangelisation. It is by fidelity to our meetings that we grow in the spirit of the Legion. They are one of the most powerful means of faith formation and holiness of life. Faithful participation in our meetings can be the sign and instrument of a heroic devotion to Mary and her maternity of souls.
Let me just list some of the factors that make up our meetings and make them hubs of the lay apostolate.

We pray together: At the beginning of every meeting, in the middle and the end we pray in the presence of Mary and with her invoke the help of the Holy Spirit. It must at all costs be a Cenacle experience as in the first Pentecost. 'All these were persevering with one mind in prayer, with the women and Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and with his brethren' (Acts 1:14). It is imperative to strive to put our hearts gently but firmly into our Legion prayers and avoid any merely routine or mechanical repetition of them. It is our prayer life that is the soul of our apostolate.

We plan together: We try together to discern the best possible way we can serve the purposes of Our Lady and the Church in our particular situations. We try to meet the most urgent, the deepest and most demanding needs of the parish or diocese or area in which we are located. We are always casting our eyes and heart with Mary over the world in which we live.

We act together: The Legion must never become simply a talk shop. We must not only think and plan with Mary but we must act with her and through her to implement what we have planned to do in her name. The only way to really become apostles is to actually and regularly engage in the apostolate. This is true for all members of the Legion and especially those who hold office in the higher councils of the Legion. The Legion is not for lone rangers or people who only want to work on their own. It is essentially a team effort, not simply doing our own thing but doing what the Legion has put before us at whatever level we are working at.

We report together: Accountability is a key work in every Legion apostolate. We report back to our fellow legionaries our experience of Legion work. Thus we help to form each other and encourage and support each other. This is one of the great learning experiences of the Legion.

The fundamental spirit of every Legion meeting: Legionaries come from many different backgrounds, different opinions and convictions on so many political and social issues and on so many other topics, different temperaments and culture, different gifts and limitations but they also have many things in common. They all share the one Catholic Faith and a joyful commitment to the Magisterium of the Church. They all seek to love and serve Mary to the best of their abilities knowing that this is the most effective way of attaining a deep, personal relationship with the three persons of the Holy Trinity. But in my opinion what must certainly characterise the ethos of every Legion meeting, if it be truly a Legion meeting, is the explicit effort to always love and serve Our Lord in our fellow legionaries with the heart and mind of Mary. This is the spirit of our apostolate and it must be learned first in and through our Legion meetings. It is this spirit that will enable us to fruitfully and joyfully face the next thousand meetings of Concilium despite all the inevitable tensions, difficult decisions and sometimes pain that are part and parcel of every human family including our own great Legion family. Let us all once more thank God and Our Lady for the gift of our Legion membership and for the graces that come to us from our Legion meetings. Amen.

Back to News

Advent is a good time to reflect on the place that Mary has in our lives. Advent is a time of preparation for the coming of Jesus. It is a time for giving a heartfelt welcome and hospitality to our Lord in our heart and soul. It is a time to renew and deepen our friendship with Jesus. No one can help us to do this better than Mary. As St. Augustine said so long ago, Mary carried Our Lord not only in her womb but first and foremost and more importantly in her heart. She longed to see the face of her child and her God. Union with Mary will lead us to the true spirit of Advent: a longing for Jesus.

This Advent I want to begin a little series of reflections on the True Devotion to Mary according to the spirit of St. Louis Marie de Montfort and the Legion Handbook. I would love to give a stimulus to the promotion of True Devotion to Mary throughout the world, first among our legionaries on all five continents and then beyond her boundaries to everyone the Legion contacts in her many different apostolates, but above all to our non-Catholic brothers and sisters. We cannot over estimate the influence that the TDM had on the interior life of Frank Duff and in the foundation of the Legion. The Legion is always at its best where the TDM is known and lived. The opposite is also true: neglect or decline in True Devotion to Mary and inevitably we get a caricature of the true Legion spirit. We all need to habitually go back to our spiritual roots in order, not only to survive but, to thrive.

Let me begin with an excerpt from one of Frank Duff's letters. He writes: "The real thing in the practice of True Devotion is the creation in oneself of a spirit of union with Our Blessed Lady. If that is there, it is everything. One could apply to it the celebrated saying of St. John the Evangelist in regard to love, i.e., that by itself it covers everything.

I think that the important basic idea is the reflection that everything in our soul is subject to the maternal influences of Mary whether we realise it or not, and even whether we know her or not. Her role is that of the mother to her immature child who is dependent on her for all things. Therefore it is no fanciful business to enter into that compact of total dependence, which is advocated by St. Louis Marie. That dependence already exists and our consecration is really no more than the acknowledgement of it." So the key words are union with and total dependence on Mary.

Our Lord Himself is the perfect model of True Devotion to Mary and this is particularly evident during the Advent and Christmas season. During the nine months of pregnancy God wills to be dependent on Mary in a special way. He shares her blood and his heart beats with the same beat as her heart. But once more we must emphasise that God was not content simply to make his earthly home in her womb but he freely wills to entrust himself totally to her maternal heart and tender love. He had already willed to allow Himself to depend on Mary for her 'yes' to the Incarnation and the whole work of redemption. Mary in God's plan is the pivotal point of all contact between heaven and earth. And it is the heart that is central to the role of Mary in the eternal plan of God for each one of us.

Let me quote again from a letter of our founder: 'You indulge in some thinking on the subject of Our Lady's mediation. As an example of the way in which this works, you point to the neck of the human body. That is the example, which St. Bernard rejoiced in using. If you look at the Legion Handbook, you will find that it rather inclines towards the image of the heart. The latter is subordinate to the head but is utilised by the head to feed the whole body through the arterial system.' The heart of Mary is the key image in the practice of True Devotion to Mary. Like our Lord Himself we entrust ourselves utterly and completely to the heart of Mary in every aspect of our lives without exception. We unite ourselves to her in our work whatever it may be, in our family life, in our sickness and health, in our recreation and in all our relationships. It is a lifelong project that we habitually try to live with the help of God's grace and Mary's intercession. The heart of Mary is above all a maternal heart as Frank Duff writes: 'Because Mary is above and before anything else a mother, it is not enough to call her Immaculate and to declare that she is the greatest of women. All these things come after the fact that she is the mother, first of Our Lord and then of all mankind.' True Devotion to Mary means taking with the utmost seriousness both in theory and practice, Our Lord's invitational command 'Behold your Mother.'

In this allocutio we have taken only the first step in unpacking what is involved in True Devotion to Mary. As we progress through the coming liturgical year, we will talk about other aspects of this approach to Mary. A right relationship to Mary is imperative for the Legion. If that is in place in the heart of every legionary, everything else will follow in terms of holiness and apostolate. Look carefully this Advent and Christmas at the role of Mary in the life of Our Lord. See his union with the dependence on Mary. Let us follow His example. Amen.

Back to News

REPORTS - Africa
Kenya: Senatus of Kenya Thirty-six legionaries attended the monthly prayers at Venerable Edel Quinn's grave. A Curia in Nairobi reported that in the course of hospital visitation the priest was called to give the Sacrament of the Sick to 46 patients, and following visitation, 4 marriages were regularised, 6 returned to the sacraments and 6 adults were baptised, 50 orphans were contacted and bars were also visited. Nairobi Junior Curia has 7 Praesidia attached.

Uganda
Senatus of Uganda A successful Spiritual Directors' Conference was held in October and 74 priests, many of them young, from all over Uganda attended. 46l members attended a transnight retreat to mark the Legion's 87th anniversary, while the Venerable Edel Quinn's centenary was also celebrated. The Translation Committee is very active and Legion literature in a number of languages is at various stages of translation and printing. Large numbers of conversions, returns to the Sacraments and regularisation of marriages were reported. The Legion is well established in many schools and tertiary institutions.

Nigeria
Ibadan Senatus: The university Curia is very involved in extension and reported 3 Muslims converted and 8 marriages rectified. In the Senatus area there were 447 conversions and 702 returns to the Church.

Enugu Senatus: Reports show much conversion work being done. Ikot Ekpene Regia: The Diamond Jubilee celebrations lasting 3 days were very successful. Two councils had a combined total of 22 conversions, 50 lapsed returned.

Abuja Regia: A Comitium with 6,863 seniors and 4,176 juniors reported 20 new praesidia, 490 conversions and 1,148 marriages rectified and another Comitium has grown from 590 seniors to 943 in 2 years and 16 praesidia were started in the year.

Lagos Regia: A Comitium with 5,717 seniors and 5,650 juniors and 2486 praetorians, had 277 conversions including 87 Muslims. 66 went on PPC. Another Comitium reported setting up 22 senior and 7 junior praesidia. Jos Regia: The reports from the attached councils show many conversions, including some Muslims. 3,500 from the Jos Archdiocese attended the anniversary Mass for Frank Duff and similar functions were held in 4 dioceses. Onitsha Regia: One Comitium recruited 200 senior members and established 20 junior praesidia. A Curia based in a college has 8 senior, 1 intermediate and 1 junior praesidia and reported preparing candidates for baptism, returns to the sacraments, etc. Another Comitium prepared many for the sacraments and helped 105 couples wed in church.

Malawi
Blantyre Regia: Lilongwe Diocese has 16 Comitia and Mzuzu 10 with more in prospect and training sessions were held for Comitia officers in both Dioceses. A very informative report for the year to March 2008 was received and membership is extensive. A seminary was visited as part of a plan to introduce the Legion to all seminarians. Celebrations to mark Venerable Edel Quinn's centenary were held in 2 dioceses.

Zambia
Lusaka Regia: The Regia have a total membership of 22,63l senior, 1,794 junior and 824 auxiliary members. Works include prison visitation and 10 Legionaries attended the training programme to help HIV/AIDS sufferers. Kasama Regia: Visitation of councils and praesidia and recruitment is undertaken.

Tanzania
Dar-Es-Salaam Comitium: 2 praesidia have been revived. Songea Comitium: A new Curia was established so there are now 14 Curiae and a total of 103 Praesidia attached. A pilgrimage had over 300 in attendance. Mtwara Comitium: Activities include helping the sick and disabled and praying with them, encouraging the lapsed to return to practice, and couples to have their marriages rectified. They conduct devotions in small Christian Communities and they reported 3 lapsed returned to the sacraments and 2 conversions. Rombo Comitium: Three praesidia in primary schools and one in a secondary school were started. Hai Comitium: Although they have problems with distance and transport, they assist the clergy and do home and hospital visitation, organise Catechism classes and True Devotion to the Nation projects and as a result lapsed Catholics have returned to the Church and families have been reconciled.



Asia

Indonesia
Malang Senatus: A Comitium in Manado, Sulswesi Island oversees 4 Curiae plus 2 praesidia on a distant Island. Surakarta Comitium oversees 5 Curiae; Surbaya Comitium oversees 9 Curiae and 12 praesidia with 981 active members, 1,247 auxiliaries, 50 praetorians and 37 adjutorians. Works include visitation of prison, hospital, senior citizens homes, the poor and homeless. A summary of Malang Senatus shows 1 Regia, 7 Comitia with a total of 175 Curiae, 1,200 senior praesidia, 30 junior praesidia, 18,886 active and an estimated 37,000 auxiliaries.

Japan
Osaka Senatus. Legionaries participate on Parish Councils. Non-Christians are reached out to and newcomers are welcomed to the Church.

Taiwan Senatus: Taiwan, with great joy, are celebrating 150 years of Catholicism. An annual general reunion for all legionaries took place on the 16th - 18th November, it was part of 150 years of Catholic teaching, with a campaign of prayer and commitment. Much work is being carried out in penitentiaries, which resulted in the baptism of 20 prisoners with follow-up on release.

Malaysia
Kuala Lumpor Regia: Works include conducting a Novena to Our Lady, visiting a village for pastoral care, teaching catechism, Bible classes, RCIA course, saying the Divine Mercy prayers with terminally ill people and transportation to Mass for the needy. Other works reported in the Council were the visitation of mentally ill, handicapped, orphanages, leprosy centre, book-barrow apostolate, assisting with Holy Communion to the sick in their homes and in hospital and conducting Holy Hours.

Hong Kong Comitium: Reports mention of crowd contact at a book fair where 16,000 contacts were made in the 7 days of whom 2,000 were Protestants and 1,000 Catholics, almost all met were non-practicing. Books and other items introducing the Catholic Church were distributed free. Illegal immigrants are visited monthly in a women's prison. Through hospital visitation, a group of 9 people were under instruction, 2 were baptised.

Seoul Senatus: Cardinal Cheong celebrated Mass on the 6th October to mark the 30th Anniversary of the Senatus. The three new Regiae in Seoul were inaugurated with Mass on the first three Sundays in Advent, one on each Sunday. Substantial numbers of Baptisms and returns to the Sacraments were recorded. Churheon Regia and Daejon Regia had between 5,583 Baptisms and 5,641 returns to the sacrament, and a new Curia was established. Daejon increased the number of their senior and junior praesidia.

Gwanju Senatus: Legionaries invited many contacts to Church and to the sacraments. A Curia in one parish helped 86 persons to come into the Church. A Comitium has 95 praesidia, 200 members of another Comitium transferred to other parishes due to a residential environmental improvement project, however, 173 new members were recruited.

Daegu Senatus: Membership in Yougchon Comitium is growing due to the recruitment of young employees at an industrial complex. Reports of two praesidia in a prison were presented. The attached Regia is working hard to recruit catechumens, including street mission work.



South America

Argentina
Buenos Aires Senatus: Celebrations are being planned for the 50th anniversary of the death of the Servant of God, Alfie Lambe, and many legionaries who had the privilege to work with him are hoping to be present. Many topics including correspondence were discussed at a meeting of Senatus officers with officers of their three attached Regiae. Promoting Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and contact with non-Catholics figure in many reports.

Cordoba Senatus: A Curia in the interior carried out Exploratio Dominicalis and special visits were made to single mothers inviting them to baptize children. Two of the councils in the Senatus held Congresses, which were very well attended. A junior Curia has a slot on a radio station and set up two new praesidia.

Salta Senatus: A new Comitium is being set up to take in various rural Curiae. All the legionaries of the area intend to be present at the inaugural meeting. This will entail many legionaries walking great distances and even sleeping on the side of the road at night while traveling to the meeting.

Corrientes Regia: Extension is being carried out in Chaco. Several reports mention the visitation of jails and one shows that three prisoners were baptized. Formosa Comitium is endeavoring to set up a new Curia for distant praesidia. They held a Congress.

Rosario Regia: Celebrations were held to mark the 50th anniversary of the Legion in Concordia. Reports show home and hospital visitation being undertaken. Parana Comitium undertakes the visitation of prisons and catechesis for young people and adults. Street contact work is done at Christmas. A Curia also reported on prison visitation and street contact.

Brazil
Belo Horizonte Senatus: Nine priests attended a Spiritual Directors' conference. Enthronement of the Sacred Heart in shops resulted in the return to the Sacraments of a customer. Young drug addicts are contacted under city viaducts and taxi drivers are contacted on the feast of St. Christopher. Two prisoners asked to be taught the Rosary. Three Exploratio Dominicalis projects resulted in three new praesidia.

Fortaleza Senatus: The Senatus has been mourning the death of its Spiritual Director, the retired Bishop, Dom Coutinho, R.I.P. Legionaries are engaged in home and hospital visitation and teaching catechism. One Curia over a three months period recorded 1,100 home visits and the preparation of 125 children for baptism.

Ponta Grossa Senatus: The Guarapuava Comitium, which has a total of about 1,000 young legionaries, set up three new praesidia of young people and two new Curiae.

Recife Senatus: A team is being formed to visit parishes without the Legion. Meanwhile a new Comitium and a junior praesidium have been set up. During a year following a Peregrinatio Pro Christo project, 11 new praesidia were set up. Results from the legionary apostolate include the recovery of a father and son from alcoholism. 155 juniors took part in an all night Retreat with Eucharistic Adoration. Many men took part in Street Rosaries.

Rio de Janeiro Senatus: The Brazilian Bishops' Conference appointed as their representative to the Legion, the Spiritual Director of Rio Senatus, His Lordship Bishop Edson de Castro Homem, Auxiliary Bishop of Rio. A weekly Rosary is recited at a metro station before a statue of Our Lady. Niteroi Comitium had 450 at a Legion youth conference. Belem Regia reported over 600 young people taught Catechism and the monthly recitation of the Rosary in the State Parliament.

Salvador Senatus: Besides house-to-house visitation and street contact, legionaries on Peregrinatio Pro Christo visited schools, hospitals, health centers and the jail. In one school most of the children declared themselves evangelicals but after hearing the Legionaries asked to be given catechism. Legionaries in many areas prepare parents and godparents for their parental catechetical roles. Juniors visit the old and sick and teach children the Rosary.

São Luis Senatus: Two new Curiae were set up in the city of São Luis and a second Comitium was set up in Brejo Diocese. Special needs persons are brought to Sunday Mass. Work continues among the destitute, prostitutes and addicts. 74 Cenacles were set up among families. 29 men were prepared for First Holy Communion and were taught the Rosary which they now recite together at a weekly meeting. 211 Exploratio Dominicalis projects were organized.

São Paulo Senatus: A Comitium reported that ten families returned to the practice of Catholicism and another Comitium has a report of Mass in a prison with 36 prisoners receiving the sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Communion. The Santa Maria Regia reported over 30,000 people contacted on home visitation and over 10,000 visits to the sick.

Brasilia Regia: 7,000 legionaries attended the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Legion there. Scripture readings are done in homes and on street contacts. The bereaved are visited. In Araguatins, 180 meetings were held in streets and chapels during a week to celebrate family values.



Europe

Austria Senatus: Some of the works undertaken by legionaries in 3 Comitia and 4 Curiae who reported are contacting street girls and visitation of a home for former prisoners.

Slovakia
Zseliz Comitium has 10 praesidia and 2 attached Curia with 3 and 12 praesidia. A new Curia was formed by splitting an existing Curia. The first Slovakian speaking praesidium has been established in the mainly Hungarian speaking Comitium. Works include contacting the Roma community.

Moldova
Chisinau Curia set up 2 junior praesidia. Croatia: The Austrian Senatus officers plan to attend the first meeting of the new Regia in December. There is a new junior Curia in Zagreb Comitium.

Ukraine
Zhitomir Comitium reports 18 people prepared for Confession, 10 for Baptism, 12 for Confirmation and 13 couples for Matrimony. The main work undertaken is teaching people to pray.

Belrus Comitium. Extension programmes are being organised. Works carried out are visitation of homes, women's consultation clinics, orphan asylums, a woman's prison and Christmas visitation with their priest. All councils give excellent attention to junior praesidia and it is proposed to hold a Youth Congress in January. The Comitium visitors to Vitebsk Curia were greeted by Bishop Vladislav Blin and the Apostolic Legate who was there for the unveiling of a monument to the Servant of God, Pope John Paul II. Two brothers from the Comitium have entered the seminary in Pinsk. Metropolitan Kondrusevich with a number of Spiritual Directors attended the Legion celebrations on 6th September in Budslav.

Hungary
Budapest Regia: Two new praesidia have been established. A praesidium of 7 members promotes chastity among the young and married couples. They distribute the "ring of chastity". A former legionary of Zalaegesszeg Comitium has been ordained a Priest.

Latvia
Eight persons attended an information meeting following a visitation in Talsi and a date has been set with the Parish Priest for the first praesidium meeting.

Lithuania
A praesidium of 10 members recruited 20 auxiliary members during the year. Four lapsed Catholics resumed practice as a result of follow-up on home visitation.

Poland
Lublin Regia: Works include care of the sick, home-to-home visitation which consist of formation of Rosary Circles, Baptisms, 4 prepared for First Holy Communion, 17 received the Sacrament of Reconciliation and one couple received the Sacrament of Matrimony. Two Bishops and 70 Spiritual Directors were present at the annual pilgrimage in Czestochowa. Bishop Roman Marcinkowski described the Legion work as indispensable to the Church.

Warsaw: Mother of Mercy Comitium minutes show praesidia averaging 10 members each with several praetorians, some with up to 60 auxiliary members and extension at Curia level is ongoing. Warsaw-Praga Comitium has extension on their agenda as a priority and all Polish Councils are putting every effort into concentrating on solid weekly apostolic assignments



Bernardo de Nardo - Envoy for Central Asia
Ecclesiastical permission has been given for the start of the Legion in Georgia and many priests contacted showed great interest to have praesidia and an area was assigned for the birthplace of the Legion in that country.

During the month Bernardo worked with the legionaries of Yerevan, capital of Armenia, and they are doing all the usual works of home and hospital visitation. To crown their efforts two girls, who were instructed by the legionaries, will be baptised at the Christmas Vigil Mass. The praesidium is organising a retreat. With a lot of hard work the Armenian Handbook is already printed and in the hands of the legionaries. We ask you to keep Bernardo in your prayers.



Visit to Mexico by a Concilium Officer and a Legionary Ann Murray with Pat O`Donoghue visited the Legion in Mexico from the 21 August to 16 September.
Legion general: There are large numbers in the Legion throughout Mexico, mostly female but there are men, also an increase in the young legionaries and there are many married couples. Teaching catechism is high on the list of works, also visiting hospitals but they seem to reach the whole family. Home visitation, sometimes with the statue of Our Lady, jail visitation and some street and market contact apostolate are undertaken.

We visited 7 councils and the officers of three councils came to meet us in Guadalajara. The president of the Senatus of Mexico city accompanied us on some of the visits. In Mexico city we attended the Senatus meeting. There were almost 100 at the meeting and some had set out as early as 5.30 that morning. We also attended a conference for the lay organisations in Mexico and at that Conference we met the Cardinal. The Cardinal in his talk encouraged all the organisations to take the New Evangelisation seriously and go out to meet the families who have lapsed or who have joined other groups or sects.

In Acapulco the legionaries had a well-prepared programme for us. There is a new Regia in Acapulco affiliated to Concilium. We visited the small distant communities and attended some of the Curia meetings. We attended the praesidium in the Dominican seminary. Some of the seminarians were legionaries before they entered and said that the Legion helped them to decide their vocation. The highlight of the visit to Acapulco was the visit to the jail. They had arranged that we would be present at one of the meetings. There are 3 praesidia in the jail. It was a special experience. There were about 20 present, most of them young men, all had great devotion to Our Lady. They knew the legion very well and were very proud of the handbook. They recruit for the weekly Mass in the jail, promote the Eucharistic Adoration which takes place in the prison chapel once a week and the bible study which takes place once a week also. The Archbishop Bishop attended the Acies in the Jail. We also met the Archbishop Bishop in Acapulco, he was a Spiritual Director when he was a priest.

In Merida we attended the Senatus meeting, here again there was a large attendance at the meeting. We also had the opportunity to meet the Archbishop Bishop. Ten legionaries in Merida had just returned from a PPC project to Guatemala. They travelled about 36 hours by bus to and from Guatemala. They were very excited about the project.

Campeche Comitium: In Campeche we attended the 50th anniversary of the Legion in that area. It was a very well planned occasion and about 1,000 attended. Started at 3 o`clock on Saturday with a procession from the town to the Stadium followed by Mass, Adoration, Rosary etc. Again on Sunday morning it started with a Dawn Rosary at 6 am and continued until 1.00pm with Eucharistic Adoration, Homilies, Testimonies and closed with Mass. We met the Bishop`s representative, he had great praise for the Legion particularly their work in the communities where they prepare and lead the Eucharistic service when there is no Sunday Mass.

Jalapa Comitium: The Spiritual Director of the Comitium emphasised the need to recruit more men and to direct some of our work specifically to men. We had an informal meeting with all the legionaries, very positive, many in from the communities including a number of men. Here too there is a praesidium in the jail. In Leon there is a new Regia affiliated to Concilium. A big number of legionaries came to meet us when we arrived on Saturday and we had a very valuable exchange of experiences. On Sunday we attended the Regia meeting, a very good meeting with great participation and a large number of young legionaries.

The underlying thread in all the councils was the devotion to Our Blessed Lady. They have great devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe. They were very interested in the progress of the Cause of Frank Duff. Thanks for all the prayers, at all times we were very aware of the power of prayer. We thank the Concilium for the opportunity to carry out the visit, it was a great privilege.



Priests Conference Book
The book The New Evangelisation: Priests and Laity -The Great Challenge of the New Millennium was launched on 5 December 2008 at Jury's Croke Park Hotel by His Eminence Seán Cardinal Brady, Archbishop of Armagh, Primate of All Ireland in the presence of The Apostolic Nuncio, His Excellency Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza. Over 20 priests attended the launch along with many Dublin Curia presidents and Concilium officers. Fr Bede McGregor outlined the reason for the conference, and called for closer working between priests and the Legion in undertaking the New Evangelisation. Cardinal Brady gave an inspiring address and thanked the Legion for all it has done for the church down the years. Br Tommy McCabe who acted as MC, thanked the Cardinal for launching the book, the Nuncio and all the priests for their attendance.

The talks contained in this book, which were presented at a Conference for Priests: organised by the Concilium in May 2007, include those by Most Reverend Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland, and two Cardinals from the Vatican, His Eminence Francis Cardinal Arinze, Prefect, Congregation for Divine Worship, and His Eminence Ivan Cardinal Dias, Prefect, Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples. The contents of this book show us in a profound way, the mind of the Church in regard to Evangelisation at this time and that the talks merit close study by priests and laity and should, if reflected upon and acted upon, prove to be a very valuable instrument in the New Evangelisation, which is so important in the mission of the Church today.

The book is available on the legion website http://www.legion-of-mary.ie and contains the address given by Cardinal Brady.



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

Back to News

Friday 5 December 2008

Cardinal Brady launches book on ”The New Evangelisation “

This afternoon, His Eminence Seán Cardinal Brady, Archbishop of Armagh, Primate of All Ireland launched a book entitled: The New Evangelisation: Priests and Laity -The Great Challenge of the New Millennium. It contains talks presented at a Conference for Priests, organised by the Legion of Mary in May 2007, and includes those by Most Reverend Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland , two Cardinals from the Vatican, His Eminence Francis Cardinal Arinze, Prefect, Congregation for Divine Worship, and His Eminence Ivan Cardinal Dias, Prefect, Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples.

Download the Book and Press Releases below.

Image Caption: His Eminence Seán Cardinal Brady, Síle Ní Chochlaín Vice President of Concilium Legionis, Apostolic Nuncio, His Excellency Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza, Fr Bede McGregor O.P., Tommy McCabe president of Concilium Legionis.

Back to News

Child Safeguarding

The Legion of Mary Child Safeguarding Policy was launched at the November 2008 Concilium meeting by Fr Paddy Boyle, the Child Protection Training and Development Coordinator for The Dublin Archdiocese. The Legion of Mary is an affiliate together with the Diocese of Ferns & the St Vincent de Paul Society, of the Dublin Archdiocese Keeping Safe Initiative for Child Safeguarding.

Each member of The Legion of Mary in Ireland will be given a copy of the Child Protection Policy /Procedures document and in the coming months Garda vetting will be introduced in The Legion of Mary as well as the training of members in child safeguarding.

Tommy McCabe, the Concilium president expressed the gratitude of the Legion to The Dublin Archdiocese, especially to Fr Paddy Boyle for the tremendous help given to the Legion. He also thanked Janet Lowthe, Concilium officer overseeing the child safeguarding policy and all the legionaries who had worked on the document and Teresa Kennedy, Mary Murphy & Francis Moyles, the three members who had generously given of their time to complete the train the trainer’s course.

Tommy McCabe reminded all Councils of the Legion of Mary throughout the world that the Legion must always comply with Guidelines of the Church and the laws of the Country in regard to Child protection, not just to safeguard children and young people, but also to safeguard all legionaries and that we as an organisation commit ourselves to doing everything in our power to create a safe and welcoming environment for the young.

Image Caption: Fr.Paddy Boyle, the Child Protection Training and Development coordinator for the Dublin Archdiocese and Janet Lowthe, Concilium Officer.

Back to News

Recently we celebrated the Golden Jubilee of the beginning of the Peregrinatio Pro Christo or as it is more popularly known, PPC. It was a deeply reflective and inspiring occasion and as usual with truly Legion meetings there was a significant degree of laughter, enjoyment and bonding between all those present from different parts of the Legion world. It was an experience of the Legion at its most typical and best. Reports were read of various visits of PPC teams to different countries and there can be no doubt that grace was flowing in all directions. The legionaries engaged in all the most prized apostolates of the Legion: home visitation, personal contact work on the streets and in other public meeting places of people, conversion work, presenting the Catholic faith especially to non-Catholics and of course the distribution of the Miraculous Medal with a good explanation of it. They all worked in the closest harmony with the local Parish Priest and his parish.

It was easy to understand why Frank Duff was so thrilled with this development within the Legion. He loved to hear legionaries talk about their experiences of the lay apostolate especially in really challenging situations. I have referred to the PPC as a kind of immersion course in the lay apostolate similar to those immersion courses for the learning of languages. In those courses one has to eat, drink and live the language morning, noon and night. With PPC one does the same thing with the apostolate. The benefits are frequently astonishing in both cases. Grace is given not only to those we meet in our outreach but also to ourselves. Sometimes a legionary experiences for the first time what it could really mean to be a lay apostle and it transforms his Christian life. Without apostolic action we are often only half Christian or at least undeveloped Christians. A genuine experience of PPC will change that for ever. It is for this reason that I would encourage the Legion wherever it is in the world to engage in PPC or at least Exploratio Dominicalis. Wherever legionaries undertake PPC the Legion will thrive because they will have experienced an authentic living of the Legion spirit. Where there is no PPC at all then there will be the great danger that legionaries will gradually slip into routine and gradually die out with boredom or lethargy.

Some of the finest talks that our Founder ever gave were in the context of PPC gatherings. Who can forget his talk on the question "What Shall a Man give for a Soul?" Frank would give the same answer as St. Francis Xavier and mean it with all his heart: 'To travel the whole world over, to suffer everything, and at the end of it all to have won a soul - oh what a triumph!' That has to be the spirit or at least the aspiration of every Peregrinatio team. The legionary simply believes that he has no greater gift to offer anyone than the Catholic Faith. There is absolutely nothing more precious that he can give to the Hindu, the Muslim, the Buddhist, the atheist or agnostic or our Protestant brothers and sisters than the fullness of the Catholic Faith. If we don't believe that, then it would be hard to see the point in going on Peregrinatio or indeed going anywhere as a legionary.

So at this time of celebrating the Golden Jubilee of the PPC we must go back to the cardinal principles of this wonderful movement. It is at least a symbolic action in our outreach to the whole world, in offering the Catholic Faith to every one we meet on our holiday apostolate. Then we can come home again and practise the same spirit in our praesidia and all our Legion Councils.

Of course, it goes without saying for a Legionary that everything about Peregrinatio as with all Legion work without exception must be done with Mary, through Mary and in Mary. All Legion activity is Mary working in and through us. It is She who helps us to bring people of every description into contact with Jesus.

Finally, let me just quote some of the words I heard legionaries say during that memorable gathering of Peregrini: 'If they see your love for them, they will listen to your words'; 'The best preparation for Peregrinatio is to do your two hours praesidium work really well week in and week out' or 'The best thing to do in preparation for Peregrinatio is to know your Handbook really well'.

Back to News

REPORTS - Europe
The Netherlands: Amsterdam Senatus: The annual report of the praesidium, which contacts the homeless in a city park so impressed the Auxiliary Bishop that he promised to attend the Senatus meetings at least twice a year. The praesidium in Groningen helped one man to return to the Church after 30 years absence. A Muslim searching for God was brought to a Church. The Cape Verdian Curia is delighted to have the assistance of a priest who was formerly involved with the Legion in Brazil.

Belgium
Brussels Senatus: A new Curia has been set up for the praesidia in Welkenraedt, Baelen, Dolhain and Liege and a new junior praesidium has been started in Anderlecht. A P.P.C. project was carried out in Banneaux in August in conjunction with the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady. Many fruitful contacts were made.

Antwerp Senatus: Attention is being given to the recruitment of auxiliary members. A reporting praesidium does street contact and also visited a youth concert and found it very rewarding and challenging to speak to young people about God.

Scotland
The Senatus has set up a new praesidium in Dundee for 8 prospective members. An older praesidium in Dundee arranged to have Legion literature displayed at the Freshers' Event in the local University. A praesidium in Sterling visits schools, Nursing Homes and a Women's prison. An auxiliary rally was held and contact work is done at Sterling Castle. Edinburgh Curia has 10 praesidia with 72 active and 463 auxiliary members. Another Curia has 15 praesidia with 106 active, 929 auxiliary, 4 praetorian and 58 adjutorian members.

England
Liverpool Senatus: Among the works done by reporting praesidia were the staffing of a book barrow in Liverpool in connection with the Capital of Culture commemorations there, helping with parish Baptism programmes, the holding of a Holy Hour to commemorate the Venerable Edel Quinn's 100th birthday and running a lunch hour Rosary group for school children. Manchester Comitium reported on a public Rosary rally and its attached Blackburn Curia has a new praesidium of 7 members. Leeds Comitium also has a new praesidium and another praesidium works with the prison Chaplaincy team. Ashton Curia report showed 2 praesidia with good membership - 11 and 8 who carry out a varied apostolate. Wirral Curia has a vibrant Patrician group.

Birmingham Senatus: A praesidium of 6 members at Perry Bar reported the reception of 10 of its contacts into the Church at Easter through the RCIA programme and the Baptism of 2 children also at Easter. Coventry Curia held an ecumenical service to celebrate the start of the Pauline year with 200 in attendance including the local priest, the Dean of Coventry and 2 local clergymen. In Wolverhampton Curia, legionaries visit a primary school to teach the children the Rosary in May and October. Contact work is done weekly at the Bull Ring in Birmingham. One person was put in touch with a priest, who heard his confession. An apostolate to homosexuals is also carried out.

Westminster Archdiocese: The new Westminster Curia has set up a praesidium with 10 members at Harrow Road who visit a nursing home where the manager wants them to come regularly to pray with the patients. They also have permission to do home to home visitation. A praesidium set up 8 months ago in Hackney has 14 members. A reporting praesidium visits pubs in the course of parish visitation and makes many good contacts. Following a P.P.C. project in the parish in Soho, a praesidium has been started to do follow-up work there and permission has also been obtained to start in Notting Hill.

Southwark Comitium: Training workshops for different sets of officers are being organized periodically to help newer officers and a number of extension and recruiting drives have taken place.

Brentwood Comitium: A new praesidium of 6 members in Becontree is progressing and a recruiting drive was planned for a parish in an attached Curia. A Mass to commemorate the Servant of God, Frank Duff was held in Forest Gate Church on 1st November.

Northampton North and South Curiae: Members of both Curiae manned a stall at Billing and gave Legion literature to contacts, 3 of whom expressed interest in the Legion. Members of a praesidium in the North Curia helped to organize a Mass in a residential home where many of the residents were able to receive Holy Communion regularly but had not had Mass for some years. It proved to be a very joyful occasion for them.

Channel Islands: Two representatives of the Concilium paid a visit to the praesidium in Guernsey in October. The members visit nursing homes and the housebound and they organise a monthly Rosary in the Church to promote devotion to the Venerable Edel Quinn. The visitors did some café contact work with 4 of the legionaries and distributed Miraculous Medals, Rosary leaflets and leaflets in Polish about Sunday Mass.

Leicester Curia: There are 4 praesidia attached with 23 active and 145 auxiliary members. They visit homes and the sick, attend funeral Masses of parishioners and assist with Baptism instruction. A 3-day Retreat/Pilgrimage to Walsingham was held in September.
Wales

Cardiff Comitium: Legionaries support the parish priest by bringing Holy Communion to housebound people. Wrexham Curia has 5 praesidia and the 7-member praesidium in Queensferry is working well. Swansea Curia with 3 praesidia has approached 3 parishes for extension.

Sweden
Two representatives of Liverpool Senatus visited the existing praesidia and the new one at the University all of which are progressing well. A P.P.C. team, also from Liverpool, met the Bishop and some of the priests and were very impressed with the warm hospitality they received.

Norway
The praesidium of 6 members in Tonsbery teach catechism to children, visit the sick, assist with parish duties and run a Bible study group.

France
Paris Regia The Vietnamese Curia with 9 praesidia and 80 active members visit people at home, in hospital and teach catechism. During the year one adult was baptized and 4 persons returned to the Church. 8 members of the Haitian praesidium took part in various Legion functions including one for auxiliaries and a pilgrimage. Troyes Curia has 10 praesidia in 2 Dioceses. A Korean Religious Sister who set up a junior praesidium in Troyes in 2006 recently started a group for young adults.

Valence Regia: Membership in reporting praesidia ranged from 3 to 8. One of them organises an annual pilgrimage to a local Marian shrine. The 4 praesidia including 2 senior and 2 junior in Chateauneuf de Galrwe held a reunion in May, which included a visit to the house of Marthe Robin. A former junior member has entered a Seminary. There are 7 praesidia and 2 Curiae with small membership in the area of Mont de Marsan.

Strasbourg Senatus: This council is working well. A P.P.C. project was carried out in Banneaux in Belgium. A devoted member is transferring to Lourdes where she will join the praesidium and help with work at the Permanence.

Germany
Munich Senatus: In July the correspondent for Munich Senatus and the correspondent for Romania visited the Legion in Munich for 3 days. There are now a total of 80 praesidia, 533 active members and 5620 auxiliaries in the entire Senatus. There are 2 Comitia, 10 Curiae and 11 praesidia directly attached to the Senatus. The Correspondents met with the Senatus Officers and also attended the Senatus meeting. The enthusiasm and commitment of the German legionaries was evident at the meeting. Curia Altoetting reported that 40 legionaries, auxiliaries and friends attended a retreat at Altoetting, the Lourdes of Germany. In Passau on the occasion of the May festival, legionaries distributed a parish newsletter, a religious magazine and miraculous medals to all the stallholders. A praesidium in Germaing promotes Eucharistic Adoration. They had a Legion stand at the Christmas market.

Frankfurt Senatus: A meeting of the officers of Frankfurt and Munich Senatus took place in Munich in August and they discussed common issues including a uniform translation of the Legion prayers. This was reported back to the respective councils for final decisions. The Senatus officers had a meeting with Bishop of Limburg. The Korean Curia in Frankfurt has 9 praesidia and is undertaking extension. 10 legionaries from the Curia managed a summer school for 45 children last June. A praesidium has been re-established in Wedding. The Korean Curia attached to the Berlin Comitium arranged for the baptism of three children. The 7 attached praesidia to the Comitium arrange monthly adoration for the cause of the Servant of God, Frank Duff. Extension work was done in the Diocese of Speyer. Two parish priests following consultation with the parish councils agreed to start the Legion in Ludwigshafen. Comitium Freiburg had an attendance of over 100 legionaries on the pilgrimage to Birnau. Their wide range of works includes prison visitation.

Cologne Regia: 4 members took the promise and 13 auxiliary members were recruited. Their PPC project to Zurich was able to start a Korean praesidium. 43 legionaries attended a retreat in Kevelaer. A couple received the sacrament of Matrimony after 25 years.

Siberia: The praesidia in Atchinsk and Bogotaol were visited in September and a new praesidium in Bratsk is being formed.

Switzerland
Curia Luzern has 3 praesidia and is to do extension in Bern. Curia Zurich has 8 praesidia.



Asia

Australia
Sydney Senatus. A new President was elected and was presented with a Papal medal in appreciation for the Legion's contribution to organising the Papal visit. Parishes are very scattered with the population of Catholics low. Home visitation, street contact and bringing the Eucharist to nursing homes are some of the works mentioned. Koreans have 3 Curiae with 700 members.
Brisbane Comitium: Korean Curia work among their own community. 12 adults and 22 children were baptised. 48 active and 35 auxiliary members were recruited in the last 6 months. The Vietnamese Curia organised a pilgrimage to a shrine of Our Lady.

Melbourne Senatus: Each of the 4 city praesidia have 7 members who carry out home and hospital visitation. North West suburbs Curia organised a function in a girls College on Venerable Edel Quinn. A talk on a visit to Edel's grave was given and 45 attended the address. Adelaide Comitium had an Exploratio Dominicalis in the Cathedral parish, which resulted in 6 active and 1 auxiliary members recruited. Six new praesidia have been set up this year.

Pacific Islands: Tabiteuea Island has a new Curia with 4 praesidia and 2 other Comitia has 5 and 3 Curiae attached respectively.

New Zealand
Auckland Senatus celebrates its 75th anniversary Mass on the 13th December. The Bishop will be the chief celebrant. The Legion has a presence in all 6 Dioceses with 2,600 senior and 400 junior members in 161 praesidia, 10 Curiae and 2 Comitia. New members were recruited after WYD. Works mentioned in the reports are catechism classes, prison visitation, home and hospital visitation, bereavement follow up, Rosary and statue visitation.

Papua New Guinea
Rabul Regia organised a weekend event for legionaries, which incorporated processions, talks and spiritual exercises culminating with a Mass on the 7th September. 945 members attended which was a huge success. Conversions from the sects were mentioned in reports and on the Island of Lihir the Legion is the spiritual impetus for religious life in this predominately Catholic area. Madang Regia is proceeding with the formation of a new Regia to govern the highlands area of the country based in Mount Hagan.

Western Visayas Regia: A PPC project was carried out in Canlaon with a team of 24 and 19 local legionaries. 253 non-Catholic families and 78 un-baptised persons were met. A 2-day seminar for female prisoners had 71 in attendance. A suicide was prevented, 3 young brothers were catechised and then recruited for the Legion by a junior praesidium after their Baptism. 135 people join in a dawn Rosary every first Saturday.

Bicolandia Senatus: A new Regia in Legazapi had its inaugural meeting on 11th May. Two praesidia in a jail have 24 active members who teach the Rosary to fellow inmates. Mass is celebrated monthly. Promotion of the Rosary, the 3 Causes, encouraging Mass attendance, conducting pre-baptism seminars featured in the reports.

Cebu Senatus: Extension work is ongoing and praesidia and councils are currently being visited. Conversions from sects were reported. Catechism is taught to street dwellers and also in a home for girls. In co-operation with the Salesians, legionaries initiated a recollection for 40 students before graduation. They received Confession and after Mass expressed their gratitude to the Legion. Many had not been active in the faith for some time. New praesidia, both senior and junior, and Curiae were established.

Mindanao Senatus: 700 attended an auxiliary rally in Butuan City. The Senatus has initiated a series of "True Devotion to Mary" talks. Several families who had joined sects were brought back to the faith.

North Philippines Senatus
The 68th anniversary of the Legion in the Philippines was celebrated on the 6th July and approximately 100,000 active legionaries attended. Malolos Comitium was raised to a Regia and San Pablo Comitium was divided to create 3 new Comitia. 41 couples were catechised in preparation for marriage. 19 conversions were reported and a Buddhist is now an active legionary. PPC and Exploratio Dominicalis projects were carried out. In Manila city jail bi-weekly catechism instruction is given as well as a Holy Hour and Mass on first Fridays. Patrician meetings were held in male and female wards.



South America

Colombia
Bogotá Senatus: An attached Comitium reported great results from home to home visitation, a large number of people were prepared for the sacraments including the Sacrament of Marriage. Another Comitium reported many young legionaries in the council working successfully with drug addicts and convincing the young people to return to the practice of the faith. They also organise football games for the youth. The audit is being carried out at every level.

Paraguay
Senatus of Asuncion: A praesidium doing mainly home visitation encourages the families back to the practice of the faith, a number of children and young people were Baptised including a 25-year old girl. In the Institute of Tropical Medicine the legionaries met about 20 young children suffering with AIDS. For the feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Socorro the local Fire Department decorated the fire truck with flowers and carried the statue of Our Lady in procession through the streets.

Bolivia
Senatus of La Paz: Extension work is on the monthly agenda, three new junior praesidia are being set up. Weak praesidia are given extra attention. Legionaries visit the sick and where requested bring the priest for Confession and the Sacrament of the Sick. The Concilium correspondent's letter is read in full at each meeting.

Chile
Senatus of Santiago: Minutes indicate that reports are followed by excellent suggestions and questions. An affiliated Comitium reported that there is a praesidium in a local jail. The Viña del Mar Comitium was invited to take part in a meeting with the seminarians of their diocese. A Curia reported that it takes part in a television and radio programme aimed at evangelising the families and promoting the Legion.

Uruguay
Senatus of Montevideo: In the Maldonado Comitium area the Legion is in 8 of the 15 parishes. A praesidium, which visits a home for the elderly took the residents to a concert.

Ecuador
Senatus of Quito: A praesidium reported they have 2 praetorian, 47 adjutorian and 80 auxiliary members. Jehovah Witnesses are very active and an auxiliary member became a Jehovah and said she regretted it. The recitation of the Angelus in the homes is encouraged.

Venezuela
Senatus of Caracas: Exploratio Dominicalis and extension feature prominently in the reports. The junior movement is very active and there are plans to set up a praesidium among the Indians. A retreat for 160 children was held in Puerto de la Cruz. Legionaries help with a weekly Mass in the jail as well as teaching the Rosary and catechism to the prisoners. In Maracaibo Comitium a new Curia was set up and 6 praesidia including one junior are being set up.

Cuba
Comitium of Havana: Extension is ongoing in the different dioceses in the Havana Comitium. The Bishop of the Diocese of Santa Clara said he hopes that the Legion will be set up throughout his diocese. They also contacted some Filipino religious Sisters who are helping to set up praesidia and are willing to be Spiritual Directors. The Legion is now established in 5 of the 9 dioceses.



Africa

Ghana
Accra Senatus: The new work of visiting prisons and a correction centre continues. Sunyani Regia has 1,923 senior and 659 junior members. Their main work is home visitation, the number of legionaries teaching Catechism is increasing and great efforts are made to bring them into the Legion eventually. Goaso Comitium has intensified its visitation in the Ashanti Region, a large area without the Legion.

Lesotho Senatus has 13 comitia, 3 curiae and 5 praesidia directly attached. Only two Maseru comitia, two Maseru curiae and three of the praesidia attend regularly. Reports to the Senatus show marriages solemnised through the work of legionaries. When the Ugandan visitors were there in 2007 they reported a total of 437 seniors and 18 juniors in three of the four dioceses. Lesotho also supervises Bloemfontein in South Africa, which they reported has 616 senior, 19 junior and 260 auxiliary members.

Cape Verde
Praia Regia: Besides the central work of home visitation many legionaries are engaged in catechesis, for instance, in one of the 9 Comitia the focus is on preparation for the Sacraments. Other works include adult literacy, bible formation groups, celebration of the Word - in the absence of the priest and promoting active participation in the Eucharistic Liturgy. Conversions of three young 7-Day Adventists were reported. One Curia reported 14 Exploratio Dominicalis projects. Although 4 junior praesidia closed 10 new junior praesidia were set up. True Devotion to the Nation (TDN) work involves helping the poor repair their homes also cleaning the homes of the sick and aged. Several Curiae held congresses.

Angola
Luanda Regia: Minutes include reports on various activities in the Regia.

Mozambique
Maputo Regia: This Regia reports on the usual legionary activities. It has one Comitium and 25 Curiae and they have their meetings every three months with the Comitium and all the Curiae in Maputo, Gaza and Inhambane.

Zimbabwe
Hwange Comitium: Reports indicate legionaries asking couples to sanctify their marriages in Church, encouraging baptisms and bringing adults for instruction and new praesidia are being established. Works also include home visitation, visiting the sick in hospital, home Rosary and street contact apostolate. In July they had an annual retreat in two places. Several hundred attended the one for Hwange Comitium and the one at St. John's Mission brought in one hundred and ten from senior and junior members. They had a Congress in Hwange from Friday 22nd to Sunday 24th September. There were 573 members present from different places and 83 took the promise. The Legion is growing in the diocese with many junior praesidia reviving in Hwange Town along with many men's praesidia being set up.

South Africa
Capetown Senatus: The Senatus Secretary visited Dublin in October and met with the correspondent and some Concilium Officers. Plans for the future development of the Senatus and extension to outlying areas were discussed. Works undertaken by the legionaries include organising a rosary procession, which had an attendance of over 300, reciting the rosary in homes and hospital visitation where contact is made with non-Catholics and Muslims. A correspondents meeting is planned. Johannesburg Senatus: Works undertaken by East Rand Curia include encouraging parents to bring their children for baptism and to send their school going children to catechism classes and keeping in touch with recent converts. Soweto Comitium is planning the annual retreat and reunion. Matatiele Comitium: A praesidium of 12 members reported 35 baptisms, 34 confirmations, 3 marriages rectified. One praesidium runs a Patrician Group. Durban Comitium: A praesidium of 16 legionaries has 5 praetorians, 75 auxiliary and 15 adjutorian members.



Launch of The Legion of Mary Child Safeguarding Policy
At the Concilium Meeting on Sunday 16th November 2008, Fr. Paddy Boyle, Child Protection Training and Development Coordinator, launched the Legion of Mary document on Child Safeguarding. 'The Child Safeguarding Policy aims to do everything possible to provide a safe environment for children and young people where they are cherished and encouraged to become involved in the life of our Church.' Janet Lowthe, Concilium Officer overseeing the policy, stated that every legionary will be given a copy. Training of legionaries in this area will commence next year. The policy can be downloaded from the Legion website (http://www.legion-of-mary.ie).
Peregrinatio Pro Christo

The Autumn Conference in St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra was held on Saturday 1st November. There were approximately 320 legionaries present and we were blessed with the presence of a number of Priests and nuns. Fr. Bede McGregor was the principal celebrant and homilist at the Mass and was joined by Frs. Rory Brady, Tim Peacock, Michael Ross and Michael Kennedy.

The reports were most interesting and the highlight this year was the historic section when reports were given on key projects in past years including the early history given by Hugh Brady. This was followed by talks on Russia, Israel, Poland, Iceland, Africa and on the youth sleeping bag projects.

The reports on the 2008 projects in Britain were also excellent, and we heard about ventures in Finland, Sweden, Amsterdam and Berlin organised by the British Senatus councils. Tommy McCabe, President of the Concilium, gave an inspiring concluding talk. The discussions were lively and altogether it was a very satisfying day.



Bernardo de Nardo - Envoy for Central Asia
In the latest report from Bernardo he informs us about his intended visit to meet personally the Latin Bishop of Georgia to tell him of the value of the Legion and hopefully to allow it to start in his diocese.

Bernardo prepared short articles on Frank Duff and the Legion in Armenia, which has appeared in the Diocesan Journal. He is hopeful this will enthuse priests to accept the Legion in their parishes. The Handbook is being translated into Armenian by a seminarian of the Armenian Apostolic Church who is very impressed by the wisdom of the Handbook. Prayers are asked for the continued success of his work.



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

Back to News

The Concilium has noted that misunderstandings can arise, sometimes, regarding the role of the Comitium, as shown in the Handbook (Chap.28:2:2). For example, it is incorrect for a Comitium to regard itself as a Comitium only when officers of related Curiae are present. Another misunderstanding may result in thinking that there cannot be more than one Comitium in a diocese.

The Concilium, therefore, considers that some further clarification of the role of the Comitium should be included in the Handbook. The following amendment to the Handbook, which does not involve any change of rule, showing the original wording of the Handbook with the additional words of clarification, was approved by the Concilium at its meeting on 19th October 2008.

Amendments to Chap.28:2 in the Handbook on The Curia and the Comitium

2. THE CURIA AND THE COMITIUM

1. When two or more praesidia have been established in any city, town, or district, a governing body termed the Curia should be set up. The Curia shall be composed of all the officers (Spiritual Directors included) of the praesidia in its area.

2. Where it is found necessary to confer on a Curia, in addition to its own proper functions, certain powers of superintendence, over one or several Curiae, such higher Curia shall be styled more particularly a Comitium and each of its meetings is considered to be a Comitium meeting whether or not representatives of the related Curiae are present.

The Comitium is not a new council. It continues to act as a Curia in respect of its own area and to govern directly its own praesidia. In addition it supervises one or more Curiae. Elections of officers of these Curiae are subject to ratification by the Comitium, as the nexthighest council.

Each Curia and praesidium directly related to a Comitium shall be entitled to full representation on the latter and, therefore, their officers have the right to vote at elections of officers of the Comitium.

In order to relieve the representatives of a Curia from attendance at all the meetings of the Comitium (which, added to the meetings of their own Curia, might form an undue burden), it would be permissible to deal with the business of that Curia and to require the attendance of its representatives only at every second or third meeting of the Comitium. It is not required that representatives of all related Curiae attend on the same month.

A Comitium shall not ordinarily cover an area larger than a Diocese, but may cover a smaller area. If a diocese has many Curiae or where the Curiae are widely separated, more than one Comitium, perhaps several, may be necessary and desirable. There may be circumstances where, for the purposes of good administration, and with ecclesiastical sanction, a Comitium could be asked to supervise one or more Curiae in another diocese or dioceses.

Back to News

Recently I spoke on the Legion and vocations to the priesthood in conjunction with the year of vocations. Today I want to speak about the Legion and the vocation to marriage. Today is a particularly good day to speak on such a theme because today a married couple, the parents of St. Therese of Lisieux is being beatified together. So once more the Church proclaims that marriage is a call by God to holiness. The most precious thing that Louis and Zelie Martin gave to the children was their love for God and their love for each other. Their story is profoundly moving and inspiring and illustrates the extraordinary gift from God, that is, the vocation to marriage and the family. I would strongly recommend that you get a life of this couple and read it.

It can be truly said that there is not a saint in heaven that did not pass through the heart of marriage and the family. Even God Himself came among us through the heart of a married couple. Marriage in both the natural and supernatural order has its roots in the heart of God who designed it and planned for it in the way he created the human heart. That is why it is such a sacred vocation: What God has joined together let no one put asunder. The Good News of the Sacrament of Marriage is the pledge by Our Lord that he will be with the couple and their family always. The Sacrament is a special access to intimacy with our Lord and all the graces that are needed to fulfil this special vocation. It is also self evident that married life and love is also the normal context in which all other vocations are born, grow and flourish. The family is also the first school of holiness and primary evangelisation. It is there that the faith is first handed on to the next generation.

Now although Frank Duff, our Founder did not feel called either to the priesthood or married life he had an extraordinary appreciation of both these vocations. He saw them both as normal and beautiful fruits of the Legion spirit and the affirmation of the Christian authenticity of the Legion. And historically both vocations have flourished in the Legion along with other vocations. In unpublished notes for a Patrician talk he says: 'Marriage is a Sacrament, therefore, one of the supreme blessings of God, one of the most sacred things on earth. As a Sacrament we must compare it to Baptism, Holy Communion, Confirmation, Holy Orders and the rest. It is not an inferior order. This thought must shake us.' In an article published in several places he writes: 'Being a sacramental state, the grace potential in matrimony must simply be unlimited, transforming, ready to seize on every circumstance and to fill every moment of life. But without the vocational idea and the advertence, those wonder-working graces will largely be unreaped. This is the reason for all those unhappy or common-place unions - indistinguishable from the marriages of other creeds - which surround us.'

'Now here is my proposition to legionaries: Why not marry in the full spirit of vocation? … with the intention of deliberately exploiting the spiritual gold mine of matrimony? … In such fashion that the ideals and devotedness of John, who gets married, are not inferior to those of his brother James, who becomes a Cistercian; or his sister Nellie who enters Carmel.' I put the questions: Do we legionaries believe in the unlimited grace potential of marriage? Do we believe that marriage is not inferior to any other vocation in the Church? Do we sufficiently promote and support marriages inside and outside the Legion?

Anyone who really knows the Legion will know the significant effort that the Legion has made in rectifying invalid marriages, accompanying those who have divorced and entered into second relationships, and befriending those who live together without the support of Christ's presence in the Sacrament of Marriage or indeed of even civil marriage. This sublime apostolate will be even more necessary and demanding in the years ahead when governments in many parts of the world seek to dismantle the supports of marriage and change its very definition. But a good Legion way to confront these problems that have eternal consequences is not by condemnation and aggressive tactics but by the witness of Legion marriages and many of them. It is not the only way but it is an indispensable way. Proclaim by example the good news of Christian marriage.

It is not possible to do justice to our Founder's vision of the vocation to marriage and the Legion in a short allocutio but let me finish by quoting some more of his words to us: under the heading 'Legionary Marriages Desirable' he writes: 'Prima facie, such unions should be successful. If ever the basic ingredients of success are to be present, surely it will be in a legionary marriage! Nature and grace combine harmoniously to this end. In the first place, you have two right-intentioned, serious-minded, self-sacrificing, tender-hearted, self-reliant people - a real man and a real woman.

In the second place, you have these two souls entering on their life's partnership in quite a special way under the auspices of the Most Blessed Virgin. "I am all thine, My Queen, My Mother, " they had often repeated with their lips and meant with their hearts. They had given their little leisure and the best that was in them in active service of her. In their future life she will be with them, no less than in the past, a regal queen and a solicitous mother. In addition, she will exercise in their regard a new influence, what I might call a matrimonial role. For in the measure that each belongs to her, so will they belong to each other. Thus, their legionary dependence on her constitutes an additional, potent principle of oneness with them. What, indeed, may one not suppose of such a union - quickened, nurtured, as it is, in the bosom of the Mother of Divine Grace? Surely not less than that it be a very model of marriage? Therefore, these marriages of legionaries are to be welcomed. May there be more and more of them, undertaken with ever-ascending standards, and destined to draw in their train a new order.'

Back to News

REPORTS - Africa
Reunion Island: Works reported include visitation of the sick and aged - to whom they bring Holy Communion. Other works are the recitation of the prayers in the mortuary on the occasion of funerals, leading the Rosary and praying the Stations of the Cross. Two grandchildren of a legionary were Baptised. Following an attempted suicide by a 15-year old boy, junior members accompany him at all times to ensure that he is not alone or isolated.

Mauritius Regia: September minutes reported visitation of the sick, elderly and handicapped in their homes and hospices, bringing them Holy Communion and praying with them. Members gave great tribute to their Spiritual Director of 11 years, who left there in July, for his great services assisting them in their Legion work and his involvement in the functions they organised. A new Spiritual Director has been appointed and discussions are taking place with the Bishop as to how the Legion can help the Diocesan Assembly on Parental Ministry. A report from Port Mathurin Council, Rodrigeux Island stated works done are similar to those of the Regia.

Rwanda
Kilgali Senatus: The Senatus consists of 24 Comitia, 18 Curiae and 19 praesidia. Officers spend much time visiting very far distant councils. Apostolic work is excellent in all areas - covering all kinds of work to meet all existing needs. Recruiting efforts are continuous in search of adult, junior and auxiliary members. Problems are many - including loss of many experienced members in Kilgali city due to the relocation project by civic authorities, widespread illiteracy and poverty, difficulty of access to junior praesidia in schools, increase in the number of sects trying to recruit young people. The Cause of Venerable Edel Quinn has been widely promoted during the year and a function to celebrate her anniversary organised in Kilgali Cathedral on the 9th September.

Burundi
The National Director of the Legion Fr. Venant Mpozako, having successfully completed his studies in Spain, has now returned to Burundi. The Senatus continues its faithful work covering all aspects of the apostolate and also True Devotion to the Nation in helping displaced persons rebuild their lives and their damaged homes. Minutes point to new Curiae and Comitia being set up indicating good work being carried out by their extension worker.

Democratic Congo
Bukavu Senatus: Minutes report that the Regia of Shabunda governs 11 Comitia, 62 Curiae and 273 praesidia with a total membership of 2,297 members while the Regia of Goma mentions works, which include sheltering refugees, Protestants received into the Church including young Protestants subsequently joining the Legion.

Kinshasa Senatus: The Archbishop of Kinshasa has appointed a new Spiritual Director for the Senatus.

Kananga Senatus: Elections of a new team of Senatus Officers have taken place and minutes indicate that the Senatus is working well.

Butembo Senatus: Legionaries wish to have the French version of "Miracles on Tap" and favours have been received through the intercession of the Servant of God Frank Duff.

Central Africa
Bangui Regia has submitted plans for the setting up of 2 provincial Regiae.



Asia

Sri Lanka
Reports have been received from Tamil, Sinhala and English speaking members. Rebuilding of the Legion is ongoing. The number of active, auxiliary and Adjutorian members are detailed.

Taiwan
Continues to extend the Legion with more seniors and juniors joining the ranks. An annual general meeting for auxiliaries is planned.

Myanmar
A successful national conference was held from 25 to 27 April, 196 attending. Mass was celebrated by the Auxiliary Bishop of Yangon assisted by 4 priests. 200 active and auxiliary members from Yangon itself took part in the Acies.

Vietnam
Praesidia reporting had between 5 and 15 members and 10 and 50 auxiliaries. The juniors have 19 members. Works include instruction in the faith, preparation for the sacraments, training junior members.

Hue Regia set up in 2002, has 1 Comitium, 17 senior Curiae and 2 junior Curiae with 2,661 senior and 359 junior members. The mission territory extends over an area of 500 kms.

Thailand
During home and hospital visitation a campaign for a daily 10-minute reading the Bible is encouraged. A person lapsed for 50 years has returned to the practice of their faith and an elderly lady is under instruction.

India
Kerala Senatus governs 12 Comitia, 22 Curiae and over 20 praesidia. Report received covered 6 Comitia, 4 Curiae and 5 praesidia. Possibly because of heavy flooding and viral fever, attendance at meetings has been low with few reports. Many bereaved families were consoled, people of all religions met and prisons are visited. 73 legionaries participated in Peregrinatio Pro Christo and 105 in Exploratio Dominicalis.

Pondicherry Senatus: Over a 7-month period 3 Comitia, 24 Curiae and 7 praesidia reported. Extensive home and hospital visitation takes place with people of all religions met. Drug addicts and alcoholics are met and a number have been saved from suicide.

Chennai Regia: 6 Comitia, 3 Curiae and 1 praesidium reported. A Legion Day took the form of a 2 km procession of 2,500 legionaries from over the city concluding with Mass. A large picture of Edel Quinn was carried.

Katnataka Regia: 2 Curiae and 2 Comitia reported on the works undertaken which includes Miraculous Medals and Rosaries distributed, enthronement of homes to the Sacred Heart, marriages blessed and 50 attended the Curia retreat.

Mumbai Regia: The Archbishop has given his imprimatur for the Hindi Handbook. Many Curiae have started as a result of monthly extension. There are 230 praesidia in Goa and 110 in Mumbai.

Calcutta Comitium had 170 at the Acies. The Bengali Curia does home visitation to all. A new praesidium was set up near the border with Bangladesh with further extension and visitation planned.

Nepal Curia: The Curia held its 5th meeting in September with all 6 praesidia represented. They organised their first day retreat for non-Christians with 50 attending. It took place from 10.00am to 4.00pm and included 2 talks, video on Lourdes, Bible quiz, testimonies, questions, hymns, prayers and Adoration. Fr. Pius, himself a convert, led the retreat.

Pakistan
The Officers were very appreciative of their meetings at the Concilium. A new praesidium was started at Manghopir.

Kazakhstan
3 praesidia reported with 7-11 members, juniors are being considered. Young people are encouraged to consider the Catholic faith and teenagers are advised against taking drugs and alcohol. A praesidium in Astana increased its membership from 9 to 15. All continue to thank the Legion Envoy, Bernardo de Nardo for the assistance he gave them.



North America and West Indies

New York Senatus: A Peregrinatio Pro Christo project took place in October. The Upper Manhattan Curia has 10 praesidia and their works include adult Confirmations, Marriages in Church, Baptism of children and circle of prayer in homes. A book barrow in a Church on Ash Wednesday recruits for new members.

St. Louis Senatus: New praesidia and new active and auxiliary members have been recruited in many councils. The Senatus Officers visited the Archbishop and asked for more Spiritual Directors. Homes were consecrated to the Sacred Heart, returns to the Sacraments, Baptisms, Marriage validations and prison ministry are mentioned. A former legionary has taken final vows.

Boston Senatus: A praesidium in a prison is studying the Catholic Catechism in order to pass on the information to other prisoners. New Haven Comitium reported 4 conversions from book-barrow apostolate. Newton Curia has a new praesidium and reported on many lapsed Catholics returning to the Sacraments.

Cincinnati Senatus: Works include inviting non-Catholics to their information classes; helping converts in the practise of their Faith. Contact work is done at fairs and Miraculous Medals distributed and explained. A junior praesidium brings Holy Communion to people in difficult areas.

San Francisco Senatus: New praesidia have been started. A Saturday search for souls took place in Seattle Comitium. San Mateo had a booth at a fair and they do crowd contact apostolate. Oregon Comitium has one junior and 3 senior praesidia.

Houston Senatus: The Peregrinatio Pro Christo Conference had to be cancelled due to hurricane "Ike". The Peregrinatio Pro Christo to Virginia had many contacts. Pharr Curia reports 88 converts. Bay Area Curia had a booth at a Strawberry Festival and had contact with lapsed Catholics and non-believers. In Amarillo Curia a parishioner received a special favour through the intercession of the Servant of God Frank Duff.

Philadelphia Senatus: Mater Dolorosa Curia had a Buddhist conversion. Norristown Comitium continues to minister to street people and many of the men attended a 3-day retreat. An Afro-American praesidium has 12 members 10 of whom are converts. An evangelisation day had 25 legionaries and 8 parishioners calling on 529 homes and met 2 adults and 6 children who wish to be Baptised. A Peregrinatio Pro Christo project to Sewell in New Jersey met 163 lapsed Catholics.

Los Angeles Senatus: The number of Patrician groups is steadily rising. Four councils had Congresses. A praesidium visited 4,388 homes in 56 weeks.

Miami Regia: Alabama and Mississippi councils were visited.

Arlington Regia: This council has 260 praesidia with 1,873 seniors, 454 juniors and 10,039 auxiliaries. During home visitation 439 homes were enthroned to the Sacred Heart and new parishioners visited. Members are involved in CCD and RCIA in many parishes. 99 conversions, 210 returns to the Faith and 59 marriage validations were reported.

Chicago Senatus: Works include jail visitation. Inmates are not allowed to meet without an outsider.

Canada
Ontario Senatus: The Archbishop has appointed a new Spiritual Director. A new praesidium has 13 members. Works mentioned include market ministry, book-barrow apostolate and a function for Auxiliary members.

Montreal Senatus: Works include visiting the sick, assisting at funerals and teaching Catechism. Children and their parents are prepared for Baptism. They appeared on a local television station explaining their work.

Toronto Regia: Several councils report on preparing to undertake the True Devotion to Mary and carrying out extension in many parishes. Many reports were received about the graces and employments received through having the Pilgrim Virgin in their homes. Nursing homes are visited and Mass is organised. Street contact was done during the Eucharistic Congress in Quebec. In Mississauga Comitium, RCIA work is carried out. Winnipeg Curia had 11 Marriage validations, 24 children prepared for Baptism and have one Patrician group.

Toronto Korean Comitium gained 2 new praesidia and a contact returned to the Sacraments after 16 years. Peterborough Curia teaches the Rosary in primary schools and as a result their parents are learning to pray Rosary. Scarborough Comitium had a Mass for the late Legion Envoy, Mary Kennedy. A person returned to the Sacraments after 50 years.

Hamilton Comitium works in the prison and met a youth who would like to become a Catholic.

Edmonton Comitium reported a new praesidium of 5 members and in Calgary 2 legionaries spoke to a Teachers' Federation and in 3 schools. Visitation of praesidia continues.

Puerto Rico Senatus: Two new praesidia were set up. Reports include Enthronement of Our Lady in homes, a lady with Alzheimer's looked after, a Protestant man converted and jail visitation is done. A True Devotion to the Nation project had a refuse dump cleaned up, clothes made for poor children and water mains repaired.

Dominican Republic
Santiago de los Caballeros Senatus: A Curia held a mini Peregrinatio Pro Christo and 300 persons were met who had not been Baptised. Many are now being prepared to receive the Sacraments. A Jehovah Witness was reconciled with the Church before death and another is saying the Rosary and attends Parish functions. All councils promote the Hierarchy Pastoral Plan of Evangelisation.

Senatus of Santo Domingo: Legionaries promote the Rosary in homes, before Mass at funerals and Novenas. The Comitium of Santa Maria Madre de Dios has 12 adult and 1 junior Curiae with 980 active, 1,058 auxiliary and 120 adjutorian members. The Priest was brought to the sick, 715 children Baptised, couples prepared for Matrimony and young people brought to Mass. Comitium Reina de los Apostoles reports Baptisms, Marriages regularised and visitation to homes, hospital and prisons.

Senatus of Notre Dame de l'Assomption Haiti: Two Seminary praesidia work in the Seminary and in homes. Other praesidia are involved in home hospital and prison visitation. Prayers are requested for this country that suffers much from violence.

Trinidad Regia: The San Fernando Curia has 12 senior and 3 junior praesidia. Catechism is taught at Government schools and in parishes.



Visit by Officers of Birmingham, Liverpool and Scotland Senatus
The Officers of Birmingham, Liverpool and Scotland Senatus and the Spiritual Director of the Birmingham Senatus Monsignor Fallon, were present at the October Concilium meeting and were in Dublin to have discussions with the Concilium Officers. Peregrinatio Pro Christo projects were organised by Scotland to Finland, Liverpool to Sweden and Birmingham had projects in Amsterdam and Berlin.
Thanks were expressed to the Concilium for their invitation to come to Dublin. Tommy McCabe, President of the Concilium, thanked the legionaries for coming to Dublin and for the work they are doing to promote and extend the Legion.



Bernardo de Nardo - Envoy for Central Asia
More exciting news from Bernardo as he continues his work between Armenia and Georgia. His Eminence Leonardo Cardinal Sandri made a brief visit to Armenia and Bernardo had a few conversations with him telling him about the progress of the Legion in those countries as well as presenting him with its first fruits, the legionaries of the first praesidium in Armenia.

The Latin Bishop of Georgia received Bernardo and a few priests in his area are willing to start the first praesidium and with the help of much prayer this will happen soon.

Bernardo de Nardo had an interview with the Papal Nuncio of the entire area and he was overjoyed with the report of the extension of the Legion. The Nuncio said that the Legion does not need any formal presentation or recommendation as it is known and loved by all the Papal Nuncios.

Even though the first praesidium of Armenia is only a few weeks old, its President has accompanied Bernardo on the first extension trip to the interior of the country. On this trip the President of the praesidium answered most of the questions that priests asked about the Legion.

While all this action is taking place, Bernardo carries on extensive correspondence with the countries he has worked in recently. Brilliant news has come from Nepal where the first Curia is working very well and has organised a retreat for non-Catholics. Please pray for Bernardo, as at times his mission can be very difficult.



Extension Workers for Argentina
Edel Garcia and Laura Rodriguez have just returned home after finishing their offer of 6 months as Concilium extension workers. The last three weeks of their work was in the Corrientes Regia where they travelled extensively to cover all the distant councils attached.

With the Regia officers they prepared maps of the areas to plan for present and future extension trips. While visiting the councils they did home visitation with many legionaries and this was a very worthwhile exercise.

Now that Edel and Laura are home they continue their work by correspondence having exchanged e-mail addresses. They received great joy from their visit to the Regia in Corrientes because they realised the great love of these legionaries for the Legion by their acceptance of their work among them. Edel and Laura express their thanks to the Concilium for the confidence placed in them and the privilege of spreading the Legion.



Visit by Concilium to Philadelphia and Houston Senatus
5th to 17th September 2008

Annette and Raymond Mulrooney travelled to Pittsburgh for the inaugural meeting of the Regia at which there was an attendance of 66 and 9 visitors, which was a most joyful occasion. Rev. Fr. Welding is their new Spiritual Director.

Their next port of call was Philadelphia where they met with officers, discussed many issues and had a three-hour session with the personnel of Maria Legionis office. Greetings were conveyed from the Concilium to Bill and Mary Peffley on the occasion of their 50th Wedding Anniversary.

They next went to Houston, where they experienced the wrath of hurricane Ike. There was great distress among many legionaries, with the upheaval of their homes and lives. Unfortunately the Peregrinatio Pro Christo Conference had to be cancelled due to the eminent hurricane.

In New Orleans Annette and Raymond met the Officers and attended a Curia meeting and the following evening were present at a reception at the Comitium in their honour. They were told that their presence brought consolation and solidarity to the Legion in the three years of their plight.

Annette and Raymond thanked the Concilium for allowing them visit their Councils where they met wonderful and dedicated legionaries and for the prayers offered for their safe return.





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

Back to News

ARCHBISHOP MARTIN LAUNCHES LEGION OF MARY DVD

This afternoon, the Most Rev DIARMUID MARTIN, Archbishop of Dublin, launched "MEET THE LEGION" a new DVD about the activities, history and spirituality of the Legion of Mary across the world. At a premiere screening at the Legion's international headquarters in Dublin, Archbishop Martin spoke of the special mission of lay people in service of the church. With reference to the DVD, he spoke of how Legion members everywhere can help spread the joyful message of the Gospel. Priests and laypeople are co-workers in the Lords vineyard. Both are called to proclaim and to give witness by their lives to the truth that Jesus Christ who loved us first, died for us and rose again so that we can have eternal life.

Download the full press release below.

Photo Caption: (centre) The Most Rev. Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin, (right) Fr. Bede McGregor O.P., Spiritual Director of the Concilium (left) Tommy McCabe, President of Concilium Legionis Mariae

Back to News

REPORTS - Europe
Cyprus: A praesidium makes very good contacts on an apostolate to the crowd in parks, shopping centres and bus stops. Recitation of the rosary is promoted through the block Rosary crusade and visitation of the homes where families welcome the statue of Our Lady.

Gibraltar Curia: There are six praesidia in the Curia. The apostolate of a praesidium of nine members includes hospital visitation, Rosary groups, works of service and organising Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Two legionaries from the Senatus of Scotland visited this Curia in August on behalf of the Concilium.

Malta Regia: The Regia Officers had a very fruitful meeting with the Papal Nuncio. Some visible results from the reporting praesidia and Curiae were: two children, whose father is Muslim, were prepared for Baptism, a return to the Sacraments after 7 years and 2 young people were instructed for the Sacraments. Gozo Island: The Bishop of Gozo attended the annual reunion at which a presentation on Venerable Edel Quinn was given. From tourist and other contacts, two people returned to the Sacraments and a marriage was regularised.

Albania:
Ecclesiastic permission has been given for the establishment of a Comitium in Skhroder.

Italy
Officers of the three councils in Italy attended the September Concilium meeting and this report is given elsewhere in the bulletin.

Spain
Barcelona Senatus: Alicante Curia in the South of Spain reports good contacts on book-barrow work in the main area of the city. A praesidium in Barcelona visits sick prisoners.

Bilbao Senatus: The Bishop of Leon was visited and he asked that all parishes be visited. Two new members were gained. Legionaries visit former prostitutes, who are now old and sick. Santander Comitium has prepared a leaflet for Spanish speaking immigrants who are in danger of joining the sects. A report from Basauri documented good work done for youth, three of who are being prepared for Baptism.

Madrid Senatus: Each Curia affiliated to the Senatus organised a function to mark the anniversary of the Legion on 7th September. A function is planned to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Edel Quinn. Most Curiae do frequent Exploratio Dominicalis projects.

Portugal
During the year the Senatus visited 61 priests and 23 praesidia were set up. Among statistics for 2007 over 8,000 children received catechesis and 600,000 people contacted in various pastoral programmes. The Senatus visited the Azores and Madeira attending Officers, Council and praesidia meetings. Outreach was done to Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau and Mozambique.



Africa

Benin
Our Lady of Good Counsel Regia reported on work of two affiliated Comitia, 2 Curiae, 3 praesidia and asked for prayers to help its lively junior Curia to accomplish its mission. Contacting Catholics, Protestants, Muslims and Sects figured in all reports as well as good membership in all praesidia and councils. Recruiting auxiliary members and catechumens for religious instruction and Baptism was on every agenda and with excellent results.

Congo
A praesidium reporting has 22 members - 3 still on probation. Works reported dealt mainly with visitation of the homes and hospitals and crowd contact on the streets in the area. The sick, handicapped, orphans and widows are all encouraged to pray and go to Mass when possible. Efforts are made to ease many problems, to reconcile people when necessary and to get people to join catechism classes.

Lome Regia show that apostolic work and administration are excellent. The Regia has recovered from effects of power crisis some time ago and has 34 directly attached praesidia, 26 Curiae and 2 Comitia and an increased number of junior praesidia. Works include visitation of homes, hospitals, works of service where needed. Catholics, other Christians and Muslims form most of the contacts. Auxiliary and praetorian membership are promoted and Patrician meetings organised. Promotion of the Causes of Frank Duff, Edel Quinn and Alfie Lambe is ongoing. The Regia is about to undertake a new adventure in response to invitation to take part in a Peregrinatio project in Ghana.

Cameroun
Legionaries in the various councils are undertaking a variety of works.



Central America

Costa Rica
The Legion is studying the True Devotion and the Spirit of the Legion by Frank Duff; they work with the families of the sick visited in hospitals and inform the priest where necessary. The Miraculous Medal is distributed widely and a Retreat for the residents in a home for the deaf is planned. For the Corpus Christi Procession the legionaries helped to decorate the streets. The feast of Our Lady "La Negrita", patroness of Costa Rica, was celebrated with the people in the month of August.

El Salvador
93 young people received their 1st Holy Communion and 94 were Baptised. A marriage was regularised, after 6 month's visitation by legionaries; a Protestant home had the Sacred Heart of Jesus enthroned after 3 month's visitation; a legionary goes to court with a prisoner and was allowed to take him to his father's funeral. In Atheuan a senior and junior praesidia were set up and two suicides were prevented - they are now legionaries. For 2 years legionaries visited a lady who came back to the Church after 18 years, another lady came back from the sects after 40 years. The junior Curia has 5 praesidia with 72 active members. They teach children the Rosary, the Catena and bring them to Mass. Visitation of the Red Light area resulted in some prostitutes leaving that way of life.

Panama City Comitium: Each praesidium in the Comitium is visited once a year. A new Curia N. Sra. De Guadalupe was set up in May 2008 with 7 praesidia. Legion members are encouraged to study the Handbook and efforts are being made to recruit auxiliary members. There are difficulties with transport.

Belize Curia: Visitation of shut-in is done. A Mass is said in the home on special days. Terminally ill cancer patients are also visited. A new praesidium was started in March. Visitation is carried out to alcoholics, delinquent children and non-Catholics. The Rosary is taught to those met.

Nicaragua
Regia of Managua: Three praesidia reported having a total of 55 active and 95 auxiliary members. Two Curiae comprise 24 affiliated praesidia, which includes 5 junior praesidia. Good results have been reported from home visitation. Enthronement of the homes to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, statue visitation and distribution of the Miraculous Medal are some of the works undertaken. Prisons are visited and extension resulted in the formation of a junior praesidium with 14 youths.

Guatemala City
Regia of Camotán: 8 children and a catechumen were Baptised and several families have returned to the Church. The Curiae visit a praesidium each month and contact is continuing with those, which have closed. Follow-up catechism is given to 287 children and many are instructed for the Sacraments. The men's prison is visited and Exploratio Dominicalis is also carried out.

Honduras
The Senatus of Tegucigalpa: Home visitation is their main work and they also visit Protestant homes. They report that their work is interesting and challenging.



Visit by Officers of Italian Councils
The Officers and Spiritual Director of Rome Senatus, Monsignor Virgillo la Rossa, together with Officers from Milan Regia and Padua Comitium were present at the September Concilium meeting and were in Dublin to have discussion with the Concilium Officers. Giovanna Turini, Vice President of the Rome Senatus said that there are 4 Comitia, 16 Curia and 13 praesidia directly attached to the Senatus and they undertake valuable apostolate on behalf of the Legion of Mary. Attached to the Milan Regia are 2 Comitia, 1 Curia, and 7 praesidia and Padua Comitium consist of 2 Curiae, 6 senior and 1 junior praesidia. Monsignor la Rossa said he was very pleased to be here and would go back to Rome recharged and for this reason expressed his thanks.

Thanks was expressed to the Concilium by the Officers of the Italian Councils and said they were very grateful and very honoured to have been invited to Dublin and because of their discussions with Officers of Concilium they would have a stronger legionary spirit and through Our Lady, Mother and Queen, enable them to overcome difficulties. Tommy McCabe, President of the Concilium, thanked the legionaries for coming to Dublin, the correspondents with these councils, Christine Donnelly and Enda Dunleavy, and the translator Angelo Bottone.



Visit of Concilium Correspondents to Munich and Romania
Mary Fahy and Orla O'Sullivan visited Councils in Munich and Romania. They met with the Munich Senatus Officers. This council governs Bavaria and most of South West Germany. It now has about 533 active and 5,620 auxiliary members. They have about 80 Praesidia in the entire Senatus. The Senatus has 2 Comitia, 10 Curia and 11 praesidia directly attached to it. Of its 10 Dioceses there is a Legion presence in 8 of them. Some of the works carried out are home and hospital visitation, street apostolate, book barrow, visiting red light areas, apostolate to university students and the homeless. Recently a Priest with the help of a legionary instructed a Bolivian student in the faith. The legionary was his sponsor when he was baptised. Many interesting contacts are made on street apostolate work.

The Legion of Mary began in Romania about 1993 following Peregrinatio Pro Christo projects from Ireland. The beginning of the Legion is mainly due to the initiative of Brother Thomas Amzulescu. There are now eight praesidia in Bucharest itself, two in Zasi, one in Roman, two in Craiova, one in Ploiesti, one in Targoviste and one in Popesti. A praesidium in the Croplea Parish is made up of Bulgarian immigrants to Romania. A Curia was set up in 2001. Two Austrian legionaries visited Romania gave guidance to new members and arranged to have the Handbook and Tessera printed in the Romanian language.

Legionaries have special contacts in homes and hospitals and do many works of service, just to mention one - a blind lady was taught to pray the Rosary and given all necessary help. Legionaries have caught the real spirit of the Legion and priests have said that they are very glad to have such active spiritual groups working in their parishes. When Pope John Paul II viisted Romania in May 1999 he said that Romania was the garden of Our Lady.

The visits to Munich and Romania were very fruitful and legionaries in both countries expressed their gratitude to the Concilium for sending these visitors.



Bernardo de Nardo - Envoy for Central Asia
Bernardo tells us that work continues with the new praesidium in Yerevan, Armenia where home-to-home visitation is done. The families visited are delighted that someone from the Catholic Church is calling on them and the legionaries are asked many questions as there is a great eagerness to know more about God. Some of the families visited have children for Baptism and the legionaries are giving the instruction and making all the arrangements for the Sacrament. With the help of the Parish Priest a second praesidium is being set up for young people in Yerevan.

Bernardo was invited to the ordination of an Armenian Priest, which took place in Southern Georgia, where the population is mainly Armenian. Bernardo had the great opportunity of meeting other priests who work in Georgia with the Armenian community; some of them are interested in starting the Legion. One of these, a Polish Priest, who works in Armenia and Georgia, serves the Armenian community and also the Latin parish. As always, Bernardo asks for your prayers.



Extension Workers for Argentina
Edel Garcia and Laura Rodriguez have moved to Corrientes in the North East of Argentina where they will spend the last three weeks working in the Corrientes Regia area. The Regia officers were most welcoming and are very happy to work with Edel and Laura. On a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Itati, the two extension workers had a great opportunity to meet many of the 800 legionaries who took part. Their first impressions are very positive and they are delighted to see such a good mix of the different age groups, all eager to learn more about the Legion. For the next three weeks they will visit praesidia and councils and help with recruiting and extension.



Fr. John Peyton
Fr. John Peyton was present at the September Concilium meeting and spoke of his great joy at being there. He also spoke of the great help his membership of the Legion of Mary was to his preparation for the priesthood.

Father Peyton was ordained priest for the Archdiocese of Birmingham, on 19th July 2008, in his home parish of Sacred Heart and Holy Souls, Acocks Green, Birmingham. Fr. John is now Spiritual Director of a new praesidium in his assigned parish of St. Patrick's, Dudley Road, Birmingham.

Tommy McCabe, President of Concilium, wished him every grace and blessing in his priestly ministry.



LAUNCH OF A DVD ON THE LEGION OF MARY
The Most Rev. Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin, addressed the Concilium and then launched "MEET THE LEGION" a new DVD about the activities, history and spirituality of the Legion of Mary across the world. The following is the talk given by Archbishop on this occasion:

"The last time I was here in this building, as far as I can remember, was shortly before my ordination to the priesthood when as a class we came here to meet Frank Duff. It was in the years immediately after the Second Vatican Council, at which Frank had been a lay auditor. It was a moment of great change but great hope, especially for people of my generation. The world was changing with a rapidity that was remarkable and the fact that the Church was changing too gave us inspiration and hope.

Perhaps we were a little naïve in our hope. Things did not quite go in the direction that we had imagined. There were many and welcome changes in Church life, in the relationship between the Church and the world, in our liturgical celebrations. All of this seemed to herald a new Pentecost, which would change people's hearts and open them to understand and accept the message of Jesus and to live it in a manner, which was authentic to the mindset of the second part of the twentieth century. We were encouraged to see a new dialogue between the Church and the modern world, but perhaps we underestimated the challenges that the modern world would bring, if we did not at the same time set out to work for a real renewal of the Church.

I often think back to that meeting with Frank Duff. Here was a man getting-on in years but who had been able to contribute to the creation of something quite revolutionary in the understanding of the role of the laity in the Church and to see what he had intuited years earlier being recognised and encouraged by the great event of an Ecumenical Council of the Church. But he was not a man trapped in the past; he was a man who looked forward with a sense of continuity and commitment.

The changes in Church life have not necessarily produced a stronger Christian community. There is a dramatic drop in the number of priests. Mass attendance has gone down. Young people do not seem to find the message of Jesus as one, which can radically inspire their commitment and their lives.

One of the values we most need is that value of continuity of which I spoke as a characteristic of Frank Duff: continuity in the sense of consistent commitment both when things seem to be going well and when questions challenges us and we seem to have no immediate answer. That continuity is an expression of trust in God whom we know always remains faithful.

As I came here today passing from the hectic surrounding Croke Park on an All-Ireland Final day, and drove into this quiet, almost isolated corner of Dublin, I could not help but think of how many people have treaded this same roadway. I know so many Bishops and Cardinals who have made their way to Dublin, just to come here. So many lay people, distinguished and unknown, have come here or have hoped that some day they might come here, to share an experience of what the Church is. And they would have found here not a gleaming multi-story Corporate Headquarters, but a simple welcoming building, crowned not with electronic signs and slogans, but still by two of the fundamental works of care of the Legion of Mary.

Anyone watching the DVD will get a glimpse of how far the Legion of Mary has spread and how important it has been in the lives of individuals and of the life of the Church. But like the Church, the Legion is not an anonymous multi-national. It is rooted in the local Church. I was struck by one phrase in the DVD when Tommy McCabe recalls: 'your role is where you find yourself'! It reminded me of one of the great figures with whom I had the honour to work, the late Vietnamese Cardinal Van Thuan, himself very appreciative of the work of the Legion of Mary in Vietnam. Not long after his arrest, which was to endure for thirteen years, the young Bishop Van Thuan was taken away on a boat transporting common criminals to an unknown destination in North Vietnam. He thought that all his dreams about how he would exercise his Episcopal ministry were at an end. And then he reflected and said to himself: 'My cathedral is now this boat; my cathedral is wherever the Lord sends me even if it is the most unexpected and least sought-out place'.

Today the Legion is called to keep alive its original charism in the changed and changing world in which we live. And it is called to do so in harmony with the local Church wherever that is.

A singular mark of the early Church was its spirit of fellowship. Indeed one could say that 'the fellowship' is one of the early titles of the Church. Apostolate, ministry and service in the church are never the private property of those who exercise them. Every form of ecclesial ministry and service, including my own as Bishop, must be exercised in a spirit of fellowship.

The fellowship of the Church is not just a vague sense of community or working together in a planned way. It is the fellowship of those who as believers are called to holiness. That is what participation in the life of the Church means. Fellowship springs from sharing the same table of the Lord. Eucharist is at the heart of our spiritual life and of our ministry and apostolate. It is through our participation in the celebration of the Eucharist that, day-by-day, we become "worship pleasing to God" by living our lives as a vocation, doing everything for God's glory.

The DVD shows how Frank Duff and the Legion of Mary from its very beginnings developed a model of apostolate, which cherished both the contribution of priests and the essential role of laypersons. This is a model whose time has very much come. To stress the role of the laity is in no way to down play the role of the clergy. At last year's Legion of Mary Conference for Priests it was evident how laypersons can provide support for priests and I encourage you to continue on that path. It is not easy to be a priest today and priests need your support, your affection and your prayers.

Prayer is at the heart of all the activities of the Legion of Mary. May the Lord enrich the Legion in the years to come to become in our modern world a fellowship bound together in prayer, a powerhouse where new generations can learn to pray and allow prayer to be a force for directing their lives. It should become ever more a fellowship inspired by the early Church, which gathered to pray and break the bread, in the presence of the apostles, together with Mary, the Mother of Jesus."

Tommy McCabe, President of Concilium Legionis Mariae, the international governing body of the Legion, formally welcomed Archbishop Martin to the Concilium and thanked him for his words of encouragement and the spiritual support that he and many priests of the Archdiocese of Dublin give the Legion. Mr. McCabe commented that the DVD was a multimedia tool for a multimedia age that would help the Legion explain the role of the laity in bringing Christ to all under the guidance of Our Lady.

Fr. Bede McGregor O.P., Spiritual Director of the Concilium and Postulator for the Cause of the Servant of God Frank Duff, Founder of the Legion stated: "New technologies such as DVDs are to be welcomed and utilised in proclaiming the gospel message to new generations. The message, however, remains the same - that through Mary, Mediatrix of all Graces, everyone can share in the graces and rewards of a loving God who became man in Jesus Christ."

"MEET THE LEGION" is 26 minutes in duration and was produced by Dublin based documentary filmmakers, Esras Films Ltd.

For further information contact:
International Centre of the Legion of Mary,
Telephone: +353-1-8723153
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)



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

Back to News

This month I would like to focus our attention on Lourdes on the occasion of the 150th Anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady there. Lourdes is a sacred place, one of the great shrines in the Christian world, a place of pilgrimage. It is a place that has many memories for the Legion. But it is much more. It is a school and the principal teacher is Mary. It is true that we do not have to go to Lourdes to meet and converse with Our Lady. We can meet her anywhere and at any time simply by stopping where we are and quietly turning to her. Our relationship to Mary is not limited to any place or time. She is our Mother and is never absent from us. Her maternal heart is always and everywhere focused on each one of us. But Mary herself has made Lourdes extra special. She has made it a place of intense education in the faith, of profound healing and conversion but above all a meeting place with Jesus and involvement with the work of redemption.

Mary teaches us with signs and words and by her very presence. Today, following the example of Pope Benedict at Lourdes, I wish to concentrate on one of those signs. You remember the scene. At the first sight of the apparition, Bernadette instinctively tries to make the sign of the Cross but she couldn't raise her arm no matter how she tried. Then Mary blessed herself with the sign of the Cross and Bernadette was then able to make it too. At the beginning of all eighteen appearances of Our Lady they begin the Rosary together with this simple, yet profound, sign of our Faith. Bernadette was never to forget the way Mary made the sign of the Cross and this sign became very precious to her. We too as legionaries begin everything with the sign of the Cross. Five times we bless ourselves in the course of every Legion meeting. It would be good to reflect on its meaning and formative value.

Let me quote Pope Benedict from one of his homilies at Lourdes: 'This is the great mystery that Mary also entrusts to us this morning, inviting us to turn towards her Son. In fact, it is significant that, during the first apparition to Bernadette, Mary begins the encounter with the sign of the Cross. More than a simple sign, it is an initiation into the mysteries of the faith that Bernadette receives from Mary. The sign of the Cross is a kind of synthesis of our faith, for it tells how much God loves us; it tells us that there is a love in this world that is stronger than death, stronger than our weaknesses and sins. The power of love is stronger than the evil which threatens us. It is this mystery of the universality of God's love for men that Mary came to reveal here, in Lourdes. She invites all people of good will, all those who suffer in heart or body, to raise their eyes towards the Cross of Jesus, so as to discover there the source of life, the source of salvation.' One of the great truths that Mary teaches us at Lourdes is the centrality of the Cross of Christ in our lives. Everything is given to us on the Cross. There is nothing more to give. The sign of the Cross is the sign of our redemption. This simple sign tells us that the infinite treasures of the Heart of Christ are offered to us.

Like the Church as a whole so the Legion, in particular, must be riveted on the Cross of Christ. "In order to be healed from sin, gaze upon Christ crucified!" said Saint Augustine (Treatise on Saint John XII, II). By raising our eyes towards the Crucified one, we adore him who came to take upon himself the sin of the world and to give us eternal life. And the Church invites us proudly to lift up this glorious Cross so that the world can see the full extent of the love of the Crucified one for mankind, for every man and woman. She invites us to give thanks to God because from a tree, which brought death, life has burst out anew. On this wood Jesus reveals to us his sovereign majesty, he reveals to us that he is exalted in glory. Yes, "Come, let us adore him!" In our midst is he who loved us even to giving his life for us, he who invites every human being to draw near to him with trust.

The Cross of Christ is central to our prayer life through the Mass and the Sacrament of Penance, the sorrowful mysteries of the Rosary and the Stations of the Cross and the frequent blessing of ourselves. But it is also an instrument in our work of evangelisation. We remember the little story that our Founder tells in several articles and letters: 'A Protestant had been attending some of our functions for a long time. One day Bro Hanratty said to him: "Is it not a peculiarity that a good man like you should refuse to make the Sign of the Cross which has always been the acknowledged symbol of our Redemption". The next time they met, the other solemnly blessed himself and said: "You made a point there, John. It is time I step into the Church". Sequel: a daily Communicant who valued his new faith supremely. God makes use of every little circumstance to lead people into the Church, but we must provide those circumstances. Operation must enter in somewhere.' Mary stood by the Cross and she wanted the whole world to look to the sign of the Cross at Lourdes and surely this is a major part of the apostolate of the Legion. We need to be able to explain the meaning of the Cross to those we meet especially the non-Christian person and we must enable them one day to bless themselves with the sign of the Cross.

Back to News

The Handbook is certainly the most authoritative source for understanding the Legion of Mary and the interior life of our Founder, the Servant of God Frank Duff. But the surest means for interpreting the Handbook are the books, articles and letters of our Founder. The Legion will certainly be impoverished if it should ever neglect these writings. They often expand the concise teaching of the Handbook, provide the context and development of his basic convictions and fill in any gaps there may be in the Handbook. While the Handbook contains everything essential for the Legion the other writings of Frank Duff are a precious interpretative tool and inspiring complement to it.

Today I would like to reflect on the Assumption of Our Lady in the light of one of Frank Duff's writings: 'Mary Our Dear Supplement'. One cannot help thinking that our Founder rooted his whole Legion life in the title Mary our Mother. He argues that it can happen that by mechanical repetition this title can lose some of its force. But he begs us not to let this happen because it contains all that God intended it to mean. God is opening his heart and giving us a precious gift in this title. He writes: 'Mary loves us utterly but in a sense going beyond the emotional - which by itself would amount to little. Her love is nourishing and practical. It takes in every aspect of our lives. It is as vital to us as the mother is to her baby. But it is more comprehensive. The baby after birth can get along without its mother but the soul cannot manage without Mary. This is clear from the ordinary teaching of the Church. Mary has been made by God to be a part of salvation. Therefore that part must be acknowledged and co-operated with.'

Many spiritual writers, including great saints, have expressed themselves by saying that if all the love of every mother that ever lived were contained in one heart that heart would not love us as much as the maternal heart of Mary. This line of thought brings us to the point of admitting that we cannot fully comprehend Mary's mothering of each one of us. But for Frank this does not go far enough and he writes: 'But her maternal heart ascends almost infinitely beyond that. It has been incorporated into the secret Plan of God (Ephes. 1:9) as an expression of the divine love itself; and even made the turning point of that plan.'

Mary's motherhood surpasses that of nature in every way. But Mary is our mother in a totally selfless, wholly attentive and joyfully effective way. Let me quote Frank again: 'As her destiny is motherhood, first of Christ and then of man, God has moulded her to that function so that it has to operate to perfection.'

Nor should we make a radical distinction between the love, which she gives to Jesus and that which she gives to us her other children. For she sees Jesus and His members as one, practically identified; and it is the same sort of love, which she bestows on them all. Accordingly, her love is unique, invincible, inexhaustible. It cannot be shaken off or forfeited. It is proof against the worst of behaviour. It triumphs against ignorance and even hatred. Hers is the faithful love which never varies.'

But where does all this fit in with the Assumption of Our Lady? Well, in the Assumption Mary becomes even more profoundly our Mother. In the beatific vision she sees each one of us with the greatest possible clarity, detail and love. She is assumed into heaven not only as the Mother of God but inseparably as Mary Our Mother. It is a feast of tremendous hope. Through the grace of Jesus she has opened wide the gate of heaven to us. Because she is our Mother we are now in the heart of God because she stands there beside Him interceding for us. What a great sign of hope and consolation it is for us that Mary is body and soul assumed into heaven as our Mother. To some extent we are all aware of the lack of real effort in our quest for sainthood and in our very limited generosity in the apostolate of saving souls. But Mary is especially the Mother of her spiritually handicapped children, the refuge of sinners. Many of the saints said they would spend their heaven in doing good on earth. What must Mary spend her heaven doing? She is so truly and profoundly our Mother that there can be no limit to her intercession for us.

Let me conclude by another quotation from our Founder for whom the inexhaustible riches of the title Mary Our Mother were a central part of his life and the method of his life long desire for the salvation of souls in, with, and through Mary 'As this is something for which every man longs in his heart but never experiences on earth, the mere suggestion that it is available to him through Mary will exercise an attraction. It is unquestionable that people are moved by presenting that thought to them. Then to think about Mary from that angle opens the door to her influence in their souls. Out of this consideration alone we must discuss Mary with everyone. She is their mother and they must know her. They must receive her mothering, which is vital to them. As the Legion has been so insistently proclaiming to you, the germ of love for her has been implanted, irrespective even of Baptism itself, in the heart of every man. Instinctively it will respond to a favouring touch.'

Back to News

REPORTS - Europe
Austria: Senatus of Austria and Countries under their care:The Senatus has approximately 1,000 active legionaries. Comitium Innsbruck held a meeting for Spiritual Directors at which 5 attended. Twenty-five attended a similar meeting organised by Comitium Hollabrunn. Sixty auxiliaries attended a day of recollection in Oststeiermark (Comitium Graz). A junior praesidium in Vienna, invite children to spend 15 minutes at Eucharist Adoration.

Croatia
Comitium Zagrebwith 22 directly attached praesidia and 4 Curiae have started 3 new praesidia, 2 of which are in Varazdin diocese. Curia Zagreb South has obtained permission for the Legion to start in Macedonia.

Bosnia and Herogowina
Legionaries introduced the Legion to students in Sarajevo and a junior praesidium was started in Zepce. Ill and elderly Orthodox people met during visitation are put in contact with the Orthodox Priest. Muslims met are happy to accept the Miraculous Medal.

Slovenia
The Archbishop has appointed a Spiritual Director to the Curia of Ljubljana. A Peregrinatio Pro Christo project there in June brought much fruit.

Slovakia
Curia Trnava has 9 praesidia with 68 active legionaries. Comitium Zseliz has 23 directly attached praesidia with 151 active members.

Moldavia
The Curia comprises 10 senior and 1 junior praesidia with a total membership of 114 legionaries.

Belarus
The Comitium and attached Curiae are all making extension efforts. New praesidia have started in Molodechno and Glubokoye Curiae. A legionary in Glubokoye Curia has entered the Convent. Baranovichi Curia reported the joyous news of the ordination of the first priest since pre-soviet times. In a praesidium in Stolbtsy, legionaries visited a paralysed lady for 6 years. A junior praesidium has 7 members in the 14-16 age group who are doing substantial work.

Hungary
Budapest Regia:four new praesidia have been set up, one Curia split and a praesidium closed. Works carried out are recitation of the Rosary on Catholic radio, preparation of the sick and abandoned for Easter Confession and bringing priests to the dying.

Latvia
A praesidium of 3 with 46 auxiliary members visit the women's prison in Riga twice monthly where they pray with the inmates and distribute religious literature. The Comitium established a new praesidium in Talsi. The Bishops attended the Acies ceremony in each of the 3 Curiae in their respective dioceses.

Lithuania
A praesidium of 10 active members with 84 auxiliaries reported on visitation of homes and hospital. Items discussed at Comitium were visitation of praesidia and organising retreats for legionaries.

Poland
Lublin Regia: two Spiritual Directors celebrated Jubilees of their priesthood. Canon Climinski of Zamosc Comitium 40 years and Canon Josko of Katowice Comitium 50 years. Chelm Curia reported that 2 years visitation of a couple by legionaries resulted in the reception of the Sacraments of Penance and Matrimony after 40 years.

Ukraine
Zhitomir Comitium: The Bishop was present at the 15th Anniversary celebration of the founding of the first praesidium in Zhitomir. Ten people were prepared for the Sacrament of Penance and some for First Holy Communion and Matrimony. Developments in the rest of Ukraine are contained in the report of Elisabeth Kriss elsewhere in the bulletin.



Africa

Nigeria
Enugu Senatus: There were more than 10,000 legionaries at the inauguration of the Senatus. They are preparing for a Spiritual Directors' Conference in 2009.

Ibadan Senatus: The University Curia organised a retreat for non-Catholics. Benin City Regia reported 294 marriages ratified, 414 lapsed returned, 433 converted and 33 praesidia established. Lagos Regia: One Comitium set up 29 senior and 20 junior praesidia and a junior Curia in a year and a 90-year old convert joined the Legion. One Curia reported a brothel manager resigned after contact with legionaries. Abuja Regia: Three Curiae had a total of 31 converted including 18 Muslims, 23 lapsed returned and 7 marriages regularised. Jos Regia: Two Curiae prepared a total of 69 for Baptism, 128 for First Communion and 91 for Confirmation and 6 couples had their marriages blessed. Onitsha Regia: A Curia helped 12 couples have their Marriages in Church, prepared children for the Sacraments, established a new Curia and had 19 returns to the Sacraments. Kaduna Regia: A Comitium reported having over 2,000 active members and 5 junior Curiae attached. Works include hospital and hostel visitation and 1,500 were baptised and many Legionaries recruited.

Uganda
Senatus of Uganda: In one area it was noted that minutes in Venerable Edel's writing still exist. Acies reports included those from two Curiae, which had a combined total of 1,058 students from 32 schools at their ceremonies, while Acies ceremonies in 5 prisons had a total of 320 in attendance. Activities of the Legionaries in Ggaba Seminary include work in the seminary and visitation of the sick in the community, two hospitals, a baby's home and Kampala University where they train students how to conduct meetings.

Sudan
The Ugandan legionaries visited there in the spring. There is great poverty and unrest in the country, but devotion to Mary is very strong. They got a good welcome and found the praesidia they started were working well. Legion knowledge is very variable from place to place and there are many languages.

Malawi
Blantyre Regia: At the request of the Catholic Secretariat, a meeting was held with the Regia Officers and Legion Chaplains for all the Dioceses. Among topics discussed were Legion funding, elections, etc. This meeting was found to be beneficial and another is due to be held in 6 months.

Zambia
Lusaka Regia: The Regia has 22,631 active, 1,794 juniors and 824 auxiliaries members. Officers continue to conduct training workshops. Members visit a psychiatric hospital and pray with the patients. Five non-Catholics were instructed in the faith and one joined the Legion and a Jehovah Witness has started instructions. Twenty children were prepared for the Sacraments.

Gambia
The Legion in Banjul Curia is growing slowly. A new praesidium has been set up in a village.

Tanzania
Hai Comitium: Works include visiting Christian Communities, the sick, schools, teaching children to pray, organising youth praesidia and members visited Nairobi for the Venerable Edel Quinn Mass. Mtwara Comitium: A letter received told of a Mass of Reparation on 8th December with 73 legionaries present. A seminar, retreat and night adoration were also held. Dar-Es-Salaam Comitium: A visit to Zanzibar showed good work being done, despite the Moslem environment. Kilema Comitium has 10 Curiae and 9 praesidia attached. One Curia has 5 praesidia in out-stations. All Curiae are holding Masses to commemorate Venerable Edel Quinn.

Kenya
Senatus of Kenya: His Grace Archbishop Ndingi, retired archbishop of Nairobi, was the chief celebrant at the Mass at Venerable Edel Quinn's grave in May. There was a large gathering of legionaries from Uganda and Tanzania. Kisumu Regia reported 1629 catechumens were baptised and 1213 catechumens recruited for instruction. A former witchdoctor is under instruction. Many are reconciled with the church on their deathbed. The second praesidium set up by Venerable Edel Quinn had a very successful Exploratio Dominicalis project.



Asia

Hong Kong
Hong Kong Comitium: Two praesidia attached to the Comitium are responsible for catechism classes in four parishes. In the past year 42 adults and 12 children were baptised, 2 Protestants were converted. Monthly visits are made to a prison where prayer and hymn singing take place. Preparation of pupils in a primary class, where all were baptised, but have yet to receive Holy Communion. In his Allocutio of May the Spiritual Director Fr. Lok said that we learn from De Montfort and abandon ourselves from self-satisfaction.

Singapore
Singapore Senatus: Works carried out include helping at catechism classes; one Moslem was converted to the Catholic faith.

Taiwan
Taiwan Senatus: spanThree new praesidia were established with the encouragement of the Bishop and Spiritual Director. Seventeen people, including 2 children were baptised through instruction by legionaries. Instruction in the faith is being given to both juvenile and adult inmates in prisons.

Japan
Osaka Senatus: A praesidium attracted many new members through its challenging works. Three new praesidia have been set up in Nagasaki Curia and one praesidium undertakes the visitation of the lapsed as its main work.

Kuala Lumpur Regia: Works include visits to a home for HIV patients; also to Catholics and non-Catholics in a Leprosarium, weekly book-barrow, Catechetical ministry, Sunday school, RCIA and BEC activity, befriending and visiting lapsed Catholic families.

Indonesia
Jakarta Senatus: The Campus Curia (University) has 15 praesidia, the main work is contact with youth.

Bandung Comitium has a praesidium in the Army. A Curia in South Bekasi undertakes the visitation of an orphanage and people suffering with strokes.

Malang Senatus: The officers' attendance at the June meeting was 100%. Atamba Comitium is preparing to form two Curiae.

Korea
Seoul Senatus: Suwon Regia has 2 new Comitia, 5 new Curiae and 271 new praesidia, including one junior praesidium. They now have 31,309 active members and 1,797 juniors. Inchon Regia reported an increase of 9 Curiae and 74 praesidia including 5 juniors. Their active membership rose by 887 to 24,168. Wonju Regia has a new Comitium and a new Curia with 16 new praesidia and 5 junior praesidia. Reports from 7 Comitia show a total of 15,816 senior and 711 junior members. Praetorian, Adjutorian and Auxiliary membership show increases. Reaching out to those who have not got the Catholic faith is a major part of the Legionary apostolate.

Gwangju Senatus: Three Comitia have 14 senior and 4 junior praesidia. Reports show people being invited to the Church and being invited to receive the Sacraments



South America

Argentina
Buenos Aires Senatus: On statue visitation the legionaries teach the families how to say the Rosary. Most families including those who belong to the sects accept the statue. New praesidia are being set up especially in the La Plata Regia. Eleven priests, 4 permanent deacons and 2 religious sisters attended the annual meeting for Spiritual Directors.

Cordoba Senatus: There was an attendance of 29 at a conference for young adult legionaries, many of whom had their first introduction to the Legion Breviary. Many were interested in becoming Praetorians. A Spiritual Director was available for Confession. After the talks each day, the legionaries did street contact and home visitation and many valuable conversations were held with young people who frequent internet cafes.

Salta Senatus: A prison Chaplain has praised a men's praesidium for halting the advance of the sects amongst the prisoners. A special work is the recruiting for 24-hour Eucharistic Adoration. Among the results were: one man gave up gambling and a complete family returned to the Sacraments. A praesidium did Exploratio Dominicalis a few times during the year.

Rosario Regia: For the centenary of Venerable Edel Quinn all praesidia had Mass celebrated. A Curia with 13 praesidia reported 29 adults receiving Baptism and 25 returns to the practice of the faith. The sick are visited at home and in hospital. Another Curia with 14 praesidia gained 21 new members and prepared young people for the sacraments.

Brazil
Belo Horizonte Senatus: Weekly visits, recitation of the Rosary and Gospel reflections, encouraging parents to send their children to parish catechesis and prayers in apartment blocks are works undertaken. Works of service include bathing of the sick and cleaning their homes. Prayers are said with street children and beggars in the city bus station.

Fortaleza Senatus: The Comitium of Crato had 68 Enthronements of the Sacred Heart in homes. Sobral Curia reported 22 adults receiving Baptism and First Holy Communion. Three of their praesidia carried out Exploratio Dominicalis. Natal Regia, which set up three new Curiae, reported 39 Enthronements and João Pessoa Regia had 75 Enthronements and had 37 children and 30 youths prepared for Baptism and 17 youths Confirmed.

Ponta Grossa Senatus: Most Rev. Dom Sergio Arthur Braschi, Bishop of Ponta Grossa, was the Chief Celebrant at Mass in the Cathedral on the occasion of the formal and joyful inauguration of the new Senatus of Ponta Gorssa, which took place on 10th May 2008. A report shows 1,277 Bible groups meeting weekly. Lages Regia reported on the preparation of many for the sacraments and the return of sick people to the sacraments.

Recife Senatus: Newly established in April, the Senatus got off to a good start with one new Comitium and two new praesidia set up in the first month. In a new parish the Legion helped to set up a catechetical centre, school of Faith, with 93 enrolements. Legionaries bring Holy Communion to the sick and provide a nursing service.

Rio de Janeiro Senatus: Reports show the conversion of a former Pentecostal Pastor and his son, a Spiritualist leader. Belem Regia has 3 new praesidia, 3 new Curiae and 4 new Comitia. Vitoria Regia reports extension in the capital and the São Mateus diocese. In Amazonia, 3 new Curiae were set up.

Salvador Senatus: An apostolate to youths at risk is carried out. In Maragope, legionaries prepared 80 children for the Sacraments and 50 youths for Confirmation. The latest minutes show the setting up of 2 Comitia, 2 Curiae and 3 praesidia. Apostolate to the sick, as well as promoting their spiritual welfare, includes nursing care.

São Luís Senatus: The Senatus reports Christian marriage of 102 couples and the holding of 82 courses teaching the use of the Bible. 162 Legion officers from 13 diocese of the new Senatus attended a two-day conference with talks by Spiritual Directos and other Legion officers.

São Paulo Senatus: Reports show an apostolate to street girls, to people on the street and to prisoners and their families. In Cuiabá, 20 youths and 13 adults received First Holy Communion and 32 youths and 10 adults were Confirmed.

Brasilia Regia: Extension is ongoing in three dioceses. One of the Bishops said he would welcome the Legion with open arms.



Visit by Officers of Lithuania Comitium
The Officers of Lithuania Comitium, President Janina Placinskiene, Secretary Davia Butkevicienc, Treasurer Dane Basangova, Fr. Feliksas, Spiritual Director of a Curia, Adomas Palys, who was the translator, were present at the August Concilium meeting and were in Dublin to have discussions with the Concilium Officers. The President Janina said that there are 22 praesidia and 6 Curiae directly attached to the Comitium. Some of the works undertaken are home and hospital visitation, recitation of the Rosary on Radio Maria, preparation of contacts for instruction and the Sacraments, Patrician groups, contact with youth and there is one junior praesidium attached.
Thanks was expressed to the Concilium for establishing the Legion in Lithuania and Tommy McCabe, President of the Concilium, thanked the legionaries for coming to Dublin and for the work they are doing to promote the Legion in their country.



Elisabeth Kriss - Extension Worker in the Ukraine
Elisabeth Kriss arrived in Dublin on Wednesday 13th August 2008 having spent the past year doing extension work in the Ukraine. Her amazing work has resulted in the Legion being extended to many cities of the Ukraine.

Elisabeth arrived in Kiev in September 2007 and during her first month worked in the South-West part of the Ukraine where some of her achievements were to start a junior praesidium in Kamenets Poldolski, met the legionaries of the Hungarian speaking praesidia in Mukatschewo, hold a one-day school for legionaries at which True Devotion to Mary was explained, arrange to have the Tessera, Frank Duff prayer leaflet and other Legion material translated and printed in Ukrainian. After meeting with Bishop Leon, he wrote a letter recommending the Legion of Mary to all Bishops in the Ukraine.

When Elisabeth was working in Eastern Ukraine a praesidium was started in the main parish in the city of Zaporoschji and praesidia were established in Donetsk, Makeew, Torez, Gorliwko and in Krasnoarmejsk. In Lugansk a prayer group was transformed into a praesidium and in this city a Curia was established on the 16th June.

The Curia Kamenets Podolski was split and resulted in a new Curia in Slobidka Rachnowtska with 5 senior and one junior praesidia which had its first meeting on 16 April 2008 and a new Curia in Tschernwisti was also set up on the 23rd April with 5 praesidia. One of Elizabeth's last undertaking was to establish 3 new Curiae in Lugansk, Donetsk and Nikolaew.

She met with several Bishops and priests, all of these encounters were useful and productive and the Bishop of Bronislaw invited her to address the Priests' in Easter week; she also attended the Priests' Conference, which was very fruitful and a priest in Odessa, attending this Conference, brought her immediately to his parish where she started a new praesidium.

The first Legion summer school was held from the 5th to the 8th June in Letichev where 40 legionaries from all over the Ukraine were present. There was evidence of great joy and friendship where all aspects of Legion spirit and government were discussed.

She said it was a year of grace, but Our Lady was with her! What a wonderful accomplishment she has achieved for the Legion and more importantly for Our Blessed Lady. The Concilium express their deep gratitude to Elizabeth for her dedication and hard work and the contribution she gives to the Legion apostolate for the Church.



Bernardo de Nardo - Envoy for Central Asia
Bernardo de Nardo has been working with the legionaries of the first Praesidium set up in the capital Yerevan, Armenia. While training the new legionaries, Bernardo is helping them not to become discouraged if they do not see instant results. The seeds for success are being sown at this time. There are three young members in this praesidium and they are doing an apostolate of contacting their own age group encouraging them to come to Church and also start a young adult praesidium.

Other work being undertaken with the new legionaries is the visitation to a home for elderly who were delighted to have the visits. This work will be done once a month, as home visitation is a priority at the moment. Also, the new legionaries visited a home run by Mother Teresa's congregation who care for handicapped children.

Bernardo met the Patriarch of the Armenian Catholics, His Beatitude Nerses Petros XIX who resides in Lebanon.

Special prayers are asked for the new legionaries of Armenia and their neighbours, Georgia, who are experiencing hardship.



Extension Workers for Argentina
Edel Garcia and Laura Rodriguez have finished their work in the Cordoba Senatus area and are preparing to spend the last weeks of their 6 months extension period in the Corrientes Regia area of North East Argentina.

They are giving great importance to the training of the new officers of the youth praesidia they set up during their stay in the Senatus. The main works they have taught the new legionaries are home-to-home visitation as well as street contact.



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

Back to News

One of the most striking facts about the history of the Legion of Mary is that so many men and women of all ages have discovered their vocation in and through the Legion. So many legionaries have become priests and religious. And this continues to be a fact. So many have discerned their vocation to marriage and life in the domestic church through the Legion and this too continues to be a fact. And literally millions of lay people have been brought to a realisation that they are called to be saints and to the lay apostolate through membership of the Legion. And this also continues to be a fact. I mention these things because this is a year dedicated to the promotion of vocations - priestly, religious, marriage, and the vocation and mission of all the laity. During this vocation year, I will try to speak a little about all the vocations, but today I would like to speak about the vocation of the priest and the role of the Legion in this particular vocation.

The Universal Catechism writing on the meaning of the priesthood quotes the Cure of Ars: 'The priest continues the work of redemption here on earth. If we really understood the priest on earth, we would die, not of fright but of love. The priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus.' The priest is the servant of the real presence of Jesus on earth. The whole meaning of his personal existence is to give Jesus to others. What a desolation the world would be if there was no Eucharist, if there was no sacrament of the nearness and total accessibility of Jesus to each one of us. How full of despair and discouragement the world would be if there was no Sacrament of reconciliation, that Sacrament of God's infinite affirmation of the sinner and tender encouragement. The Sacrament in which Our Lord personally proclaims his love of the sinner no matter what he may have done and whatever he may think about himself. 'I came to call sinners' is the central cry of Christ in the Gospels. How sad it would be if the sick and the dying were never to meet the healing Christ in the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. There are so many ways in which Christ comes into our lives and in God's providential plan he comes especially in and through the priest.

At ordination the priest receives the priestly character. This means he is changed in the core of his being, his very soul is branded by the power to always and everywhere act in the person of Christ, the Head and Shepherd of his mystical Body, the Church. The priest does not say at the consecration: 'This is the Body of Christ' no he says 'This is my Body.' And at the absolution in Confession he does not say 'Christ absolves you' but 'I absolve you.' The priest is not a substitute for Christ like one teacher may substitute for another or a doctor do locum for another or even as Our Lord's ambassador or representative. By the priestly character at ordination the priest is configured to Christ the priest so that it is Christ Himself who acts in and through the priest. The Cure of Ars was right when he said that if we really understood the gift of the priesthood to the Church and the world, we would die of love. No one will ever be able to do justice to the vocation of the priest.

But when we say that the role of the priest is to make Jesus present in our world, who does this remind us of? It reminds us of Mary whose specific vocation is always to bring Jesus into our world and to each one of us personally. Mary and the priest have exactly the same goal although they bring it about in very different ways. Because of this identity of purpose, the priest must turn to Mary if he is to be truly a priest and fulfil his vocation. No one brings Jesus into the world more effectively than Mary. Only she can teach us how to be one with Jesus and how to bring Him to others. The life of the priest will be profoundly impoverished if it neglects its Marian dimension, that is, Mary's maternity of every priest and her special role in his inner life and his entire ministry.

And where does the Legion come into this picture of the vocation of the priest? Well the Legion has the same purpose as the priest although it too fulfils this purpose in a different way. The reason for the existence of the Legion is simply to bring Jesus into the world in, through and with Mary. The Legion seeks to share in Mary's maternity of mankind. It would be difficult to exaggerate the intimacy that should exist between the Legion and the priest. It is Mary who joins them together because they both seek to bring Jesus to the world through Mary.

Finally, the Legion knows well that the priest lives out his vocation amidst many personal limitations and personal sin. He carries his treasure in an earthen vessel and so the Legion has a great ministry to priests. Legionaries are called to intercede incessantly for priests especially through adoration of the Eucharist that comes to us through the hands of a priest. In this year dedicated to promoting vocations, may the Legion worldwide seek to renew its understanding and love of the priest and encourage them in their work as spiritual directors in the Legion. The Legion needs to be a place where the priest can experience the joy of the Gospel, where he can be encouraged by the apostolic realism and commitment of the laity, and especially experience the presence of Mary among us. In the absence of this true spirit of the Legion, the priest will gradually but inevitably abandon the Legion and so both the Legion and himself will be deprived of many graces. Let us hope that nothing will undermine the profound bonds between the priest and the Legion.

Back to News

REPORTS - Europe
Scotland: Scotland Senatus: Extension efforts are progressing. Reporting Curiae in Edinburgh and Greenock have a total of 23 praesidia. Homes and schools are visited. A book barrow is operated in Paisley and Greenock from May to October. A Curia in Glasgow reported that 4 of its praesidia do school contact and one of these gave out 33 presentation packs to children preparing for the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Confirmation. A Glasgow praesidium organises a bus to the Shrine at Carfin on a monthly basis.

England
Birmingham Senatus: A new praesidium was set up in St. Patrick's parish, Dudley. Visits were made to two Mosques by legionaries in a parish, which is mainly Muslim. Those contacted were very open for discussion. The main work of 2 city praesidia is home visitation where many lapsed and those of other faiths are met. One person was received into the Church and a lapsed Catholic returned to practice after many years. The membership of Birmingham Junior Curia is 26. A half-day retreat was organised for juniors in Lent. Bristol Curia uses a book barrow in Bristol City centre twice monthly with good contacts. At the request of the Spiritual Director of Cornwall Curia, two Priests from Ireland - Fr. Michael Kennedy and Fr. Michael Ross were invited to give a presentation on the Legion at a Deanery meeting at which 16 priests were present. Three of the priests present have expressed an interest in starting praesidia.

Liverpool Senatus governs 16 attached praesidia, 5 Comitia and 8 Curiae. Newcastle Comitium has 30 senior and 1 junior praesidia attached and a new praesidium was set up in Gateshead after a P.P.C. project. Manchester Comitium reported the visitation of residential homes where residents receive very few visitors and the organisation of Rosary evenings in homes on special occasions (anniversaries or deaths). One praesidium attended 33 Baptisms and helped lead the responses. Another praesidium organised 24-hour exposition of the Blessed Sacrament to promote the Cause of the Servant of God, Frank Duff. Most praesidia have a large number of auxiliary members who subscribe to the Legion publication - Maria Legionis. The Senatus was visited by a Concilium officer and the Concilium correspondent in April.

Westminster Archdiocese: The new Westminster Curia is doing very well. Many of the praesidia have been visited and encouraged. One reported visitation of homes, hospitals and a prison. A new praesidium has been set up at Hackney.

Brentwood Comitium held a recruitment drive in Becontree and one of the 2 attached Curiae has gained 6 new members. A Mass to commemorate Venerable Edel Quinn was held in Hainault.

Southwark Comitium has new praesidia in South Bermondsey and Walworth. Recent reports included one from an intermediate praesidium with 35 members whose works are centred on church related activities. One praesidium visited 120 non-practising Catholics inviting them to Church events leading up to Christmas.

Northampton North Curia has 6 attached praesidia and Northampton South Curia has 4 with 28 members. Works in both Curiae include visitation of the sick organising public Rosaries and involvement in parish Sacramental programmes. Daily lunchtime Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is organised/promoted by one praesidium.

Leicester Curia supported the May ecumenical procession which is in its 7th year and which had 350 people in attendance.

Wales
Cardiff Comitium with 5 attached praesidia also governs Gwent Curia with 3 praesidia. An appeal by the parish priest of Abergavenny resulted in 18 new active members and 15 auxiliaries.

Swansea Curia: There are 4 praesidia attached and 4 Parishes have been approached for extension. Street contact continues in the City centre.

Wrexham Curia: Bishop Edwin Regan attended the Acies ceremony.

Germany
Munich Senatus: 23 members attended the winter school and after a session of discussion they visited the homes of First Holy Communion and Confirmation children. In April a talk was organised on "Europe and Christianity". A praesidium of 14 members gives their auxiliaries great attention, does street apostolate, contact prostitutes and visit bars. A large Nursery group is organised in Curia Amberg-Weiden and Patrician meetings are held. Curia Altoetting has set up an emergency interpreting service for foreigners and Augsburg Comitium visits university students on campus and helped to instruct a Bolivian student to become a Catholic.

Frankfurt Senatus: The Korean Curia has 8 praesidia. One of its works is to follow up newly baptised people who lapse from church.

Cologne Regia: Curia Moenchengladback reported it has 4 praesidia whose works include prison visitation. The junior praesidium in Neuss has 3 Croatian members. Through a book barrow in Bonn, 5 new members were recruited.

Berlin Comitium comprises a Korean Curia and 6 directly attached praesidia. Some Senatus officers visited the Nuncio in Berlin who praised the Legion for its apostolate to people, which is carried out with an appropriate sensitivity.
Switzerland:

An officer from Curia Zurich attended a Frankfurt Senatus meeting. The Curia has 7 praesidia and 29 active members plus 17 probationers. An information afternoon in Winterkur resulted in the recruiting of 3 new legionaries. The praesidia in Bern and Zurich contact Jehovah's Witnesses and visit the Red light area. Each of the Curiae in Luzern and Olten has 3 praesidia

Siberia
Legionaries from the Frankfurt Senatus hope to visit the praesidia in Aschinsk, Bogotol and Krasnayarsk in September.

France
Paris Regia: a new praesidium of 13 members who are mainly from the Ivory Coast organised a function for 50 priests and religious from the Ivory Coast who are studying in Paris. Another new praesidium in Amiens for people from Capo Verde is making good progress.

Valence Regia: Mgr. Lagleize, Bishop of Valence presided at the Acies. A praesidium at Montelimar with 11 members, who visit hospitals and nursing homes, organises a prayer meeting and recitation of the Rosary. The two junior praesidia at Chateauneuf de Galaure are composed of boarding school students including 19 girls and 7 boys.

Mont de Marsan Regia: Legionaries in Lourdes bring a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes to the homes to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the apparitions. The praesidium at Saint Sever, which was established 50 years ago, has 9 active and 100 auxiliary members and the one at Seignosse, which is a year old, has 6 members. Strasbourg Senatus: A new praesidium has been set up at Trimback in Northern Alsace and there is another one for youth at Brumath. One legionary made a presentation on spiritual combat for youth preparing for World Youth Day.

Norway
The praesidium in Tonsburg continues its apostolate.

Sweden
One of the 5 praesidia in the country has 10 members, an increase of 6 since last year. A Filipino priest in the parish recruited many of the new members.

Denmark
12 members in the Copenhagen praesidium visit the sick, teach catechism and organise a family rosary crusade.

Belgium
Brussels Senatus: 16 Filipino members of a praesidium in Molemback carry out a varied apostolate among their compatriots. Other legionaries contact refugees and visit hospitals.

Antwerp Senatus Beringen Curia reported the visitation of old folks, catechetics and contact with young people being prepared for the sacraments.

The Netherlands
Amsterdam Senatus: The Korean Curia has 4 praesidia, 2 senior and 2 junior and the praesidium started in Africa House 2 years ago has 8 zealous members. Legionaries who visit street girls reported that 2 of them have reformed.



Middle East

Israel
Jerusalem Comitium reports cover solid apostolic work.



Africa

Ghana
Accra Senatus: Visitation of the prisons has recently commenced. A praesidium carries out an apostolate to fishermen and fishmongers. Good reports of contact work and preparation for the Sacraments by all praesidia and Councils reporting. Two praesidia in the university of Ghana established another Praesidium. A newly inaugurated Curia carried out a project and were well received.

Kumasi Regia (1 Comitium, 11 Curiae, 12 praesidia) has 1872 members, established 12 new Praesidia. They organised a successful weeklong project, doing home visitation and contact work in the markets etc with 275 legionaries participating in 15 teams to parishes in Mampong diocese.

Angola
Benguela Senatus Mass was celebrated on 13th April 2008 in the Cathedral to mark the inauguration of the Senatus of Benguela. The retiring Bishop of Benguela, Mgr. Dom Oscar Braga, and the Archbishop of Lubango, Mgr. Dom Zacarias Kamwenho, concelebrated the Mass with more than fifty priests. The large attendance included Deacons, Religious Sisters and Brothers, Seminarians, representatives of other apostolic movements along with officers and legionaries from all over the Senatus area. The Governor of the Benguela Province and his wife, other members of the Provincial Government and some members of political parties also attended. Also present was the Pastor of the Evangelical Church of Benguela. Bishop Dom Oscar said it was an occasion for great joy and thanks to God and Our Lady and he thanked the Concilium for raising Benguela to Senatus. Archbishop Dom Zacarias also thanked the Concilium for raising Huambo, where he was born, to Regia, and Lubango, where he is Archbishop, to Regia.

Mozambique
Maputo Regia: There has been no recent news from the Regia, however, some time ago the Lisbon Senatus sent on a letter from a Consolata Father in the Lichinga Diocese in the north of Mozambique, who found the Legion in the parish when he arrived there. He had one handbook, which he has studied a lot, and has developed the Legion in several parishes and now has three Curiae with 13 praesidia and he was enquiring about where to affiliate them. Father writes that he finds the Legion is a good instrument of the Church in their country that it is nurturing and revitalising their Christian communities and by the nature of the Legion's vocation, the zeal of the legionaries is spreading to other faithful who were rather cold in their faith. Lisbon Senatus is hoping to get some Legion literature out to him. Father had a very fruitful and encouraging meeting with the Spiritual Director of the Maputo Regia, who is now in a parish about 50 miles from Maputo.

Lesotho Senatus: There are only five directly attached praesidia. Mother of the Church Comitium has 4 directly attached praesidia and 3 curiae which has a combined attachment of 9 praesidia. Immaculata Conception Curia reported 107 children taught catechism.

Zimbabwe
Hwange Comitium The rosary is promoted on home visitation and couples are encouraged to marry in church. Attendance at Comitium is poor but legionaries have to travel long distances and transport is a problem. Mutare Comitium: A letter was received in May from the Comitium. The Comitium is continuing to meet but life is very difficult for the legionaries. Home visitation is undertaken and legionaries have started visiting the outstations. Many lapsed are encountered. In August 07 the Mutare legionaries had a mini Congress, which the Bishop attended. He was very encouraging to the legionaries and reminded them that they are instruments of the Holy Spirit and are part of the international Legion.

South Africa
Matatiele Comitium One praesidium reported 74 preparing for First Communion, 3 marriages validated, and 17 baptisms

Durban Comitium: A praesidium of 8 members visited 110 non-catholic homes, 75 were received into the church, some were from other churches and some non-Christians.

Marianhill Comitium: The meetings are well attended and lively.

Capetown Senatus: Home Visitation. Visits are centred on the aged, lapsed Catholics, the sick and dying, the disabled and bereaved families. Visits are also made to non-Catholic and Muslim homes at their request for prayers at time of sickness and needs. A legionary facilitates a literacy class at Victoria Hospital and on a farm in Paarl. A hostel for the blind and a number of hospitals are also visited.



Asia and Oceania

Australia
Sydney Senatus: Legionaries will be on duty during World Youth Day. Solomon Island: A new praesidium was set up in the Seminary. A retreat organised by the Vietnamese legionaries had over 400 present.

Melbourne Senatus: Masses were offered for The Servant of God Frank Duff and Venerable Edel Quinn. In Hobart, Tasmania an outdoor function attracted Africans. Kiribati carried out an Exploratio Dominicalis in another village. Brisbane Comitium held a recruiting drive and 10 people were interested in Legion membership. A Patrician meeting had an attendance of 25. Legion of Mary packs were prepared to distribute to young people on World Youth Day.

New Zealand
Auckland Senatus: A junior Curia with 6 praesidia and 82 members help run a piety stall, visit elderly, circulate 6 pilgrim statues and visit First Communicants to explain the Rosary. Two Comitia, 2 Curiae and 5 praesidia reported distributing Rosaries in schools, giving assistance at funerals and making follow-up visits to the bereaved. One lapsed person returned to the practice of the faith and is now in the Legion.

Papua New Guinea
Madang Regia: Legionaries in this Regia are involved in helping people disengage from witchcraft and sorcery. Many conversions from the sects are reported.

Philippines
Cebu Senatus: Twelve junior praesidia were set up in a convent and a new Curia is to be formed. Juniors are encouraged to join the senior ranks when they reach the age of 18. Legion awareness activities in the University attracted 100 nurses. Many converts from other faiths were reported and extension is ongoing.

Bicolandia Senatus: Promotion of the 3 Causes was introduced on jail visitation. A campaign for enthronement of the Sacred Heart in homes was undertaken. Encouragement was given to the sick to receive the Sacraments and also to youth to attend Mass and the Rosary was promoted - all featured in reports. A family, who converted to a sect, was through regular visitation brought back to the Catholic faith. Wonderful work was done in repairing chapels destroyed by Typhoon Reming. This is certainly True Devotion to the Nation.

South Philippines
Cagayon de Oro Senatus:Conversions, regularisation of marriages, preparing people to receive the Sacraments figure prominently in most reports.

North Philippines
Manila Comitium: Legion membership has increased and 9 juniors graduated to senior ranks. Two Patrician meetings were organised in the City jail. A former active legionary of Vigan Comitium was ordained a Priest and 2 legionaries entered the seminary. Makati Comitium: Of the 371 non-Catholics encountered, 20 converted to the Catholic faith. A Congress was held last October. Three legionaries entered religious life. An Exploratio Dominicalis and extension drive resulted in some inactive praesidia being revived.

Plaridel Comitium A Congress was held in August 2007.

San Fernando Comitium had a new Curia established comprising 7 senior and 2 junior praesidia.

Baliuag Comitium had 812 children and 110 adults baptised, while 200 persons were confirmed and 17 marriages validated.

Novaliches Comitium had a massive campaign to recruit male members. An extension committee was organised to oversee the recruiting and training of new members. Maria Legionis was promoted and sales increased.



Election of Concilium Vice President
Nominations were sought for the office of Vice President of Concilium as Síle Ni Chochláin's first term of 3 years had expired. Síle's name was proposed and seconded and as there were no other nominations, she was duly elected Vice President of Concilium for a second term.



Election of Concilium Assistant Treasurer
As Aileen O'Donoghue's first term of 3 years as Assistant Treasurer of Concilium responsible for literature had expired, nominations were sought for this office. Aileen's name was proposed and seconded and as there were no other nominations, she was duly elected Assistant Treasurer of Concilium for a second term.

The Concilium President, Tommy McCabe, congratulated both officers on their re-election and wished them every grace and blessing.



Elisabeth Kriss - Extension Worker in the Ukraine
Elisabeth Kriss reported 3 new Curiae were established in the Ukraine since the last Concilium Meeting.

On 18 June, Mary of the Morning Star Curia, Lugansk was established and 4 officers elected. There are 2 praesidia attached.

On 28 June, a new curia in Donetsk was established and 4 officers elected. There are 4 praesidia attached.

On 5th July, Mary of Perpetual Help Curia, Nikolaew was established and 3 officers elected. There are 6 praesidia attached.

She has been granted a visa for Belarus and plans to go there at the end of July for a short visit to meet the legionaries in Minsk and Baranowitchi. She returns to Austria on 5 August.



Bernardo de Nardo - Envoy for Central Asia
The great news from Armenia is that the Bishop was happy to give permission to start the Legion throughout the whole country. The first praesidium has been started and has had 3 meetings. This praesidium is in Yerevan, Capital of Armenia.
In the interview with the Bishop, Bernardo explained how the Legion trains the laity to take an active part in the apostolate of the Church. The Bishop had seen the Legion in action in Greece, Brazil and France and also some nuns at the Bishop's palace had worked with the Legion in Syria. The parish priest of the Cathedral suggested a campaign of prayer for the success of the start of the Legion in that country. Bernardo has been recruiting after Masses in the Cathedral as well as working with the new legionaries. He hopes in a little while to take some of these new legionaries with him to different parts of the country to start more praesidia.

Bernardo is overjoyed at the Bishop's permission and of having the privilege to be present at the first Armenian praesidium. He asks for many prayers for the new Armenian legionaries and their Spiritual Directors.



Extension Workers for Argentina
Edel Garcia and Laura Rodriguez continue setting up praesidia of young people in the Cordoba Senatus area of Argentina. In most cases local legionaries have helped them.

Edel and Laura are putting the final touches on the Youth Conference. Some young legionaries from the outlying councils attached to the Senatus have promised to attend. This would be the first time the young legionaries of the Senatus would have met together. Over the weekend the legionaries hope to do crowd contact with youth on the streets and plazas in the area where the Youth Conference will take place. It is hoped that Edel and Laura will visit the Regia of Corrientes and make a visit to a neighbouring country before they complete their 6 months extension.



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

Back to News

REPORTS - Europe
Cyprus: Legionaries are engaged in the promotion of the Rosary through Pilgrim statue visitation and block Rosaries.

Gibraltar
Gibraltar Curia has six praesidia and a total membership of 50. There is a praesidium in each of the parishes in the Dioceses and the Cathedral Parish has 2 praesidia.
Malta Regia: A praesidium of 6 members do home and hospital visitation and reported the return of a lapsed Catholic to the Sacraments and a good contact with a Jehovah Witness. Many tourists contacted are of other faiths or lapsed Catholics. Another praesidium organised a half-day retreat for auxiliaries and friends and prepared children for the Sacraments. Other works in the reporting Curiae were Patricians, contact with expectant mothers where abortion was avoided, sea and prison apostolate.

Albania
The correspondent and Spiritual Director visited a number of praesidia in Albania and also attended the Acies. In Skhroder they organised a 2-day type Congress to which all legionaries were invited. Skhroder Curia and Sapa Curia have 32 and 24 praesidia respectively.

Italy
Rome Senatus held a unified Acies in St. John Lateran Church to mark the centenary of the birth of Venerable Edel Quinn with 1,000 persons participating. Mgr. Mauro Parmeggiani, General Secretary of the Rome Vicariate presided and Mgr. La Rosa, Spiritual Director of the Senatus, gave the homily.

Milan Regia: After visitation to apartment blocks and homes, many returns to Confession and Mass were reported. Genova Comitium held an Edel Quinn day at a city centre Church and celebrated its 60th anniversary.

Padova Comitium: Juniors in Silandro recite the Rosary each month on Radio Horeb and took part in a 3-day retreat in January.

Spain
Barcelona Senatus: One praesidium reported visiting prisoners and their families. Legionaries also instruct parents who wish to have their children baptised and a successful Patrician meeting is run by a Curia.

Bilbao Senatus: The Comitium of Santander has 119 active, 54 praetorian and 249 auxiliary members. Legionaries in Logrone Comitium carry out an apostolate to immigrants and gypsies. Leon Curia has 140 active, 75 praetorian, 655 auxiliaries and 230 adjutorian members.

Madrid Senatus: The principal work of a praesidium, set up 30 years ago, is working in the red light district of the City. Many of the girls have left the street and follow-up visits are made. Catechism instruction is given to their children and two of them received First Holy Communion. The Curia in Seville gives great importance to home visitation and contact with youth on the University Campus.



South America

Colombia
Bogotá Senatus: Praesidia directly attached to the Senatus held a Congress recently, which was very successful. A Comitium reported that it gives particular attention to apostolate to young people and another is making direct contact with Protestants.

Medellin Senatus: A team of 26 legionaries together with local legionaries carried out a PPC project. 2,186 homes were visited and a large number returned to the practice of their faith and received the Sacraments. A lady and her two sons, who were members of a sect, were prepared for Baptism. Legionaries broadcast the life of Frank Duff and devotion to him is encouraged.

Paraguay
Senatus of Asunción: A PPC project in which 53 legionaries from different parts of the country took part, was carried out in the Cacupé area. As well as home-to-home visitation, the legionaries also did street contact work. In all about 8,000 contacts were made.

Bolivia
Senatus of La Paz: There was an excellent report from the attached Comitium of Sucre where the Bishop and priests are Spiritual Directors to praesidia. Two new praesidia were set up. Arising from the home-to-home visitation, an entire family of Adventists not only came back to the Church, but joined the Legion as active members.

Chile
Senatus of Santiago: Junior legionaries prepared a tea-party on Mother's Day for the legionaries who are mothers.

Uruguay
Senatus of Montevideo: At the request of a priest, and as a result of great extension efforts a praesidium was set up. A praesidium was also set up in a senior citizen's home.

Ecuador
Senatus of Quito: Resulting from book barrow and street contact apostolate, a number of conversions were reported. Two new praesidia were set up.

Venezuela
Senatus of Caracas: Exploratio Dominicalis projects and Columban recruiting drives are carried out regularly with the result that the Legion is growing steadily. Both the Senatus and the attached councils report new praesidia set up, a number of praesidia were revived and a number of former legionaries have returned to the ranks.

Cuba
Comitium of Havana: Reports indicate great progress in the Legion and the number of praesidia has increased from 26 to 94 during the last few years. Some of the legionaries are catechists and a large number of both adults and young people attend for instruction.


Africa

Rwanda
Kigali Senatus has 24 Comitia, 18 Curiae and 20 directly attached praesidia. Byumba Comitium has 20 Curiae, one of them in a prison and one in a Congolese refugee camp. The Kilbungo Comitium has 11 Curiae - one in a secondary school and one in a prison. Works include visitation of homes, hospitals, orphanages and prisons. They support sick, elderly and handicapped people and help them prepare for Confession and Holy Communion and also encourage the lapsed to resume their religious duties.

Reunion Island
Works undertaken in St. Denis Comitium include home visitation, teaching catechism to children and prayer at wakes. After 20 years of marriage a couple had their marriage regularised.

Madagascar Curia: The works undertaken in this Curia include home and hospital visitation and preparation of adults and children for the Sacraments.

Mauritius Island:
Port Louis Regia reported that the Junior Curia organised a seminar on AIDS. Apostolic works included visitation of homes, teaching catechism, preparing children for the Sacraments and organising retreats.

Burundi
The Senatus of Gitega takes reports on the worldwide Legion and on the Allocutio given at Concilium. The Spiritual Director urges members to take Frank Duff as their model.

Central African Republic
14,000 legionaries attended the celebrations of the Diamond Jubilee of the Legion in Bangui and Central Africa. The Regia President, gave a presentation on the history of the Legion in their country. Prayer, psalms and Rosary meditations were part of these celebrations. The total membership for the country is 42,036 and 3,586 auxiliaries.

Democratic Congo
Kinshasa Senatus: Report from Mother of Joy Comitium mentions high level of spirituality among members.
Butembo Senatus: a new Comitium has been set up and good results from a parish in Bunia Diocese where Sunday is indicated as a special day for visiting prisoners.
Lubumbashi Regia: A new Regia has been set up at Kolwezi bringing the number of Regiae in Katanga Province to 3.



North America

U.S.A.

Philadelphia Senatus: A Seminary praesidium does work in the prison, schools and visits the sick. Scranton Curia set up a praesidium in prison. Muslims, Jews and Protestant are contacted.

Boston Senatus: The Pilgrim Statue is brought to homes and the Sacred Heart has been enthroned in some of them. Non-Catholics are invited to parish functions.

Chicago Senatus: One Curia has 10 praesidia attached, 3 of which are in the local jail. Two prisoners received their First Holy Communion and Confirmation. Members of a junior praesidium share their Faith with non-Catholics. The new Archbishop of Joliet attended the Curia meeting. As a result of the Acies appearing in the Diocesan paper, new members were obtained. There are now 1,000 members in the Archdiocese.

St. Louis Senatus: New praesidia have been set up in several councils. 18 converts were reported and a prisoner Baptised and Confirmed in Lincoln Curia. In Nebraska, Seminarians were given Handbooks. Eleven year olds were taught to pray with their mothers at a Prayer group.

San Francisco Senatus: Legion stands were set up at many fairs. An abortion was prevented and a legionary is now the child's Godmother. Door-to-door visitation is done and the Pilgrim Virgin and Prison Ministry carried out.

New York Senatus: North Bronx Curia has 138 seniors and 38 juniors. Works reported include contact work at a Church, home and hospital visitation. Rosaries are said in the home of the deceased. A suicidal patient was taught the Rosary and when sent home became an auxiliary.

Houston Senatus: A legionary spoke on National Radio on Venerable Edel Quinn. Bible and Rosary sessions are held at a drop-in centre for street people. The president of a prison praesidium on his release joined his local praesidium. An E Day (evangelisation day) in a Hispanic community made over 1,000 contacts including non-Catholics. The Vietnamese Curia has divided two very large praesidia into three.

Los Angeles Senatus: Phoenix Comitium established 5 new praesidia. Exploratio Dominicalis projects and Patrician groups are on the increase.

Arlington Regia. Each attached praesidium has a Spiritual Director. An Exploratio Dominicalis project established a new praesidium.

Miami Regia: Archbishop Favalora has issued a letter to all his pastors reminding them of the Legion's splendid record of outreach to souls.

West Indies
Senatus Notre Dame de l'Assomption Haiti: A reporting Comitium has 11 attached Curiae and 9 praesidia with an active membership of 2,378. A new praesidium for young adults was set up.

Senatus of Santiago de los Caballeros: Reports covered 4 Comitia and 2 Curiae with a total of 2,500 active, 2,200 auxiliaries, 42 Praetorians, 4 adjutorians and 2 Patrician groups. Works included home, hospital and prison visitation. Instruction is given to children and adults for Baptism, First Holy Communion and Confirmation. Masses were celebrated to commemorate Frank Duff, Edel Quinn and the founding of the Legion

Santo Domingo Senatus: In September Mass was celebrated to commemorate Venerable Edel Quinn in the Cathedral of Santo Domingo and each month one of the attached councils holds a special function at which a talk is given on Edel. The Curia Arca de Alianza has 7 praesidia and reported 433 children prepared for 1st Holy Communion and 22 children baptised. Other works included prison visitation where they had a retreat and Stations of the Cross for the prisoners on Good Friday. During Holy Week 12 members went on a mini PPC to a deprived area with little contact with the Church and visited 212 homes, taught Catechetics to children, recited Rosaries, and had a Holy Hour. They recommended to the Parish Priest that a praesidium be formed and offered their help.

San Juan Senatus, Puerto Rico: 8 adult and 3 junior praesidia have been set up.


Canada
Montreal Senatus: New praesidia have been set up and works include bringing Holy Communion to the sick, teaching Catechism to children in the presence of their parents. A suicide was prevented.

Toronto Regia: Many praesidia are preparing to undertake the True Devotion to Mary. The principal and teachers of a school are very supportive to the Legion. The students are taught the Rosary. 86 inmates have been visited in prison and one requested Baptism. Toronto Korean Comitium visits nursing homes, hospitals and the bereaved. Mississauga Comitium has an average of 20 people at their Patrician meetings. Peterborough Curia teaches Catechism and visits new parishioners. Prison visitation is done in Scarborough Curia. In Halifax Curia a young woman is being helped with her drug problems.

Edmonton Comitium: A new Curia for the Korean community has been set up in Calgary. A talk on the Rosary was given in a boy's school and Rosary beads distributed. Non-Catholics attend a Liturgy Service arranged by the legionaries when a priest is not available. An attached Curia has 10 praesidia with 72 active and 400 auxiliary members and a junior praesidium.

Ontario Senatus: Work reports include religious education for 1st Holy Communion children after Sunday Mass. A candle light procession was held on the Feast of the Holy Rosary and a talk was given on the Pioneers.

Vancouver Comitium: 11 Curiae and 16 praesidia are attached to this council. The Comitium is faithful in visiting its attached praesidia. New praesidia have been set up.



Visit of Officers of Riga Comitium, Latvia
Officers of the Riga Comitium, Latvia Silvija Lipina President, Janina Paulina Vice President, Irena Pontage Secretary, Marija Cirse Treasurer and Fr. Andzejs Keziks the Spiritual Director of a praesidium in Riga had a meeting with the Concilium Officers on Saturday 14th June and attended the Concilium meeting on the Sunday. The Comitium has 12 praesidia and 3 Curiae. In addition to home and hospital visitation they visit prisons, shelters for the homeless, public places, parks and do street contact. The legionaries expressed thanks to the two legionaries from Concilium for founding the Legion in Latvia in August 1994 and to the Concilium for the great reception given to them in Dublin.
Concilium President, Tommy McCabe, thanked Fr. Andzejs and the legionaries for the work they are doing for the Legion and for their readiness to travel to Concilium.



Election of Concilium President
As Tommy McCabe's term of 3 years as President of Concilium had expired, nominations were sought for this office. His name was proposed and seconded and as there were no other nominations, he was duly elected President of Concilium for a second term. Tommy McCabe sought the prayers of all legionaries so that he would faithfully carry out his duty as Concilium President.



Extension Workers for Argentina
In their most recent report, Edel Garcia and Laura Rodriguez, tell of not only setting up new praesidia but also working with local legionaries. They are planning a PPC project which will be composed of young legionaries from councils affiliated to the Senatus and will take place in Cordoba City which is a university city attracting third level students from all over Argentina and neighbouring countries.
In many of the parishes where new praesidia are being set up the two extension workers are permitted to speak at the Masses and later contact outside the Church recruiting new members.



Mary McQuaid, R.I.P.
Mary served as President of Spouse of the Holy Spirit Curia and as an Assistant Secretary of the Concilium, with particular responsibility for the Concilium Bulletin. She became a Concilium correspondent doing correspondence with Legion councils in Portuguese-speaking countries. Mary went to Portugal for two or three months to learn the Portuguese language better. Later she became the leader of the Portuguese Group and served in that capacity for about 25 years. In 1994 she was happy to see the Legion in Portugal develop to the point of having a Senatus in Lisbon and continued to correspond with it until her recent illness. She was also correspondent with the Regia of Cape Verde. Only last year, she looked after groups of officers from both Lisbon and Cape Verde, who came to visit the Concilium. In her desire to share the Catholic faith with people abroad, she also took part in many Peregrinatio Pro Christo projects and also took on the burden of chairing the PPC committee for the past seven years. We are grateful to her family for supporting her in her legionary service and we extend our sympathy to them especially to her sister, Norah and her brother, Frank. Mary died on Sunday, 1st June 2008. May her generous and faithful soul rest in peace.



Servant of God Frank Duff Commemoration Ceremony
Glasnevin Cemetery - 8th June 2008
The Annual Commemoration Ceremony for the Servant of God Frank Duff took place in Glasnevin Cemetery on Sunday 8th June 2008. There was an attendance of approximately 400. Fr. Bernard J McGuckian, S.J., who is currently Central Spiritual Director of the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association, gave an inspiring and uplifting address, which was a fitting tribute to Frank Duff. Afterwards there was a procession, led by Fr. McGuckian and Fr. Liam O'Cuiv, to the graveside while reciting the Rosary and singing hymns. Prayer for the beatification of the Servant of God Frank Duff was included in this ceremony.


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

Back to News

Recently we celebrated the feast of the Visitation. This led me on to thinking about the place of home visitation in the vision and apostolic life of the Legion. The Handbook has much to say about home visitation. It begins by saying: 'Though not its initial venture, the visitation of homes has been traditionally the preferred work of the Legion, its special occupation everywhere and its avenue of greatest good. It is a characteristic of the Legion. Through this visitation, personal contact can be made with a great many people and the Church's concern for every person and every family can be shown.'

In his letters Frank Duff points out on numerous occasions the centrality of home visitation in the Legion scheme of things. So for instance he writes to Fr. Wesseley, the first Spiritual Director of the Legion in Austria and whose cause for beatification has been introduced, as follows: 'We see that the basic work of the Praesidium will be the visitation of homes in the parish of St. Charles. This is good, for visitation is the principal work of the Legion, the foundation of all other things, which grow out of it. You will find it a remarkable way of bringing souls to God. In fact I am sure that you will be astonished by the fruits of grace, which you will observe to proceed rapidly from this work. I trust that the Parish Priest will thus be rewarded for his goodness and his enterprise in permitting the Legion to take its first roots in his territory.' Recently we had the good news that the book 'Mary Shall Reign' has been reprinted and there you will find the chapter on the 'The Spirit of Home Visitation'. It really is a masterpiece of insight and presentation. Every Legionary should read it again and again.

The importance of the home is so obvious and yet so neglected. The overwhelming number of those who have given up the practice of the faith have passed through Catholic schools and been given some kind of religious education. But they have come from prayerless homes. I will quote just one paragraph from our Founder on his view of the matter. 'So I voice two ideas: First, religion taught in a cold, official way has no higher place in the children's minds than any other school subject. Second, even religion admirably taught in the school has too much to contend with in the world to be able to stand unaided. Here is the tale of a heroic experiment. In France during the last century, faith was pinned on the schools as the means of bringing back the nation to the Church. Prodigious effort and sacrifice were thrown into the building and running of Catholic schools. Calculation showed that by pouring out each year so many children who would marry and multiply, the Catholicising of the country would inevitably be accomplished. It did not work out thus. Great good was done, but the total theory was found to be a delusion. The children lived in their Godless homes, and it was the homes that decided the issue. And so I talk to you about the Home, the fortress of society, and the privilege you have of being able to enter it.'

But let me go back to the feast of the Visitation because it gives us an example of how Mary herself made a home visitation and after all we legionaries do our visitation in the spirit of Mary and with her. First she goes simply to be of help in whatever way is possible. Then she brings Jesus into the home of Zachary and Elizabeth, this is the greatest blessing of all to the home. Isn't this what every legionary wants ultimately to do as well, namely bring our Lord to homes together with Mary? It is while meditating on the Visitation that John Paul II refers to Mary as the First Evangeliser. No sooner has she received God into her womb and heart at the Annunciation than she begins the work of bringing Him to others. The visitation of the Legionary is not simply a social visit although its immediate object is to establish friendship and trust. Ultimately the legionary must bring Jesus into the home. He must talk religion at some stage. He is in the business of saving souls.

At the Visitation we see an example of Mary as Mediatrix of all Graces. It is the Child Jesus who is the source of the grace that brings joy to John in the womb of Elizabeth but Our Lord uses Mary as his instrument. It is at the sound of her voice that the child leaps in the womb of Elizabeth. As legionaries we must allow Mary to use us as her instrument in the visitation of homes.

Finally, I want to stress that it is at the Visitation that we have the revelation that the dominant characteristic of Mary is her faith: 'Blessed are you who has believed'. As the Legion of brothers and sisters who work with Mary and through her, faith must be the hallmark of our lives and apostolate too. But it must be a faith inseparable from charity. As we pray in the concluding prayers of the Tessera for 'a lively faith animated by charity that will enable us to perform all our actions from the motive of pure love of you, and ever to see you and serve you in our neighbour'. Dear legionaries make sure that at least some members of every praesidium are doing home visitation in the spirit of Our Lady of the Visitation. There is so much at stake in this apostolate.

Back to News

Today is Trinity Sunday so inevitably we turn to that profound and beautiful chapter in the Handbook on the Legionary and the Holy Trinity. Often good Catholics live and love the mystery of the Holy Trinity before they try to understand it and search for images and analogies to explain it in so far as it is humanly possible. We make the sign of the Cross so many times during our Legion meetings. And of course we bless ourselves with the sign of the Cross frequently during the day. It is a simple reminder of the central truths of our faith, the mystery of the Trinity, the Incarnation, and redemption. In the name of the Father we remember that it is the love of the Father that sends the Son among us to live and die for us. In the name of the Son we remember God's proclamation through Him that He loves us personally, passionately and infinitely. The Son affirms us by proclaiming in his passion and death that each one of us is infinitely worth dying for. And of course the whole work of redemption and our sanctification is done in the power of the Holy Spirit. He is the personal love between the Father and the Son and the heart that beats behind all creation and especially our personal human existence.

Recently, I made my first pilgrimage to Lourdes with a large group of Legionaries and I took time to meditate very carefully on what Our Lady did and said at Lourdes. In the first apparition she teaches Bernadette how to really make the sign of the Cross and they make the sign of the Cross together at every one of the apparitions. The life of Mary while on earth and now in heaven is a total immersion in the inner life of the Holy Trinity and she really wants us to live the same kind of life. The chapter in the Handbook on the Legionary and the Trinity seeks to form us in the same message as Our Lady of Lourdes.

I would love to just read the whole chapter aloud to you but time prevents that. So I will just quote St. Louis Marie de Montfort as given in the Handbook: "Let us recall here, as a proof of the dependence we ought to have on Our Blessed Lady, the example which the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit give of this dependence. The Father has not given and does not give his Son except by her. He has no children but by her, and communicates no graces but by her. God the Son has not been formed and engendered except by her in union with the Holy Spirit; neither does he communicate his merits and his virtues except by her. The Holy Spirit has not formed Jesus Christ except by her, neither does he form the members of our Lord's Mystical Body except by her; and through her alone does he disperse his favours and his gifts. After so many and such pressing examples of the Most Holy Trinity, can we without an extreme blindness dispense ourselves from Mary, and not consecrate ourselves to her, and depend on her? (St. Louis-Marie de Montfort: Treatise on True Devotion, Par. 140).

Recently, I reread once more a great deal by and about Edel Quinn. I noted that her two favourite quotations from the New Testament were 'God is Love' from St. John and 'In Him we live and move and have our being' from St. Paul. If we put these two texts together, we have a magnificent and beautiful basis for a healthy interior life. Edel loved to reflect on the fact that we dwell in God's heart and He is infinite Love. Central to her prayer life was the mystery of the indwelling of the Trinity in her heart. She habitually treasured this presence of God within her by grace even in the midst of a, sometimes, hectic life of meetings and correspondence and endless personal contacts. In her retreat notes she makes the resolution time and time again: 'Try and adore the Holy Trinity in our soul, even in the midst of trouble or external duties.' Or again she writes: 'To be with Him in union with Mary - just loving Him in my soul during the day, during travelling, uniting my actions with the similar actions done by Him whilst on earth.' I think that God has given the gift of Edel to the Legion to remind us of the primacy of contemplation in the lay apostolate, to invite us to form the habit of living the mystery of the Indwelling of the Trinity within us. We must practice the presence of God if we are to be truly lay apostles. Without this practice we can so easily become superficial in our life and engage in a mere vanity apostolate. May I recommend to you the little pamphlet by Fr. Anselm Moynihan the former vice-postulator for the Cause of Edel entitled: 'Edel Quinn: A life in the Trinity'.

Today on the Feast day of the Holy Trinity, which takes place this year in the month of May, let us ask our Mother Mary for this gift of a great devotion to the Indwelling Trinity. Let us never cease to ask for it because it really is the secret of Mary and of all the saints, and is the secret of all Legion Apostolate.

Back to News

REPORTS - Asia
Hong Kong Comitium: Works reported on were crowd contact, Sunday schools, catechism instruction, gatherings for people of other beliefs and distance learning Catechism, prison visitation and follow-up.

Singapore Senatus: The Junior Curia reported giving talks in primary schools and organising a Legion camp while the Tertiary Curia organised Patrician meetings, did student contact and run a book-barrow. Three members of the Senatus went on a mini Peregrinatio to Macau in October.

Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Regia in addition to the usual works of home and hospital visitation, organise Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), visit HIV and leprosy patients, do prison visitation, visit the disabled and cook for the homeless. These works are undertaken by Chinese, Tamil, Filipino, English and Malayii speaking legionaries.

Japan
Osaka Senatus: Much attention has been given to the Nagasaki Martyrs. A praesidium set us in 1954 continues with its membership.

Taiwan Senatus: Twenty-five people were received into the Church as a result of the work of legionaries in one Curia and 6 people in another Curia.

Korea
Seoul Senatus: Two Comitia with a total of 526 praesidia recruited 11,308 catechumens of which 1,319 were baptised. The Senatus has 7 Regiae attached, one in each of the 7 Dioceses.

Gwangju Senatus: Masan Regia has 11,934 members; they invited 5.006 people into the Church. One Comitium increased its membership by 161.

Daegu Senatus: All councils reported recruiting Catechumens varying in number from 6 to 84. Baptisms reported on numbers between 2 and 12, while returns to the Sacraments were between 2 and 115. Many reports featured visits to hospitals and welfare institutions. Andong Regia has a total of 2,876 active members.

Indonesia
Jakarta Senatus: reports show a variety of works being done including teaching the disabled, street children and catechumens. They organised a seminar to teach the Faith. They visit and help councils and weak praesidia. 1,250 legionaries attended an annual Mass on the 8th September.

Malang Senatus: 150 legionaries attended a Retreat organised by one Comitium. The same Comitium is organising a conference for junior legionaries.

Thailand
The Cardinal Archbishop in Bangkok attended the Acies. A Comitium reported for 2 Curiae and 14 directly affiliated praesidia have 51 probationers. Catholics living in remote areas, families with un-baptised children, orphans and disabled people are visited, members help with Mobile Clinics, visit foreigners sick in hospital and the life of Edel Quinn is being read and explained to young people in schools.

Sri Lanka
Due to the untiring efforts of one dedicated Spiritual Director, the number of praesidia in one Comitium rose from 18 to 30. A praesidium cares for destitute boys in an orphanage. One former student is now in his second year in the seminary. In one diocese which is predominantly non-Catholic, 6 praesidia are working diligently. Colombo Junior Curia has 6 praesidia in schools and 5 in parishes, 75 active and 100 auxiliary members. Members brought 348 to daily Mass and organised a May procession. Schools are being visited despite the 'bad situation' in the country. Another Comitium set up 12 senior and 3 junior praesidia.

Myanmar
This report covers a period of 3 months prior to the cyclone, which hit the country. Between 30 and 50 attended the Senatus meetings. Works include visitation of homes and hospitals, accompanying the priest on sick calls and enthronement of the Sacred Heart in homes.

India
Karnataka Regia: Two praesidia were set up in a parish, one with 25 and the other with 22 members. The curia reporting in February has 6 praesidia with 115 active, 4,500 auxiliary and 6 adjutorian members. The Regia itself consists of 5 comitia, 6 distant and 11 nearby Curiae and 7 directly affiliated praesidia. It has a total of 8,460 senior and 1,200 junior active members, 3,285 auxiliary 980 adjutorian and 950 praetorian members.

Chennai Regia: Minutes are very informative and give excellent detail on reports presented and comments made arising from reports. Topics needing consideration are aired and returned to at a later meeting for decision. Extension is continuing throughout the Regia area and reports are taken from the councils of the Madurai Archdiocese. In home and hospital visitation Catholics, Hindus and Muslims as well as others are encountered. In the Kottar area the Comitium has 25 senior curiae and 13 directly affiliated praesidia with a total membership of 7,514. The Regia suggested that more comitia be established. Exploratio Dominicalis and Mini Peregrinatio projects are carried out and in his allocutio the Spiritual Director commended the faithful soul to bring into the church an unfaithful one. All councils are being encouraged to organise functions to mark the centenary of Venerable Edel Quinn.

Mongolia minutes are now being received in Korean.

Pakistan
Is another council, which sends informative minutes to the correspondent portraying the real Legion spirit. Our Lady of Hope Junior praesidium presented its first report with 16 members and a 90% attendance. Great assistance is given at parochial level, and people are recruited for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and for the recitation of the Rosary and they assist the senior members. The Curia praised the praesidium for the excellent training being given to the members of the praesidium. A senior praesidium with 7 members has an 85% attendance. They conduct bible classes for 200 children aged between 4 and 14 years, prepared children for Holy Communion and Confirmation. The junior boys praesidium attached has 34 members aged 10 years and over. For support they occasionally send a senior member to the 3 Urdu speaking praesidia in the parish. They conduct a HIV awareness programme for parishioners, arrange medical check-ups for homeless boys including those with cataracts and iron deficiency. Extension efforts resulted in the re-start of a praesidium. His Grace Archbishop Evarist Pinto concelebrated a bilingual (Urdu and English) Mass with 5 priests at the Acies at which he preached on the theme of 'We can never ignore the cross, it is the centre of our Faith.' He commended the work of the legionaries and their loyalty to Our Blessed Lady.



Central America

Honduras
Senatus of Tegucigalpa: Visitation of prisons and youth work are carried out by the Curia of Asuncion.

Guatemala
Comitium of Camotan: 14 children were baptised. Numerous couples received the sacrament of Marriage, and reception of First Holy Communion and Confirmation were reported. The junior legionaries visit the sick and elderly, doing some domestic duties for them. Praesidia carried out Exploratio Dominicalis and several new praesidia were set up.

Nicaragua
The Regia of Managua: Legionaries evangelise in parks where they meet young people. They also contact people in buses, in the market and with "corner girls". The Rosary is being recited in the homes, and the sick are visited with the priest and Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist. Extension is being carried out.

Belize
Members of Belize Curia visit homes and also go to terminally ill cancer patient. They are actively promoting the Rosary. One praesidium has a block Rosary campaign, 30 families in each, and the Rosary is prayed daily. A Curia member, on her transfer to the Island of San Pedro where the Parish Priest knew the Legion, set up a praesidium of 9 members, which started in March.

El Salvador
Senatus of San Salvador: A junior Curia of 15 praesidia has three new praesidia and 5 new adult ones. It was reported that works undertaken resulted in 227 First Holy Communions, 172 Confirmation and 29 Marriages. In the Comitium of San Miguel, a praesidium has only one literary member; is doing great work and a Jehovah lady and her son are receiving instruction. Many contacts have returned to the reception of the Sacraments, some just before death.

The Regia of San Vincente reports that there is a praesidium in the jail, 19 children and 1 adult of 50 received First Holy Communion and is now a legionary. The junior Curia has 7 praesidia and 70 active members. Home visitation resulted in 6 returns to the Sacraments and 21 came back to the practice of their faith.

The Regia of Santa Ana has large numbers of returns to the faith and conversions. A junior praesidium was set up. Four junior praesidia in Chalatenango work in a very difficult area and in order to be on time for the meeting, sleep in places nearby.

Mexico
Mexico City Senatus: Legionaries carry out a variety of Legion works, street contact is done regularly, also contact in buses, trains and taxis. The mothers of children, who are attending catechism classes, are also prepared for the Sacraments. Godparents are instructed prior to baptising the babies. Extension continues, a number of new legionaries have been recruited and some who left have returned. Many have returned to the practice of the faith.

Merida Senatus: All praesidia do home visitation each week. Reports from attached councils indicate that all are progressing with extension especially junior praesidia. Of 1,500 persons contacted, 83 jointed the Legion and 31 persevered. The Spiritual Director in his allocutio said that our work will not be successful if there is no fire in our prayer. An attached curia reported that a thorough visitation of homes indicated that half of 3,000 families joined one or other of the sect. The Sacrament of Confession is encouraged on visitation and a leaflet explaining the Eucharist is distributed.

Monterrey Regia: An attached Comitium reports a junior Curia with 18 praesidia attached. Many of the juniors are involved in teaching catechism to children. A complete praesidium has transferred to the senior ranks. The Comitium is setting up a senior Curia. An attached praesidium reports the return of a whole family to the Church. One Curia emphasises Confession to those they contact.

Leon Regia: An attached Comitium reported that street contact is carried out by many attached praesidia. They also visit the jail and a number of prisoners have received the Sacraments after many years. A number of drug addicts have been encouraged to go into rehabilitation. An attached Comitium in a rural area reported that they visit the people in all the different communities around. Legionaries spend from 2-3 hours walking to and from those communities but their visit is the only Catholic contact, which the people have on a regular basis.

Acapulco Regia: The new Regia, is working well. A Comitium has recently been set up in the Regia area. Most praesidia have more then ten members. Prison visitation is carried out on a wide scale. There are a number of praesidia in prisons also. Works include teaching catechism to street children and regular school-going children. One praesidium organised the regularising of 15 marriages. True Devotion to the Nation is prominent; among the highlights are supervising the cleaning of public squares and helping with drainage schemes. Extension is progressing in two Dioceses where the Legion is weak or non-existent.

Durange Regia: The new Regia is progressing slowly; steps are being taken to ensure that all Legion work is being done in pairs.



Africa

Benin Cotonou Regia: Upgrading of religious instruction for catechumens by organising more catechism classes is a priority by this Regia. Street contact has been added to visitation of homes and hospitals as a means of increasing access to those willing to avail of religious instruction for reception into the Catholic Church. Division of one praesidium in the junior Curia brings the total number to six with 130 members. Two groups known as Frank Duff Clubs cater for needs of younger children. Two Patrician groups hold regular meetings.

Congo
Brazzaville Regia: Apostolic work within this Regia is good, consisting of visitation of homes, hospitals and orphanages, contacting Catholics, Protestants, Pagans, Muslims, many of whom were given religious instruction and prepared for Baptism and other Sacraments. Functions to pray for the Cause of the Servant of God Frank Duff have been organised.

Ivory Coast
Abidjan Comitium: Permission is being sought to have French Handbooks printed by the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Paul.

Bata Comitium: The Miraculous Medal is promoted during Legion work and a Triduum was organised for the Feast day. Some of the attached Curiae are rural and very remote. Recently two legionaries spent 4 days visiting a Curia and there is a junior Curia attached.

Cameroun
Bertoua area has 3 Comitia and many Curiae with a total of over 2,000 active legionaries. The 60th anniversary of the arrival of the Legion is being celebrated this year.



Peregrinatio Pro Christo
The Summer projects started 17th May when a team of 10 including Fr. Séamus Donohue, OFM of Ennis set out for St. Joseph's parish in Lancashire. From now on teams will travel out each week to parishes in England and Scotland until the final project of the year from 6th to 13th September.

A small number of Irish volunteers have come forward for the foreign projects being organised by Glasgow, Liverpool and Birmingham. Scotland now has a full team for their project in Finland.

Since the last Concilium meeting we have had a Regional Conference in Roscrea. It was held in the Cistercian Abbey there, and there was an attendance of almost 70 from the surrounding areas. We are very grateful to the two Curiae, Dundalk and Birr/Roscrea, both of whom hosted very successful Regional Conferences this year.



Extension Workers for Argentina
Edel Garcia and Laura Rodriguez met Fr. Carlow Ponza now working in the city of Cordoba. They had a meeting with the priest in charge of the different lay movements. He said he would like to see the Legion of Mary more involved in Church events. He is very anxious that the two legionaries work with the young people but always with the support of the adult legionaries.

In one of the two parishes where they are working, there is a praesidium of 8 members, which was set up by Alfie Lambe. They are attending the praesidia meetings and working with the legionaries to encourage them to start new works. After Mass they spoke to parishioners about the Legion and invited them to the praesidium. In a parish close to the University they have permission to speak at the Masses and one former legionary has promised to rejoin.
They met a Carmelite Polish Priest, Fr. Ladislao, who was Spiritual Director in Burundi for 12 years. He invited Edel and Laura to speak at the Masses in his parish with a view to recruiting young people for the praesidium in his parish.
Edel and Laura ask us to keep them in our prayers. They feel that Alfie Lambe is interceding on their behalf and this encourages them to continue with their extension and sometimes-difficult work.



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

Back to News