Schedule for Legion Congress on July 29, 2006
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Date: July 29, 2006 Location: St. Gregory the Great Parish Spiritual Director: Fr. Francis Peffley Theme "Duc Et Altum" [Cast out into the deep] Schedule
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From the Handbook 5. THE CONGRESS The first Legion Congress was held by the Clare (Ireland) Curia on Easter Sunday, 1939. Its success led to imitation, as success always does, and now that feature has been firmly grafted into the Legion system. A Congress should be confined to a Comitium or a Curia. Assemblies on a wider basis would not be in line with the primary conception of a Congress and would not produce the intended fruits. Therefore, the name of Congress should not be applied to those assemblies, if held; nor should they be regarded as substituting for a Congress. But visitors from other areas may be invited to a Congress. The Concilium has ruled that an area should not hold a Congress more often than every second year. A whole day should be devoted to the function. The availability of a Religious house will solve many of the problems. If possible, the proceedings should begin with Mass, followed by a short address by the Spiritual Director or other priest, and should terminate with Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament. The day is divided into sessions, each session having its subject or subjects. Each subject should be very briefly opened up by someone who will have previously prepared his contribution. All should take some part in the discussions. This general participation forms the very life of the Congress. Again it is emphasised that presiding officers are not to talk much nor to intervene constantly in the discussions. Congresses, like council meetings, are to be run on the parliamentary method, that is, on lines of universal participation regulated from the chair. Some chairpersons show a tendency to comment on the utterance of every speaker. This is the opposite idea to the Congress idea, and it should not be tolerated. The assistance of some representatives of a higher
governing body would be desirable. These could perform some of the
special duties, for example, presiding, inaugurating discussions, etc. A Congress must not amount merely to a Curia meeting,
occupying itself with the same administrative details and queries that
would fall to be dealt with at the Curia. It should apply itself to the
fundamentals. But of course all the lessons learned at the Congress
should be put into force by the Curia. The devotional system of the Legion. The Legion is not
understood unless its many-sided devotional aspect is to some
reasonable extent grasped by the members; and the Legion is not being
properly worked unless that devotion be linked to the active work so
intimately as to be its motive and its spirit; in other words, the
devotion must animate the whole work as the soul animates the body. The methodical system of the Legion, including the conducting of the meetings and the vital matter of the members' reports, that is, the manner of giving them and of commenting on them. The Legion works, including the improvement of methods
and the planning of those new works which will enable the Legion to
reach out to every person. Each session should begin and close with prayer. The
Legion prayers will provide for three of those occasions. There must be diversification as between successive Congresses in the same area. Only a limited number of topics can be covered at a single Congress, whereas it is necessary that over a period of years much new ground be ploughed up. Secondly, there must never be a sense of standing still. Therefore change for the very sake of change must be sought. Thirdly, the success of a particular Congress naturally suggests that the same programme be adhered to on the next occasion. But part of that success was certainly due to the element of novelty, and this is spent by the first production. If novelty is to figure as a stimulating ingredient in each new Congress, the event must be preceded by ingenious planning. "If we wish to know in what manner the faithful soul is
to be prepared for the coming of the divine Paraclete, let us go in
thought to the Cenacle where the disciples have come together. There,
according to the order of the Master, they are persevering in prayer as
they await the Power from on high that is to come on them and clothe
them as with armour for the warfare which lies before them. In that
sacred abode of recollection and peace our reverential eye rests on
Mary, the Mother of Jesus, the masterpiece of the Holy Spirit, the
Church of the living God. From her by the action of the same Holy
Spirit will issue, as from the womb of a mother, the Church Militant,
which this new Eve represents and still contains within her."
(Guéranger: The Liturgical Year) |
Blessing Prayer
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy
Kingdom
come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day
our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who
trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us
from evil.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and
ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Lord, have mercy! (3 times)
O Christ God, bless the food and drink of Thy servants, for Thou art
holy, always, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
We thank Thee, Christ our God, for Thou hast satisfied us with Thine earthly gifts. Deprive us not of Thy Heavenly Kingdom, but as Thou camest among Thy disciples, O Savior, giving them peace, so come to us and save us!
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Lord, have mercy! (3 times)
Blessed is God, Who has had mercy on us and fed us from His rich gifts, through His Grace and love for mankind, always, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.