Legion of Mary Philadelphia Senatus

Knowing that the various states, cities and counties in the Senatus area are in different stages of re-opening from the Corona virus restrictions, there is not one directive we can give that will fit all situations. We offer the following Senatus directions to Legionaries in regard to resuming Legion activities:

1. Follow the health and safety directives given by your State, County, city and local governing bodies. In addition, the Legion is subject to ecclesiastical authority, so follow the directions from your Diocese and consult with your pastor or Spiritual Director. When in doubt, ask your governing Council.
2. Where in-person meetings are prohibited, virtual Praesidium meetings are suggested, if possible. Praesidia in general are holding virtual meetings, mostly to recite the Legion Prayers, some read or discuss the Handbook, and have an Allocutio, but this is optional; but nothing confidential should discussed until we can get back to normal. 
3. Where your locale has opened to the point of permitting gatherings; Council and Praesidia meetings that are restricted to the permissible number of persons and that allow for social distancing along with face masks and sanitizing are recommended. Follow public health and safety guidelines.
4. Members who are at high risk due to age (80% of Covid-19 deaths are with those over 65 years old), compromised immunity, or other serious medical conditions are advised to act responsibly and take extra precautions. Members who have a cold, fever or other transmittable acute illness are requested to remain at home. No one, either member or officer, is required to participate in any in-person meetings or activities until an effective treatment or vaccine is available. Active participation in the Legion during these pandemic restrictions is on a strictly voluntary basis. Officers are requested to keep the above in mind when considering re-starting in-person meetings and work assignments.
5. Any initial restart to the Legion work apostolate should be made with social distancing, face masks and sanitizing. An initial effort to restart the Legion apostolate, in making contact ‘at a distance’, perhaps the book barrow/stand/table in the outside world, could be used to highlight Catholic literature and the Maria Legionis on display a means of sharing the faith. Since person to person contact type  Legion assignments may be entirely restricted or socially awkward at this time, one work suggestion is to make encouraging phone or social media or letter contact with Parishioners and Auxiliary members. Another is to practice True Devotion to the Nation via helping seniors and at-risk neighbors in coping with the restrictions.
6. Councils are recommended, as a minimum, to continue their monthly officer meetings (virtually as necessary) in order to address any issues.  Annual reports from attached Praesidia and sub-councils might be submitted on their regular schedule. 
7. Click here to see the full text of update to Senatus Covid-19 Directives
8. Click Here for excerpts from the Covid-19 reopening Guidance from the CDC and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

(The sixteenth in a series of meditations on the  Mysteries of the Rosary by Rev. Addisalem T. Mekonnen, Spiritual Director of the Philadelphia Senatus).

Do you love God more than anyone and anything?

 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.”  John 21:15

Whenever we think about all the things we would guess that our Blessed Lord would say to St. Peter after he denied and abandoned Jesus we never would of thought He would point this question to him.  Our Blessed Lord didn’t ask why did you deny Me three times or why did you abandon Me when you said you would die with Me. These actions of St. Peter were no surprise for our Blessed Lord but they were for St. Peter. Whenever we are surprised by the sins we fall into or when others deny or betray us, we can remember that our Blessed Lord already knows everything and He alone is unchangeable. We may feel less trusting or become suspicious of others because of a bad experience we had in our friendship with others but Jesus is the only friend who is perfectly trustworthy. St. Peter was known as a strong leader among his friends, the apostles, because of his strong will and so he trusted himself to the degree that he told our Blessed Lord you can depend on me Lord more than anyone else.  Our Blessed Lord knew this strong will was a gift and a curse. It was a gift because our Blessed Lord gave him this strong will in service of the Gospel, but it became a curse because he trusted it more than His faith animated by love for Jesus. For St. Peter and us, the “these” our Blessed Lord was referring to was not only our natural gifts, but rather everything that we depend upon as the primary source of our strength or power to be ruled and influenced by our living faith animated by charity. This faith animated by charity in our Lord’s resurrection was the powerful food our Blessed Lord spoon fed St. Peter in order that he in turn may feed our Lord’s sheep with the same food. I say spoon fed because our Blessed Lord was looking and speaking directly at him repeating the same question three times in a row. That is what a good parent does when they are teaching their child something very important and they want the child not only to remember what was said but also grasp the depth of what was taught. This question and answer format was also the ancient method of teaching among both the Jewish religious leaders and Greek philosophers. St. Peter had faith and love for our Blessed Lord as he clearly stated to Jesus three times, but it was not mature enough to help him follow Christ to Calvary at that moment in time.

Our Lord revealed to him and to us that our potential is limitless whenever we continue to allow Christ to purify our faith and love for Him, to the degree that He alone becomes our only strength.  Let us pray this decade pondering in our heart this same question pointed to us directly and we should insert our name in that verse. We should then repeat the response of St. Peter to our Blessed Lord because He is truly waiting for our response and hoping we say these words to Him as well. Then our Blessed Lord will make our words bear fruit in our actions and our words.  

Fr. Addisalem Mekonnen

(The fifthteenth in a series of meditations on the  Mysteries of the Rosary by Rev. Addisalem T. Mekonnen, Spiritual Director of the Philadelphia Senatus).

Have you ever thought to yourself, “Who am I?”    

            I think everyone has heard of the term “identity crisis,” defining an experience for someone going through a period of uncertainty and confusion in which one’s sense of identity becomes insecure, typically due to a change in their expected aims or role in society.  It seems to me that this psychological concept of “identity crisis” could apply not only to someone as adult, but also teenagers. Teenagers are not adults; they are also not little children.  So they seem to have that tension in which they are trying to mature into adulthood. They begin to see the world not only through their parent’s perspective and that of other people, but also through their own life experiences which influence their understanding of their purpose in life in relation to their identity.

            Our Blessed Lord didn’t have an identity crisis as a little boy.  But the fact of His going missing for three days became a real crisis for both our Lady and St. Joseph, Jesus’ foster father.  Both our Lady and St. Joseph were shocked, afraid and confused as to why Jesus would stay in the Holy Temple for three days, especially because He had never intentionally caused them suffering, but only pure joy.  Our Blessed Lord said to them, “Why is it that you were looking for me?  Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?”  Our Blessed Lord didn’t apologize for what He did, as if He didn’t know He is the Son of God and Savior of the world.  He justified His actions by revealing to them His identity in relation to His mission from His Heavenly Father. 

            The question our Blessed Lord presented seems to hearken back to the question God asked in Genesis to Adam and Eve. God asked Adam and Eve, after their fall: “Where are you?”  This basically means, “Where do you stand in your relationship with me: is it as a close friend/family member or is far off, like a stranger or enemy?”  In a certain sense, Adam and Eve experienced an identity crisis because they separated their identity from their mission. Our Lady and St. Joseph didn’t understand why Jesus would want to engage the religious leaders in the Holy Temple for three days.  It seems as if they briefly forgot the inseparable connection of Jesus’ identity as Son of God and the mission He received from His Heavenly Father.

            It was during their trial of temptation that Adam and Eve also forgot the connection between their identity and mission in relationship with God as creatures who are called to obey their loving Creator – just like the rest of creation in the universe. Luke wrote, “And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart.”  Our Blessed Lord was obedient to our Lady and St. Joseph because it was part of the mission He received from His Heavenly Father.  We can carefully observe His identity and mission are never separated from each other.  Jesus teaches us that, no matter how comfortable and familiar we become in our relationship with Him, we should try not to forget that we are His disciples and that our discipleship always involves receiving a special mission from our heavenly Father. Whenever our Heavenly Father calls us to accomplish a special mission, it will be revealed to us personally in Christ through the Holy Spirit. This special mission is to “repent and believe in the Gospel.”   After all, we can’t give what we don’t have.  We are called to mature in our understanding of discipleship and mission.  Like our Lady and St. Joseph, we are called to ponder this mystery of faith in our heart. 

Fr. Addisalem Mekonnen

In excerpts from a letter sent by our Concilium correspondent to the Philadelphia Senatus, we have received the following directions regarding the holding of Legion meetings due to social distancing and health restrictions imposed due to the Covid-19 flu pandemic:

“Regarding virtual meetings, under normal circumstances, Concillium would be regarding virtual Legion meetings as defeating the need for physical community contact, as in church, for the uplifting and inspiriting of the legionaries – part of the Mystical Body.

However, we are not in normal times and must be guided by Church and heath authorities during this COVID 19 Pandemic.

Whilst in this crisis, the Concilium is in lockdown, like all other responsible bodies; and in lieu of meetings, Concilium members are operating from home,  still receiving the normal quarterly reports when due, from the correspondents and supplying the normal monthly bulletin to all world-councils attached as heretofore.  

The Concillium would wish that the line of communications continues by email so that the schedule doesn’t become severely bottle-necked, causing a breakdown in proper supervision of councils attached to the Senatus. 

In light of the current situation, virtually (sic) council officers’ meetings only, could utilize the virtual apps available for such meetings, with due regard to confidential matters.  

For the duration of the crisis praesidia meetings, via virtual apps, could be held to recite the Legion Prayers only, with no discussions of business. ” 

(Below are the instructions from the Concilium to all Legionaries in regard to the virus outbreak. A link to the Concilium website is found on this page under “Contacts”.

Concilium advises all legionaries to adhere to the instruction of the Catholic bishops and the civic authorities in regard to limiting the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

All members are asked to pray for the healing of those who are sick with the virus, for those who are grieving the loss of their loved ones who have died and for the protection and safety of those working in the health service and tending to the sick.

May Our Lady watch over and protect all of us.

(The fourteenth in a series of meditations on the  Mysteries of the Rosary by Rev. Addisalem T. Mekonnen, Spiritual Director of the Philadelphia Senatus).

What do you believe is more important in the end, the judgement of people, or the judgement of God

Pop culture has made the TV show “American Idol” become the success it has because it taps into our interest in the search for a superstar to become the next up-and-coming popular artist in the music industry. “American Idol” has three judges that scrutinize the artist, and if he or she gets their votes, the artist is able to move forward in the competition.  After receiving the approval of those three judges, the artist then needs the votes from the live and TV audiences in order to continue moving forward toward eventually winning the contest. In the process, the artists get plenty of feedback from the judges that helps them develop their talent and become a light to foreign nations and the glory of America.

Our Lady and St. Joseph brought the baby Jesus to the Holy Temple in obedience to the Law of Moses regarding the redemption/consecration of the firstborn son to the Lord.  Both our Lady and St. Joseph judged that, although Jesus is the Messiah and Son of the Most High, they nevertheless abided by the Law and presented Jesus in the Holy Temple according to the will of God. They offered up two turtles doves as an offering as required by the Torah. It was Simeon who, through the light of the Holy Spirit, proclaimed the universal significance of the Lord for Jews and Gentiles alike.  After all, Jesus who now comes to be “redeemed” in the Temple by sacrifice will one day sacrifice Himself for the redemption of the human race – not in the Temple, but on the Cross.  Through the prayer of Simeon, we hear announced that Jesus our Lord is “a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel” (Lk 2:32).  The Presentation also presents us with the prophetess Anna who, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, also bears witness to Jesus as the Savior of the world.

There are then three “judges” – the Holy Spirit, Simeon, and Anna – as to Jesus’ identity and His role in the context of salvation history.  They testify to the dramatic effect Jesus has not only upon Israel, but upon the whole world.

 Therefore, all of us, like our Lady and St. Joseph, as much disciples of Christ as both of them, are called to ponder this mystery as they did with a living faith.  And then we are called to “vote” for Christ by the way we live out our baptismal consecration and actively participate in the Paschal Mystery which is our redemption and consecration. 

Consequently, if we make judgements upon ourselves concerning our sins in Confession then we are enabled to bear witness to Christ as our Light, and then participate in His light.  And if afterwards we take up our cross and follow Him, then we receive a participation in His glory, like the saints in heaven.

Fr. Addisalem Mekonnen