Highly Recommended: Alfie Lambe Newsletter A recording of a talk on Alfie’s life and times given by the late Canon Francis January 2010 Issue No. 3 Ripley is available on C.D. from Sean Reilly, Neilstown, We have been busy this far during our special year of Bohermeen, remembering Alfie. We are truly grateful for all your Navan, Co. Meath, support and encouragement. It was heartening meeting Ireland. ([email protected]) so many in Kinnegad in January ’09 and at our annual € Cost 12 (including post and packaging). Mass in Tullamore in June. Our heartful thanks to all of you who made contact with us, please keep in touch, and keep up the good work.

Young Missionary The Weight of a Cause When Alfie Lambe was assigned to South America as a envoy he was one of the youngest of his time at just twenty-one, to become a missionary. When a new Cause is introduced, the To-day, people all over South America pray to Alfie, and he is regarded by many process is begun by the bishop of the Prayer for the as being the “Patron of Youth”. Stories of the good work done by the young man diocese in which the candidate died. The from Ireland abound, and many thousands gather each year on the anniversary of bishop also recognises a group of of the , his death, (January 21st) to celebrate the life of the humble Legionary who was individuals who will defray the costs of the process, and these people appoint a Alphonsus Lambe affectionately known as “El Corderito”, (the Little Lamb). “postulator” who will take charge of the Cause in its first phase, i.e. the diocesan O God, who by your infinite mercy inquiry. If the Holy See approves the inflamed the heart of your servant, Visit of Guadalupe Morad to the Diocese of Meath opening of the Cause, the postulator Alphonsus Lambe with an ardent love for prepares a supplex libellus, a ten page you and for Mary, our Mother; a love which The Cardinal of has appointed Gaudalupe Morad, a historian, as statement of the initial case for recognising revealed itself in a life of intense labour, Chairperson of the historical commission for the Cause of The Servant of God, the individual as a “Servant of God”----the prayer and sacrifice for the salvation of Alfie Lambe, in Buenos Aires. title given to a candidate on whom the souls, grant, if it be your will, that we may Church has not yet rendered judgement. obtain, by his intercession, what we cannot Guadalupe made a brief visit to Ireland earlier this year, during which time she obtain by our own merits. visited Alfie’s house in Tullamore and met with members of Alfie’s family, with Fr. Lorenzo Bracken, a former school classmate and with a number of the local We ask this through Jesus Christ, Our Lord, Favours attributed to Alfie’s Legionaries. She also met with Fr. Oliver Skelly, Vice Postulator for Alfie’s Cause. intercession should be notified in Amen. writing to: Legion of Mary, De The Alfie Lambe Committee was delighted to welcome her to their meeting in Montfort House, Morning Star Avenue, Brunswick Street, Dublin Kinnegad. This committee comprises Legionaries from the Meath Diocese, whose 7, Ireland aim is to promote Alfie’s Cause, to make him better known. Alfie The Innovator fifty present. Many of them had long prison Annual Mass of Commemoration Alfie was a great originator and innovator. He terms. But Alfie met them with the respect that had the legion prayers translated into the is due to seeing the face of Christ in all. About 350 attended Mass on Sunday June 28th in the Church of the Quechua dialect and then printed.This important He explained to them the ideals of the Legion Assumption, Tullamore. Rev. Fr. Martin Halpin, P.P. Ballinabracky was step enabled him to fulfil his ardent desire to set of Mary and impressed on them that, as baptised Chief Celebrant, assisted by Rev. Fr. Oliver Skelly, P.P. Coole, and Vice up praesidia among the Indians. He arranged for and confirmed members of the Mystical Body Postulator of Alfie’s Cause, Rev. Fr. John McEvoy, C.C. Mucklagh, the Legion Journal, published in Dublin to be of Christ, they had an apostolic obligation. The Monsgr. Eamonn Marron, retired P.P., Kinnegad, and Rev. Fr. James translated into Spanish, and for it to be issued apostolate is less a duty than a privilege. It is our Gavigan, . with a South American supplement. This was chance to intervene in the history of salvation In his Homily, Fr. Halpin said Alfie and the Legion of Mary sought to done in Quito, and the practice of and redemption, and hence in world history. overcome the challenges faced by the Church in South America because publication there for the whole of South America “People like you can change Ecuador” he said of shortage of clergy by activating the laity in the mission of the Church. is still in operation. to them. The practice rate in some cities was very poor as was adherence to general He arranged to have programmes The prisoners responded willingly to the call. norms of the Church in regard to marriage. No matter what situation devoted to the Legion broadcast from Radio One hundred and fifty came forward. For such a people found themselves in, Fr. Martin Halpin Ecuador, and he was able to write to headquarters number, one Praesidium would not suffice. He Alfie, with the help of other Chief Celebrant & Homilist in Dublin in 1954, saying: “The Legion now has decided to start two; but soon there were three members of the Legion, two half hour programmes on Radio Catholica in and later on, four. Some of the prisoners had not sought to reach out to them. Quito each week. On Tuesdays we broadcast in yet made their first Holy Communion, others Even those in prison were to Spanish and on Sunday we have an English had been estranged from the Church for years. be sought out and engaged in programme. During these programmes the One year after this beginning, Alfie was able to the work of the Legion. He is recited, then news about the work of write home; ‘In Quito, the four Praesidia was instrumental in setting the Legion, worldwide.” working in the jail had their big day two weeks up a number of praesidia We would like to hear from you. Please tell ago. For the first time in the history of the jail, (groups) in the prisons he us about your plans for furthering Alfie’s cause.If all the prisoners, men and women, attended Concelebration at Mass visited. This shows the breath you have any information and suggestions, Mass, and over one hundred and thirty of his vision, which was truly please share them with us. confessed and received Holy Communion. It apostolic, for the Legion and the Church. was then decided to have a special Mass each Let us hope that our prayers for the canonisation of Alfie Lambe The Most Wretched and Dejected. month in the jail.’ will help us to broaden our own vision of faith as we grow in our We find Alfie with the Hansenians (lepers) in appreciation and understanding of how God is at work in the world and the leprosarium just outside Quito. In these in our own life. When we look at the great work God did in the life of Fr. Lorenzo Bracken, afflicted people he saw Christ suffering. With Alfie, in Jesus through Mary, we will be better able to recognise God classmate of Alfie immense tenderness and affection he devoted is at work in our own life. himself to them. First, he recruited many We too, like Alfie are called to be Apostles of Jesus through Mary for the salvation of the world. Auxiliary members from among them. Later on three praesidia were set up there. His Mother, who was always eagerly waiting for mail from her son, was startled one morning to see the words leap out of one of his letters: ‘I have been spending some time in a leper colony. These poor pathetic people need all our sympathy and help.” The next people to whom he brought his message were the inmates of the Quito Penitentiary. He first went to see the prison director and succeeded in so convincing him, that he called together all the prisoners and had Alfie Mrs Kathleen Brophy, Sister of Alfie address them. There were some two hundred and and nephew P.J. Horan. Jimmy Byrne, Committee Chairman Congregation at Mass