Legion Of Mary Senatus Sydney

TULLAMORE

It is in this small town of Catholic Ireland that Alphonsus Lambe was born on 24th June 1932 in the bosom of an unassuming family where the Will of God is accepted in silence and humility, whatever it be". The Lambe family were greatly esteemed by all who knew them, and it was in that Christian environment that Alfie's first years were spent.  Intelligent, always smiling, but profoundly religious, it was at the early ago of 13 years that he decided to enter the Congregation of the Irish Christian Brothers, to be received two years later together with 49 other postulants in the Dublin novitiate of that Congregation.  But in this his so ardent desire he could not continue for his superiors judged that his health was not sufficiently vigorous. To one of his sensitive temperament, this was indeed a sore trial. It seemed that all his dreams were shattered. But Sacred Scripture tells us that all things work well for those who love God.  Alfie found his vocation by other paths.  When one door closed another opened.

THE LEGION OF MARY

In Tullamore there existed a Praesidium of the Legion of Mary.  He had heard of this organisation when he was in the novitiate In Dublin. Alfie loved the Mother of God and did not delay in joining the Legion at the age of 18 years, dedicating himself to working in it with all the energy of which he was capable.  His companions in the apostolate soon realised how deeply Alfie had assimilated the spirit of the Legion.

"I BELIEVE l COULD DO MORE GOOD IN THE WORLD THAN IN AN ORDER'' 

He had said this to his mother and the thought penetrated deeply into that timid boy of Tullamore, whom the Blessed Virgin had destined to carry out ''Great things for God and for the salvation of souls''.  Sheamus Grace had been a junior legionary; now as an adult he was organising teams of legionares to extend the Legion, especially among men. His first efforts being very successful, he later in 1951 organised ten teams, each composed of three men.  Each team devoted ten days to the extension drive at the end of which some 20 new Praesidia were functioning.  A year later, Seamus found 100 legionaries willing to undertake a similar project. These were divided into 30 teams, which now comprised both mem and women.  

"Good day, I am Alfie Lambe'' said the youth who had just arrived at the Legion Headquarters. "What age are you?" "Eighteen years'' replied Alfie. Was this the group-leader whom Tom Rowley, President of the Praesidium in Tullamore had recommended? Sheamus Grace was amazed. He was too young to be a group leader, so instead Seamus put him into the group that Sheamus himself was leading. But the following year Alfie was made a group leader, for he had given evidence of his excellent qualities and aptitudes and had gained sufficient experience.

ENVOY OF THE LEGION OF MARY

The Concilium had given Alfie the task of extending the Legion and supervising new groups in the most distant parts of Ireland.  He sent a weekly report to his friend, Seamus, of the work which he accomplished faithfully and competently; naturally, it was a delicate task but a happy one for him. This apostolic joy is reflected in his reports to Seamus who knew how to guide Alfie in his work, imparting opportune advice and guidance.

One day Alfie received the news that his guide and friend in Dublin had been appointed Envoy of the Concilium to South America and was even now preparing himself for the journey which he was soon to begin.  Surc of his vocation at 20 years of age, Alfie offered himself to the Supreme Council of the Legion as an Envoy . . . and at the meeting of the Concilium Legionis Mariae of April 1953, both Legionaries were officially named as Envoys of the Concilium to South America.

IMPRESSIVE PARTING

On the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel 1953 the Airport at Shannon was the scene of a large gathering of Legionaries as the two young Envoys were about to leave for New York from which a week later they were to depart for Bogota, Colombia. In the Colombian capital there was a happy re-union. Shortly before the two new Envoys arrived Joaquina Lucas the Filipino Envoy in Peru arrived to meet them. Up to that date she had been the only envoy in South America.

The facility and speed with which Alfie learned Spanish was really remarkable. After working extensively in Colombia with Seamus, and having got accustomed to the life, language and customs of the region, at the beginning of 1954 the Concilium asked Alfie to go immediately to Ecuador, where the Bishop of Ambato had requested help for the founding of the Legion in his diocese.

MUCH WORK AND FEW WORDS

THE CONFERENCE OF BISHOPS

One day the Bishop of Ambato invited Bro. Lambe to accompany him to Quito, the Capital. The reason? To attend the Bishops' Conference! The Median Year was being celebrated and Mon. Echeverria had decided to propose to the Bishops of Ecuador the founding of the Legion of Mary in honour of Our Lady during that year. In Quito, the Bishop and Alfie visited the Papal Nuncio to whom they explained this initiative. The Nuncio who knew how the Legion was esteemed in Rome replied that nothing would please him more.

Then at the meeting of the Bishops, Mon. Echeverria proposed to the Bishops of Ecuador the founding of the Legion in all the Ecuadorian dioceses giving testimony, with warmth and conviction of his confidence that "the inauguration of the Legion is not a question of a passing illusion all the indications are that it will be something permanent". The Bishops with one sole exception, decided to found the Legion in their dioceses. Presented by Mons. Echeverria, Alfie , simply and calmly in a language he had only commenced to speak a few months before addressed the Bishops of Ecuador thanking them for the decision they had taken, and offering them his services for the heroic task of conquering Ecuador for the Legion of Mary. Returning to Ambatos on both March 1954, the first Curia was established with 8 Praesidia attached.

QUITO, THE CAPITAL

Having received permission from Cardinal de la Torre to found the Legion in Quito, he soon set up several Praesidia. It is notable that Alfie not only set up Parish Praesidia, but also among the rejects of modern society. He set up Praesidia among lepers and in prisons, and his efforts were crowned by the erection of the Curia in June 1954. Other dioceses soon followed - Guayaquil, Ibarra, Bolivar and so on. Thus began the great task gigantic but sure, that Alfie Lambe was to accomplish in almost six years. From Colombia three Legionaries arrived to help the Envoy and later a fourth. With them he was able to cover a vast area covering nine dioceses. In Bahia alone they set up 20 Praesidia in two weeks. Such was the rapid extension that in the Spring of 1955 all the dioceses of Ecuador had got the Legion.

YOU ARE URGENTLY NEEDED IN BOLIVIA

IN PERU

The rest of Alfie in Peru, he relates as follows; I figured I would get some rest in Peru, perhapes a vacation, but the past week I have been buisier than ever. "Rest?" Alfie never got to be before midnight, and generally it was at that hour that he took supper. For five weeks there had been no word for Alfie to the Concilium in Dubblin, he had been labeled the missing envoy, normally he had reported weekly to the Concilium through Bro. Frank Duff. What had happened to him? Would a cable have to be sent to him, asking how he was? But nobody knew where he was to be found! The concern disappeared on the receipt of a bulky envelope, postmarked Brazil: Tyson must have thought that I had disappeared from the face of the earth! . . . the past weeks have been ones of intense work and mad activity. We have journeyed through Peru, by plane, train, bus and donkey and even on foot . . . sometimes burnt brown by the strong tropical sun at others frozen by the icy winds fom the mountain summits; the nett result of our efforts is the following: new Curiae in Peru - in Trujillo Cuzco and Puno, and the first Curia in Bolivia' in the capital, La Paz. This latter was inaugurated under excellent auspices. The Archbishop of La Paz attended the meeting, giving evidence of his conviction that the Legion was destined to do great things in Bolivia. The Auxiliary Bishop is Spiritual Director of the Curia.

At this momment we are flying over the peaks of the Andes in Bolivia, at some 17000 feet. Some 20 minutes ago I left La Paz Airports accompanied by Mons. Untiveros of Lima who is en route to Rio de Janeiro to the Eucharistic Congress. We were seen off by a big crowd of La Paz Legionaries who offered us beautiful bouquets of flowers. l am writing from the plane because it is the only free time I have left. It is enough to read these lines written by Alfie Lambe to realise the intensity of his labours.

THE EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS

In the month of July 1955 the International Eucharistic Congress took place in Rio de Janeiro. The Envoy Joaquina Lucas was engaged in spreading the Legion throughout the immense country of Brazil. On the occasion of the Congress, she was joined by Alfie and the two new Envoys, Malay Clerkin an irish girl from Monaghan, and Maria Diepen, from the Netherlands. Mary was assigned to work in Brazil with Joaquina and Maria to work in Dutch and French Guyana. The four Envoys, with Legionaries of Rio staffed a Legion information booth which had been assigned to the Legion in the Congress Hall There they were able to meet thousands of people, and Alfie was able to talk with Nuncios Cardinals Archbishops priests, religious and laity - conquering all for the region. In Brazil the Envoys decided that Joaquina would work in the North, while Marys assisted by Alfie, would work in the South together with five Legionaries of Rio who had offered to assist them.

During the Eucharistic Congress the Archbishop of Sao Paulo had authorized the founding of the Legion in his vast Arch- diocese. Results: 25 Praesidia founded in one month by these seven Legionaries. They also founded a Praesidium among Polish residents and one in the Oriental Rite.

THE CAMPAIGN IN THE ARGENTINE

On 18th October 1955 the Curia of Sao Paulo was erected. After that, Alfie began his journey to the Argentine, for he had received a telegram from the Conciliurn which said : Concilium recommends a campaign in the Argentina The work which awaited him was, without doubt colossal! In Buenos Aires there existed only a few Praesidia which had been permitted to be set up in religious houses but not in the parishes. The Nuncio to the Argentine whom he first visited promised him that in the annual Bishops Conferences which was then imminent he would intervene on behalf of the Legion. The archbishop off Rotarian Cardinal Caggiano promised him the same but said he must wait till the Conference before beginning work. As a result of these recommendations during the following year he had visited almost all the diocese of the Argentine, His reports mention Santa Fe Cordoba Mendoza Tucuman Patagonia San Nicolas Coffientes Mercedes etc.

HELP FROM HOME

The country needs you now, tomorrow will be too late! '' - thus wrote the Nuncio in La Paz Bolivia. Hence Alfie was very happy to get word from Concilium that a Welsh Legionary, Oonagh M. Twomey, would probably go as Envoy to Ballard.

More than six Bolivian Bishops had asked for the Legion. It was arranged that the two Envoys would meet in Asuncion Paragtlay and front there after a short stay, Oonagh Twomey would depart for her field of action, Bolivia.

WORK IN PARAGUAY

Some time previously the American Redemptorists had set up the Legion in their parish in Asuncion and now had several Praesidia. It was decided to visit these Praesidia and perhaps undertake some extension. The two envoys visited the Arch- bishop, who from the first had been a keen supporter of the Legion, and who now authorised them to set it up in all the parishes of His archdiocese, Thus the Legion spread rapidly, with many new Praesidia and in January 1957 a second Curia was erected in Asuncion, with a dozen Praesidia attached and a further Curia was set up in Villarica. Seamus Grace had returned after three years to Ireland and had married a Legionary. Alfie had hoped that Seamus would go to Ecuador. Now this could not be. Therefore, Alfie asked Conciliar to allow him return to that country. On the way back there he spent some days in La Paz.Ecuador, Alfie was abler to see that the Legion had flourished and had multiplied coming to be recognised as the Catholic movement most significant in the nation.

AGAIN TO BOLIVIA

After spending a week in Peru he continued the journey to Bolivia with the aid of a group of Ecuadorian Seminarians. As there was already a Curia in La Paz the capital and also as Oonagh Twolney was there it was suggested to Alfie that he should try his luck in Oruro. This city, situated 4000 metres over sea level, is the centre of the mining region and thus is principally populated by miners who extract from the soil of the Bolivian Andes the most precious riches; precious metals antimony zinc wolfram, etc. The city is regarded as a hotbed of communism.

In Oruro, Alfie and the seminarians spent a little more than . two weekss founding some ten Praesidia culminating two weeks later with the erection of the first Curia - on the 7th September 1957. The Bishop of Ofuro Mons. Jorge Manriqtle, attended the inaugural meeting.

RETURN TO THE ARGENTINE

During the time that Alfie had formerly been in the Argentine we may recall that the Legion had not yet been introduced into Buenos Aires which at that time constituted only one diocese.

The growth of the city made it imperative to subdivide it into various sectors, with a Bishop in charge of each one of them. One of these new Bishops, a Salesian, had no doubt about introducing it into his diocese. Little by little the other Bishops of the new dioceses opened their doors to the Legion and on the 9th December 1957 the archbishop of Buenos Aires granted permission for the Legion in his Archdiocese.

NOW IN URUGUAY

At the beginning of 1958 Alfie was able to fulfill one of his apostolic aspirations .- to journey to Uruguay. A few Praesidia had existed in Montevideo, the capitals founded by foreign priests, but these no longer existed. As was his custom Alfie visited the Nuncio who had known the Legion in Paris. Our Envoy could not have hoped for a better reception and support.

The Archbishop of Montevideo was likewise warm in his support and at oncer authorised the founding of the Legion in his Arch- dices. Between Uruguay and the Argentina Allied worked with ceaseless labours going from one country to the other in frequent journeys. In June 1958 he set up a Curia in Montevideo.

LEGIONARY BISHOPS

Mon. Corse who was named Auxiliary Bishop of Montevideo and likewise the now Auxiliary Bishop of Asuncion, Paraguay, Bishop Bogarin and also other Latin American prelates publicly took the Legion promise the day of their episcopal consecration.

ENVOY WITHOUT REST

As Alfie had been suffering from dysentery and stomach trouble for some time he had been urged to rest and confine himself to sending out teams on the work of extending the Legion. But he could not rest. One thing that caused him great joy at that time was the erection in Buenos Aires of a Curia with 23 presided.

This was on 4th August 1958. In December of that year the archbishop of Cordoba approved the founding of the Legion in his diocese and gave his blessing to Alfie who undertook the initial work. However, after was feeling very ill due to a bleeding ulcer and after vomiting blood was taken urgently to the hospital. After treatment the bleeding ceased. but an operation was recommended The Concillium recommended his return to Ireland for a prolonged rest and treatment, You seem to have given too much importance to my letter frown Cordoba'' he wrote to the Concillium on 30th December 1958 which was his last letters - written to Frank Duff. To his mother Alfie wrote : We have so little time! We ought to pray !

LYMPHATIC SARCOMA

On the 9th January 1959 Alfie was operated on in the Hospital of the Blue Nuns in Buenos Aires and the surgeons found extensive Lymphatic Sarcoma the most virulent form of cancer. His days were numbered. Alfie suffered greatly during the following days, and only a few chosen friends were allowed to visit him, one of these being the then Ambassador of Ireland Mr. T.J. Horan who reported every two days to the Concilium on Alfie's condition.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

"The campaign has ended. Here lies a Legionary nobly dead with his weapons in his hands. At last has come the hour to be confirmcd in his service' for all eternity he will be a Legionary, because the Legion is what has forged his eternal destiny, has been the fibre and mould of' his spiritual life." These beautiful words are from the Legion Handbook and characterize the passing of Alfie Lambe.

With such certainty, one of the telegrams recieved by the Concilium read: Alfie has joined Edel today.

THE LITTLE LAMB

On the feast of St. Agnes, a Lamb whiter than snow" , Alfie's sufferings terminated . On that feasttlay each year the custom exists in Rome of offering to the Holy Father two white lambs. Alfie was known affectionately in all the places he had worked in South America as "El Corderito'' the little lamb. It was appropriate that he should have passed to his reward on that day. The Cardinal Archbishop of Buenos Aries gave him the last Screments and the Papal Nuncio imparted his Blessing. A large group of priests and Legionaries accompanied his remians to the tomb of the irish Christian Brothers in the Rccoleta cemetery in Buenos Aires, where he was buried fittingly amoung that Congregation in wllich he had served his noviceship, while. trying his vocation. There the full Legion prayers were recited including the Rosary, Catena Legionis (Magnificat) and the concluding prayer for faith Confer on us O Lord, who serve beneath the standard of Mary, that fullness of faith in Thee and trust in her to which it is given to conquer the world . . . . . '' And finally as in every Praesidium meeting, the blessing of the priest was given, and all withdrew, sorrowful that they have parted with a. friend and leader, but confident that they now had a powerful advocate in Heaven to aid them in their work here on earth.

"ALFIE JOINED EDEL TODAY''

Thus Mary Clerkin, Envoy in Brazil worded the telegraph which she sent to the Concilium on learning of the death of her fellow- Envoy. The Lord has given to the Legion two models youthful in years, to draw youth to His service in the apostolate - Alfie and Edel. Each had a vocation in the religious life, Edel as a contemplative in the Poor Clare Monastery, Alfie as an irish Christian Brother. Ill-health had prevented them from entering the religious life. But each found their vocation in the Legion of Mary. In death, Alfie found his resting place alnong the brothers of the Congegation in which he sought his vocation; and Edel was buried in the habit of the Sisters of the Precious Blood, in whose convent she died. Each had borne nobly, under difficult circumstances, and in poor health the burden of spreading the Legion of Mary in a Continent.

AND WHAT ABOUT RUSSIA?

If we do not do something about Russia, we are tacitly agreeing that there is one impossibility that we can do nothing about. This would be lack of trust in God and His Holy Mother. If we say the; time is not ripe it is almost like accusing God of not being interested in saving the souls of the present generation. lf we keep waiting, we will all pass into eternity and the work will be left for others to do".

Thus Alfje expressed his desire to go to Russia and help with the conversion of that country, Alfies apostolic zeal was universal. He had begun to learn Russian and made the necessary arrangements for the translation of the Handbook of the Legion into Russian. He had even approached the Russian embassy to seek a visa. He increased his contacts with the Russian Orthodox Christians which constituted a numerous group in Buenos Aires.

He had even planned to go to Russia as a student. Indeed the former Ambassador of Ireland in the Argentine Mr. T.J. Horan explained: "in 'the new passport issued to him shortly before his death he had written; Student.''

The Archbishop of Salta expressed himself as follows: "If the Legion had done nothing else but produce a man of the stature of Alfie Lambes God would bless it for this."

Cardinal Umberto Mazzoni. former Apostolic Nuncio in Argentine describes him thus: Physically he seems rather less than tall, delicate and with the infirmity from which he suffered and which he attributed to the climate. His character: Strong, and at the same time very sweet; temperamental and ready, as few are, for any sacrifice. His vocation? The Legion! "A giant of the apostolate . . . . alone, and with little knowledge of the language and poor', he faced men and women youths and adults in the name of Mary. For example. in Bolivia, he lived many days in Oruro among the miners all of them Indians. He prayed much - very much. Fantastic! Imagine what it was then and still is - Oruro, 360 kms, from La Paz, the spirit of violence which there predominated. Well then, our Alfie succeeded in founding the Legion there in Oruro itself. When I heard this I said to myself : "This youth works miracles'' Alfie himself explains his conquests simply in the following words: I know that when I am sent by Christ I can do all things.

With this faith I live the Legion, and I take His love to people of every condition." His strength was based on a faith perfectly serene and an unlimited confidence in the Most Holy Virgin.

Finally his temperament loving, sympathetic and tranquil gave him access to a great diversity of people. It has been said that God shows Himself in each race according to their temperament; to the Germans He shows His power', to the English His justice; to the French His infinite harmony; but to the Irish He only allows His smile.