Correspondent's Page
Senatus News Notes
Connection and communication are two of the operating principles of the Legion of Mary. First, we have the Catena Legionis which binds all members to the Fiat of Our Blessed Mother, who is the mother of the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church and its members. Second, we have the Legion of Mary organizational system that requires every Praesidium in the world be connected and affiliated to a higher council and that the council be connected to the Concilium Legionis. This is one reason why we call each other, 'brother and sister' as we are a FAMILY, bound together unto Mary, unto Christ and unto the Catholic Church.
To foster this unity, and to ensure the efficient and effective carrying out of the Legion of Mary system (as outlined in the Handbook), the San Francisco Senatus has assigned a Legionary to be a correspondent to all its directly attached Council.
The San Francisco Senatus News Notes is a monthly reporting tool that provides all our attached Praesidia, Councils (Comitium and Curia) and all our indirectly attached Praesidia and Councils, news around the Senatus through the Quarterly Reports of our correspondents assigned to each Council.
News From Anchorage-Juneau Curia (AK)
Correspondent - Sister Tessie Velicaria
Anchorage Curia Quarterly Report
News From Utah Curia (UT)
Correspondent - Bro. Raymond Frost
Quarterly Report from Utah Curia
News From Seattle Comitium
Correspondent - Bro. Dave Marten
Seattle Comitium (Quarterly Report – August to November 2022, presented by Brother Dave Marten, Correspondent)
Comitium has 8 curiae and 14 praesidia; and elected the President and Vice President in August and Treasurer in October. Attendance at the November meeting was 4 of 4 Comitium Officers, and 11 of 56 Praesidium Officers. They are looking for a Spiritual Director to replace Fr. Hung, who served for 7 years and is going back to Laos. Praesidium reports showed home visitation and meetings in-person. They had their Annual Reunion. In the November Comitium Minutes, planning for 2023 is underway.
News From Idaho Curia (ID)
Correspondent - Bro. Ando Perlas
The Mother of Christ Idaho Curia quarterly report (ending period of March 2022) offers a great encouragement to all of us. This Curia is back to 'in-person' meetings, at every fourth Friday of each month, 1:00 p.m. They meet at Holy Apostles Church in Meridian, ID. Attendance at the Curia meeting is 95%! The Curia has a total praesidia (with two inactive ones at the moment). The Curia has a total of one hundred (100) active members and 128 auxiliary members. They are very busy with Extension Works and other apostolic works of the Legion of Mary (such as visitation of the homebound, Sacred Heart Enthronement and Pilgrim Virgin). Other works undertaken include Pro-Life ministry, Fatima, Corpus Christi and distribution of Rosaries and Miraculous Medals. One important highlight his quarterly report show an increase in Legion active membership. Bishop Peter Christensen celebrated their Centenary Mass along with four other priests and was hosted by Our Lady of Hope in Mountain Home. The Mother of Christ Curia has a complete set of officers, including a very committed and supportive Spiritual Director.
News From Portland Curia (OR)
Correspondent - Bro. Raymond Frost
News From Sacramento Comitium
Correspondent: Sis Emy Pasion
News from Northwest Coast Korean Comitium
Correspondent: Sis. Carmen Perlas
Northwest Coast Korean Comitium (Quarterly Report, August 1 to October 31, 2022, presented by Sister Carmen Perlas, Correspondent)
Comitium has 8 praesidia and 6 curiae. 2 praesidia are still struggling to resume weekly meetings in person. Council members Workshop was held on November 19. The San Francisco Korean Curia had a Cemetery Mass and Visitation in November. San Jose Koran Curia had ACIES on June 11. and Members Workshop on October 15. Anchorage Korean curia is not meeting at this time and Comitium Officers are helping in the possibility of electing officers early next year. Monterey Curia had its Acies on June 11.
News From San Jose Comitium
Correspondent -
News From Stockton Comitium (CA)
Correspondent - Vacant
(Quarter Report as of Jan 2022) - Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Stockton Comitium has a total of fourteen (14) directly attached praesidia and two (2) Curiae (Modesto Curia with two (2) praesidia and SSJC Curia - Mary, Spouse of the Holy Spirit Curia with eight (8) Praesidia - 5 English, 2 Spanish and 1 Junior). The Comitium has returned to in-person meeting since late December 2021 with most of their attached praesidia now meeting in person. Extension works are being done in the Modesto Curia and is projected to be Spanish Curia.
The Stockton Comitium reported that many of the Legion apostolic works are once again being done (with the exception of door to door visitation). These works would include: Apostolate to the Crowd through the Parish Festival; Weekly Stockton City Hall Rosary;: Curia Public Rosary at Bedquarters and Spanish Public Rosary in Spanish at Woodward Park in Manteca; bereavement ministry (leading Rosary during wake); homebound and shut in ministry - giving Holy Communion to the sick; Catholic Radio Campaign; Pilgrim Virgin - outdoor Rosary and hosting weekly novenas (such as Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Sacred Heart of Jesus, Devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and Divine Mercy).
Other apostolic works are teaching Catechism (CCD and RCIA) and participation in retreats.
News From Oakland Comitium (CA)
Correspondent: Bro. Ed Miller
Oakland Comitium (Quarterly Report, October to December 2022, presented by by Sister Priscila Abaya, President)
Comitium Average Attendance is 59%. A Columban Drive was held at St. Joseph the Worker in Berkeley on 2 weekends in October and an informational meeting was held on October 26. Another one was on the first weekend of December at St. Barnabas Church in Alameda. A variety of works are being done – Apostolate to the Crowd at at Parish Festivals, Bookbarrow at malls and groceries, Enthronement of the Sacred Heart to name a fee. Home Visitation has resumed but limited. Two curiae and 1 praesidium were visited. Junior members write to residents at Nursing Homes. Two Patrician Meetings are held every via Zoom. Centenary Thanksgiving Mass held on September 24 at St. Raymond Church in Dublin was a success with over 200 legionaries in attendance. Silent Retrat was on October 1, Congress on October 15 atSacred Heart Church and Spanish Curia Day of Recollection on October 29. Comitium website has been launched: https://www.oaklandcomitium.com. Officers have plans to have their Treasury be audited by a Certified Public Accountant.
News from Monterey Curia
Correspondent: Sis. Virginia Fabi
News From San Mateo County Comitium (CA)
Correspondent: Sis. Tessie Velicaria
News from Santa Rosa Spanish Curia (CA)
Correspondent: Sis. Angela Jimenez - Miller
From the Quarterly Report of January 2022 - The Blessed Virgin Montserrat Spanish Curia is based in the Diocese of Santa Rosa (CA) and holds their monthly Curia meeting at Saint Joan of Arc Catholic Church in Yountville, CA. They have twelve (12) Praesidia with 147 Active and 266 Auxiliary members. Average attendance at the Curia meeting is 80% for officers and 20% for members. Their apostolic works include Pilgrim Virgin Visitations and Family Rosary - during this pandemic a total of 520 families received the Pilgrim Virgin and Rosary packet. No personal contact was made to protect everyone concerned. The families were instructed to pray daily - the image of Our Lady was picked-up by members of the Legion and then moved to another family. Some homes were blessed by their Spiritual Director. Another apostolate work done by the Curia is "Mantle of the Virgin of Guadalupe" visitations where approximately 720 families participated. Again, due to health restrictions, the reception of the Mantle of the Virgin of Guadalupe was held outside the home (an altar was set up to receive Our Lady). Other works included teaching Catechism and visitation of and giving Holy Communion to the sick and the homebound. Among the Legion functions and events of the Curia include the Outdoor Curia Meeting, 40 Days For Life, Pro-Life (West Coast Walk for Life in San Francisco) and the weekly Armata Bianca weekly prayer group at Saint Eugene Cathedral. The main objective of Armata Bianca is the spiritual care of children through their consecration to God the Father in Mary. For more information regarding Armata Bianca, please click here.
News from San Francisco
Mission Excelsior Curia
Correspondent: Bro. Jun Pasion
San Francisco Mission Excelsior Curia (Quarterly Report, September 9 to December 10, 2022, presented by Sister Epifania Lardizabal, Secretary)
Curia has 9 praesidia – 6 English and 1 Spanish Senior, 1 Junior and 1 Intermediate. Council lost 2 Spanish praesidia but gained 1 from the Church of Epiphany. Meeting has been moved to 1st Saturday, 1:30pm at Corpus Christi. Works being done are Apostolate to the Crowd in front of Planned Parenthood clinic, on Geneva and Mission, Bookbarrow on Silver and Mission, CCD, Pilgrim Virgin Visitation, Enthronement of the Sacred Heart, and Patrician meeting in person. Day of Evangelization for now are meeting people at bus stops since legionaries are not yet permitted by their pastors to do home visitations. Curia project were held on July 16 at Church of the Epiphany and on October 15 at St. Elizabeth Church. Junior legionaries continue to send card and letters to homebound in addition to Altar Serving at Mass Curia attended attended Centenary Mass of Thanksgiving on August 13 at Star of the sea Church in San Francisco, Curia Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Peace in Santa Clara on September 8, Summer Function on September 17 at Church of the Epiphany and Annual General Reunion on December 10 at Corpus Christi. Goals: To resume Door to Door Visitation and hold Columban Drive in parishes with weak praesidium and other parishes without the Legion.
Quarterly Report (Period Ending - March 2022) - The San Francisco Mission Excelsior Curia is composed of nine (9) Praesidia including two (2) Spanish Praesidia, one (1) Junior and one (1) Intermediate. They have seventy (71) active members and five hundred fifty two (552) auxiliary members. The Curia Meetings are held every first Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at Don Bosco Hall, Corpus Christi Church. Though without a Spiritual Director, the SF Mission Excelsior Curia hopes to find and recommend a new priest for appointment. Their officership among their attached praesidia show six (6) vacant officer positions, Due to the pandemic, three of their praesidia are currently inactive (Immaculado Corazon de Maria, Maria Auxiliadora and Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Apostolic works include Apostolate to the Crowd in Geneva Avenue and Mission Street. They also plan to continue the usual Apostolate to the Crowd (near Planned Parenthood) beginning in April 2022. There are two active Patrician's Society groups - one hosted by the Curia itself (via Zoom every last Tuesday of the month) and by the Mary Help of Christian Praesidium. Among their immediate plans include communication with some of their officers and members who have not yet -attended their in-person meeting, recruitment of new active members and a search for a new Spiritual Director.
