Allocutio (August, 2009)
Fr. Lawrence Goode, Spiritual Director

St. Agnes Church is located in one of the most difficult areas in the city - the Haight Ashbury, home of psychedelic drugs, "free love", and satanic cults.  But your Praesidium, now 72 years old, only has 4 active members – that is a point of concern. The Haight needs your street apostolates and book barrows to help those problem children come back to God and the Church...On the positive side, you have a good Spiritual Director, Fr. Allender, S.J., and a Columban Drive should be “an injection of life".  Please also restart Door-to-Door work - don't delay for another year. 

Idaho Comitium continues working despite their challenge to cover large sparsely populated rural areas. Members who travel 8 hours to get to meetings show great devotion...and, we remember the work of Sr. Eva Pera, who had her start in Half Moon Bay, South San Mateo Curia.
Nice to hear that Sacramento Comitium has a Praesidium in Paradise. We knew Paradise is located here in California, somewhere... Fr. Arthur Najera was the President of the Legion in the Seminary and is newly ordained.  Even if he’s not involved, his Pastor is the Vocation Director.  Get him involved.  He loves and knows the Legion.

Thanks to Anchorage Comitium, for their fiscal responsibility and great generosity, much appreciated by Senatus and Concilium.  And may North Utah Curia elect the very best candidate as Curia President.

While I was passing by City College of San Francisco, I was struck by the College Motto, “The Truth will set You Free”, engraved in three foot high letters above the main portico.  This is taken from the Bible, John, 8,32.  So "Freedom" is meant in a Christian sense, that is, living our lives to the full, but responsibly and obediently. We need to be faithful to the Church and the Church’s doctrines.  Then, Jesus and the Church will "set us free"...But, we Christians, especially Legionaries, must also be witnesses to the truth, and stand fast against untruth and error.  Be aware that a proposition to allow Same Sex Marriage will be on the ballot in 2012.  There will be a media propaganda barrage, saying “This is needed for equal rights!”  The media will state that a union between 2 men or 2 women, is the same as a Christian marriage that can give life.  "Equal Rights" is, on the surface, a seemingly plausible argument, that may convince some in our Catholic community, even daily communicants.  Remember that marriage is for children, and that children also have "rights" - the right to have a mother and a father.  You should not be quiet, but rather stand up for the truth and witness to people who may waiver in their faith. We have to be strong.  And in San Francisco, it’s very hard, and it takes courage to stand up for the truth.  And keep promoting Courage, a group of people with same sex attraction that believes and follows in the Church’s teachings.  The Church also believes strongly that Gay People must be treated with dignity, kindness and great respect.  Encourage, is a similar group meant for parents.
Father also shared his experience with a group he was with for the last 2 weeks, as they discussed the new approach on Scriptures as written by Pope Benedict XVI.  We will have some highlights next month.