By: Liam Hayden and Lucy McDonald

The authors, officers of Conciliium Legionis Mariae, the central governing body of the Legion of Mary, made an official visit to the Philippines from 19 October till 12 November 2006. Liam Hayden and your editor were classmates in elementary school in Dublin,Ireland. The article first appeared in Maria Legionis, the quarterly of the Legion, in Issue No 4 2007.

Liam Hayden and Lucy McDonald with Archbishop Antonio Ledesma

After a total of seventeen hours flying By: Liam Hayden and Lucy McDonald

The authors, officers of Conciliium Legionis Mariae, the central governing body of the Legion of Mary, made an official visit to the Philippines from 19 October till 12 November 2006. Liam Hayden and your editor were classmates in elementary school in Dublin,Ireland. The article first appeared in Maria Legionis, the quarterly of the Legion, in Issue No 4 2007.

After a total of seventeen hours flying time from Dublin we arrived in Cagayan de Oro City, Mindanao, on 19 October 2006 where we were welcomed by the officers of the Senatus of the Southern Philippines. Our accommodation was in the Archbishop’s house where we were graciously received by Archbishop Antonio Ledesma SJ. In the evening we joined the Senatus officers and the Spiritual Director Monsignor Rodolfo C. Roa for a meal.

Next day we departed for Ozamiz City accompanied by the Senatus President Revie Echano, Vice President Rita Norma Saquin and former President Rose Manios. Regia officers led by President Cecilia Kaamiño, whose son Rodolfo is a Columban seminarian in Chicago, met us atthe ferry port and brought us to the Columban Sisters’ house. After lunch we drove to the Cathedral and met Archbishop Jesus Dosado CM. Then we visited the Carmelite Monastery where we met all 12 Sisters, nine of whom had been in the Legion. Our ‘moto perpetuo’ continued on the following day when we attended the 250th Anniversary of the shrine of the Birhen sa Cotta at the old Spanish fort in Ozamiz where a most beautiful Mass was concelebrated by two bishops and forty priests.

After the Regia meeting we made many new Legionary friends including the Regia Spiritual Director, Fr Arnold Daplin.

Next day we went to Alubijid where after Mass we were privileged to be sponsors to two tribal children who were being baptized by the Comitium Spiritual Director, Fr Jose Isagani E.Villamil. The Comitium meeting then took place chaired by Sr Marilou R Araneta, President, and a ‘Couples’ praesidium gave an illuminating report on contacts with troubled marriages and irregular unions.

On the following day, we left Cagayan De Oro at 4 am bound for Camiguin Island where we were met by Sr Alfreda E Diaz, Comitium President, and her officers. Afterwards we toured the island, stopping occasionally to admire the beautiful landscape. We visited a small rural church packed with legionaries young and not so young. After many conversations we returned to Mambajao where we attended a concert in which the extraordinary singing and dancing talents of priests, many of whom are Spiritual Directors of the Legion, entertained 2,500 people for several hours.

Some days later we attended a mass wedding of ten couples organized by the Legion at Balulang church, Cagayan de Oro. After lunch we visited the city’s open prison at Lumbia accompanied by a legionary police officer and another legionary. We were touched by the obvious need for friendship among the men and boys held there. Our day was completed by a visit to the Columban house were Frs Peter O’Neill and Paul Glynn welcomed us.

We attended the Senatus of Southern Philippines meeting, followed by a performance of traditional dancing and singing which we found most delightful. Our sojourn in Mindanao was coming to a close and for a finale we had the joy of attending the ordination of three young men to the priesthood by Archbishop Ledesma.

On 31 October we flew to Manila to commence the second part of our Philippines adventure. The Senatus officers greeted us and we attended a Comitium gathering in our honor and met Bishop Gabriel V.Reyes of the nearby Diocese of Antipolo.

On 3 November we were greeted in the packed Cathedral/Basilica of Malalos by hundreds of legionaries who waited for hours to meet us. We then moved on to Baliwag where we met Brigido Valmadrid, former Senatus President who after a visit to Brother Vic a sick legionary, brought us to Mass in the Cathedral. On Saturday 4 November we attended a Comitium meeting in Cabanatuan and met Bishop Sofronio S. Bancud SSS, an enthusiastic supporter of the Legion.

Next day found us at the Senatus meeting at Manila where we received a rapturous welcome. Our whistle stop tour continued on Monday when with Senatus officers we were received most graciously by Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, Archbishop of Manila, at his residence in Manila. His Eminence is well informed on Legion matters and is most enthusiastic about its development in the Philippines. We took our leave of the Cardinal and went to the house of the then Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Fernando Filoni where we were warmly welcomed.

Some Legion of Mary Terms

• The Latin terminology of the Legion of Mary is derived from that of the ancient Roman Legion.
• Praesidium: the basic unit of the Legion.
• Curia: a body governing several Praesidia in a city, town or district.
• Comitium: a Curia supervising one or more other Curiae.
• Regia: a council designated by the Concilium to exercise authority over the Legion of Mary in a large region.
  Senatus: a council designated by the Concilium to exercise authority over the Legion of Mary in a country or in a large area of a country.
  

time from Dublin we arrived in Cagayan de Oro City, Mindanao, on 19 October 2006 where we were welcomed by the officers of the Senatus of the Southern Philippines. Our accommodation was in the Archbishop’s house where we were graciously received by Archbishop Antonio Ledesma SJ. In the evening we joined the Senatus officers and the Spiritual Director Monsignor Rodolfo C. Roa for a meal.

Next day we departed for Ozamiz City accompanied by the Senatus President Revie Echano, Vice President Rita Norma Saquin and former President Rose Manios. Regia officers led by President Cecilia Kaamiño, whose son Rodolfo is a Columban seminarian in Chicago, met us atthe ferry port and brought us to the Columban Sisters’ house. After lunch we drove to the Cathedral and met Archbishop Jesus Dosado CM. Then we visited the Carmelite Monastery where we met all 12 Sisters, nine of whom had been in the Legion. Our ‘moto perpetuo’ continued on the following day when we attended the 250th Anniversary of the shrine of the Birhen sa Cotta at the old Spanish fort in Ozamiz where a most beautiful Mass was concelebrated by two bishops and forty priests.

After the Regia meeting we made many new Legionary friends including the Regia Spiritual Director, Fr Arnold Daplin.

Next day we went to Alubijid where after Mass we were privileged to be sponsors to two tribal children who were being baptized by the Comitium Spiritual Director, Fr Jose Isagani E.Villamil. The Comitium meeting then took place chaired by Sr Marilou R Araneta, President, and a ‘Couples’ praesidium gave an illuminating report on contacts with troubled marriages and irregular unions.

On the following day, we left Cagayan De Oro at 4 am bound for Camiguin Island where we were met by Sr Alfreda E Diaz, Comitium President, and her officers. Afterwards we toured the island, stopping occasionally to admire the beautiful landscape. We visited a small rural church packed with legionaries young and not so young. After many conversations we returned to Mambajao where we attended a concert in which the extraordinary singing and dancing talents of priests, many of whom are Spiritual Directors of the Legion, entertained 2,500 people for several hours.

Some days later we attended a mass wedding of ten couples organized by the Legion at Balulang church, Cagayan de Oro. After lunch we visited the city’s open prison at Lumbia accompanied by a legionary police officer and another legionary. We were touched by the obvious need for friendship among the men and boys held there. Our day was completed by a visit to the Columban house were Frs Peter O’Neill and Paul Glynn welcomed us.

We attended the Senatus of Southern Philippines meeting, followed by a performance of traditional dancing and singing which we found most delightful. Our sojourn in Mindanao was coming to a close and for a finale we had the joy of attending the ordination of three young men to the priesthood by Archbishop Ledesma.

On 31 October we flew to Manila to commence the second part of our Philippines adventure. The Senatus officers greeted us and we attended a Comitium gathering in our honor and met Bishop Gabriel V.Reyes of the nearby Diocese of Antipolo.

On 3 November we were greeted in the packed Cathedral/Basilica of Malalos by hundreds of legionaries who waited for hours to meet us. We then moved on to Baliwag where we met Brigido Valmadrid, former Senatus President who after a visit to Brother Vic a sick legionary, brought us to Mass in the Cathedral. On Saturday 4 November we attended a Comitium meeting in Cabanatuan and met Bishop Sofronio S. Bancud SSS, an enthusiastic supporter of the Legion.

Next day found us at the Senatus meeting at Manila where we received a rapturous welcome. Our whistle stop tour continued on Monday when with Senatus officers we were received most graciously by Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, Archbishop of Manila, at his residence in Manila. His Eminence is well informed on Legion matters and is most enthusiastic about its development in the Philippines. We took our leave of the Cardinal and went to the house of the then Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Fernando Filoni where we were warmly welcomed.

Some Legion of Mary Terms

• The Latin terminology of the Legion of Mary is derived from that of the ancient Roman Legion.
• Praesidium: the basic unit of the Legion.
• Curia: a body governing several Praesidia in a city, town or district.
• Comitium: a Curia supervising one or more other Curiae.
• Regia: a council designated by the Concilium to exercise authority over the Legion of Mary in a large region.
  Senatus: a council designated by the Concilium to exercise authority over the Legion of Mary in a country or in a large area of a country.