Legion of Mary

Melbourne Senatus

Prayer with Action

REPORT ON CITY BEACH PPC

HELD FROM 22^ND FEBRUARY TO 7^TH MARCH 2008

On Saturday 22^nd February we commenced the PPC with Mass said at 9.00am, followed by a short welcoming time and straight into door knocking.

Four pairs went out in the morning, using Jac Buman as an extra in the morning because of an odd number.   An eighth member joined in the afternoon and the numbers for the day were good as more people are home of a weekend and we finished the day with around 300 visits and 49 Catholics.

We had been told that there were approximately 2400 homes in the Parish and we decided to commence visitation closest to the Church as previous experience had shown that the percentage of Catholics is greater, the closer to the Church.

We were treated to a scrumptious lunch by the Parish ladies and our first Meeting was held after lunch at 1.30pm.    The times for the meetings were changed from time to time because of the extreme heat in the middle of the day and we would generally go out about 10.00am; come in at 12.30pm, have lunch and a meeting and back on the road at 4.00pm to 7.00pm.

Sunday, day 2 saw four extra locals come to lend a hand and a similar pattern was followed with the exception that Mass was held at 8.00am and a Commissioning Ceremony was conducted by the Parish Priest, Fr. Don Kettle. 

This pattern was followed in succeeding days with Mass at 6.45am followed by breakfast and a Meeting finishing around 9.15am with a core group of six and many different locals coming from time to time.    Our greatest days for attendance was Tuesday 26^th  when  a total of 18 legionaries visited in the first part of the day and 16 on Thursday 28^th February.    The figures for these days totalled 1000 visits.   The weather was extremely hot for the whole period of the PPC with temperatures around and over 40degrees by Wednesday and Thursday of the first week.

Fortunately, transport was never a problem because of the large number of locals participating who had their own cars.

The first Friday, 29^th February was a rest day and Fr. Don took our Victorian legionaries to visit Bullsbrook, Bindoon and Gin Gin shrines.     It was a great day, although extremely hot.

A Comitium Meeting was held on the first Monday night and a great number of legionaries supported this Meeting.  Sr. Alison spoke briefly and encouraged the Perth legionaries to come and lend a hand at the PPC.

We continued on with visitation in a similar fashion with much local assistance.

Legionaries were invited to speak at the Holy Spirit School to all the children and medals and rosaries were given to every child.      The children were most attentive and interested in the talks.

On the second Sunday, Sr. Judy Woodward spoke at all Masses about the progress of the PPC and Fr. Don’s desire to commence a Legion at Holy Spirit and a number of names were taken.

The Meeting was held on Tuesday night, 4^th March and a total of ten Parishioners were in attendance with several apologies.

These meetings will continue with Fr. Don as Spiritual Director and Sr. Mary Hayes and other legionaries from Holy Rosary, Doubleview as nurturers for the Praesidium in its infancy.

 Five members of our basic core group were privately billeted and there were various numbers present for lunch and evening meals during the fortnight, which varied from 6 to 18 in number.      The beautiful meals provided, including breakfast, were most attractively presented and most nutritious.

The total homes visited during the two week visitation were 3415;  not home were 1858: not Catholics were 1109 and Catholic families located were 448.  On the Monday holiday of the long weekend, we spent the day revisiting homes of those who had not been home at the first visit and visited 200 homes, finding 24 Catholic Families.

There were many highlights and answers to prayers, and a wonderful response from all quarters.    Many Catholics who did not practice expressed a desire to attend the Church and  meet the new Priest and non-Catholics received us well and especially other Christians who gave us their encouragement and blessing.     We distributed over 2000 copies of the special issue of the Paraclete, hundreds of miraculous medals and prayer cards, together with rosaries and a variety of other spiritual literature.

One particular 90 year old Parishioner was found who had been a founding member of the Immaculate Heart, Holy Rosary and The Holy Spirit Churches and a short history was obtained from her for the Church’s records.

On the last day of visitation we had our only casualty when Sr. Alison was savagely attacked by a dog and received a nasty injury to her upper arm.    A tetanus injection was required.   The only saving grace was that the owner was a Catholic.    She was much more upset than Sr. Alison.

Alison Buman Team Leader

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